Chrome Mac beta nearer; Win 7 features recede
Programmers have mostly overcome a crucial hurdle to releasing a beta version of Chrome for the Mac, printing support, but several Windows 7 features won't make the cut for the present 4.x version of Chrome.
The Mac printing support is now added, according to the Google browser's issue-tracking system, though there are "minor remaining issues" and the new features aren't yet distributed with the software.
Google has cited Mac printing support as one holding back a Mac version of the browser. Mac support is important for the company's ambitions to spread the browser and its fast-Web philosophy to mainstream users. The Linux version, while less mainstream now, also is important since it's the foundation of Google's Chrome OS project to build a browser-based operating system for Netbooks.
But on the Windows side of the shop, a number of planned features to support Windows 7 were pushed back to the next version Chrome on Wednesday. That includes support for showing thumbnails of open tabs on the task bar, showing "jump lists" for quick actions such as links recently or frequently visited pages, pinning thumbnails to the task bar, and overlaying a download progress status bar on the Chrome icon.
The present beta and stable releases that Google issued Monday, Chrome version 3.0.195.27 (download for Windows only), are members of the 3.x family. The developer preview is in the 4.x family (download for Windows or Mac OS X). The Windows 7 features had been slated for the 4.x series, but now are planned for version 5, according to the issue-tracking system.
The change doesn't indicate the features have retreated into the distant future, though; Chrome version numbers change relatively rapidly, as evidenced by the move to version 4 in just over a year.
Also pushed back to the 5.x series is built-in support for discovering when Web pages have RSS feeds, one of Chrome's most-requested features. Its absence is ameliorated by a Chrome sample extension for RSS, though.
Extensions remain a work in progress. New ones are arriving steadily, and existing extensions such as Lastpass for filling in passwords and forms and AdSweep for blocking ads is progressing. But Google recently switched interfaces, dropping the use of a toolstrip across the bottom of the browser with pop-up "moles" in favor of browser actions, small icons along the top of the browser.
Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank. 
It's also great to be using browsers that with good HTML5 support. There are a lot of cool HTML5 sites & demos popping up, these days.
As we move from a few gigs to many gigs of ram, From one 32 bit core to many 64 bit ones there are a lot of things needed doing from eventually building compact 64bit OS systems to exploiting new innovations and training people up ready for multi core environments. eventually more developments in system building and advanced architecture will be something that moves down from super computers to Joe publics machines and Specialised Co-processing might rise to challenges that lye ahead. All this sort of stuff doesn't just need official pre-emptive reports but needs to be monitored as for people to know how well groups are coping with Transition changes over this next decade. It's the ability to cope with change that will be vital for good progress to be made over the next ten years and reporting needs to be made on how well all are coping specific to transitions like that from 32bit to 64bit . For the consumer to gain from major advances first Industry has to be able to make good strides forward and the two do not always happen simultaneously. It's an aspect being more covered these days and one a wider Internet covered world wants to get a feel for, after all people need to know what they can train in to get an edge in the market and I would say anyone addressing vital transitions in technologies stands a good chance of future and present employment.
Have you tried AdBlock Plus on FF? If yes then which one would you recommend for FF... AdBlock Plus or AdSweep?
I have never heard of AdSweep until I read this article. I currently have NoScript and AdBlock Plus on FF. Thanks
The Jump List shows Pinned, Recently Closed, Most Visited, and Tasks. It shows "New window" and "New Incognito window" under "Tasks."
An chrome did do something, it kick the others us the ass to work on improving the speed of there browsers, something would not of happen if there was no chrome, or at least not as quickly. Plus they are using it as a trojan horse for Html 5, which is brilliantly demonstrated in google wave, which I have spent the day playing with.
- by irisantongiorgi October 17, 2009 4:37 PM PDT
- chrome is more faster that any of the internet I have I prefer this one .Because it save the history and give you the change to link from one site to another without closing the site. I love this chrome more.And the best part is the speed . Thank
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