10 Chrome Web Store Apps

Price: Free

Public URL: http://www.sportsillustratedsnapshot.com/

Other Browser Support: No

Thoughts: This is a stunning app that Google featured Tuesday as part of its launch of the Chrome Web App Store. Get your sports news by viewing images instead of headlines as your starting point. You can add news sections for your favorite teams and get local sports news as well. Sign in using your Google or Facebook account to add your favorite teams.

Price: Free

Public URL: http://www.nytimes.com/chrome/

Other Browser Support: Yes

Thoughts: This is basically a Web-based version of Times Reader, also known as Times Skimmer--a site that has been around for some time. Regardless, it's a beautiful way to read the morning paper. My guess is you will probably have to pay for the privilege of using this Web app in the coming months, so get it for free while you can. The New York Times Chrome Web app is truly open and usable on other browsers including Firefox and Safari for Mac and iPad. In my tests on an iPhone 3GS running iOS 4.2, this site crashed Safari for iPhone. The Web app needs to set aside 10MB of cache storage for offline reading.

Price: Free

Public URL: N/A

Other Browser Support: No

Thoughts: If you're already a TweetDeck for desktop user you can automatically import all your information from the desktop app into the Web-based version. The Web app version of TweetDeck has the same familiar look of the Adobe Air social media desktop client with Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, and Google Buzz integration. If TweetDeck is not your preferred client there are many other Web app options including Hootsuite and Yoono.

Price: Free

Public URL: http://www.ebuddy.com/

Other Browser Support: Yes

Thoughts: This is the same Web app that eBuddy users have been using online for some time. It will be interesting to see if being in the Chrome Web App Store will bring more users to the service. This app opens in a separate window.

Price: $1.99

Public URL: http://chrome.color-draw.com

Other Browser Support: Yes

Thoughts: Apple iPad and iPhone users may be familiar with this application now in Web format. It kind of feels like a touch-based application put in a Web browser, but still worth a try if you want to find something fun for kids to try online. This app also works on other browsers despite the Chrome-specific URL, and sets aside 500MB in the cache for each browser you use.

Price: Free

Public URL: http://tigerwoodsonline.ea.com/

Other Browser Support: Yes

Thoughts: Once you get through the extra downloads and sign up screens this is a fun golfing game. Although, there was this weird bug that kept the sound effects going well after I closed down the app. I had to restart the browser to get them to stop.

Price: Free

Public URL: http://chrome.graphicly.com/

Other Browser Support: Yes

Thoughts: If you've used Marvel's Flash-based Digital Comics reader or a mobile device app such as Comixology, then this comic book store will be familiar to you. In my tests, Graphic.ly had page-by-page views only as opposed to having a panel-by-panel view. The Web app is free to access, but reading comics will cost you anywhere from $2.00 to $10.00, although there are a few free comics as well. This is an independent publisher's store so you won't find any Batman, Spider-Man or Hulk comics here.

Price: Free/$24 per month (PREMIUM)

Public URL: http://app.sliderocket.com/

Other Browser Support: Yes

Thoughts: If you're looking for a Web-based alternative to PowerPoint that's a little flashier than Microsoft Web Apps or Google Docs, then check out SlideRocket.

Price: Free

Public URL: http://www.npr.org/webapp

Other Browser Support: Yes

Thoughts: You can use this site to access NPR news items, radio programs, and other NPR content. In my tests, NPR's Web app loaded much faster on Safari for Mac than it did on Google Chrome.

(pictured NPR Web app in Safari)

Price: Free

Public URL: http://wordsquared.com/

Other Browser Support: Yes

Thoughts: Crossword and Scrabble addicts should check this game out. Word Squared is an online multiplayer take on Scrabble. You start by choosing a location on the board and then build as many words as you can with the letter tiles you receive until you run out of space or options. It's really a game you play against yourself. See how far you can go before getting stuck.

Google Chrome OS: Quick Tour