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As long as there's a hotkey to reveal the URL field once hidden, I'm all for it. > The effect is a 30 pixel gain in vertical space and transforms the standard

As long as there's a hotkey to reveal the URL field once hidden, I'm all for it. > The effect is a 30 pixel gain in vertical space and transforms the standard viewing window in Chrome into a full-screen view. I'm sure it's not for everyone, but those few additional pixels of screen real estate will make a difference, especially on netbooks. I greatly admire the Chrome team's continued push for greater browser UX.

ShabbyDoo 15y ago
Yes. Especially when using a webapp like GMail, the URL doesn't matter once you're in the app. I'm not saying I think URLs should not be accessible if someone wants one, but they're mostly just a user distraction. Perhaps a "who you are trusting" notification would be useful? Basically, just the hostname and the level of trust conferred by SSL certs, lack of inclusion in whatever blacklists Google keeps, etc.
- beaumartinez 15y ago
  I agree; I think the only real downside of hiding the URL field by default is the loss of the "secure padlock". A (naïve, immediate) solution I can think of is showing the URL field as you switch tabs―padlock included.
  - giberson 15y ago
    Hey good call on the padlock issue I hadn't even thought of that. However, I don't it should be visible only when switching tabs. I think instead it should be added to the tab itself that way it's always visible. However, that means presenting some kind of divider or something on the tab itself so that some one can't fake it with a favicon. Perhaps by coloring the tab and adding the padlock at the right most of the tab. This way it will be less likely to confuse it with the favicon.
  - joeyespo 15y ago
    Yeah, good call. They could do something similar to when you hit F11--have a floating transparent box with the information at the top of the screen. It could even (mostly) hide itself after a while and become visible again to warn you when leaving the secure area.
- benvanderbeek 15y ago
  I use the Gmail Chrome web app: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pjkljhegncpnkpknbcohdijeoejaedia?hl=en-US https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pjkljhegncpnkpknbc... Removes URL, makes the favicon the windows taskbar icon.
  - niels_olson 15y ago
    Which version are you using? I'm on chromium dev channel on WinXP 3 and don't see those effects.
    - benvanderbeek 15y ago
      Chrome version? 11.0.696.68
nextparadigms 15y ago
I have a netbook, and I can tell you that probably the main reason I struggled through beta since Chrome launched, was because of how much space it was saving on the 1024x600 screen compared to the others. It saved like 25-30% space. I'm all for saving even more space as long as you can quickly use the bar in some other way when you need it.
joebadmo 15y ago
I like how the Android browser handles the issue[1]: Show url while loading, then hide. Address bar becomes exposed when you scroll up past the top of the page. [1]: Not that Android browser is unique or first to implement it this way; it's just the one I have most experience with.
lloeki 15y ago
Probably ^L or Cmd+L will still work (it does work today) to unhide and keyboard focus the Omnibar, with something like Escape to dismiss it, and Enter will validate and dismiss.
stock_toaster 15y ago
> I greatly admire the Chrome team's continued push for greater browser UX. I am not sure if this is a move for better browser UX, or a subtle move to get people to use google search more (and thus show more ads and generate more revenue). If people lose touch with direct navigation (enter url in addressbar), and yet want to navigate the web, they are likely going to resort to hitting home or 'search' button (google search is the home page right?) even when they know the website name. My aged parents do this occasionally as it is... Maybe I have just gotten old, but it makes me think of phone numbers and in-phone address books. If my phone hid phone numbers from me, I don't think I would be pleased, even if I most often use my contact list to call people I know.
Raphael 15y ago
Funny you say that, as currently there is no way to access the location field from full screen mode (F11). So this is actually a desperately needed feature.

ShabbyDoo 15y ago

Yes. Especially when using a webapp like GMail, the URL doesn't matter once you're in the app. I'm not saying I think URLs should not be accessible if someone wants one, but they're mostly just a user distraction. Perhaps a "who you are trusting" notification would be useful? Basically, just the hostname and the level of trust conferred by SSL certs, lack of inclusion in whatever blacklists Google keeps, etc.

beaumartinez 15y ago
I agree; I think the only real downside of hiding the URL field by default is the loss of the "secure padlock". A (naïve, immediate) solution I can think of is showing the URL field as you switch tabs―padlock included.
- giberson 15y ago
  Hey good call on the padlock issue I hadn't even thought of that. However, I don't it should be visible only when switching tabs. I think instead it should be added to the tab itself that way it's always visible. However, that means presenting some kind of divider or something on the tab itself so that some one can't fake it with a favicon. Perhaps by coloring the tab and adding the padlock at the right most of the tab. This way it will be less likely to confuse it with the favicon.
- joeyespo 15y ago
  Yeah, good call. They could do something similar to when you hit F11--have a floating transparent box with the information at the top of the screen. It could even (mostly) hide itself after a while and become visible again to warn you when leaving the secure area.
benvanderbeek 15y ago
I use the Gmail Chrome web app: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pjkljhegncpnkpknbcohdijeoejaedia?hl=en-US https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pjkljhegncpnkpknbc... Removes URL, makes the favicon the windows taskbar icon.
- niels_olson 15y ago
  Which version are you using? I'm on chromium dev channel on WinXP 3 and don't see those effects.
  - benvanderbeek 15y ago
    Chrome version? 11.0.696.68

nextparadigms 15y ago

I have a netbook, and I can tell you that probably the main reason I struggled through beta since Chrome launched, was because of how much space it was saving on the 1024x600 screen compared to the others. It saved like 25-30% space. I'm all for saving even more space as long as you can quickly use the bar in some other way when you need it.

joebadmo 15y ago

I like how the Android browser handles the issue[1]: Show url while loading, then hide. Address bar becomes exposed when you scroll up past the top of the page. [1]: Not that Android browser is unique or first to implement it this way; it's just the one I have most experience with.

lloeki 15y ago

Probably ^L or Cmd+L will still work (it does work today) to unhide and keyboard focus the Omnibar, with something like Escape to dismiss it, and Enter will validate and dismiss.

stock_toaster 15y ago

> I greatly admire the Chrome team's continued push for greater browser UX. I am not sure if this is a move for better browser UX, or a subtle move to get people to use google search more (and thus show more ads and generate more revenue). If people lose touch with direct navigation (enter url in addressbar), and yet want to navigate the web, they are likely going to resort to hitting home or 'search' button (google search is the home page right?) even when they know the website name. My aged parents do this occasionally as it is... Maybe I have just gotten old, but it makes me think of phone numbers and in-phone address books. If my phone hid phone numbers from me, I don't think I would be pleased, even if I most often use my contact list to call people I know.

Raphael 15y ago

Funny you say that, as currently there is no way to access the location field from full screen mode (F11). So this is actually a desperately needed feature.