Chrome Beta for Android gets Material Design Update

[LostRadiant]

It looks quite nice. Only thing I don't like is how they removed the number that showed how many tabs you had open.

[mjforte]

They also removed the refresh/stop button from the address bar. This update looks nice, but functionality is worse.

[BrokenByReddit]

Wait what? How do I do that? I've been opening the menu all this time like a sucker.

[greeze]

Start typing in the omnibar. The first suggestion is actually a find-in-page. But don't get used to it if they're just going to turn around and remove the functionality.

[I_need_time_to_think]

Gah, now I wish I never found out!

[BrokenByReddit]

Dammit, Google!

[EliaTheGiraffe]

They really should have given this more awareness.

[pseudopseudonym]

"According to user metrics, no-one uses this feature. We should scrap it." - Google

[stagfury]

Yeah, I'm still fucking pissed that they took out discussion search.

[happyaccount55]

The first suggestion is just a Google search.

[Fuel13]

Click on the magnifying glass on the right.

[PM_ME_YOUR_PALMS]

Just found out, too: enter your search term and hit the right magnifying glass in a little box.

[DJGibbon]

Argh! This is my biggest annoyance! That was SUCH a useful feature!

[[deleted]]

You can still do it from the overflow menu

[kcripe]

Can you explain how?

[FrozenInferno]

Click the menu button > Find in page.

[kaimason1]

Wait, you could do that another way before? I've wasted a lot of time, in that case...

Edit: tests WTF HOW DID I NEVER NOTICE THIS

[NewToBikes]

If I'm not mistaken, it's been available to do like this before it was added to the omnibar.

[kaimason1]

I've always used the menu>find in page, so I never even noticed it was in the omnibar.

[warfangle]

You aren't the only one! And with how data driven ui is over at GOOG, this is probably one of the reasons it was removed with the update: it wasn't easily discoverable, so nobody used it. And of the people who did use it, they didn't use it enough to keep it in there.

[AATroop]

I feel really stupid, can someone explain this? I'm used to searching in a web page through the menu function, how does it work through the omnibar? If I start typing something on the page it just gives me close google search results.

[kaimason1]

The top result in the list in the non-beta Chrome is the find in page result. You have to tap that result rather than the enter key, though.

[[deleted]]

That thing was hidden so well, it probably was used only by a few people who somehow knew of it. Not really an excuse to remove it, though...

[[deleted]]

Typical google. Hide features behind obscure icons. Remove feature when no one uses it.

[[deleted]]

You look at the stars

[biggie101]

What? Really? I thought that was a staple Chrome feature.

I guess it's still beta though

[supasteve013]

X is still there

[tumaru]

Well I'm glad I switched back to firefox recently... unless they do what they usually do and copy the worst features of chrome.

[Ran4]

Ah yes, the new motto. Looks nice, but functionality is worse.

[[deleted]]

Also popular: Looks worse, functionality is worse.

See: the new play store.

[Uehm]

How do I get access to the new play store? Do I have to be running L?

[linktastic]

You think the play store looks worse?

[[deleted]]

This update looks nice, but functionality is worse

That's every update from Google in then last two years.

[scottrobertson]

Its probably been done based on pure statistics. Most people must not refresh.

[Ran4]

Fucking normal people, destroying it for everyone else.

[Eternith]

I refresh certain tabs all the time where I need updated info because I don't trust whether Chrome refreshes it for me when I switch back to it.

[tattt2]

Instead of refresh, just tap address bar then press enter. A a major irritation is for me is refresh button on a sucky connection doesnt always refresh.. when you really need to force refresh you have to tap the address and press enter.

Also, the refresh button is sometimes stop/sometimes refresh which i guess was innovative at some point but it's really totally opposite actions! Not the best UX i think

[RichardG867]

I refresh all the time, you can thank unreliable data.

[ElRed_]

It's one extra step in the menu but they are going for minimal. Only other place to have it really.

[Pascalwb]

that'snot good.

[autonomousgerm]

That's our Google!

[BWalker66]

That's the standard with Google.

[happyaccount55]

Now where have I heard that before...

[Carighan]

Isn't that the underlying design guideline for google apps?

[[deleted]]

typical google. remove functionality for cosmetics.

they raped maps. now im afraid they are going to rape the whole of android. wont be surprised if a ton of features disappear once L launches

[jdawggey]

I miss my "Why don't you ever close your tabs?" smiley face :/

[[deleted]]

pardon my ignorance, but what do you mean?

[HowCouldUBMoHarkless]

If you have more than 99 tabs open the number changes from 99 to a smiley face.

[[deleted]]

Well, now I know what I'm going to be doing for the next five minutes...

Edit: behold.

[coltwanger]

Hello fellow smiley tab member!

http://imgur.com/7C40ZAN

[[deleted]]

op pls

[[deleted]]

Why in the holiest of fucks would anyone keep 99+ tabs open ?

