Google Chrome 14 Beta Released

Chris Rogers, A Google software engineer reported the new beta build on the official Google Chrome Blog. The latest version of Chrome, identified as 14, is aimed to bring the browser closer to a full operating system as well as another attempt by Google to define web standards.

One of the features packaged within 14 is the "Native Client", allowing developers to run their C or C++ programs within the browser. The Native Client will use Google's Pepper API (plugin feature), allowing for access to the browsers HTML 5 capabilities.

Chrome 14 is largely emphasising on HTML 5 features, such as improved support for the HTML 5 web audio API, enabling developers to create more realistic sound effects.

MAC users will also receive some Google love, as Chrome will include OS X Lion styled scroll bars as well as full screen and print preview modes.

Rogers says that Chrome 14 will "bring big improvements to Chrome’s web platform capabilities, enabling developers to build more powerful and more immersive apps and games for the web."

In the past Google Chrome has always played second fiddle to Mozilla's Firefox amongst developers, Its clear with the new features listed, Google is after an even greater piece of the web browser pie.