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Today, Apple have updated their web browser Safari to version 4. It’s currently in beta testing stages, but is available to the public to download. On the face of it, Safari 4 looks brilliant. A full update that we’ve been waiting for is delivered with some new and interesting features.

Apple like things to be visual. While Windows have menus and tabs to find applications, Apple uses a dock with visual icons of each program. Following this, Cover Flow is a feature in both Finder and iTunes. If that wasn’t too much of a hint, Cover Flow is now featured in Safari. It’s in place as an option to view your browsing history, with a screenshot of each page you’ve visited. I’m not sure how this would affect memory and stability—if your history contains thousands of pages each with their own image—but I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough as we begin testing.

Top Sites is another new feature added into Safari 4. With a tap of a key, you’re presented with up to 24 icons of your favorite and most visited websites. You have the option to add sites to this, and lock them in a specific place, so think of this as a visual representation of your top bookmarks. If you’ve bookmarked say, Appletell, you’ll be notified with a star in the corner of the icon to let you know that the website has updated its content since you’re last visit. A great way of keeping on top of your favorite websites you most regularly visit, Appletell being one of these, of course.

While those are the most significant changes, a few slight additions are noticeable too. For instance, tabs are now placed at the very top of the browser. In essence, it makes every page part of that tab, rather than only the content. I’m not sure of the true significance of this, but from using it for a short while, it feels more natural—almost like a bookmark sticking out the top of a book you’re reading, changing to different pages. Management of tabbed browsing is also greatly improved, with more options and flexibility open to the user.

If you’re a Windows user, you’ll be happy to know that Apple have worked hard on improving Safari just for you! The integration with Vista is improved, and the design of the windows now matches Windows’ native look and feel. Previous versions of Safari for Windows were pretty much identical to the Mac versions, and looked completely in the wrong place.

Get the idea for Safari 4, the world’s fastest web browser? Then what are you waiting for? Go download this latest version and let us know what you think. Is the stability greatly improved for you Windows users?

Product [Safari 4]