14 DAY TRIAL // Even though it shared the source code for Chromium OS and is pushing ahead with its Google Chrome OS, the Mountain View-based search giant continues to focus on the evolution of the Chrome browser. Early adopters can now grab a new release of Google Chrome for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. Build 4.0.249.22 has been made available for download through the Developer channel for Google’s open source browser, which serves releases that are a few steps ahead of those offered through the Beta channel, which in their turn outpace the Stable versions of the app.
“The Dev channel has been updated to 4.0.249.22 for Linux, Mac, and Windows,” revealed Anthony Laforge, Google Chrome program manager, enumerating a few enhancements, “Disable --enable-user-scripts. NOTE: You can now install user scripts by navigating to them. You will have to reinstall your current scripts (they aren't migrated). Remove toolstrips API. Turn on HTML5 DBs by default.”
Although it is laboring to essentially cut the necessity for an underlining third-party platform when it comes down to running its Chrome browser, Google is continuing development efforts on top of Windows, Linux and OS X. After all, it is on existing versions of operating systems from Microsoft, Apple and the open source community that Google Chrome has grown to a share of almost 4% of the browser market, according to Net Applications.
And in the end, Google Chrome OS is still approximately a year away. Google did release the source code for Chromium OS, the project that will ultimately produce the Chrome operating system, but customers won’t be able to buy computers with the new platform until well into 2010. Fact is that even after Chrome OS will become available, Google is bound to continue developing and offering the Chrome browser for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X, as the three operating systems will actually offer it a chance at grabbing a bigger market share than the Chrome OS will be able to do for some time, if ever.
The latest releases of Google Chrome are available for download here.
Internet Explorer 8 is available for download here.
Opera 10.20 Alpha is available for download here.
Firefox 3.6 Beta 4 for Windows is available for download here.
Firefox 3.6 Beta 4 for Mac OS X is available for download here.
Firefox 3.6 Beta 4 for Linux is available for download here.