Google Chrome: Google Starts Pushing Ads to Google Chrome Browser

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Google has found a new venue for pushing online advertisements: through its Google Chrome browser. But as the ads don’t actually impede with usual web browsing activities, users have expressed mixed feelings about Google’s new ads.

Google Chrome is the new digital billboard, according to browser users who have noticed a small yellow box appearing at the top of new pages and tabs in the browser. Currently, the Google ads point to holiday discounts and sales on Google Chrome OS powered Chromebooks, which are so far appropriate, given the current Black Friday sales throughout the country that give gadget and software buyers big discounts and even freebies.

As the ads only appear on the new tab and new page windows, some users feel that the ads pose minimal interruption, and don’t compete for space with regular web ads. However, given the increasing importance of the Chrome new-tab page as a homepage and hub for Chrome apps and bookmarks, the yellow-tinted box is now being seen as a prime space for advertising. But as the ads currently only feature a Google product, it’s not yet clear how Google — and businesses — can take advantage of this feature, and how pervasive it will be in Chrome users’ browsing experience.

Another question this opens up is whether Google will also use Chrome-based ads as a means to monetize Chromebooks. Will Google offer ad-subsidized Chromebooks in the future, with both minimalistic and a more obtrusive form of advertising in exchange for free notebook computers? For now, there’s no official word from Google. But what are your thoughts on advertisements coming to the web browser, even without opening a website?