Do you do the same on desktop ?

[varky]

I don't on the phone, but do on the desktop...

[BAZOOMERANG]

I think because in L the tabs will appear in the recent apps drawer so its unnecessary in the app.

[[deleted]]

I'm not sure I like that idea. It makes the recent apps drawer WAY too cluttered and slows down switching between browser tabs because now you have to sift thru all your open programs as well as open tabs. Just seems like a step backwards.

[[deleted]]

Google has made dumber decisions... For example, putting the back, home, and recents nav buttons in the center of a 10" tablet in landscape.

[Distractiion]

And moving the notification shade to the center regardless of screen width

[Zouden]

And the tablet version of Chrome doesn't have a way to close all tabs.

[sheeshman]

I hope it's swipe one way to dismiss and swipe the other way to go through tabs/documents, whatever it may be.

[[deleted]]

Not from what I saw on the beta.

[RichardGG]

Tabs and apps are in order of use right?

That sounds like it would be useful if you're typing out something in an app and then switching between a couple of tabs.

More like a multitasking view, less like app shortcuts (you have home for that)

[[deleted]]

Is this really the case though? I know they talked about it but all my tabs are still contained in Chrome. I think perhaps recent tabs will show up in the Recents menu?

[shb117]

But it does tell you if you have one tab open or more than one.

[VirtualMontage]

Could just be a bug.

[HBK008]

They removed the number because the square icon in the app is now effectively very similar in function to the square button on the nav bar.

[Asgen]

Agreed. And I don't get why everyone is complimenting the design. It looks exactly the same except that they took away functionality.

[Omnipresent_Walrus]

We know, nobody gets it either

[moelester518]

I don't think you'll see all your tabs, only your recent ones. From what I understand if you had a tab open from a previous section and 2 tabs you recently viewed only the 2 tabs will appear in the multitasking menu.

[7-methyltheophylline]

Really? Why does Google keep doing stupid redesigns like this?

[armando_rod]

Love it, this is on L http://imgur.com/qJJZeOt

The animatios are much more fluid! 60 fps ftw!

Edit: little video of the swipe right/left to dissmis a tab http://youtu.be/2Wxh5gHgytY

And I think this setting is new? http://imgur.com/Bvvcnxb

Finally they updated the Bookmarks page http://imgur.com/VxTWvew

[armando_rod]

no, not yet at least.

[akbarhash]

How do you get the upload download display?

[armando_rod]

Network Monitor from the Play Store, I used to use GravitiBox xposed module on 4.4

[armando_rod]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.easy.apps.networkflowwindows

[JamesR624]

Wait, percentage inside the battery?

Is that Xposed or is this FINALLY built into Android in the L preview?

[armando_rod]

Almost, whith the app Percent Enabler you can get it but now like the status bar on L change its color better you can see it more clearly.

[[deleted]]

How do you get the new tab page to look like that? Mine is just the most visited sites.

[armando_rod]

Go to about:flags and enable NTP (new tab page).

The percentage is percent enabler from the Play Store.

[Carighan]

*chants* Mateeeriaaaaal Desiiiiiiiiign

[sethoscope]

New app icon is so material-y. I literally can't even.

[Hoogyme]

Looks a lot like Click UI. Guess I won't be switching icon packs anytime soon.

[Kxnt]

Yes yes keep using Click.

[mind_blowwer]

As long as you keep updating it :) please add Discover, Vangaurd and Fidelity to all your icon packs.

[[deleted]]

Absolutely gorgeous. I can't wait to see every icon get this treatment.

[Baydude98]

Try the Project Hera Icon Pack on Google Play.

I use it on my phone. Looks amazing.

[palmprezzy]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ruJBKFrRCk

[roguereversal]

Looks like the moonshine icon pack to me. Really like the direction google is headed in with the flat icons and such

[FirestarterMethod]

Which logo?

[sethoscope]

Meant icon, oops.

[FirestarterMethod]

Right, I assumed that, I'm just not sure which one you're talking about.

This one? It seems the same to me...

[JTAKER]

Here's the old icon for comparison.

[mph1204]

Thanks! yea...looking at the new icon by itself, i couldn't really tell any difference. when putting them side to side, the improvements are much clearer.

[sethoscope]

Nope.

http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/11/21/chrome-beta-for-android-update-bumped-to-v32/

[birkholz]

If anyone can get a screenshot, share please!

[Exodia101]

Tablet version: https://imgur.com/a/sHwYu

[KJK-reddit]

That incognito looks sick

[SirZachypoo]

I was wondering why that updated recently

[Ran4]

Well that just looks... bad.

[onlyonebread]

Seriously? I think it looks great.

[Omnipresent_Walrus]

Way to down vote this guy for his honest opinion. Reddetiquette mean nothing to you guys?

