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The Browser Company’s unconventional browser, Arc, releases publicly on Mac

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/07/the-browsing-companys-unconventional-browser-arc-releases-publicly-on-mac/

It's still based on Chromium, but the user experience is quite different.

The Browser Company’s unconventional browser, Arc, releases publicly on Mac

On Tuesday, The Browser Company made its unusual new web browser, Arc, widely available on desktop for the first time.

I downloaded it this morning, and have been setting it up and familiarizing myself with its UI over the past few hours. First thoughts...it takes some getting used to, but I'm beginning to really like its organization potential.

12 comments

spacedancer

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It's still based on Chromium

Welp.

ryno364

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Yeah... I'll stay with firefox for now..

DrinkBoba

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Do not want

vd1n

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FF4L

Throws up gang signs

clearedtoland

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With the web integrity outcry, I ditched Brave and really wanted to embrace FF but I caved for the easy transition to Safari…braces for stones to be thrown

vermyndax

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I'm with you. I'd so much prefer to use Safari. Safari 17 is so, so much better than prior releases. But the amount of stupid compatibility problems with sites that keep cropping up drives me nuts.

wilberfan

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This is such a nice browser that it's become my daily driver.

But I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop: Will it enshitify down the road? I don't mind paying something to support it, but if they go Adobe-level monthly subscriptions or something I'm gonna take hostages.

(Or, you know, go back to Vivaldi or Firefox.)

clearedtoland

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I’d used for a while on my MBP and it made it run crazy hot. I loved it and used it every day despite that but eventually it became too much.

I haven’t tried it on my M2 because of that. To be fair though, their customer service responsiveness and dev dedication is absolutely exceptional and unmatched.

mac

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Arc has changed my browsing experience and I’m not sure I’ll be able to go back to a traditional browser.

The UI takes a bit of getting used to, but works so much better than Chrome or FF for my daily work usage. Having ‘spaces’ for different tasks is a game changer being able to have all your necessary tabs ready to go, and you can switch profiles, having your work spaces on one profile logged into all your work accounts, and simply being able to flick back and forth to your personal space that has your personal accounts all logged in.

Developer tools are super useful for web developers, you have all the standard chrome console and debugs, with additional quality of life features added on top.

Yes it’s chromium based, but the Arc team spends a lot of their time optimising and speeding it up. It’s not the same resource hog that the Chrome browser is. Plus all Chrome extensions work on Arc, so you aren’t going to lose the plugins that you’re used to.

I love the weekly updates and seeing all the new QoL changes that the team implements.

Not a paid shill, but I am a shill lol

nicetriangle

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I applaud them for trying some different approaches to how a browser is designed, but I really didn't care for the UI and I don't want a Chromium browser, so it's just not for me. I'll for sure be sticking with Firefox, but I'm glad some people seem to love it. Different strokes and all.

dontcallmewoody

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I’m interested but I’m wary. They have their series A funding but… what’s the end goal here? How are they going to monetize this?

nicetriangle

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Not sure but you can't even use the browser without giving them an email address and creating an account. Thought that was a bit off.