Apple unleashes new version of Safari web browser

[AppleInsider]

Apple on Tuesday announced the immediate availability of Safari 3.1, the latest version of what the company calls the "world's fastest web browser for Mac and Windows PCs."

According to the Cupertino-based Mac maker, Safari loads web pages 1.9 times faster than Microsoft's Internet Explorer 7 and 1.7 times faster than Firefox 2. It's also said to run JavaScript up to six times faster than other browsers, in addition to being the first browser to support the latest innovative web standards needed to deliver the next generation of highly interactive Web 2.0 experiences.

"Safari 3.1 for Mac and Windows is blazingly fast, easy to use and features an elegant user interface," said Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. "And best of all, Safari supports the latest audio, video and animation standards for an industry-leading Web 2.0 experience."

As was reported by AppleInsider earlier this year (1, 2), the new version of the Apple browser is the first to support the new video and audio tags in HTML 5 and the first to support CSS Animations. Safari 3.1 also introduces support for CSS Web Fonts, giving designers limitless choices of fonts to create new web sites.

Safari 3.1 is available immediately as a free download at Apple's Safari website for both Mac OS X and Windows users. Safari software updates will also be delivered seamlessly through Apple's Software Update application, which automatically checks for updates.

Safari 3.1 for Mac OS X requires Mac OS X Leopard or Mac OS X Tiger version 10.4.11, a minimum of 256MB of memory and is designed to run on any Intel-based Mac or a Mac with a PowerPC G5, G4 or G3 processor and built-in FireWire. Safari 3.1 for Windows requires Windows XP or Windows Vista, a minimum of 256MB of memory and a system with at least a 500 MHz Intel Pentium processor.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[success]

Cool...but it's cooler that I'm first.

[CoolHandPete]

No "new tab" button? Does anyone else think this remains a strange omission?

[ClemyNX]

I'm downloading it now, I don't see a difference in their description, maybe the inline search?

[ClemyNX]

Apple doesn't like putting buttons everywhere, there's the CMD-T shortcut for a New Tab

[Flounder]

Yeah! Look forwarding to downloading it when I get home. Hopefully they've fixed the pretty large stability issues many of us have had with Safari 3.

[CoolHandPete]

Originally Posted by ClemyNX

Apple doesn't like putting buttons everywhere, there's the CMD-T shortcut for a New Tab

Clearly - but CMD-T requires the keyboard, and buttons do not.

Granted, right-click on the tab bar gives you the option to add a new tab, but this requires two steps instead of one. Is there a hack for Safari 3 that adds a New Tab button yet?

[Tomahawk]

Originally Posted by CoolHandPete

Clearly - but CMD-T requires the keyboard, and buttons do not.

Granted, right-click on the tab bar gives you the option to add a new tab, but this requires two steps instead of one. Is there a hack for Safari 3 that adds a New Tab button yet?

According to the new features mentioned by Apple it appears you can double click in the tab area to add a new tab too... About the Safari 3.1 Update

[MiMiC]

Safari feels like a M$ product!! I hope the new version addresses stability issues. It's bad when i do something and know it will crash the software. Like switching between tabs when a heavy page is loading on one.

I hope i can double click the tab bar to open a new tab also, this omission has been there for too long


Yup, i can now double click the tab bar to open a new tab! Now to play with stability.

I wonder why i can't flip though my drop down bookmarks like i can in FireFox. I have to click on each to open them as they won't auto drop down as i pass over them (after i open the initial drop down).

[paxman]

Originally Posted by success

Cool...but it's cooler that I'm first.

Success! You finally live up to your username (You sad, sad person)

[backtomac]

I downloaded Safari 3.1.

Too soon to tell if its more stable. Speed is good but not noticeably better than before.

So far, I'm a little more impressed with the FF 3 beta. it seems even a little faster.

[Olternaut]

I'm sure its cute. But I'm very happy with firefox and version 3 will be out the door very soon. And THAT will be the fastest browser period.
And beta 3 is already running pretty stable as is.

[troberts]

It is definitely quicker in Windows!

[success]

Originally Posted by paxman

Success! You finally live up to your username (You sad, sad person)

yes I am soooo sad you don't like me. My world is over.

[jasenj1]

Gets to 75 on the ACID3 test. Firefox 2.0 only makes it to 52. Safari 3.0.4 on Windows makes it to 39.

Closer, but still not 100%.

- Jasen.

[ascii]

An incremental improvement, but incremental improvements are the way to go.

5% updated every month and in only 2 years you have a whole new browser...

[paxman]

Originally Posted by success

yes I am soooo sad you don't like me. My world is over.

I don't not like you, sweetheart. I think you are funny.

[OccamsAftershave]

Originally Posted by jasenj1

Gets to 75 on the ACID3 test.

Firefox 3 beta4 gets a 67. But as far as speed, FF3 seems more than 1.7 times faster than FF2.
And it even runs on an ancient 300MHz PII - ha.

[Endymion]

Originally Posted by jasenj1

Gets to 75 on the ACID3 test. Firefox 2.0 only makes it to 52. Safari 3.0.4 on Windows makes it to 39.

I wonder why Apple released 3.1 with such an old build of webkit. Current nightlies of Webkit are at 93.

[guinness]

It's pretty good, I still like FF3 for most things, as I wish it acted more like a Windows browser (a new tab button or the option to show the tab bar always - Ctrl+T is not the easiest or fastest way). I think the same for the Mac version too (would an added option be too much to ask?). A much improved pop-up blocker as well, it kills most of the AppleInsider pop-ups now.

