Ryan Gillette

Today, Apple released Safari 4 beta for Mac and PC. I have installed both the Mac and PC implementations and they are both beautiful and unique to their corresponding operating systems.

This news has a big impact on all new browsers, but especially Google Chrome (a very similar competitor) because there is now no compelling reason to use or anticipate (Mac version) it; most of its differentiating features from Safari 3 have been matched and exceeded in Safari 4. Safari appears to run separate processes in each tab, it has a bytecode JavaScript engine, has a Google Gears like database implementation, and it obviously uses the Webkit engine. Additionally, it is the first and only browser to pass the Acid3 test to date.

This release is a huge step forward for Apple in not only the computer browser market, but eventually in the mobile browser market as well; imagine what the iPhone implementation of Safari 4 will bring.

Apple has done it again. They seem to be on a non-stop war path to take over every aspect of computing and make it just a little bit cooler. This time, they are diving straight into the browser war with the release Safari 3 for Windows. I have been using it all day and am wowed at the correctness of its rendering. It even passed the Acid2 Test with flying colors.

The Acid2 Test was developed by the Web Standards Project as a means to help vendors test their browsers so that they are compliant with Web Standards. For a good laugh, try the Acid2 test with IE6 or IE7 (either one, they both render it terribly).

Also, Steve Jobs showed off the upcoming Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) at the WWDC and it looks absolutely incredible. I need not explain it here, just check out the link and prepare to be amazed.