Previously I had written about RockMelt browser which was supposed to make our social networking experience a lot easier. More than social, it was atleast positioning itself as a browser than makes sharing things online very easy. I think RockMelt held out a lot of promise as a concept but it disappoints and seems to be just fancier version of Chrome.
Chrome is my favorite browser, so much so that I think it will win the browser wars against IE and Firefox. RockMelt is built on Chromium. It is so similar to Chrome that one does not even need to look at the literature to figure that out.
Some major things missing with RockMelt
- The first thing I needed to do to even download RockMelt was to use a Facebook account. I think this is a great way for RockMelt to build publicity and become viral as a product but I do not think it is correct for a browser to expect someone to get Facebook account just to download it.
- You are asked to insert your Facebook credentials to log into this browser. This means now RockMelt can use our profile information on Facebook. This can make some people a little skeptical when it comes to privacy.
- The browser works a lot better if you are using Facebook a lot. For Twitter, the feeds did not load up as fast I would expect and that was a little problematic.
I use Tweet Deck to manage my Twitter account. With RockMelt I was expecting a browser that could allow me to do the same thing in the browser itself. After using it for a couple of hours I do not think I will do away with Tweet Deck or any other social networking application. The problem with RockMelt is that it does not bring anything new to the table.
RockMelt to me seems like a fancier version of Chrome. If that is all that RockMelt will offer me, I might as well stick to Chrome and search for some good extensions. The developers should have stuck to releasing some new plugins for Chrome rather than come up with a new browser. 😛
What are your views on RockMelt? Will it rock or will it sink like a rock in the deep end of the ocean. Do drop in your comments.
17 Comments
I completely agree with you Adi.
Especially after knowing the fact that Google already taking lots of efforts to make Chromium as better platform as far as speed and security is concerned.
Have a look at this http://dev.chromium.org/Home/chromium-security/hall-of-fame
As a developer, I would always go to platform whose community base is huge.
Frankly speaking it too early for me to comment on this as I don’t know yet whether RockMelt is Open source or not.
Well, its good that its being marketed as “Social Browser” and its been released in very very early stages.
If “usage is like oxygen for ideas”, it makes a lot of sense to make this kind of project as an open source project and available to use!
But as Google is behind Chrome, there are chances that, it might me in mind of many developers 😉
Anyways, we all know that Google “Inspired” from Yahoo Buzz (launched in 2007-08)! 😛
So Social Network addicts/marketers ….keep fingers crossed….Social world is moving ahead faster than ever!
At the moment I do not see RockMelt being Open Source. Atleast it does not say so anywhere. Will have to wait and watch I guess.
“…but I do not think it is correct for a browser to expect someone to get Facebook account just to download it.” I think the browser is much made for using facebook rather than other sites. So, if you find someone using the browser the person is definitely going to be a fb user.
Another thing, since the browser is downloadable via fb it is certainly not going to be in the hands of a “non-fb” user 🙂
Talking about user’s information being pulled by RockMelt. Have you noticed something in its address bar ? Try typing devilsworkshop it will come up with the fb page of DW 🙂
Goshh..!! I would go on writing about it. Giving it a final full stop.
Have fun with RockMelt..!! 🙂
Actually the FB page pulls up only if you have used the browser to see thefb page previously. In honesty I have not faced this issue. 🙂
I will stick with chrome too, it isn’t as stable as chrome yet. I haven’t installed it yet but when I read Puneet’s comment about the address bar, I don’t think I will go on LOL!
Once this browser adds other chat programs integration, and does it well, it’ll be ace I reckon. It’s still only in early beta, and for it being in that stage, I think it does it pretty well. I guess it’s a bit of an issue that it has to start up with contacting facebook – it takes too long, and it doesn’t feel as great on a smaller screen, but aside from that, I can see what they’re doing, and I like where it’s headed.
I’m just now checking out rockmelt and I have been addicted to chrome for some time. Now Everything looks pretty good, but I’m used to the search field being replaced with the multifunction address bar. Now I have the address bar and search box separated even though the address bar still performs the google search… other than that things look solid.
With so many social networks integrating the same features I’m sure this browser will serve a variety of social networkers separate from the facebook community and I say this because I believe that’s likely… facebook has a neat system for both folks and marketers, but I have already quit using facebok twice so I kind of wonder about quitting a third time even now that I am warming up to it as a home base for my business. Every now and then I go back to IE and drop my jaw at how it’s less annoying if you can just program your favorites/toolbars for that convenience.
Just another fancy version of Chrome.
I can’t understand how it does not import extensions from Google Chrome. There are just a few extensions I use in Chrome but need them if I want to do the things I want to. One example is there is no password manager extension I will just leave it open to keep updated with Facebook and Twitter. I am too used to chrome now anyway.
I agree, Chrome is much better. 🙂
I just downloaded RockMelt and was turned off by the Facebook log-in. Not that there’s anything wrong with FB. I don’t like the idea of logging on FB to use a browser. Google doesn’t require you to log-in. I’m putting this back on the shelf.
Yes, it was the first thing that disappointed me. How can browser be taken seriously if it requires you to have a facebook account.
Because it’s primarily for Facebook, what on Earth is so hard for everyone here to grasp about that?
It’s like you’re bitching that Tweetdeck wants you to log in to Twitter.
I agree but then it is hardly better than a few apps added on a Chrome browser. I fail to understand the need to market it as a separate browser. TweetDeck is meant for using Twitter and is not pretending to be a browser.
Mmm… I got RockMelt BETA, and I’m using it to see this page. Well… it’s horrible. You have to be logged into Facebook just to get on, and that could be so they can shoot you with ads, though I haven’t seen any, it still raises questions. And I hate the chat feature. You’ll just be minding your own business, then bam! You have to reply or close the stupid box, and your friends online list is on every page. I like to escape Facebook, and not be bugged and reading people statuses about their life, and not seeing pictures of their cats most of the time. And I definitely don’t need it on each page! Everything that isn’t a social overload is completely a copy of Chrome, but with no omni-box… it even has the same spell checker. But it doesn’t completely copy Chrome. It drops the best features and doesn’t seem to be Chrome extension compatible. Say, they could’ve just made it as a crappy social extension no one will get.
Though it requires a fb account because its in private beta its not finished. Unless i dont know if they are finished but i like rockmelt.
Also you dont need to log onto face book to go on rockmelt just download it.
I know. I found it quite a useful tool to keep Facebook and Twitter on one browser. This way I use my work browser (Chrome) without getting tempted to open Facebook on it. Guess in a way it helps to compartmentalize.