New Google Chrome Beta Gains Integrated Flash Plug-In, Speed Increases
Apple's 'Surprise and Shine' iPhone Event: Follow along
with our live blog.
Google today
announced the release of the official beta versions of Google Chrome 5.0 for Mac, Windows, and Linux. The release brings several new enhancements to the stable testing version of the browser, including an
integrated Flash Player plug-in and speed increases.
Today's new beta release incorporates one of Chrome's most significant speed and performance increases to date, with 30% and 35% improvement on the V8 and SunSpider benchmarks over the previous beta channel release. In fact, looking back in time, Chrome's performance has improved by as much as 213% and 305% on these two benchmarks since our very first beta.
The new version also includes synchronization of Chrome preferences across computers and new HTML5 features such as geolocation support and file drag-and-drop.
Google is also taking the opportunity to show off Chrome's speed enhancements by deploying a set of "experiments" showing Chrome loading a webpage alongside other "blink-of-an-eye" events, all filmed with a high-speed camera and played back in slow motion. While the "results" of these new speed tests have not yet been released, Google has published a "making of" video showing how they were developed.
Popular Stories
Apple's biggest event of the year is almost here, and all eyes are on Cupertino. With the first foldable iPhone expected to headline Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, September 9, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, the rumor mill has been running full throttle, fuelled by the biggest single design change in the life of the iPhone.
To get you up to speed, here's a quick reference...
Apple is set to unveil new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models on Wednesday, September 9, and the devices are expected to feature a design that's largely similar to the iPhone 17 Pro models, with a peppering of enhancements inside. Major changes are not expected until next year, when Apple is expected to introduce a radically redesigned 20th-anniversary iPhone.
If you're thinking of...
Apple has announced that it will be holding an event on Wednesday, September 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, with the company widely expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, its first-ever foldable iPhone Ultra, and more.
Now that we know the event date, we can make an educated guess about when iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders will begin, but there is a bit of a wrinkle this year....
