Internet search giant Google has introduced new features to its popular Chrome browser, which it said will make page loading speeds 10 per cent faster and will allow users to group commonly-used tabs.
The Alphabet-owned company said groups of tabs can be easily expanded or collapsed, allowing users to find the information they want or finish a task quickly.
“These days, people are spending a lot of time in their browsers to get things done, whether for work, school or something else … we want Chrome to help you be more productive,” Alex Ainslie, director of UX for Chrome, said.
“When you are checking off one task after another from your to-do list, waiting even a few seconds while your tabs load can slow you down. These improvements will make your Chrome tabs load up to 10 per cent faster,” he added.
Google has introduced two new improvements – Profile Guided Optimisation, which delivers the faster page loads, and Tab Throttling that helps reduce idle background tabs slowing performance. As well as increasing loading speeds, the changes can help to improve battery performance and saves on memory use, the California-based company said.
Chrome accounted for 63.7 per cent of the global internet browser market as of December last year, according to Statista. It was followed by Apple’s Safari browser, which has a 17.7 per cent market share. The rest of the market is fragmented, with no other web browser commanding more than 5 per cent of the market.
With new updates, Chrome has also made it easier to distinguish tabs by topics, such as work or shopping, and users can also organise them into groups – a feature the company first announced in May.
“Now you can collapse and expand your tab groups, so it is easier to see the ones you need to access. This was the most popular feature request we heard from those of you using tab groups,” said Mr Ainslie.
Addressing another problem that has vexed Chrome users for years, Google announced a new feature that will let users hover over tabs and see a preview thumbnail of the page. This is useful when many similar tabs are open at the same time.
“It can be frustrating to click through multiple tabs trying to find the one you want. Coming to Chrome Beta to try out this release, you can hover over a tab and quickly see a thumbnail preview of the page,” said Mr Ainslie.
The latest release will also allow Chrome users to fill out and save forms directly from PDF files.
The new features will be rolled out in phases to ensure the browser’s stability, he added.
List of alleged parties
- May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
- 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
- Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
- Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
- Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters
- Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
- Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Previous men's records
- 2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
- 2:02:57: Dennis Kimetto (KEN) on 28/09/2014 in Berlin
- 2:03:23: Wilson Kipsang (KEN) on 29/09/2013 in Berlin
- 2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
- 2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
- 2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
- 2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
- 2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
- 2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
- 2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin
Ipaf in numbers
Established: 2008
Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66
if you go
The flights
Air France offer flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Cayenne, connecting in Paris from Dh7,300.
The tour
Cox & Kings (coxandkings.com) has a 14-night Hidden Guianas tour of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It includes accommodation, domestic flights, transfers, a local tour manager and guided sightseeing. Contact for price.
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Leading all-time NBA scorers
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387
Karl Malone 36,928
Kobe Bryant 33,643
Michael Jordan 32,292
LeBron James 31,425
Wilt Chamberlain 31,419
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
