Google Instant integration in Chrome already improved -- big time!

I wasn't too impressed with Google's first cut at bringing Google Instant to Chrome. The half-page overlay looked awkward, Google thought I was spamming their servers, and the feature didn't work on local pages like about:memory or chrome:extensions.

Just over two weeks later, however, I'm starting to like what I see. Instant now works with Chrome's about: and chrome: URLs -- about:labs now appears below as soon as I hit the t. Google search results in the Omnibox -- like my query for Full Life Consequences -- are also displayed full-frame now rather than as a half-page overlay.

There's also a folded corner with a clickable 'x,' though I'm not sure I see the point -- clicking it takes focus away from the Omnibox and dumps you back at your previous page.

For a quick video demo, take the jump and see how Chrome Instant handles things in its latest incarnation.

Remember: to try it yourself, you'll need to activate Instant on the about:labs page in Chrome Dev, Canary, or Chromium.

ed note: Dev channel users, give the command line flag --enable-match-preview a shot.