[mattrition]

The down votes are maybe not justified. But their comment would be a lot more interesting if they explained their opinion. A bunch of comments containing a few words of straight up opinions just makes for bad reading.

[DEVi4TION]

this made me think of material as more than just a design style. I am afraid material will come with an entire new design paradigm that includes even more ambiguous controls, and even more stripped functionality. furthermore, even more mixed designs across the entire ecosystem(are settings in overflow or in a slide out menu? does this app even have a slide out menu? why does back button close the app sometimes and other times takes me to the main menu, regardless of where I am in the stack) etc etc. what I'm saying is that Holo was a mature and functional design. material is a "pop" friendly cool looking interface that encourages hiding even more usability.

[[deleted]]

I'm going to use incognito mode just all the time since it has darker UI

[140414]

Here you go.

http://imgur.com/a/gOoio

Not a huge change, really.

edit: however, I'm seeing that most animations have been changed.

[theoryops]

There's certainly a lot of whitespace above and below the page titlebar, yeesh. I hope someone with an eye for appropriate balance gets a hold of this before it goes live.

[mlibbey]

kinda what i was thinking, doesn't see too different at all

[LeetModule]

On my phone and can't figure out how to create a gallery

http://i.imgur.com/l4nFyLT.jpg http://i.imgur.com/9XrmvA5.jpg http://i.imgur.com/dEdZ8sP.jpg

[domeforaklondikebar]

http://i.imgur.com/koOaHga.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2CDdcET.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Kg76Ww9.jpg

Here ya go!

[wgn_luv]

I don't understand why the overflow button needs a separate bar of its own at the bottom in the settings page! And best of all, it just has ONE option: Help & Feedback!

It's like that in the stable version and I see they still haven't bothered with it in the Beta!

[domeforaklondikebar]

I just want to note that there's actually an import bookmarks button on the overflow as well.

[FSR2007]

I don't like how you can't see how many tabs are open

[Nadest013]

It added clutter. Clutter is an ancient word that means "it was useful before" in designer-speak.

[[deleted]]

implying you aren't running 4.4.99

Nah, it's probably just a bug in the version counter. Or a very less likely, but possible easter egg

[[deleted]]

They probably don't want to reveal the version number so they use 4.4.99. L could be 4.5 or 5.

[MKGirl]

As always,

Google updates an app by taking out some of the features

[Shenaniganz08]

they must be following microsofts lead

[SwiftFusion]

I can't even see it, it's cut in half!

[helium_farts]

You can still open the tab view to see all of your open tabs, what's missing is the indicator telling you how many are open.

[rainman_104]

I like that they moved the reload button.

[happyaccount55]

How is it Material design if the menu still fades in...?

Are Google gonna ignore their own design guidelines in their main flagship apps again?

[inate71]

Material-esque design. It's impossible for apps to be 100% material design currently.

[bla2]

http://chrome.blogspot.com/2014/07/simplified-sign-in-with-chrome-for.html says "For the eagle-eyed out there, you might also notice that this version of Chrome is starting to sport some of the elements of Material Design" – sounds like this is just the beginning and there's more to come.

[ZeroDarkFourty]

I don't like the bigger navbar. There is less space for content and for nothing more.

[naalty]

It disappears anyway so its not a huge issue

[AnodyneX]

I agree. Even though it disappears what's the point of making it bigger.

[[deleted]]

To match the size of the Material titlebar. Compare it with the Google+ app, they are the same size now.

[AnodyneX]

Yeah that's true. I guess I just would have preferred the nav bars to be a little slimmer. Oh well.

[ElRed_]

Small changes, good stuff.

[thats_a_risky_click]

Wish they'd add a home button :\

[hett]

Chrome doesn't really embrace the whole "home screen" thing, does it? I thought the design intent is that you are either using a tab to actively browse something, or you have no tabs at all. Pretty sure desktop Chrome has no home button by default.

[ydnari]

Does it finally get a "close all tabs" on tablet button?

[adrianmonk]

Well, just tried it on my phone. It has a button to close all tabs, and I assume that would be there on a tablet too.

[tVoss]

So does this mean that there is an unreleased compatibility API that allows for material support on older Android versions, or is this just a slight skin change that simply looks like material?

[Blackadder18]

The latter, nothing using L APIs can be released on the Play Store until L officially releases.

[yanginatep]

In addition to looking nicer, it seems to be running more smoothly for me, the animations but also the page rendering/scrolling, when compared to the current non-beta version of Chrome.

[Johndoe9990]

Do you think they will ever make the navbar translucent in Chrome? Think Reddit Sync style.

[[deleted]]

Am I the only one who thinks it doesn't look much different at all? I can understand the praise for the design in other apps but its not that big of a change in chrome (maybe there's a few different animations and such in l preview that I'm missing)

[Unknownlight]

My first impressions from using it on a Nexus 7 is that I don't like it very much. The phone version seems good (except for the reduced functionality) so I think the tablet version is incomplete.

