Chrome 16: A Synced Experience for Multiple Users
Earlier this week, Mountain View-based search engine giant Google announced that version 16.0 of its Chrome web browser graduated from the Beta to the Stable Channel. I remind you that Google releases Chrome versions on three channels: the Dev Channel (think of it as an early Alpha that isn’t ready for the limelight), the Beta Channel (a Beta version that still needs testing), and the Stable Channel (the final version that’s ready for the general public).
Chrome 16.0 for Windows, Mac, Linux and Chrome Frame, comes with a bit of much needed functionality – it syncs the Chrome experience for multiple users. You can now add new users to Chrome and the browser will sync their experience.
If you sign into Chrome, it will keep your bookmarks and apps and extensions synced across devices. So if you bookmark a website on your laptop, it will show up on your desktop as well. Or say you go visit your parents for the holidays; when you sign into Chrome, you will get your bookmarks, apps, settings, and history.
That sort of functionality is great if you’re the only one to use Chrome on your machine, not so much when you have to share your machine and the Chrome web browser with others. Your bookmarks could get mixed up with your brother’s bookmarks for example. That is why Google added the option to add new users to Chrome.
“Adding new users lets you each have your own personal Chrome experience, and lets you each sign in to Chrome to sync your stuff,” explained Software Engineer Tim Steele. “To add a new user to Chrome, go to Options (Preferences on a Mac), click Personal Stuff, and click Add new user,” Steele added.
So if you share your computer with your brother for example, the both of you can sign into Chrome. Chrome will show you your bookmarks, apps, settings when you log in, and will show your brother his data when he logs in. With just a few clicks you can easily switch from one account to another.
Chrome 16.0 for Windows, Mac, Linux and Chrome Frame, comes with a bit of much needed functionality – it syncs the Chrome experience for multiple users. You can now add new users to Chrome and the browser will sync their experience.
If you sign into Chrome, it will keep your bookmarks and apps and extensions synced across devices. So if you bookmark a website on your laptop, it will show up on your desktop as well. Or say you go visit your parents for the holidays; when you sign into Chrome, you will get your bookmarks, apps, settings, and history.
That sort of functionality is great if you’re the only one to use Chrome on your machine, not so much when you have to share your machine and the Chrome web browser with others. Your bookmarks could get mixed up with your brother’s bookmarks for example. That is why Google added the option to add new users to Chrome.
“Adding new users lets you each have your own personal Chrome experience, and lets you each sign in to Chrome to sync your stuff,” explained Software Engineer Tim Steele. “To add a new user to Chrome, go to Options (Preferences on a Mac), click Personal Stuff, and click Add new user,” Steele added.
So if you share your computer with your brother for example, the both of you can sign into Chrome. Chrome will show you your bookmarks, apps, settings when you log in, and will show your brother his data when he logs in. With just a few clicks you can easily switch from one account to another.
