Chrome Displaying Advertisements On Dashboard Page (opens in new tab)

(timflores.com)

46 pointstea-flow13y ago47 comments

I for one am not too happy about this. What do you think HN?

47 comments

Was that linked to Google's Chromebook site, or a third party manufacturer?

A single link to a product being designed by Google, when the product in question (a Chromebook) uses the same product (Chrome) as it's primary interface is hardly 'ZOMG! Chrome is running the ads now!!!'.

It's directly related to Chrome and Google is simply saying 'here's another way you can experience the browser you're already using that we came up with'.

OGinparadise13y ago

http://media.tumblr.com/6d048ed2fd812e7352e7b07a8c959e80/tum... Look at it again and tell me how many "links" to Google services and products do you see?

Geee13y ago

Those are Chrome apps. The ad is above the icons.

1 more reply

EwanToo13y ago

People use a free browser developed by a company driven by advertising revenue, and get shocked, shocked, at advertising being involved!

In other news, alternatives exist and work very well if it bothers you.

ch0wn13y ago

They did this before. One article from 2011: http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-57331212-264/googles-new-a...

azakai13y ago

Yes, this is nothing new. Surprised people never saw it before in fact.

Also surprised people didn't expect this. Like any company, Google ties its products together and promotes one on the other. As another example, some google websites will recommend using chrome.

politician13y ago

Also annoying: the "you're missing out! -- sign in" appeal to associate your browser with .. what exactly? On Ubunutu, it's suggesting that I sign in to Chromium.

zobzu13y ago

When you use a non-Chrome browser and use Google websites you get the "for a faster web" in all variations with a chrome download button.

Relatively annoying over time ;-)

gcp13y ago

It's the sort of thing that backfires and is actively off-putting. At least for me.

firsttimecaller13y ago

Synced autocomplete data is pretty sweet.

olegp13y ago

This is part of the reason I made https://starthq.com - a new tab replacement service.

purephase13y ago

Damnit. Nice, I was working on something similar. ;)

olegp13y ago

Want to help out? :)

1 more reply

j_col13y ago

Nice idea! I guess it works on any browser?

olegp13y ago

All desktop browsers (IE8 +) and iPads, mobile phone support is in the works.

shocks13y ago

26.0.1410.3 dev-m -- no ads. 26.0.1411.0 canary -- no ads.

What version of Chrome is this?

dkhenry13y ago

I have them in this version 25.0.1364.45 beta

jtokoph13y ago

You're free to use a different homepage or override the dashboard (new tab) page.

http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/override.html

mmahemoff13y ago

Awesome New Tab Page is a sweet one, with a programmable widget system anyone can add to. (I guess Google will do something similar and official at some point.)

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/awesome-new-tab-pa...

dnissley13y ago

I just use the "empty new tab page" extension.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/empty-new-tab-page...

samuel160413y ago

chrome is a free browser last time i checked it's fair if they advertise some products of them.

rplnt13y ago

Because the billions they make from search aren't enough. Of course they are free to do whatever they want, and you are even allowed to hide those ads (or use open source version), but I think there's a limit where it will get too much.

jrogers6513y ago

If it bundles in advertising then is it really free? Consider how much money is spent on ads - they clearly have an effect, and given the obscene amounts of money spent, probably not a small one.

So what is the impact of advertising? We buy more things because someone has convinced us that we need them, become more likely to get into debt and save less as a result. I cannot consider this to be free in good conscience. I'm not the only one who sees it this way either -

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/feb/14/ban-advertising-...

duiker10113y ago

I use speed dial 2. works like a charm.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/speed-dial-2/jpfpe...

olegp13y ago

I'm working on a similar extension that stores your settings on a server (see my other comment to this post) and was wondering: what are the main Spped Dial 2 features that you use?

duiker10113y ago

The homepage. With the links. Mostly that, in plain, no groups or nothing. Sometimes I like to fiddle with the background and some settings but 99% of my usage consists of that. I watched the statistics page once when I found it. I even disabled the sidebar because it was annoying. I really liked Opera and it remembers it a lot. If you can come up with something similar give me a shot I will gladly try it.

j_col13y ago

If they are using it to advertise to you, then it isn't "free" in my book.

msvan13y ago

Open source shouldn't be considered free either. People put in countless man hours working on open source projects, and giving something back in return should be common etiquette.

My point is, you always pay for something. In the case of Chrome, surely you don't believe that Google has no self-interest in building Chrome?

j_col13y ago

> Open source shouldn't be considered free either. People put in countless man hours working on open source projects, and giving something back in return should be common etiquette.

I have an open source project. I don't advertise on it. I give it away freely and happily, knowing I gain no revenue from it.

> My point is, you always pay for something. In the case of Chrome, surely you don't believe that Google has no self-interest in building Chrome?

It's clear that they have a self interest.

petercooper13y ago

Though by that measure, HN isn't "free."

j_col13y ago

HN is a website. Chrome is a browser. Not sure I get the comparison?

2 more replies

beefsack13y ago

This is why I use Chromium and not Chrome.

OGinparadise13y ago

Google is desperate for revenue, their PE is 25+, Apple and MSFT have it 10 or so. Their stock will drop in half if growth isn't there. Every search page with commercial interest is already pay-to-play, some openly, others obvious enough for anyone.

