Flock, a web browser designed to give users easy access to
the online social scene, has dumped Mozilla Firefox and is
now based on Google's Chrome browser.
An upgraded Flock, scheduled to be released this week is
built on the same open-source coding that Google developed
for its Chrome browser, which has attracted millions of users
since its 2008 introduction largely because of its speedy web
navigation.
Google also is becoming the default search engine within
Flock's browser.
Flock previously had been relying on the same platform as the
Mozilla Foundation's Firefox, the second most used browser
behind Microsoft's long dominant Internet Explorer.
About 17 million people have downloaded the earlier versions
of Flock during its five-year history, putting it far behind
Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera.
Flock chief executive Shawn Hardin is hoping the upgrade will
propel the browser to 70 million downloads within the next
year or so.
Besides loading websites more quickly, Flock's upgrade
includes new tools that will enable users to reel in their
online social circles and content feeds without having to
hopscotch from one site to the next.
The feature, called "What Your Friends Are Saying," delivers
search results culled from a user's personal networks at
popular online hangouts such as Facebook, Twitter and
YouTube.
For instance, a search on "BP oil spill" or "smart phones"
would highlight all the latest comments on those topics from
a person's social networks.
The concept is similar to that Yahoo is trying to employ on
its website. Yahoo recently introduced an option that enables
its users to import posts from Facebook and plans to usher in
Twitter's short messages later this summer.
Hardin thinks the new web browsers will appeal to millions of
people who enjoy hob-nobbing with their friends online, but
are starting feel frustrated with how much time it takes to
flit from one site to the next.
"Many people want to stay connected, but want to be
productive too," Hardin said.
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