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Chrome 69 Arrives With Revamped Design, More Powerful Omnibox, and Better Password Manager (venturebeat.com)

Posted by msmash on from the up-next dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Google today launched Chrome 69 for Windows, Mac, and Linux, Android, and iOS, just a few days after the browser's 10-year anniversary. The release includes a new design, more powerful omnibox, updated password manager, more accurate autofill, plenty of developer-specific changes, and a slew of security improvements. You can update to the latest version now using Chrome's built-in updater, download it directly from google.com/chrome, or grab it from Google Play and Apple's App Store. Further reading: As Chrome turns 10, Google bets on AI and AR, and Google wants to kill the URL.

60 comments

  1. Nice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nice

    1. Re: Nice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What if I *don't* want to have all my data raped by the address bar? It is not a shallow ploy to steal even more data, it is a feature!

    2. Re:Nice by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

      Splain to me how the interweb can work without a url. Sure you can go to having people remember an IP address again because that worked so well last time right... Not to mention site hosting becomes harder as they can no longer share an IP address. Unless you redesigned web servers and clients making us have to give a url to the client to pass to the server... Hey wait isn't that how it works now?

    3. Re:Nice by squiggleslash · · Score: 1

      This is the wrong article, and the article that does make the claim that Google wants to get rid of URLs in the headline has a misleading headline. The summary makes it plain that Google wants something to replace current HTTP:// style URLs because they're cryptic and easy to create misleading versions of. They're not proposing you use IP address (where the hell did you get that from?)

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    4. Re:Nice by sexconker · · Score: 1

      They're not proposing you use IP address (where the hell did you get that from?)

      I'm guessing he got it from "Google wants to kill the URL".

      1 - Without a URL, you're limited to IP addresses. On an IP network, anything that maps to or substitutes for IP addresses is effectively a URL. Thus, if you're killing the URL, your only option for accessing shit is via its actual address, port, and protocol.

      2 - Did you all give up on the abortion that was forcing people to say URI instead of URL? I hope so!

    5. Re:Nice by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 1

      The summary makes it plain that Google wants something to replace current HTTP:// style URLs because they're cryptic and easy to create misleading versions of.

      I imagine Google will have Chrome (and encourage other browsers to) send the URLs to Google where they will be logged, and perhaps analyzed and cleaned up, and a token will be sent back to the browser with information for the browser to use, like the URL and display name... This will allow Google to track even more users, their information and browsing habits. I'll add my "No thanks" to the already long list of others who don't want this.

      --
      It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    6. Re:Nice by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

      Thank you for articulating my point better than I could.

    7. Re:Nice by Highdude702 · · Score: 1

      I hadnt saw that article when I posted this but it says so in the summary so not really off topic. And sexconker helped define my brain thought, so read his post to see what I meant.

    8. Re:Nice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If there is no means of entering a URL then you can't use IP addresses either! It isn't about FQDN vs an IP address. Dumbass.

    9. Re: Nice by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      chrome 69 indeed

  2. ...and Improved Spying! by TheFakeTimCook · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You forgot THAT feature...

    1. Re:...and Improved Spying! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ROFL

    2. Re:...and Improved Spying! by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Keep hearing this claim but never see any evidence. Surely if it was true someone would have used packet capture to prove it by now.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    3. Re:...and Improved Spying! by markdavis · · Score: 1

      >"Keep hearing this claim but never see any evidence. Surely if it was true someone would have used packet capture to prove it by now."

      If they are doing it "right" then perhaps it isn't that easy to know. So although one would think someone would notice something right now, perhaps not. One thing is certain- with a binary blob (like Chrome) it is hard to analyze beyond what it puts on the network.

    4. Re:...and Improved Spying! by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      "-1 Troll how dare you question the prescribed narrative!"

      When you are offended by people asking for evidence that your religious dogma is true you have a problem.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    5. Re:...and Improved Spying! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Everybody except you knows that Google and Microsoft collect more data than is needed for everything they do. You're just a blind idiot.

