Apple releases Safari 4 beta

Apple has finally released its much anticipated Safari update this morning along with a host of performance upgrades and feature additions. Tagged Safari 4 beta, the new version is available as a download from the Apple site only for the time being and will not update automatically via the Apple Software Update system. In terms of notable enhancements, here are some highlights:

• Top Sites (pictured above) – A graphical representation of your most frequently-visited websites with one-click launching
• Cover Flow – Browse bookmarks and history with Apple’s Cover Flow UI
• Full History Search – Keyword history search with Cover Flow UI
• Tabs – Tabs now appear above the address bar
• “Nitro Engine” – Lame name, solid performance — Safari now executes JavaScript 4.2 times faster
• Windows Native Look – Safari 4 beta for Windows now adopts the look and feel of a standard Windows program

So who’s excited? Are any non-Safari users going to give it another try with this release?

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Tags: Apple, beta, browser, Internet, Safari, Software, updates, web