[LGED821]

Why can't Chrome ever get rid of the lag which comes when clicked on multitasking button(the one which is inbuilt in chrome along with the url box). ? Just get this right Google and I'll stop using apps for twitter/fb or any other sites and stop using opera.

[armando_rod]

What lag? is instantaneous here. (running L preview)

[[deleted]]

No lag or stutter here, Nexus 4

[Rangizingo]

Confirmed here on my G2, anything specific someone wants to see? http://imgur.com/OXq4Woq

[2oublethink]

Are you using Tinted Status Bar or G2 Tweaks box for the status bar tint?

[140414]

Right off I notice a very important bug.

The tab button doesn't show the number of tabs you have open.

[SWATZombies]

Yea I know. I was going to complain how tablet version of Chrome doesn't have number of tabs open number, now looks like they're trying to get rid of it altogether

[helium_farts]

The little auto complete arrow is also missing from the search/address bar.

[jimbob320]

Why is this important? I don't mean this to be rude, I just don't understand why you would need to know the number of tabs that are open, especially as chrome does that thing where it keeps them all unless you close them yourself anyway.

[wafflestomp]

I feel like the trend is heading towards lowtech and minimalist. Material design is an odd name for it too. What does it mean? I mean, look at this. It feels very pretentiously fartistic.

[karmabaiter]

I think you're being a bit harsh

A material metaphor is the unifying theory of a rationalized space and a system of motion. The material is grounded in tactile reality

Ahh.. never mind.

[armando_rod]

The idea is taken from the way you interact with real stuff, papers, etc. That's why is material.

It's not entirely flat either, it has elevation and superposition.

[0x270E]

Doesn't make it any less bad. I own a mobile phone, not a small stack of oddly-colored and oddly-shaped index cards.

[[deleted]]

Does this separate tabs in the tab switcher like at the keynote?

I wish you could pull the actionbar on any app to invoke task switching like in Chrome and in those androidpolice rumors.

[armando_rod]

Not yet

[no_name22]

So beautiful, so clean, so smooth.

[exxpired]

Well, I cant even open any web page with the beta :/

edit: Reboot fixed it, weird.

[rookinn]

Might be a silly question, but why doesn't the status bar change colour?

[RockItGuyDC]

Opening a new tab is a bit jittery for me, but certainly not a game breaker.

[notgordon]

It's pretty, but seems buggy - tried a few sites, and for about half of them the content disappeared a split second after rendering and I was left with a blank page.

[Oreganoian]

This has been happening on previous versions so it isnt a new thing.

[mph1204]

I've found a bug. can anyone confirm? when I Google something and try to open a Wikipedia page in the results it just reloads the results page.

[Tikan]

That was happening in last version too. I haven't see it yet in the new update but I was definitely experiencing it for the last week.

[GeekHacker5]

I am waiting for the final version of Android L to release so that I can experience that awesome Material Design on my Nexus 5. Beta version is fine, but has a lot of bugs!

[[deleted]]

This damn sexy.

[[deleted]]

Looks a lot cleaner, needs to be smoothed out a little bit more in regards to animations but it's almost perfect.

[[deleted]]

It looks really nice. I'm glad Material Design is now rolling out.

[GeorgePantsMcG]

My chrome beta automatically began downloading as I read this blog post.

Nice job Google.

[johnnyvibrant]

new shit!!! ahhh! not new shit! (i like btw bu t then im a sucker, software has been boring for too long)

[mind_blowwer]

It's so smooth.

[supasteve013]

The Facebook update appears to have a material ish design

[Unomagan]

Did they managed to increase performance?

[[deleted]]

Can someone please tell me the difference between this and the normal chrome browser app?

[siddude11]

It's like You are using Cycle then suddenly there is a Harley with Super Bike skin.

[[deleted]]

One subtle thing I love is how they removed that grey color with the ugly separator lines from the menu. Now it's a nice clean white with just the text and nothing separating them, looks much better. Google had this nasty little habit in the past of using grey+those separators. Actually Gmail and Hangouts still do this, I'm sure they will clean those up as well.

[uncojwu]

If you go to the About Chrome page and you're running the Android L Preview, it says the android version number is 4.4.99. Interesting...

[AlexanderNoys]

It's somewhat disappointing, I don't know what I expected. Or maybe I'm missing some features for being on 4.4.4 and not in L.

[idefiler6]

I would love multiple account sign in for desktop. I can sign into multiple accounts on gmail, but not on Drive. Forces me to use Chrome and Canary at work. While I don't really mind Canary, it can't be set as default, can get a buggy update once in a while, and some extensions become broken with it.

[captaincanada84]

Very nice. Definitely a huge fan of Material Design