Browsers seek to streamline viewing

Viewable space is always at a premium for users with smaller screened laptops or tablets. Chrome and Firefox developers have created experimental versions of these popular browsers which streamline viewing so that even the traditional navigation bar showing the URL disappears until needed. Then, either by mousing over or clicking a tab, the bar temporarily becomes visible again.

In a pre-release build of Google Chrome 13, a user can hide everything but the tab bar, menu button and content area visible. Even the traditional forward and back buttons have been relocated onto the tab bar. Clicking on a browser tab will temporarily cause a floating navigation bar to appear briefly until the user has moused away.

For Firefox, hiding the navigation bar is actually accomplished by an add-on called LessChrome HD. Compatible with Release 4, LessChrome HD automatically hides all toolbars below the tabs until they are scrolled over.

Hiding the URL address from the viewer could present a security risk. However, with both browsers, making it invisible is optional.

It is not clear whether or not vanishing address bars ultimately will be integrated into either of these browsers. [via Ars Technica]

By Electronista Staff