At least it doesn't crash like crazy under Vista, but the Acid 3 score is only 75, whereas on my Mac, was getting ~90 with one of the newer Webkit nightlies. All this time I thought Webkit was going to be Safari 3.1, I guess not.

[Mr. H]

Originally Posted by jasenj1

Gets to 75 on the ACID3 test. Firefox 2.0 only makes it to 52. Safari 3.0.4 on Windows makes it to 39.

Closer, but still not 100%.

- Jasen.

It also no longer passes the Acid2 test, doh! When did that happen? Safari was famously the first browser to pass that test.

I don't normally use Safari, but downloaded 3.1 and it crashed on my first attempt to post this reply.

[Mr. H]

Originally Posted by guinness

(a new tab button or the option to show the tab bar always - Ctrl+T is not the easiest or fastest way)

There is an option to always show the tab bar. And now you can double-click said tab bar to create a new tab.

[guinness]

Originally Posted by Mr. H

There is an option to always show the tab bar. And now you can double-click said tab bar to create a new tab.

Danke, assumed it would be under Preferences (like FF or IE), but it was under 'View'. Much, much better now.

[zanshin]

Originally Posted by OccamsAftershave

Firefox 3 beta4 ... even runs on an ancient 300MHz PII - ha.

You can't image how glad I am to know this. Testing performance on a dinosaur PC or no commercial value is always a good use of the time you saved with a faster browser.

[eh270]

D'oh, if you use 1Password, you might want to hold off on updating....

[red_kola]

It STILL doesn't have the option to turn off font smoothing so I STILL won't be using it.

[qualar]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Apple on Tuesday announced the immediate availability of Safari 3.1, the latest version of what the company calls the "world's fastest web browser for Mac and Windows PCs."

How can Apple get away with saying this? As a lot of people have noted Firefox 3 beta 4 is faster.

[Outsider]

Um, it's beta?

[wbrasington]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Safari 3.1 for Mac OS X requires Mac OS X Leopard or Mac OS X Tiger version 10.4.11, a minimum of 256MB of memory and is designed to run on any Intel-based Mac or a Mac with a PowerPC G5, G4 or G3 processor and built-in FireWire.

Ok, I give up.
"... and built-in FireWire."
What is the designed-in capability for Safari doing with Firewire?
Somebody splain that to me?

[wbrasington]

Originally Posted by qualar

How can Apple get away with saying this? As a lot of people have noted Firefox 3 beta 4 is faster.

Get away with it?
I wouldn't wait for the boast-police to arrest them for saying it.
They can say anything they want.....

BTW - If you haven't checked the speed on Windows, you should, it's pretty fast.

[red_kola]

Originally Posted by wbrasington

Ok, I give up.
"... and built-in FireWire."
What is the designed-in capability for Safari doing with Firewire?
Somebody splain that to me?

It's a shorthand way of describing when the G3 processor got fast enough. The early G3 chips were slow and the mobos didn't have firewire.

[Mr. H]

Originally Posted by wbrasington

Ok, I give up.
"... and built-in FireWire."
What is the designed-in capability for Safari doing with Firewire?
Somebody splain that to me?

It might be nothing to do with Firewire per se. It may be that all PPC Macs with Firewire are fast enough, but there are slower PPC machines without Firewire (e.g. early iMacs and iBooks, PowerMacs) that are too slow.

[wbrasington]

Originally Posted by Mr. H

It might be nothing to do with Firewire per se. It may be that all PPC Macs with Firewire are fast enough, but there are slower PPC machines without Firewire (e.g. early iMacs and iBooks, PowerMacs) that are too slow.

Let's see, if my older book has a processor that is too slow...... I'll run the slower version of Safari instead of the faster version?
I don't buy it.
I think the author left that in without realizing it.....
(imagine that!)

[qualar]

Originally Posted by wbrasington

Get away with it?
I wouldn't wait for the boast-police to arrest them for saying it.
They can say anything they want.....

BTW - If you haven't checked the speed on Windows, you should, it's pretty fast.

Surely it is false adversing to make false claims. It is not just a boast it is illegal.

Also I must confess I have only tried Safari on OS X.

[CosmoNut]

Originally Posted by guinness

Danke, assumed it would be under Preferences (like FF or IE), but it was under 'View'. Much, much better now.

It used to be in Preferences. I think Safari 3 changed that.

[dontlookleft]

i have to restart my computer for a new .1 safari upgrade?

oh well...

[jasenj1]

Originally Posted by Mr. H

It also no longer passes the Acid2 test, doh! When did that happen? Safari was famously the first browser to pass that test.

Odd. For me, sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.

Still no crashes. And my corporate website would lock up Safari very quickly - I think it was something to do with security certificates.

- Jasen.

[bdkennedy1]

Technically you are correct. However someone respectable would have to perform tests. Then they would have to have the money to sue Apple and then spend several years in court.

I just let claims like these roll of my back. Would the browser actually be any faster or slower had Apple not made this claim?

FireFox 3 Beta 4 is the fastest web browser I've ever used on a Mac.

Originally Posted by qualar

Surely it is false adversing to make false claims. It is not just a boast it is illegal.

Also I must confess I have only tried Safari on OS X.

[Slewis]

Null.

[Slewis]

Null.