Google will do a browser after all. As predicted. A few times. (Is that better or worse?) Old Jupiter report on what makes Google tick, that seems to still work pretty often. Yes, it’s about platforms again. And about using APIs to control developers, and user interfaces to lock in users.

Not clear to me what makes Google Chrome a “fresh take.” Sandboxed tabs won’t make anyone switch. It’s built out of Google Gears, apparently, which means it will be able to run while off-line. Long-term, that could be about apps platforms and launchpads, but it doesn’t immediately add much value to a Web browsing experience for the masses. Wonder how the Mozilla folks think about Google doing no evil.