I got an invite to see the new RockMelt browser yesterday and it got me thinking about some broader market implications.
Background
As way of quick background, RockMelt is a new take on the traditional internet browser with a much richer interface focused making it easier to integrate social sharing and networking into your browsing experience.
My goal for this post
The intention for this post is less to focus on the many cool social features incorporated into RockMelt (and there are a number of very cool features to talk about including a prioritized facebook friend list on the left hand column, real-time RSS feeds in the right hand column and a much easier sharing experience) and more to discuss the broader implications of this new and more social browser design.
Implication to You (the web surfer)
Many people will point to the large implications for the average person and the ways in which this new browser design will help to shape your experiences online and promote much more collaborative viewing and sharing with friends and family. This is a very consistent view of the changing web landscape and although it will take time to hit the mainstream web surfers, it is certainly an undeniable trend.
Implication to the Big Web Players (Google vs. Facebook)
I'm going to move past the inevitable discussion about whether RockMelt as a company has the chops to really become a force in the browser world. Let's assume that regardless, we are going to see more focused attention in all browsers towards a more social web experience. If this in fact the impact of RockMelt, what does that tell us about which company is at the center of the web?
For many years now, Google has been the centerpeice of the web, helping us find information and top web pages to meet our specific interests and inquiries. However, more and more we are using social networks like Facebook to gain information, share experiences and content with family and friends and just hang out. People worldwide spend over 700 billion minutes on Facebook alone every month. So it begs the question - if the browser becomes more social is Facebook going to be widely considered the center of the web? Are we truly moving, as some would suggest, from Pages (Google) to People (Facebook) at the center of our web experience? Are we in fact more focused on building from our personal relationships outwards to content and information on the web?
Conclusion?
It is an interesting question and one that I think we are a bit too early to answer, but RockMelt might be an interesting indication of a broader and much larger shift in the face of the web and ultimately could start the coronation of a new king of the web in the next 5 years.
What are your thoughts? Is this a significant step in the further socialization of the web or is it just another doomed attempt at the next best web browser?
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