  3. Why are the tabs so fat now?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What was the reasoning behind making the tabs taller, but the text still the same size on them? It feels like I lost a little browsing real estate.

    1. Re:Why are the tabs so fat now?? by nwaack · · Score: 2

      What was the reasoning behind making the tabs taller, but the text still the same size on them? It feels like I lost a little browsing real estate.

      Courage.

    2. Re:Why are the tabs so fat now?? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Innovation!

    3. Re:Why are the tabs so fat now?? by jellomizer · · Score: 2

      The curve trend comes and goes.
      So with the Old "GUI" Which was just text mode, Everything was flat because wasting a space would be impossible to work.
      Then these text modes went to 50 row displays text modes, this gave enough room for buttons to have boxes with beveled appearances to them.
      After a while when they switched to early GUI they really slowed the system down, so they didn't waste too much processing in making items rounded or beveled. Just because the extra processing power to draw them.
      Then as speed got up (386 days) Icon Bevels became popular, with some curving (normally just a pixel removed from the edge. Because the resolution is still low enough to see the difference, and no more then 2 pixels on the border for the bevels.
      Buttons have gotten fancier, and more curved up to (windows XP and 7) as screen resolutions have increases, and offloaded video processing made it possible to look nice.
      Then by windows 8 they went flat again. Why? well they were trying to make Windows 8 work on touch displays, with low resolution or small screens. So they got rid of the extra display.
      Now today with 4k displays and 2k display on devices as small a a phone, they can afford to get curvy again.

      Now an interface that is fully efficient for using up space, is usually a mess. because it is just a wall of content, we like empty space to help separate ideas. But just as long as technology permits.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    4. Re:Why are the tabs so fat now?? by tepples · · Score: 2

      Vertically narrow controls are harder to hit reliably with a finger on a 2-in-1 laptop's touch screen.

  4. we are not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Love the vomit inducing amount of childishness in the video, intended to mask the vile nature of this corporate entity

    1. Re:we are not evil by bjwest · · Score: 1

      Love the vomit inducing amount of childishness in the video, intended to mask the vile nature of this corporate entity

      Have you interacted with the "average" person lately? A good portion of the internet population has the IQ of a seven year old, and THAT is who this infomercial is targeted towards.

      --

      --- Keep the choice with the user..
    2. Re:we are not evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And I assume by "average" you mean "typical", which is actually way below the average. But moogule is definitely aiming even lower, with that human caricature of a presenter and his "special needs children" intonation.

      All that was missing was the background YEEEs, naturally cued by a big flashing sign, because otherwise how do then know when to cheer?

  5. Slow down by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    youre a couple days early on this story. slowdown, /.

  6. Omnibox == Awesomebar == shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fuck off.

  7. But not ChromeOS by squiggleslash · · Score: 1

    Odd that the OS that showcases Chrome always seems to be a version or two behind.

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
    1. Re:But not ChromeOS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is a side-effect of software development. They want the version number of the OS to match the browser. The problem is that you literally cannot release a stable version of the OS and browser at the same time. You have to finalize the browser and ship it. This allows you to test it against the matching branch of the OS. Only after you verify that the two play nice together can you actually ship the OS/browser combination as stable enough to be installed as one bundle.

  8. Made text blurry with custom scaling in Windows by RickyShade · · Score: 1

    Bad news for me, I have 110% custom scaling in Windows and after this update all text in Chrome is blurry. Yayyy.

    1. Re:Made text blurry with custom scaling in Windows by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      same here. terrible.

    2. Re:Made text blurry with custom scaling in Windows by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Same here, 125%. But only if I press maximize button.

    3. Re:Made text blurry with custom scaling in Windows by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you're running anything other than 100%, you're a cunt and shouldn't be allowed to use a computer anyways.

    4. Re:Made text blurry with custom scaling in Windows by RickyShade · · Score: 1

      Cooool. This is my work computer so the displays aren't exactly what I'd like to have and I need the text a little bigger, but thaaaaaaaaaaaanks.

