Google Chrome getting realtime alerts?

The browser battle rolls on, and we’ve just caught a glimpse of the latest weapon in Google Chrome’s arsenal: desktop alerts to ping you with updates to pages when you’re perusing other apps. Intrigued? Read on for what we know so far.

TechCrunch has spotted a revealing document over on the Chromium development site that mentions a new feature called “Desktop Notifications”. Google’s not said anything official, but the text hints at an API anyone can use to push pop-up alerts to the desktop, even when Google Chrome is minimised.

That means with Google Chrome you could get @replies on Twitter delivered straight to the taskbar, without the need for a client, or know exactly when your favourite blog’s been updated. That, or Google could serve up ads even when you’re not surfing.

Now, admittedly Firefox already hooks up with Growl for desktop alerts via plug-ins like Yip, and even without the add-ons for big sites like Facebook. But Firefox 3.5 was something of a step backwards when it comes to speed – if you’ve been eyeing Google Chrome as the browser to switch allegiance to, this could end up being the shove needed. We’ll let you know when details develop.

(Via Electricpig)

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