Feb 18, 2011 08:47 GMT  ·  By

The Google Chrome Dev channel has been updated to version 11.0.672.2 for Mac, Windows and Linux, according to Karen Grunberg of the Chrome development team. As expected, version 10.0 has been promoted to Beta status.

The first Chrome 11 build to emerge from Google, Chrome 11.0.672.2 delivers an updated V8 engine, fixed crashes, a redesigned XSS Auditor which now comes enabled by default, as well as some Mac-specific tweaks.

According to the official changelog, these include:

Mac

· Fixed a crash during plugin shutdown · Tab overview mode is on by default. · Added unspoofable infobars. (Issue 57106) · Accelerometer data is more reliable.

On the Beta front, “The Chrome team is happy to announce the arrival of Chrome 10.0.648.82 to the Beta channel for Windows, Mac, and Linux,” Jason Kersey blogs for Google.

According to Kersey, Chrome 10 contains some notable improvements. As listed by the author, these include:

· New version of V8 - Crankshaft - which greatly improves javascript performance · New settings pages that open in a tab, rather than a dialog box · Improved security with malware reporting and disabling outdated plugins by default · Password sync as part of Chrome Sync now enabled by default · GPU Accelerated Video · Background WebApps · webNavigation extension API

Google details these enhancements on the Official Chrome Blog.

Google Chrome requires Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and an Intel-based Mac. Using the link below, all versions of Chrome for Mac (Stable, Beta, Dev) are immediately downloadable.

Download Google Chrome for Mac OS X (Free)

A note about Google Chrome release channels and updates

Chrome boasts a release system with three distinct channels: Stable, Beta, and Developer preview, called the "Dev" channel.

The Stable channel is updated with features and fixes only after they are thoroughly tested in the Beta channel, while the Beta channel is being updated with stable and complete features from the Dev channel, where ideas get tested.