• by kyle , April 20, 2011

The new kind on the block

For the longest time, I was a user of Google Chrome, and before that Mozilla Firefox, and before that well... I used Internet Explorer. For the longest time, I was convinced that Chrome was going to be the browser for me. Fast, a ton of supported applications and add ons, and a clean interface to navigate. I was convinced that I would stick with Chrome for the long run.

Then I found RockMelt.

Why it works

RockMelt was developed by an independent designer team and was only available through email request. RockMelt recently has entered its newest phase of their beta testing, and is more easily available for people interested in using it.

The look and layout of RockMelt is very similar to Google Chrome, along with sharing some of its features such as a private browsing tab and the ability to restore a session after an unexpected shut down. Even the speed and easy to navigate main page from Chrome is present. What sets this apart from Chrome and other browsers as well is two of RockMelt's main features, the friends edge and the apps edge. The friends edge, located on the left side of the browser has a list of all of your friends on Facebook. By clicking on each of their pictures, one could send them a message, chat with them, and see their posting history on Facebook without actually having to be logged into Facebook. It's a convenient way to keep in contact, with friends, see what their recent activity has been, and allow yourself to chat with them without being shown as online on Facebook as well.

The right side of the browser is home to the apps tab and it is here that different social media applications you use can be accessed and grouped in one easy to locate and access place. Each of these tabs allows you to use them with all of their features intact. The twitter app allows you to write, message, retweet, and favorite different tweets similar to Chromed Bird. The applications that come with and are compatible with Google Chrome can also be listed here along with RSS feeds. I used to use Google Reader for my RSS subscription, but now all I have to do is list them in the apps section, click on the specific site I want to visit and a separate tab opens up for me to view. I can even use RockMelt on my smart phone, allowing me all of the features and benefits on the go.

Along with these features, there is a “share” option located alongside the address bar. This share bar allows you to share any page or content on the web to any social media application you choose by simply clicking the button. It's quick, easy, and eliminates the old cut and past method that we have used this entire time.

Why it doesn't work

RockMelt isn't perfect. Being that it is in a beta stage, there are still a variety of bugs to be worked out. RockMelt is known to occasionally crash fro seemingly no reason. RockMelt also requires a Facebook account to access all of the content. Probably not a problem for a majority of users, but for those who choose not to sue Facebook, their options will be limited.

The verdict

RockMelt is a browser with the functionality of several applications already built in. After only a few months of use, I had fallen in love with it and despite the flaws, did not want to switch back. Even using older browsers such as Chrome or Firefox feel clunky and inefficient, while browsers such as Safari and Internet Explorer feel positively ancient.

RockMelt is available through the website. For those looking for more functionality, or are simply tired of their old browser, give RockMelt a try.

Links:

RockMelt official site

The Pros and Cons of RockMelt

Pros and Cons of Google Chrome

Pros and Cons of Mozilla Firefox 4

Pros and Cons of Internet Explorer

Pros and Cons of Safari