New Google Chrome Beta Gains Integrated Flash Plug-In, Speed Increases

Today's new beta release incorporates one of Chrome's most significant speed and performance increases to date, with 30% and 35% improvement on the V8 and SunSpider benchmarks over the previous beta channel release. In fact, looking back in time, Chrome's performance has improved by as much as 213% and 305% on these two benchmarks since our very first beta.

The new version also includes synchronization of Chrome preferences across computers and new HTML5 features such as geolocation support and file drag-and-drop.

Google is also taking the opportunity to show off Chrome's speed enhancements by deploying a set of "experiments" showing Chrome loading a webpage alongside other "blink-of-an-eye" events, all filmed with a high-speed camera and played back in slow motion. While the "results" of these new speed tests have not yet been released, Google has published a "making of" video showing how they were developed.