Google beefs up power of web browser

BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhuanet) -- Most browser applications cannot do many of the things that more powerful PC-based software can. Google has been trying to help close that gap, according to media reports Thursday.

Google Inc. Wednesday unveiled tools designed to beef up the power of the web browser as a development platform and encourage developers away from client/server desktop applications.

Google said that it has opened to third-party developers the programming interfaces to Google Earth, the company's 3-D visualization software. That will allow developers to embed Google Earth on their websites, much like they already can do with Google Maps.

The search gaint is increasingly reaching out to the developer community to build a user base for products that extend beyond search, said Vic Gundotra, vice president of engineering, mobile and developer divisions.

This means that alongside allowing developers to create applications which can be hosted by Google, it wants to make the web browser itself more powerful.

"We want to accelerate the capability of the browser," Gundotra said.

He added, "The web is maturing at an amazing rate, and it's getting better and better. I don't think there's any question that in terms of the question of 'What has become the dominant development platform?' The web has won."

Gundotra said Google's short-term goal wasn't to drive revenue from developer programs, but to increase the size of the Internet and to drive incremental revenue from this.

(Agencies)