Doesn't the very nature of Google Chrome prevent such an app from emerging? They seem to be sticking to the standards as far as possible. If you add google gears to any other (decent) browser the added benefits of Chrome will be lost for any single app.

I haven't used it so I have no idea. And all I've read is one comic about the architecture -- and while that comic is amazing, it still doesn't have every detail.

But I wouldn't be surprised if the multi-process architecture and the new JS engine turn out to make a surprising qualitiative difference in the performance of certain classes of JS apps.

Maybe so, maybe not. But even though I'm not writing anything particularly complex -- like, say, Gmail -- I've already had the thrill of working around situations where my one-lung JS interpreter is holding up the whole browser.

Heck, perhaps Gmail itself will be significantly smoother. Given the market penetration of Gmail, that would be a pretty good marketing hook for Chrome, all by itself.

An efficient javascript engine would enable, finally, awesome javascript graphics (via canvas).

Assuming said browser has implemented much faster JS, etc, etc.. Chrome seems more ambitious than just fancy browser skin + webkit + gears..

I'd hazard a guess that Chrome may have a technical advantage over safari / ff / opera for almost 12 months.. (To be specific - over end user stable versions --> not install-you-own-renderer or use SVN to grab the nightlies)

And especially if it's a Google Killer app - How do you beat their distribution?

I think the standards issue is important - because this browser is just the thing to appeal to corporate IT departments. They have been happy to live with IE even while acknowledging (individually) that FireFox is the better browser.

But now Google are offering a genuine technical advantage to go alongside those all important standards. It may be the "killer" platform that makes a reality of "zero install" web browser applications for business.

Look at what Apple is doing with Safari: whenever you update QuickTime or iTunes it tries to slip in an install of Safari. Google could build market share by doing the same thing with Google Earth, Google Desktop, and/or some new killer app.

Google already has deals with manufacturers like Dell and Lenovo (I think) to install its desktop search software and Google Toolbar on their computers. It won't be too hard for them to include Chrome in this bundle as well.

Google Chrome looks cool. But the only thing that would prevent me from "switching" from Firefox is the exclusion of an ad-blocking feature. For me, surfing the web advertisement free is the killer app. I will put up with Firefox's inefficiencies forever provided efficient ad-blocking is available.

you know that won't happen when Google's primary source of revenue is advertising lol

Its open source.