Review
Google has launched Google Gears, a desktop application that enables web applications to save your settings on your computer, without leaving the browser, to read documents and emails offline. Imagine, for example, that you want to read your feeds in a public transport, but how you do achieve that with no Internet access? The only option you have is to use a desktop reader. But now there is another way - simply synchronize your Google Reader before you leave your home and you're done. You can turn off your laptop and your feeds will remain accessible even without an Internet connection, and while Google Reader is in offline mode.
At the begining Gears only implemented Google Reader, but now Gmail is in progress and it is expected that in the near future it will be extended to other applications such as Google Docs or Google Calendar. In addition, Google has opened up the specifications, so any web application can use this technology. It is available for Windows, Mac and Linux, the first is a normal executable, while Mac and Linux are based on an extension for Firefox (you will need to use this browser).
The little that I have tested works fairly well, and turning your computer off does not erase any information. You can download your feeds past 2000, but Gears still needs to be polished in some aspects, like the way the images are loaded (and YouTube videos too). Preloading of this content, with an option to disable it, would be very interesting. The lastest build (0.5) features an improved database engine (SQLite) and provides more info about available wireless antennas. |
