14 DAY TRIAL // Chrome 32 is finally here after what seems like forever and it comes with a bunch of nifty features.
The latest release tackles one of the things that have annoyed many users – hidden noisy tabs. The feature has been in the works for a while and now that it’s finally here, it’s looking every bit as you’d expect – a small speaker icon that appears on the tab.
While Google was at it, the feature got expanded a little bit to have more functionality. Basically, it’s not just websites that make noise that Chrome helps you find faster, but also those that make use of your webcam or those that are streamed to a TV through Chromecast.
For the tabs making use of your webcam, a red dot appears, while for those whose content gets streamed, there’s a blue, screen-like, box.
If you handle a lot of tabs at the same time and you often use the “pin” feature, then you shouldn’t worry. Instead of the website favicon that is usually displayed in the pinned tabs, the status icons appear.
Google has been working on these features for about a year and it has been trying them out for about half this time. A while back, YouTube pages opened in tabs got a small audible notification in the form of a “play” button.
Furthermore, Chrome 32 comes with better security. The safe browsing malware warning has gotten stronger and Google advises users not to dismiss its warnings.
Since Chrome allows multiple users to create profiles and use the web browser independently, Google has now introduced a new type of account that’s perfect for children. Parents can review the browsing activity of supervised users and determine restrictions. The feature is still in beta.
The latest Chrome also brings the Chrome OS look to users of Windows 8. The special Metro-style mode turns the app into a full-screen instance of Chrome OS that comes complete with an app launcher and taskbar.