  9. 69? He he he by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Beavis and Butthead chuckle at this new version of Chrome.

  10. Another redesign failure by Artem+S.+Tashkinov · · Score: 2

    Modern and shit except it's now painfully difficult to understand which tab is actually active.

  11. Just what I want by oldgraybeard · · Score: 1

    to give google keywords I think are important so they can sell the information to others so they can bug me when I do not want to be hassled. No wonder I did not know what the original omnibox was.

    Just my 2 cents ;)

  12. On another note by oldgraybeard · · Score: 1

    password manager? does giving a market data vacuum cleaner company your sites and log in credentials provide any real value to you. Reminds me of Facebook asking banks for access to their users banking information and accounts to make things easier for Facebook users!! Right!!

    Just my 2 cents ;)

    1. Re:On another note by Computershack · · Score: 2

      It does mean you're less likely to use the same password or handful of passwords for every site you use.

      --
      I only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow isn't looking good either. - Scott Adams
    2. Re:On another note by fph+il+quozientatore · · Score: 1

      So you're making it harder for everyone else besides Google to spy on you. Makes sense.

      --
      My first program:

      Hell Segmentation fault

  13. Does Chrome still install 3 system services? by Futurepower(R) · · Score: 1

    "... and Improved Spying! You forgot THAT feature..."

    A long time ago, I installed the Google Chrome browser. It installed 3 system services. I discovered that using the free SysInternals Process Explorer. Chrome back then took control over computers.

    Does Chrome still install 3 system services? Is Chrome spyware?

    I recommend Microsoft's SysInternals. There are numerous helpful programs written by one of the best programmers ever connected with Microsoft, Mark Russinovich. (He is now CTO of Microsoft Azure, which is having major problems today.)

    1. Re:Does Chrome still install 3 system services? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Chrome 69 (as did 68 and 67; I forget about earlier) on Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit installs the following "things" that would fall under the categorisation you're implying:

      - Two (2) Task Scheduler entries: GoogleUpdateTaskMachineCore and GoogleUpdateTaskMachineUA. The former gets run any time the user logs on, as well as at 18:28 every day (at least on my machine). The latter gets run at 18:28 every day, repeating every 1 hour for 1 day. The former runs C:\Program Files (x86)\Google Update\GoogleUpdate.exe /c and the latter runs C:\Program Files (x86)\Google Update\GoogleUpdate.exe /ua /installsource scheduler.

      - Two (2) Services: gupdate (Google Update Service) and gupdatem (Google Update Service). The former has a Startup Type of Automatic (delayed), while the latter is Manual. The former runs "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe" /svc and the latter runs "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe" /medsvc.

      I will note, comparatively, that Dropbox also installs two similarly-named Task Scheduler entries, as well as Services, that do basically the exact same thing -- same arguments, same naming convention, etc. -- only thing different is the executables they refer to. (On the other hand, Dropbox also installs a third, incredibly annoying service called DbxSvc)

      Hope this helps.

    2. Re:Does Chrome still install 3 system services? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      A long time ago, I installed the Google Chrome browser. It installed 3 system services. I discovered that using the free SysInternals Process Explorer [microsoft.com].

      Thanks for the advertisement. I discovered them using the task manager or the management console.

      Yes Chrome still installs services. If that is your definition of spyware then maybe go talk to the men in white coats and avoid any hard objects.

  14. Insensitive clods by jd · · Score: 1

    On the day our beloved folk hero, Servalan (aka Jaqueline Pearce) died. The fact that she was notoriously sexy in her youth in no way relates to the version number.

    Seriously, a revamped design? You're infinitely better off with a modular design and a scripted UI. That way, you can upgrade modules independently and the design is whatever the user wants.

    Servalan, I think, would have approved.

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
    1. Re:Insensitive clods by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If the design is modular it would be even more susceptible to malicious browser extensions.
      I tend to think that's why Chrome offers so few options for UI in general.

  15. Just tried it, not a fan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I just updated Chrome to 69, and I'm not a fan.

