Apple has released a public beta of the upcoming Safari 4 for both Windows and Mac users. Apple has posted a huge list of all the features new to this release. 
The most prominent of these features is the new “Top Sites” features which works identical to the way how “Most Visited” page works in Google Chrome. Another new change is the location of tabbed windows which has now moved on top and appears on the title bar which is again similar to the way how tabbed windows appear and work in Google Chrome. To cut the long story short, most of the new UI changes which you see in the new Safari 4 Beta has been inspired or should I say copied over from Google Chrome except for the popular Cover Flow which displays your bookmarks and history as large graphical previews, so you can pick out a website instantly.
Even though the official Apple page lists this release only for XP and Vista users on Windows, I have installed Safari 4 on my machine running Windows 7 without any issues of any sorts. Here’s how it looks under Windows 7:
Top Sites – Wonder which sites have changed since your last visit? Sites with a star in the upper-right corner have new content. A single click opens the page and updates its thumbnail. Whenever you want to return to your ever-evolving Top Sites page, just click the new Top Sites button in the bookmarks bar.
Safari meets Cover Flow: New to Safari, Cover Flow offers a highly visual way of reviewing your site history and bookmarked sites, presenting full-page previews of the websites that look exactly as they did when you last visited them.
Tabs: Tabs offer a great way to have multiple pages open at the same time in a single browser window. And to switch back and forth with a click. Now Safari takes tabbed browsing to new heights — to the very top of the browser window — instantly providing more room for you to enjoy the sites you’re reading.
The thing which I have liked about this release of Safari is that on a PC with Windows Vista, Windows XP or even Windows 7, you’ll feel right at home because Safari features a native look just like any other Windows applications.
The bottom line is that Safari 4 might win the award for the most beautiful browser out there and surely it is worth taking a look at it but it is still not on par when it comes to compatibility and stability of the browser which it tries to imitate i.e. Chrome.
