Google Chrome 3.0

Google's new Chrome 3.0 browser promises faster page loading, customizable themes, and an updated tab page. Here's a complete look at the changes.

 

Google has unveiled a brand new version of its browser, Google Chrome 3.0. The updated Chrome comes just over a year after the browser's debut and marks Google's sixteenth "stable update" to the program.

Google Chrome 3.0 sports substantial speed boosts as well as redesigned elements and a host of added features. It's available now for Windows and should become available for Mac systems within the coming months.

The release coincides with news that Chrome will be preinstalled on Sony's Vaio line of computers -- a move that could mark the start of a major push by Google to bring its browser into the spotlight.

Google Chrome 3.0 is significantly speedier than its predecessors, boasting a 150 percent increase in Javascript performance from the browser's first release and a 25 percent jump from the most recent version. Chrome was outperforming other browsers in speed tests even before this update, so the added boost can only increase its lead.

Chrome 3.0 is Google's first stable release with built-in support for customizable themes. With a couple of clicks, you can find a new look for your browser and apply it immediately. Nearly 30 options are available in Chrome's Themes Gallery, with more said to be on the way soon. So far, we like the elegant "Marble," the sleek "Brushed," and the clean and bright "Desktop" (pictured here) best.