New OmniWeb 5.5 Browser for the Mac Launches First Public Beta

JavaScriptSearch
Friday, July 21, 2006; 06:48 AM

The OmniWeb browser for Max OS X has launched the first public beta of its latest version.   OmniWeb 5.5 has a list of advanced features we have come to expect of modern browsers: tabbed browsing, cookie management, pop-up blocking, spellchecking and more.The beta version is available for download at  http://www.omnigroup.com/.

OmniWeb logo.

OmniWeb is based on the WebKit rendering engine, which is used by the Safari browser.  Like Safari, and unlike the leaders on the browser markets (Internet Explorer and Firefox), OmniWeb passes successfully the Acid2 test - rendering correctly a special HTML and CSS based webpage, designed by the Web Standard Project.  The Acid2 test is used to check for standard compliance in browsers.

The first beta features a number of bug fixes, several new compatiblity and security features, as well as new toolbars.  The new version is distributed as a 30-day demo package.  Uniquely, the full-featured browser is not free (as in beer).

Upcoming versions of OmniWeb 5.5 will ship with an integrated JavaScript debugger. A PDF Browser Plug-In an be downloaded separately.