14 DAY TRIAL // A new update to Google Chrome is available for download, for testers running the browser on all supported platforms, namely Windows, Mac, and Linux. The Mountain View-based search giant released Chrome 4.0.249.0 at the start of this week, offered to early adopters through the company’s Dev channel. The latest development milestone for Chrome comes on the heels of multiple Builds, made available for both testers and the general public in November 2009. Chrome 4.0.249.0 is, of course, up for grabs via the developer channel, but users will also be able to find links to the most recent testing build, as well as additional variants of the open source browser, from Google at the bottom of this article.
As far as the Windows version of Chrome is concerned, Google has “Introduced Timeline and Storage panels in Chrome's Developer Tools,” revealed Anthony Laforge, Google Chrome Program manager. But, there are additional changes, including support undo in the omnibox for Mac OS X users, and “Visual fixes to the popup blocker in chrome theme mode [for Linux],” he added.
Google Chrome 4.0.249.0 also contains a variety of enhancements related to browser extensions. Users of version Chrome 4.0.249.0 will no longer have to deal with black flashing associated with popup resize actions. However, the new release also contains some issues, including “some extensions crash after installing 4.0.249.0; reload on crash infobar causes more crashes; extension link on new tab page doesn't work properly,” Laforge added.
Build 4.0.249.0 comes on the heels of version 4.0.245.0, which Google introduced at the end of the last week. Also a Dev Channel Update, 4.0.245.0 was focused “on feature polish, stability improvements, and extensions work,” Laforge mentioned at the time. Also last week, the Mountain View company released a Stable update, fixing startup problems for the browser.
The latest releases of Google Chrome are available for download here.