    The Material Design is less visually distinct, there isn't enough contrast for me to easily tell which tab is the active one. Also, the URL bar sort of blends with the title bar (they are basically the same shade of gray). And I'm not sure I like the straight-up-and-down tabs; the angles made the tabs stand out a little more.

    I think I'll check out what theme I can install to make Chrome look more like it used to. Or maybe switch back to Firefox.

  16. killing the url is for manipulating people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    On this topic, check tflow's talk on 34c3:

    lecture: Uncovering British spies’ web of sockpuppet social media personas

  17. Chrome this bugs me by oldgraybeard · · Score: 1

    I go in to task manager and what do I see 10 chrome tasks running ok I am sure I can maybe hunt down a configuration setting telling chrome how many tasks they can start but why should I need to.
    Have not looked in to it but maybe they are preparing to open all links in a page in background browsers so they can appear fast?
    Did I ask for that do I care?

    Just my 2 cents ;)

    1. Re:Chrome this bugs me by Gabest · · Score: 1

      They are paranoid and do not let tabs share memory.

    2. Re:Chrome this bugs me by oldgraybeard · · Score: 1

      OK then what are the other 9 processes doing? If they can't talk to each other.

      Just wondering?

      Just my 2 cents ;)

  18. Kill Joogle ads/tracking/infecting/slowing via by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject + APK Hosts File Engine 2.0++ 64-bit for Linux/BSD h t t p : / / a p k . i t - m a t e . c o . u k / A P K H o s t s F i l e E n g i n e F o r L i n u x . z i p

    Yields more security/speed/reliability/anonymity vs. any 1 solution (99% of threats use hostnames vs. IP address most firewalls use) more efficiently/FASTER + NATIVELY 4 less!

    Vs. "Bolt on 'MoAr' illogic-logic" slowing you hosts speed u up 2 ways: Adblocks + Hardcode fav. sites u spend most time @ vs. competition loaded w/ security bugs (DNS/AntiVir) + overheads slowing u (messagepass 'souled-out' to advertisers easily detected & blocked addons + firewall filtering drivers) & their complexity leads to exploitation!

    * ONLY 1 of its kind in GUI 4 Linux/BSD!

    (Better vs. Windows model in speed/efficiency/merge)

    APK

    P.S.=> Protects vs. script trackers/ads/DNS request tracking + redirect poisoned or downed DNS/botnets/malware downloads/malcript/email malicious payloads... apk

  19. Registered /.ers review of the Win64 model by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Your software is just fine - well written, functional... I'm going to continue using the Host File Engine by mmell February 17, 2017

    Your premise that hostfiles are a good way to deal with advertising and malvertising is quite valid - by JazzLad April 20, 2016

    his hosts program is actually pretty good by xenotransplant August 10 2015

    his hosts tool is actually useful for those cases in which one does indeed want to locally block stuff outright while consuming minimum system resources by alexgieg September 25 2015

    I like your host file system by Karmashock September 09 2015

    that APK guy, I use his host file by rogoshen1 Tuesday March 03, 2015

    I personally use a HOSTS file blocker produced from a genius called APK by 110010001000 October 27 2017

    * Linux model = faster/more efficient

    APK

    P.S.=> APK Hosts File Engine 9.0++ SR-1 32/64-bit for Windows https://www.google.comsearch?s...

  20. Getting 69ed by Google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Watch out for those personal information stealing STDs. plus you get telemetry from mozilla and microsoft.

  21. Application update service by tepples · · Score: 2

    Both major third-party evergreen web browsers (Chrome and Firefox) install a service to download and apply security updates. If the current user were an administrator, the browser could use a service-free update flow, in which an update is installed after the user has closed the browser. But if the current user is not an administrator, and no administrator is immediately available to enter the elevation password, a service-free update cannot complete.

  22. Is anyone else hating the 90s radi? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The corner radius they are putting on everything just makes it look super dated to me, like the first time around in the 90s when everyone over did it "because they could". They've gone from one extreme to another, super sharp corners with the first material design round and now excessively large radi which center on absolutely nothing, it looks arbitrary.

