Google offers better-tested Chrome version

Google released a new beta version of Chrome Tuesday, offering a better balance between software that's stable but out of date on the one hand and cutting-edge but crash-prone on the other.

The new version offers a number of new features, including zooming that increases or decreases the graphics as well as text; autofill to ease the chore of re-entering information in Web site forms; and new tab-dragging features that let you dock browser windows to the sides of the screen. The new beta version is essentially the same as Chrome 2.0.169.1 that was released last week to the Chrome developer preview channel for less-tested versions of the browser, Google said.

The feature Google chose to spotlight in a blog post announcing the new Chrome beta, though, is better JavaScript performance from a new version of the browser's V8 engine. "It's 25 percent faster on our V8 benchmark and 35 percent faster on the Sunspider benchmark than the current stable channel version and almost twice as fast when compared to our original beta version," Chrome product manager Brian Rakowski said in the blog post.

JavaScript is used to power elaborate Web applications such as Google Docs and refinements on countless more ordinary Web sites, and Google, Mozilla, Apple, and Opera all are racing to improve how well their browsers handle it.

Since releasing Chrome 1.0 in December, Google has essentially offered only two of the three promised versions of its browser: that stable version, which has received only minor tweaks, and the very rough-around-the-edges developer preview version where Google tries out new features. The beta version just tracked the stable version.

I've been using the developer preview version for the most part, despite the fact that several earlier incarnations were prone to becoming unresponsive and the latest one triggers an objection from Flickr's Organizr tool. Recent Chrome developer preview bug fixes have helped, but it's still not for most folks.

The better-tested beta, though, means many of the new features will be available to those with a lower tolerance for flakiness.

New how-to document for extensions
One big advantage Firefox has over Chrome is its ability to accommodate extensions that endow the browser with new features. Google is working on the extensions for Chrome, though, and on Monday Google programmer Aaron Boodman published a how-to document for writing Chrome extensions.

"Right now extensions can only really contain content scripts, so that is all this doc covers. But we'll be expanding it over time as more features develop," Boodman said in an e-mail announcement of the how-to document.

[Will_in_BC]

I currently have the stable version installed. I tried several times to install the beta including my last attempt in which I uninstalled Chrome through the control panel. .In each case the install appears to work but when I launch Chrome I find that I have the stable version installed. Any ideas?

[Will_in_BC]

Known problem. Google messed up the installer. See http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/Chrome/thread?tid=6a4e79ac1dbe64fd&hl=en&fid=6a4e79ac1dbe64fd0004655688aead7f

[hanson.ianj]

Hey, just download their "channel" changer app and choose the beta channel. After that go to About Chrome and update. It takes like a minute. No need to uninstall.

[joyofsomeone]

Another big advantage Firefox has over Chrome...
You can use it on OS other than Windows :/

Still waiting for the mac version... Ho hum...

[stockyjoe]

If your on a MAC just get safari 4. Both Chrome and safari use webkit.

[ark_v2]

I've been using Chrome for a while now and I haven't missed Firefox that much. I even replaced thunderbird, another mozilla product, with a direct access to gmail from Chrome.

[parthushukla]

I am still looking for a much more efficient way to integrate my Google Bookmarks with Chrome. No workarounds.....

[gary85739]

Where is the download to upgrade Google Chrome? My present build is: 1.0.154.48

[las84]

It's nice to finally be able to use Youtube and a few other sites, so worth the odd crash to keep things up to date.

I love the browser, not saying it's the best! as it has a way to go yet. But I find it a joy to use most of the time.

While Firefox has all the add on's and things but I don't really miss a thing, apart from Adblock plus.

Keep it up Google,

[Gazz6037]

I can't wait until they release the 2.x versions to the "stable" Chrome users as the speed gains of 25% are very enticing.

I've been using Chrome ever since it was first released as a beta, and although initially it was very crash-prone, I am very satisfied with using it. Once Chrome gets extensions I think Google will give Mozilla a run for their money.

P.S.
I still use and like Firefox at school via my USB (it gets around my school's proxy :D).

[link48010]

The new version has been crashing on me constantly when I try to organize my bookmarks, I need to organize them in Firefox, then re-import them. It's really annoying.

[jpmccloud01]

here is my theory about chrome. It's a great browser to a point; granted I have the first release. It has some flaws like not always loading pages correctly or not giving me full control of my hotmail account or causing where things with in hotmail. Again their is the fact that it is fast and the gui is easy and comfortable to use which is why I'm using it as I type my comment on this cite and can't wait for the next version to release. One thing of note though is their are somethings that still seem to work better through IE7 which is why I have that browser as well as firefox and safari on my 6 yr old computer. If one gets messed up I have more choices