When it comes to Apple's Mac computers and its iPhone, the Safari browser is the internet browser of choice for most users. Apple today announced the latest beta version of Safari for its Mac systems and the computer maker claims that the browser is much faster than Safari 3.
According to Apple, Safari 4's Nitro Engine is able to run JavaScript four times faster than Safari 3. The browser also includes a host of new features including Top Sites that offers a visual presentation of recently visited web pages. Other features include Full Search History searchable by web address, titles, and text of recently viewed pages. Cover flow allows users to flip through the web history and bookmarks. Tabs on Top makes tabbed browsing easier according to Apple.
Apple's Philip Schiller said in a statement, "Apple created Safari to bring innovation, speed, and open standards back into web browsers, and today it takes another big step forward. Safari 4 is the fastest and most efficient browser for Mac and Windows, with great integration of HTML 5 and CSS 3 web standards that enables the next generation of interactive web applications."
Safari 4 features HTML 5 with support for offline technologies allowing web-based applications to store information locally. Apple says that the new browser is the first to pass the Web Standards Project's Acid3 test and to support advanced CSS Effects. Safari 4 claims to be able to execute JavaScript up to 30 times faster than IE 7 and three times faster than Firefox 3. HTML is claimed to load in Safari 4 three times faster than IE 7.
Apple says that Safari 4 is available immediately as a public beta for both Mac and Windows computers. Safari 4 for Windows uses a new native Windows look according to Apple with standard font rendering and a native title bar that fits the browser with the look and feel of XP or Vista.
Microsoft's Internet Explorer 8 is currently available in RC1 form and hopes to continue the market domination that Internet Explorer holds.
Source: DailyTech
