Google launches Chrome beta

The release gives users even greater choice and control over their privacy as they browse the web. In addition to its existing incognito mode, a handy way to browse the web without leaving traces of website visits or a download history on a user's computer, they now have even more in-depth control over their privacy settings in the new ‘Content Settings' section of Chrome's Privacy Options dialog.

Cut the cookie

A user can control how browser cookies, images, JavaScript, plug-ins, and pop-ups are handled on a site-by-site basis. In addition, it allows users to:

• 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.

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

Choose language translation options

When the language of the webpage viewed is different from the user's preferred language setting, it will display a prompt asking if viewers would like the page to be translated. Users can also set an automatic option to translate all pages they encounter in a particular language.

Wieland Holfelder, Google 's engineering director in Munich, said, "Browsers are perhaps the most important piece of software for computer users today. We're innovating quickly 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."

Users can now try out these features www.google.com/chrome/eula.html?extra=betachannel&hl=en-za. Users already on the beta channel will soon be updated automatically.