Paul Krill
Editor at Large

Google adds online access, mobile page analysis to Web performance tool

news
Mar 31, 20112 mins

Page Speed Online also features accommodations for smartphone pages

Google is upgrading on Thursday its tool for analyzing Web page performance, making it available directly via the Web and offering smartphone page analysis.

Previously offered as a Firefox extension and known as Page Speed, the online version is called Page Speed Online. Accessible at the Google Labs website from any browser, Page Speed Online enables site owners to access Web page performance analysis data and get suggestions on making pages faster. With the upgrade, Google also is recognizing the growing smartphone computing paradigm.

“Due to the relatively limited CPU capabilities of mobile devices, the high round-trip times of mobile networks, and rapid growth of mobile usage, understanding and optimizing for mobile performance is even more critical than for the desktop, so Page Speed Online now allows you to easily analyze and optimize your site,” said Andrew Oates and Richard Rabbat, of Google’s Page Speed team, in a blog post.

Recommendations for mobile devices offer best practices that go beyond what is recommended for desktop browsers, the team members said. “New mobile-targeted best practices include eliminating uncacheable landing page redirects and reducing the amount of JavaScript during the page load, two common issues that slow down mobile pages today.” Page Speed was first launched in June 2009. Page Speed Online is powered by the Page Speed SDK.

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Paul Krill

Paul Krill is editor at large at InfoWorld. Paul has been covering computer technology as a news and feature reporter for more than 35 years, including 30 years at InfoWorld. He has specialized in coverage of software development tools and technologies since the 1990s, and he continues to lead InfoWorld’s news coverage of software development platforms including Java and .NET and programming languages including JavaScript, TypeScript, PHP, Python, Ruby, Rust, and Go. Long trusted as a reporter who prioritizes accuracy, integrity, and the best interests of readers, Paul is sought out by technology companies and industry organizations who want to reach InfoWorld’s audience of software developers and other information technology professionals. Paul has won a “Best Technology News Coverage” award from IDG.

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