The RockMelt Web browser, which is based on the Google Chrome engine, is designed to be a tool for surfing the social Web. With deep integration into Facebook, along with capabilities to work with Twitter, RockMelt makes it possible to have a constant view into your social connections while using websites and Web applications.

Jim Rapoza, Contributor

May 4, 2011

6 Slides

The recently released beta 2 of the RockMelt browser adds features for working with social networks. These include improved integration with Facebook chat and better overall support for Twitter. RockMelt has also a very useful View Later feature that makes it very simple to mark Web content for later viewing, essentially a superior form of short-term bookmarking. Because it is based on Google Chrome, RockMelt has strong standards support and very good performance, making it a good everyday browser and an excellent choice for those who are heavy Facebook users.

When you first launch RockMelt, it asks for your Facebook login. Once it starts, it automatically logs into Facebook and integrates the social media site's information directly into the browser interface. This includes a list of Facebook friends (shown with small image thumbnails) that runs down the left-hand side of the browser window. Clicking on a friend's thumbnail displays that person's most recent status and provides the option to chat with or post on that person's wall. When viewing websites from within RockMelt, a user can easily choose to share the page by clicking the share button next to the address bar.

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About the Author(s)

Jim Rapoza

Contributor

Jim Rapoza is Senior Research Analyst at the Aberdeen Group and Editorial Director for Tech Pro Essentials. For over 20 years he has been using, testing, and writing about the newest technologies in software, enterprise hardware, and the Internet. He previously served as the director of an award-winning technology testing lab based in Massachusetts and California. Rapoza is also the winner of five awards of excellence in technology journalism, and co-chaired a summit on technology industry security practices. He is a frequent speaker at technology conferences and expositions and has been regularly interviewed as a technology expert by national and local media outlets including CNN, ABC, NPR, and the Associated Press.

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