Google releases new Chrome beta

Google on Tuesday launched a new beta version of its Chrome browser, which includes a number of new innovations including additional privacy controls for users and seamless integration of translation functionality.

Google says the beta release gives users even greater choice and control over their privacy as they browse the web.

In addition to Chrome’s existing incognito mode — a handy way to browse the web without leaving traces of website visits or a download history on your computer — users now have even more in-depth control over their privacy settings in the new “Content Settings” section of Chrome’s Privacy Options dialog.

In the beta, a user is able to control how browser cookies, images, JavaScript, plug-ins, and pop-ups are handled on a site-by-site basis. For example, you can set up cookie rules to allow cookies specifically only for sites that you trust, and block cookies from untrusted sites.

Google has also released the following features:

• Add cookie rules for specific websites (such as ‘allow’, ‘ask’, or ‘block’)
• Block all third-party cookies
• Automatically clear all cookies when the browser is closed
• Block loading of all images
• Add image rules for specific websites
• Block loading of all JavaScript
• Add JavaScript rules for specific websites
• Block loading of all plug-ins
• Add plug-in rules for specific websites

Google Chrome’s option dialogs also provide a link to the Adobe Flash Player Settings Manager, where users can view and control the local objects that Adobe Flash stores on their computer.

The new Chrome beta will also add a feature to help our users navigate the multilingual web: instant machine translation of webpages, without the need for any browser extensions or plug-ins.

When the language of the webpage you’re viewing is different from your preferred language setting, Chrome will display a prompt asking if you’d like the page to be translated for you. Users can also set an option to automatically translate all pages they encounter in a particular language.

Wieland Holfelder, Google’s Munich-based Engineering Director said: “Browsers are perhaps the most important piece of software for computer users today. We’re innovating quickly with Chrome, and continue to work towards our three central principles: speed, security and simplicity.

With the new release, we also give users even more choice and control over their own privacy while surfing the web. The translate feature will hopefully open up the web for people to discover new, compelling content – no matter what language it’s written in.”