Google have unvieled that they are working on a new web browser based on WebKit. The first images appeared yesterday, when Google sent out cartoons (yes, cartoons) to promote the new browser.

The new browser, called Google Chrome, is built on WebKit, which came as a shock to many as Google have such a tight relationship with Mozilla, and have invested large amounts of money into their Firefox browser. Google have decided however, not to use an open source JavaScript engine, but instead built their own from the ground up, dubbed V8.

The design of Chrome is quite unique and I have to say I like it. However, good looks and a few extra features aren’t gonna tear me away from Firefox. But if it includes a similar add-ons system to Firefox, then it may pose a challenge to me.

One feature I like is that the tabs each get their own process. Yes, this will increase CPU and memory usage, but it also makes it more stable. If a particular website causes the browser to crash, only that one tab will actually crash, leaving the rest of your tabs intact. I’ve had a problem with Google Reader causing Firefox to crash, causing up to 30 tabs (yes that is a tad bit too much) to crash in the process. Sure there’s session recovery, but it’s still an annoyance.

Overall, it looks nice, but may possibly be lacking in features. Most features are already implemented into Firefox natively, or through add-ons, but it may be something to keep an eye on.

Rumoured for release tomorrow, I’ll post a full review as soon as I get my hands on it.