Google Gives Chrome 6.0 Beta New Features
Mountain View-based search engine giant Google constantly pushes out updates for its Chrome browser on all three channels it employs – the dev channel, the Beta channel, and the stable channel. We don’t cover all the updates, because they aren’t always that interesting. For example Chrome has been updated on the stable channel to version 5.0.375.126. The only thing this version has to offer is an updated version of the Flash plugin (Flash Player is built into the latest Chrome version and it is turned on by default).
We do take heed when an update brings something interesting to the table, like new features. This is the case with the latest Chrome release on the Beta channel, version 6.0.472.33. This version comes with the following new features:
Form Autofill
Since Software Engineer James Hawkins says this is one of the things he likes most in Chrome, let’s let him explain this feature:
“Autofill, helps you fill in web forms automatically with information that you specify, such as your name, address, phone number, and the credit card number you use for shopping online. Autofill builds up and saves this information for you over time, so that you can fill in long web forms with just a few clicks without typing in the same information over again.”
It must be mentioned that all the data Chrome stores is kept private until a user chooses to share the information with a website. Among the data that Chrome can store is credit card information; but Chrome never saves such data without first asking the user explicitly.
Synchronization capabilities
Previous Chrome 6.0 Beta versions allowed you to keep bookmarks, preferences and themes in sync. The browser’s syncing capabilities have been enhanced with version 6.0.472.33; you can now sync Chrome extensions as well as your Autofill data – apart from credit card info.
UI facelift
Chrome’s user interface (UI) has been tweaked a bit: the upper toolbar has been streamlined, all four options have been condensed into one menu, and the Omnibox is more approachable.
Speed
This latest Beta version scored a 15% speed improvement on the V8 benchmark, and a 15% improvement on the SunSpider benchmark, compared to the previous Chrome Beta release.
If you would like to get Chrome 6.0 Beta, you can download the browser here.
We do take heed when an update brings something interesting to the table, like new features. This is the case with the latest Chrome release on the Beta channel, version 6.0.472.33. This version comes with the following new features:
Form Autofill
Since Software Engineer James Hawkins says this is one of the things he likes most in Chrome, let’s let him explain this feature:
“Autofill, helps you fill in web forms automatically with information that you specify, such as your name, address, phone number, and the credit card number you use for shopping online. Autofill builds up and saves this information for you over time, so that you can fill in long web forms with just a few clicks without typing in the same information over again.”
It must be mentioned that all the data Chrome stores is kept private until a user chooses to share the information with a website. Among the data that Chrome can store is credit card information; but Chrome never saves such data without first asking the user explicitly.
Synchronization capabilities
Previous Chrome 6.0 Beta versions allowed you to keep bookmarks, preferences and themes in sync. The browser’s syncing capabilities have been enhanced with version 6.0.472.33; you can now sync Chrome extensions as well as your Autofill data – apart from credit card info.
UI facelift
Chrome’s user interface (UI) has been tweaked a bit: the upper toolbar has been streamlined, all four options have been condensed into one menu, and the Omnibox is more approachable.
Speed
This latest Beta version scored a 15% speed improvement on the V8 benchmark, and a 15% improvement on the SunSpider benchmark, compared to the previous Chrome Beta release.
If you would like to get Chrome 6.0 Beta, you can download the browser here.
