Google Chrome Web Store goes live

Google today formally launched the Chrome Web Store, its portal for web apps on both the Chrome browser and Chrome OS. The section lets users buy apps that they can access from a central launcher and which behave more like traditional apps, in some cases working offline. Many work with Flash but can use strict web standards and work for all platforms.

Among the apps on show are ones from Amazon, the New York Times, NPR, Sports Illustrated and many games. Chrome 9 will come with EA's Poppit already installed, and other EA games will come through the store. Many apps will be enhanced from their usual web versions and will sync their data with Chrome OS or any other version of Chrome.

As promised, Amazon showed a full version of Kindle for the Web, now given special treatment in the web store: the new version has a heavily visual browser that includes a Cover Flow-style book browser. All the reading settings, highlights and other details should carry over to the new app.

The Chrome Web Store should be ready now with about 500 titles and is designed for Chrome 8. Chrome 9 when it ships will have a prominent tab for the store and a streamlined way to pay for apps. Kindle for the Web adapted to the Web Store should arrive in early 2011.

By Electronista Staff

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Amazon, computers, industry, software, Google, Flash, Kindle, EA, Chrome, Chrome OS, New York Times, NPR