Google Chrome 4.0 graduates to beta status

[DKT27]

Google Chrome 4.0 graduates to beta status

More people will get a chance to try out bookmark synchronization with Monday's release of a beta version of Google Chrome for Windows.

Google introduced the bookmark sync feature for the developer-preview version in August, but now it's also in the better-tested beta version, Chrome 4.0.223.16. However, there's still no Chrome beta for Mac OS X or Linux.

In a video explanation, Google's Anthony LaForge somewhat breathlessly describes how the sync feature can keep bookmarks the same on multiple machines. That's a fair point, but let's be realistic here--bookmark sync in Chrome is more catch-up than paradigm shift. Indeed, with the popular Xmarks extension--in the works for Chrome, people can synchronize bookmarks among multiple browsers, not merely multiple computers.

And Chrome's clever message-based sync technology notwithstanding, Chrome bookmarks would be a lot more magical if they synchronized with the Google bookmarks service, which is linked with iGoogle and the Google Toolbar.

Speaking of extensions, one of the 4.x series' biggest features is the ability to accommodate extensions, but because Google is shifting the extensions interface, the feature isn't enabled in the beta version. Chrome is released in three versions: the roughest, fastest moving developer preview, the more stable beta, and the stable edition for the broadest audience.

The 4.x series has other significant features, too, though it's not clear whether they'll arrive in the beta or stable versions. One is Google's Native Client, which lets JavaScript applications take more direct advantage of a PC processor's horsepower through a careful security mechanism. Another is WebGL, a 3D interface that does the same with hardware-accelerated graphics.

Together, the features have the potential to dramatically improve the power and sophistication of Web-based applications. That's particularly interesting given that Google is building Chrome OS, a browser-based operating system.

The Mac version isn't in beta yet, but it's a priority.

"Our goal for this Friday is to be able to count our Mac P1 M4 release blocker bugs on one hand (we're in the 20s now)," said Chrome programmer Mike Pinkerton in a mailing list announcement on Monday. P1 bugs are priority-one; M4 refers to milestone 4, or version 4.0.

And Google is willing to put more manpower onto the Mac version, he added. "Everyone should have their P1 list practically at zero by the end of this week. If you are not going to be able to reach this, let me (or other triage folk) know ASAP so that we can get you some help.

Chrome edged up to 3.6 percent of browser usage for October, its highest showing so far in Net Applications' statistics since the browser's first public release 14 months ago. That's within striking distance of third-place Safari at 4.2 percent, but still well short of second-place Firefox at 24.1 percent and dominant Internet Explorer at 64.6 percent.

Chrome has helped fan the browser war flames even without becoming dominant, though. In particular, it's helped increase the emphasis on performance such as the speed to load the software, load Web pages, and run Web-based JavaScript applications. Here, more than with bookmark sync, Google's chest-thumping has some merit:

"As with every release, this new beta comes with many speed improvements. In particular, as Web applications we use every day become increasingly dynamic, browsers like Google Chrome need to be able to construct and change elements on web pages as fast as possible," said programmers Idan Avraham and Anton Muhin in a blog post. "We've improved performance scores on Google Chrome by 30 percent since our current stable release, as measured by Mozilla's Dromeao DOM Core Tests, and by 400 percent since our first stable release."

There has been some slowdown with the arrival of Chrome extensions, though, so Google will have some more optimization work to do to keep the browser in fighting trim.

Source

[DKT27]

Overall it's good. Really good. But not the best.

[Atasas]

Overall it's good. Really good. But not the best.

let me start another flaming war...

Opera is the best!

or was it FF?

[DKT27]

Yea Opera is also good, really good, and fast with Turbo mode, but not great. ;)

[Night Owl]

Overall it's good. Really good. But not the best.

Yes, Google Chrome is really good. But it's also really, really fast. And the 4.0 Dev Channel supports extensions.

No browser that I've used so far (IE 8, Firefox 3.5.4, Google Chrome 4.0, SRWare Iron 3.0.197, Apple Safari 4.0.3) is "the best". They all have their strengths and weaknesses.

[DKT27]

Well FF does have a speed problem when compared to Opera and Chrome but it's in the top of them all(at the movement).

Yea I do believe that FF will go down to Chrome and even I wont use FF at that time. But as far as current status is concerned, it'f FF for me.

[DKT27]

I don't know but what use do you have for a open source. Are you a developer?

[manpe]

is chrome open source?

BOOM<>

Google released the entire source code of Chrome, including its bespoke V8 JavaScript engine as an open source project entitled Chromium, in 2008. This move enabled third-party developers to study the underlying source code and potentially port the browser to the Linux and Mac OS X platforms. A Google spokesperson also expressed hope that other browsers would adopt V8 to help web applications. The Google-authored portion of Chromium is released under the permissive BSD license, which allows portions to be incorporated into both open source and proprietary software programs. Other portions of the source code are subject to a variety of different open-source licenses. Chromium implements the same feature set as Chrome, but has a slightly different logo.

wikipedia

PS this beta is buggy. I'm having problems with it... it randomly shows me gibberish for ex. when loading a thread, and then logs me out. I've deleted cookies, but it still comes back. Hope this version will be fixed soon.

[karachidude]

east or west chrome is the best :P B)

Thanks for the info :)

[Night Owl]

PS this beta is buggy. I'm having problems with it... it randomly shows me gibberish for ex. when loading a thread, and then logs me out. I've deleted cookies, but it still comes back. Hope this version will be fixed soon.

The 4.0.223.11 Dev Channel release has been rock solid for me. I haven't come across one problem at all.

[karachidude]

google chrome current beta as of this post 100% runs perfect

as for what i think faster and sleeker than ff less compatible with plugins

<><>PEACE<><>:D

i told u so,it the new ultimate browser B) :D

[Night Owl]

google chrome current beta as of this post 100% runs perfect

as for what i think faster and sleeker than ff less compatible with plugins

<><>PEACE<><>:D

Glad you like it. The Dev Channel — not the Beta Channel you're using — is compatible with plugins. Some extensions are listed at http://www.chromeextensions.org/ and others are listed at http://www.chromeplugins.org/category/extensions/.

[manpe]

I've been using beta channel for a long time, but reverted to stable now. Beta started giving me a headache and I'll see if stable will do the same. If not, I will be using stable from this point on.

[manpe]

used chrome today 100% working and 99.9% addicting! AND SO VIVID on pictures on the net easy to use and POWERFUL :rofl:

You're damn right :D I got addicted to it the moment I saw it. So you haven't had any trouble with the beta? For example when you try to post something, doesn't it sometimes show you a bunch of codelines?