  23. Know your enemy humanity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Khazar Talmudic Jews believe this of all they call goyim/gentiles (any non-jew): Jews = biggest racists of all (for which they "jew guilt" you for no less! They're hypocrites known as thieves all thru history or were Argentines in the 1940 under Peron, Spanish inquistion, France (1306), Egypt (despoiled/robbed by jews), Arabs (pre & post 1948), England (1330 Edward longshanks), Romans under titus, Russia pogroms and Germany who got rid of them from their nations nazi german's too? No. Driven into DESERTS ages ago! Don't wonder why after all those exilings above.

    Should anyone doubt any of this see Jacob Javits' crony Rosenthal spill the beans on it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4zMVZ8HnFI/ where he called all Christianity fools for helping Israel and the biggest scam of all time per their beliefs below from their Talmud.

    This is the province of the synagogue of Satan (Pharisees whom Jesus Christ himself kicked to the curb out of the temple & they killed him for it. Jeremiah did the same to them also + the Essenes could not stand them either breaking away from the pharisee corruption):

    Mark Zuckerberg stole the Winklevoss twins' code for Fakebook (figures as he is a thieving low jew too).

    Maria Abramovic satanist spirit cooker pal of Hillary Clinton the Voodoo queen is a jew https://www.google.com/search?...

    Like Hillary Clinton's mentor Saul Alinsky author of rules for radicals book dedicated to Lucifer

    "Most Jews do not like to admit it, but our god is Lucifer Â- so I wasnÂ't lying Â- and we are his chosen people. Lucifer is very much aliveÂ" Harold Rosenthal http://www.thetruthseeker.co.u...

    Jewish rabbi openly admits to satan worship use white children's blood they kill for passover bread, infiltrating and subverting the catholic church, creating the Jesuit order https://www.youtube.com/watch?... and https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    Barbara Spectre, a jew, tells everyone it's jews orchestrating the muslim migrant problem in Europe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFE0qAiofMQ/ . No migrant raping of women in Poland. Tons in Sweden. Do the math. Use common-sense. This is to get muslims and other goyim/gentiles to wipe one another out as incompatible cultures that will clash and always have.

    Rabbi A. Finkelstein ADMITS their greatest enemies are ARABS and WHITES (blacks too) whom they wish to kill one another in a 'theater of war' which they find AMUSING https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    Finkelstein also admits JEWS DID 9/11 (perpetrated by the Mossad & Bebe Netanyahu of ISRAEL) https://www.youtube.com/watch?... profiting by it (and that 3,000 jews employed there did not show up for work that day knowing about it beforehand).

    Finkelstein also admits JEWS are going to destroy the U.S. Dollar and dumping it for other world currencies and gold to destroy the United States.

    George Soros who funds groups to create division in the USA?? A jew. One who sold his own jew people into death for the nazis.

    Zucker now FIRED @ CNN is another frying publicly for lying about "russians" and John Bonifield a producer @ CNN said it is bs. Van Jones did also.

    Bernie Madoff (who made off with everyone's money, especially construction union pensions) shows the thieving nature of the JUDEN!

    Eric Schmidt had to step down @ JEWgle (a jew).

    Adam Schiff (gosh s

  24. Privacy Settings by GrBear · · Score: 1

    I'm half surprised Google didn't reset all my privacy settings 'by accident (of course)' in this big update.

    That said, the tab shape at the top doesn't seem so bad.

  25. Let's make the feature to kill Chrome happen .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Since Google is nosy and won't stop the privacy carnage ....

    And in true democratic style, please reply if you like this idea (and give me some mods)

  26. version 69? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Tastes a littles salty, IMO.

  27. I just switched to Firefox by elcor · · Score: 1

    And it no longer sucks. Twitter media don't show up, but who uses Twitter anyway.

  28. Vertical Tabs by umberleigh · · Score: 1

    Still no vertical tabs by the looks of it. I'll stick with Vivaldi as my daily driver I think.