14 DAY TRIAL // One of the best new things in OS X Yosemite has to be the all-new Safari web browser, which not only got a complete visual overhaul, but also sports a bevy of new functions that will make web surfing better and more secure than ever, no matter where you come from.
The streamlined toolbar touted by Craig Federighi throughout all of Yosemite’s apps is mostly visible in Safari. It puts your most important controls at your fingertips but also leaves a lot of empty space, which makes it easy on the eyes.
Safari in Yosemite gives you new ways to access your favorite content. If you click the smart search field, a grid drops down revealing your favorite web sites with icons.
The Tab View groups your tabs like speed dials and even stacks them on top of one another if they come from the same site. Pretty neat, huh? You can even search tabs by URL or by a term in the title of the page.
“Browsing with Safari is blazing fast, thanks to advanced JavaScript engine optimizations that make websites and web applications feel snappier. Safari in OS X Yosemite is also more energy efficient, so you can do things like watch Netflix videos for up to two hours longer,” Apple says.
Safari in Yosemite offers native support for Netflix, making playback more energy-efficient than ever before. Apple touts an extra two hours of 1080p watching, which basically means one extra movie. Safari also supports technologies like WebG for awesome 3D experiences.
A feature perpetuated throughout the OS, Translucency also applies to Safari, making the desktop / background just a tad visible through your Safari window, especially in Tab View.
To download OS X Yosemite and test out the new Safari, you currently need to have a Mac Developer Program license with Apple. Regular customers will also be able to download and test the beta themselves, though Apple has yet to announce its release. The final version of the software will be unveiled this fall, when it is provided (most likely) as a free upgrade for everyone.