Introduction
What web browser do you usually use? Currently, I primarily use Brave as my main browser and Sidekick as my secondary browser. But recently, I have been trying out a new web browser called Arc.
While there are still many things I am figuring out, I find Arc to be more user-friendly and useful than Sidekick at this point. I am considering making Arc my secondary, or even my main browser. That's how innovative and unique I find it.
In this article, I will share my current impressions of Arc browser.
What is Arc?
Arc is a relatively new web browser developed by the startup company called The Browser Company, and released in 2022. Arc aims to function as the operating system for the web, integrating web browsing with built-in applications and features. Many of its functions and design elements are innovative.
My Impressions until so far
I have only used Arc for a short period, so my understanding is still limited, but here are some points I've noticed so far:
Spaces
Arc has a unique feature called Spaces. In Arc, tabs can be placed in Spaces, which are separate areas that you can use for different purposes. For example, I have Spaces for General, Study, Programming, and Work. I am still experimenting with how many Spaces to create and how to organize them, and I found it's an interesting.
Initially, I felt it quite strange for me, but as I used it more, I found it to be a very intuitive and useful feature.
Organizing Frequently Used Apps in Favorites
The left sidebar of the browser contains Favorites, Pinned Tabs, and Today Tabs. For detailed explanations, you can refer to the official website, but this navigation layout is very user-friendly and convenient. In Sidekick, I could also organize frequently used apps like Notion and Slack on the left side, but there were limitations depending on the plan. Arc's Favorites seem to operate similarly, but without restrictions at the moment. I have multiple apps like ChatGPT, Notion, Slack, and WhatsApp organized here, making it very convenient.
Tabs That Disappear After a Certain Time
In Arc, you can pin tabs and place them in labeled areas in the sidebar. One particularly unique feature is that unpinned tabs will disappear after a certain period (this can be changed or disabled in settings, and disappeared tabs can be retrieved from the "Archived Tabs" section). When I knew this feature, I found this quite odd, but I understood it makes sense after a few days later. I have a bad habit of accumulating tabs out of inertia, which often results in a cluttered and hard-to-use browser. Arc's "disappearing tabs" feature has the potential to significantly enhance the user experience by addressing this issue. While I'm not fully accustomed to it yet, I plan to get the hang of it.
Seamlessly Handling Downloaded Files in the Browser
One small but convenient feature is the ability to handle downloaded files directly from Arc. As a Mac user, I can manage downloaded files without opening Finder, directly from the "Library" button in the lower-left corner. For example, if I want to download an image from a website and want to compress it with Tinypng, this feature allows for quick and easy handling.
Chromium-Based Made
When considering switching browsers, it's crucial for me to be able to use Chrome extensions in the new browser. Like Sidekick, Arc is built on Chromium, so Chrome extensions are supported. This makes it easy for Chrome users to transition.
Conclusion
While there are still many aspects I'm getting used to and sometimes find inconvenient, I believe Arc is a highly useful browser with a lot of potential. I plan to continue using it and exploring its innovative features. If this article has piqued your interest, I encourage you to give Arc a try.
Thank you for reading!
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