Google Gears 0.5.3600

Google – Open Source – Windows
out of 50 votes

Reviving Offline Browsing: Google Gears

Elena Angelini

01/12/2025

Google Gears offers a bridge between online and offline web experiences, allowing users to access their favorite applications even without an internet connection, though its age shows in compatibility issues and lack of updates.

Google Gears, developed by Google, was a browser extension that aimed to enable more powerful web applications by adding new features to the browser.

One of the key features of Google Gears was the ability to enable web applications to work offline. This meant that users could still interact with certain web applications even without an internet connection.

Google Gears also included a geolocation API, which allowed web applications to access the user's current location. This feature opened up possibilities for location-based services and enhanced user experiences.

Another important aspect of Google Gears was its ability to store data locally on the user's device, reducing the need for constant communication with a server. This helped improve the speed and performance of web applications.

Despite its innovative features, Google Gears was eventually discontinued by Google as web technologies evolved, and the need for such a browser extension decreased. Many of the capabilities offered by Google Gears were later integrated into modern web standards.

Overview

Google Gears is a Open Source software in the category Internet developed by Google.

The latest version of Google Gears is 0.5.3600, released on 03/09/2010. It was initially added to our database on 10/29/2007.

Google Gears runs on the following operating systems: Windows.

Users of Google Gears gave it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

Pros

Improves offline access to web applications
Allows users to interact with web applications even when offline
Enables faster loading of web pages by storing information locally
Increases productivity by making web applications more accessible offline

Cons

No longer supported by Google as of December 1, 2011
Compatibility issues with newer web technologies and browsers
Security concerns related to storing data locally on the device

FAQ

What is Google Gears?

Google Gears is a browser extension that enables web applications to run offline.

How does Google Gears work?

Google Gears downloads and stores web application data locally, allowing it to be accessed without an internet connection.

What web browsers support Google Gears?

Google Gears is supported by Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome.

What are some examples of web applications that use Google Gears?

Gmail Offline Google Docs Offline Zoho Writer Digg

Is Google Gears still supported?

No, Google stopped supporting Google Gears in 2011 and advised developers to switch to newer technologies like HTML5 offline storage.

Is Google Gears free to use?

Yes, Google Gears is free and open source software under the New BSD License.

Can Google Gears be used on mobile devices?

Yes, there are versions of Google Gears that work on mobile devices such as Android and Windows Mobile.

What are the benefits of using Google Gears?

Ability to use web applications offline Faster load times for web applications Reduced server load

What are the limitations of using Google Gears?

Works only with web applications that have been designed or modified to use Google Gears Data stored locally may become outdated if not regularly updated from the server Potential security risks if sensitive data is stored locally

Elena Angelini

I'm Elena, your go-to software reviewer at UpdateStar and tech enthusiast. Whether you're a user seeking the latest software titles or software news I've got you covered. When I'm not diving into the latest software, you can find me exploring nature trails, camping under the stars, or competing in online multiplayer games. My reviews are designed to be fun, engaging, and packed with all the details you need to make informed decisions.

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