What's next for that 30% growth Larry wants? What other service is he going to ruin for short term profits? At their valuation it becomes harder and harder to beat the previous year's earnings.

Google has done a lot of sleazy and illegal things for revenue so spare me the outrage

esrauch13y ago

Illegal things?

OGinparadise13y ago

Yeah, it was all over WSJ a while back. Something to do with adwords and advertising for illegal drugs, hormones or something. Top execs knew but Google paid a fine and they escaped.

WayneDB13y ago

Google's default new-tab page has always seemed "salesy" to me.

I use Speed Dial 2 as my new-tab page, so I didn't even see this.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

47 comments

jschuur13y ago

Was that linked to Google's Chromebook site, or a third party manufacturer?

It's directly related to Chrome and Google is simply saying 'here's another way you can experience the browser you're already using that we came up with'.

OGinparadise13y ago

http://media.tumblr.com/6d048ed2fd812e7352e7b07a8c959e80/tum... Look at it again and tell me how many "links" to Google services and products do you see?

Geee13y ago

Those are Chrome apps. The ad is above the icons.

1 more reply

EwanToo13y ago

People use a free browser developed by a company driven by advertising revenue, and get shocked, shocked, at advertising being involved!

In other news, alternatives exist and work very well if it bothers you.

ch0wn13y ago

They did this before. One article from 2011: http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-57331212-264/googles-new-a...

azakai13y ago

Yes, this is nothing new. Surprised people never saw it before in fact.

Also surprised people didn't expect this. Like any company, Google ties its products together and promotes one on the other. As another example, some google websites will recommend using chrome.

politician13y ago

Also annoying: the "you're missing out! -- sign in" appeal to associate your browser with .. what exactly? On Ubunutu, it's suggesting that I sign in to Chromium.

zobzu13y ago

When you use a non-Chrome browser and use Google websites you get the "for a faster web" in all variations with a chrome download button.

Relatively annoying over time ;-)

gcp13y ago

It's the sort of thing that backfires and is actively off-putting. At least for me.

firsttimecaller13y ago

Synced autocomplete data is pretty sweet.

olegp13y ago

This is part of the reason I made https://starthq.com - a new tab replacement service.

purephase13y ago

Damnit. Nice, I was working on something similar. ;)

olegp13y ago

Want to help out? :)

1 more reply

j_col13y ago

Nice idea! I guess it works on any browser?

olegp13y ago

All desktop browsers (IE8 +) and iPads, mobile phone support is in the works.

shocks13y ago

26.0.1410.3 dev-m -- no ads. 26.0.1411.0 canary -- no ads.

What version of Chrome is this?

dkhenry13y ago

I have them in this version 25.0.1364.45 beta

jtokoph13y ago

You're free to use a different homepage or override the dashboard (new tab) page.

http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/override.html

mmahemoff13y ago

Awesome New Tab Page is a sweet one, with a programmable widget system anyone can add to. (I guess Google will do something similar and official at some point.)

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/awesome-new-tab-pa...

dnissley13y ago

I just use the "empty new tab page" extension.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/empty-new-tab-page...

samuel160413y ago

chrome is a free browser last time i checked it's fair if they advertise some products of them.

rplnt13y ago

jrogers6513y ago

If it bundles in advertising then is it really free? Consider how much money is spent on ads - they clearly have an effect, and given the obscene amounts of money spent, probably not a small one.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/feb/14/ban-advertising-...

duiker10113y ago

I use speed dial 2. works like a charm.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/speed-dial-2/jpfpe...

olegp13y ago

I'm working on a similar extension that stores your settings on a server (see my other comment to this post) and was wondering: what are the main Spped Dial 2 features that you use?

duiker10113y ago

j_col13y ago

If they are using it to advertise to you, then it isn't "free" in my book.

msvan13y ago

Open source shouldn't be considered free either. People put in countless man hours working on open source projects, and giving something back in return should be common etiquette.

My point is, you always pay for something. In the case of Chrome, surely you don't believe that Google has no self-interest in building Chrome?

j_col13y ago

> Open source shouldn't be considered free either. People put in countless man hours working on open source projects, and giving something back in return should be common etiquette.

I have an open source project. I don't advertise on it. I give it away freely and happily, knowing I gain no revenue from it.

> My point is, you always pay for something. In the case of Chrome, surely you don't believe that Google has no self-interest in building Chrome?

It's clear that they have a self interest.

petercooper13y ago

Though by that measure, HN isn't "free."

j_col13y ago

HN is a website. Chrome is a browser. Not sure I get the comparison?

2 more replies

beefsack13y ago

This is why I use Chromium and not Chrome.

OGinparadise13y ago

What's next for that 30% growth Larry wants? What other service is he going to ruin for short term profits? At their valuation it becomes harder and harder to beat the previous year's earnings.

Google has done a lot of sleazy and illegal things for revenue so spare me the outrage

esrauch13y ago

Illegal things?

OGinparadise13y ago

Yeah, it was all over WSJ a while back. Something to do with adwords and advertising for illegal drugs, hormones or something. Top execs knew but Google paid a fine and they escaped.

WayneDB13y ago

Google's default new-tab page has always seemed "salesy" to me.

I use Speed Dial 2 as my new-tab page, so I didn't even see this.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse