Apple releases Safari 5.0.1, Extensions Gallery now open

Safari 5's extension support just got a whole lot more useful this morning, as Apple's just released Safari 5.0.1, which enables the feature for end users, and opened its official Extension Gallery. Extensions can be installed from anywhere, but you might think of the Gallery as the App Store for browser add-ons -- and it seems decently stocked at launch, with notable entries from Amazon, eBay, Bing, MLB.com, the New York Times, and Twitter. We'd expect that number to grow over time, as extensions are apparently quite simply built in HTML5, CSS and JavaScript. PR after the break.

Update: We're also told Safari 5.0.1 fixes that nasty AutoFill vulnerability, so that's good news. [Thanks, Robert]

Show full PR text

Apple Updates Safari 5

Users Can Add New Features Through Extensions

CUPERTINO, California-July 28, 2010-Apple® today released Safari® 5.0.1, turning on Safari Extensions and introducing the Safari Extensions Gallery. Apple introduced extensions support in Safari 5 in June so developers could begin creating extensions with HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript web standards. With Safari Extensions Gallery, users can quickly find extensions that add powerful new features to Safari, from toolbars that display live web feeds to sophisticated programs that filter web content. Safari 5.0.1 allows users to download and install extensions either from the Safari Extensions Gallery or directly from a developer's site.

"Safari 5 has been a big hit, and user response to the innovative new Safari Reader has been fantastic," said Brian Croll, Apple's vice president of OS X Product Marketing. "We're thrilled to see so many leading developers creating great extensions and think our users are going to love being able to customize Safari."

"Millions of our customers already use Amazon Wish Lists to store items they want to buy for themselves or receive as gifts," said Gianna Puerini, vice president of Worldwide Design and Community at Amazon.com. "With Safari 5, we were able to quickly build the Add to Amazon Wish List extension that lets customers add items from any website to their Amazon Wish List with the click of a button."

"We're excited to continue working closely with Apple to bring visually compelling Bing experiences to Safari," said Jeff Henshaw, general manager of Bing User Experience. "The Bing Extension for Safari brings Bing search intelligence to everyday browsing with Safari. When a user selects text in Safari, Bing instantly recognizes what they might need and pops up helpful, informative tips, from real time maps and driving directions to real time translations to direct web search results."

"Using web standard technologies and Safari's extension builder, we developed an MLB.com extension to give fans another way to consume up-to-the-moment baseball content, including live look-ins to games, right from the Safari toolbar," said Noah Garden, executive vice president, Commerce and Sponsorship at MLB.com.

"Our extension for Safari is a great way for readers to get all of the latest breaking news and all the important stories, blogs and columns they want to see," said Denise Warren, general manager, NYTimes.com at The New York Times Company. "While you browse other sites in Safari, our extension checks for updates and slides in new headlines and thumbnails, so you won't miss a thing."

"Creating our Twitter extension in Safari couldn't have been easier," said Jason Goldman, vice president of Product at Twitter. "By providing features like the ability to tweet about a page and view trending topics, we've created a simple way to deliver relevant, interesting content to people regardless of where they are on the web."

The Safari Extensions Gallery is accessible from the Safari menu or at extensions.apple.com. Users can download and install extensions from the gallery with a single click, and there's no need to restart the browser. Extensions can be automatically updated and are easily managed within Safari. Users can enable or disable individual extensions, or turn off all extensions with one click.

Safari Extensions are built with HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript web standards, and can have all the power and functionality of advanced web applications. Every Safari Extension is signed with a digital certificate from Apple to prevent tampering and to verify that updates to the extension are from the original developer. Safari Extensions are sandboxed, so they can't access information on a user's system or communicate with websites aside from those specified by the developer. For increased stability, Safari Extensions run solely in the browser.

Safari 5 also features Safari Reader, which presents single and multipage articles on the web in a new, scrollable view without distracting content or clutter. The Nitro JavaScript engine runs JavaScript up to 30 percent faster than Safari 4.* Built on the open source WebKit engine developed by Apple, Safari 5 includes more than a dozen powerful new HTML5 features for creating media-rich experiences, like full screen playback and closed captions for HTML5 video.

Pricing & Availability
Safari 5 is available for both Mac OS® X and Windows as a free download at www.apple.com/safari. Safari 5 for Mac OS X requires Mac OS X Leopard® 10.5.8 or Mac OS X Snow Leopard® 10.6.2 or later. Safari 5 for Windows requires Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista or Windows 7, a minimum 256MB of memory and a system with at least a 500 MHz Intel Pentium processor. Full system requirements and more information on Safari 5 can be found at www.apple.com/safari. The Safari Extensions Gallery is available at extensions.apple.com. The Safari Developer Program is free to join at developer.apple.com/programs/safari.

*Performance will vary based on system configuration, network connection and other factors. All testing conducted by Apple in May 2010 on an iMac® 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system running Mac OS X 10.6.3, with 4GB of RAM. JavaScript benchmark based on the SunSpider 0.9.1 JavaScript Performance test.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork, and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple is reinventing the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced its magical iPad which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

[TheOne Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:38AM]

So they are basically doing the same thing that Firefox does and has been doing.

[AdhesiveWombat Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:40AM]

@TheOne
Don't forget Google Chrome as well

[CowBell Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:40AM]

@TheOne
...for a long time. Can't wait for the FF new features in beta now. Forgot what it's called, but ability to categorize and save tabs and much more.

[zob Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:43AM]

@TheOne BREAKING NEWS!

[leoleo Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:43AM]

@TheOne
ive never been a fan of extensions :/ i think theyre abit dodgy. but lets see how this one goes/// oh is it like firefox' extensions?

[DaHauns Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:44AM]

@TheOne If only. I have yet to see a browser with an extension API that's nearly as capable as that of Firefox.

[ashwinkn Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:46AM]

@TheOne
This extension mechanism is actually quite different. It's more similar to the JetPack mechanism in the betas of Firefox 4 than the current extension system.

[grandmainger Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:52AM]

@TheOne

What's the deal with all the smart-ass comments? I don't think Apple is touting this as a apple-only breakthough! They are improving safari, let's all be happy that there is one more browser with extensions.

[Shash450 Posted Jul 28th 2010 9:00AM]

@grandmainger
Exactly!

Christ you lot are ridiculous... Hate on Steve Jobs for the whole iPhone debacle, but why the hate on Safari? APPLE ARE SUCH BASTARDS FOR IMPROVING SAFARI111

Safari's had extensions for ages btw, long before Chrome was even in existence, this just makes it more streamlined is all....

[SolidSnake Posted Jul 28th 2010 9:09AM]

It'd be nice if this was in mobile safari.

[magallanes Posted Jul 28th 2010 9:34AM]

@Shash450

4 words: "too small, too late"

It is a nice news for people that use Safari as the main browser but i dunno if they really wanted those new features because it is easy to install another browser (and for free) instead of wait for one decent update x year.

[BrandonHarris Posted Jul 28th 2010 9:35AM]

@TheOne

Every since the release of Chrome on my Macs I don't even have Firefox in my dock anymore. The only time I ever use Firefox is for the Firebug plug-in. I'm currently torn between Chrome and Safari.

[drange Posted Jul 28th 2010 9:46AM]

@magallanes
Testimony from a Safari user: yes I'd very much appreciate more useful extensions and an easier way of finding and installing it.

@whiners:
I don't think anyone is pretending Apple invented browser extensions or that Safari has the best ones. They just made it a little easier and apparently they cleaned up the way you make them so they are more in line with the other standards Safari is based on.

Firefox extensions aren't so great in all their aspects either by the way, for example the fact that they break on about every single browser update (ie: at least twice a week) annoys the hell out of me.

[niZmo Posted Jul 28th 2010 10:39AM]

@BrandonHarris Lol I use it for the exact same thing.

[Wesscoast Posted Jul 28th 2010 11:11AM]

@TheOne

Yeah, pretty much, but its Apple, so its more slick and classy.

[Screwmicrosoft Posted Jul 28th 2010 11:15AM]

@grandmainger Let's be happy there's another browser than Internet explorer.

[Kejeza Posted Jul 28th 2010 11:22AM]

@BrandonHarris

Agreed, its the same here, I installed Firefox again recently just because I thought it would be funny to put the "BeiberShaver" on it, which was pretty fun, but I uninstalled it quickly after. It's really unneeded. I use Google Chrome for all of my web browsing, and I use Safari for downloading things from the cache (youtube videos, streaming music) because it has the ability to view the activity window showing all items comprising the web page you are viewing.

[Rick James Posted Jul 28th 2010 11:23AM]

@CowBell Its called Tab Candy

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 28th 2010 11:36AM]

@Rick James Safari is like streets ahead of Firefox:

[1] No restarting for extensions
[2] All extension are signed by a root authority for free, so there is actual security, no an illusion of it.
[3] Enable and disable all or some with a click and NO restarts
[4] All extensions are written in HTML + JS + CSS, no silly XUL to learn.

Firefox is a carthorse on my relatively new Mac. Start up alone takes ages.

The coda notes app was impressive. I'm looking forward to see what people can do.

[Andork Posted Jul 28th 2010 11:41AM]

@TheOne So android is basically doing the same fucking thing their doing with a phone. You noob. Go eat a dick.

[tikigawd Posted Jul 28th 2010 11:42AM]

@TheOne

Bingo.

Apple innovation is awesome.

[tikigawd Posted Jul 28th 2010 11:49AM]

@Shash450

You assume that people hate Apple just for the "iPhone debacle."

You know what happens when you assume, right?

The recent iPhone shenanigans is only one thing. It finally showed what a dishonest and arrogant company they are to a wider group of people. Unfortunately, fans like you don't seem to care.

Yay! Apple added a years-old feature to their browser. Who cares?

If MS added extensions to IE a la Firefox no one would care either.

[tikigawd Posted Jul 28th 2010 11:54AM]

@drange

"Firefox extensions aren't so great in all their aspects either by the way"

No one is forcing you to use them.


"for example the fact that they break on about every single browser update (ie: at least twice a week) annoys the hell out of me."

Twice a week... way to exaggerate.
Yes, some extensions break when Mozilla releases MAJOR updates. But like any third party software, it's up to the DEVELOPER to make sure THEIR code runs.

If extensions are too much of hassle for you then DON'T USE THEM, or Firefox, for that matter.

[Jack Posted Jul 28th 2010 12:31PM]

@TheOne

I like how some people think that because another browser does something, that Safari shouldn't also do it.

[TheOrioles33 Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:32PM]

@TheOne But Apple is doing it right way and better. :)

[jasonact Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:34PM]

@TheOne

Yes, but for the millions of Safari users, this is one less reason to ever use Firefox or Chrome again.

(I continued to be amazed that people don't understand that Apple doesn't care to be first; they never are first. They want to do it the best. Sometimes they hit the mark, and sometimes they don't, but being first has never been Apple's priority.)

[zangetsu2 Posted Jul 28th 2010 1:48PM]

@(Unverified)
+1 for using "streets ahead".

[ajwoodhouse Posted Jul 28th 2010 2:13PM]

@(Unverified) and...how many vulnerabilities? and how quick are they fixed?

[The Madman Posted Jul 28th 2010 3:12PM]

@(Unverified)

So, it has all the advantages of Jetpack, then, which is slated to replace XUL extensions in future versions of Firefox? You know, same way Personas replaced XUL themes.

[revlayle Posted Jul 28th 2010 4:22PM]

@BrandonHarris I don't even use Firefox for Firebug anymore as Chrome "Developer Tools" are more than capable of doing all the debugging, inspecting and profiling I need to do.

Firefox is only use for testing website compatibility now, and rarely anything else for me.

[TheOne Posted Jul 28th 2010 4:59PM]

@Andork I guess you must like dick have fun, So I guess iOS is just doing what WM has always done and you did not need a app for nothing.

[matejdro Posted Jul 29th 2010 2:35AM]

@TheOne It says extensions are HTML5 so I doubt they have even nearly the same power than firefox one.

[BrookLynnsFinest Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:39AM]

Can we get another post about LG and Europe so that all the non American can freak out and accuse Engadget of RACISM?

[paul34 Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:41AM]

@BrookLynnsFinest

American isn't a race. It's a nationality made up of every kind of race. European isn't a race, either.

[CowBell Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:41AM]

@BrookLynnsFinest
huh??

[leoleo Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:50AM]

@BrookLynnsFinest
shutup about that. he basically said he didnt care about anyother people outside the us. so shudup.

[BrookLynnsFinest Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:50AM]

@CowBell

See the "LG Application Store" post a few articles down

@ nerdidesi

I know you're watching and reading my every post. Dude you are such a racist that it's not even funny. I know you're trying to prove me but it's not going to work idiot. Keep calling me a "monkey". That's your pathetic way of trying to come at me.

[Lkd Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:50AM]

@paul34 There's only one kind of race; the human race.

[BrookLynnsFinest Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:55AM]

@leoleo

No I'm not going to "shut up". you can't make me....

And no he didn't say that. You guys just jumped to conclusions as usual. The funny thing is that none of that bitching amounts to anything. Engadget is a US based site and it's a BLOG. There's no need for them to be politically correct. And it's not their job to please you.

[VAVA Mk 2 Posted Jul 28th 2010 9:13AM]

@BrookLynnsFinest
For the love of God just stop posting on Engadget! You troll, flame, and never have anything of value to contribute to conversation that is thoughtful or advances discussion. Your multiple banned screen names is evidence of this.

[TheRealCJ Posted Jul 28th 2010 9:38AM]

@Lkd

What about the marathon?

[HankG Posted Jul 28th 2010 10:03AM]

@BrookLynnsFinest I hate you. We all do.

[paul34 Posted Jul 28th 2010 10:15AM]

@Lkd

Ahh. Indeed.

[Professor Hubert J Farnsworth Posted Jul 28th 2010 10:17AM]

@BrookLynnsFinest
"The funny thing is that none of that bitching amounts to anything."
Methinks you shouldn't be saying such things, hypocrisy and such.

[SetThemStraight Posted Jul 28th 2010 10:23AM]

@Lkd
And Usain Bolt wins each time :-)

[TheCake Posted Jul 28th 2010 10:56AM]

@BrookLynnsFinest
Silly apple fanboy....

[pbj Posted Jul 28th 2010 11:40AM]

@Lkd
"There's only one kind of race; the human race."

I couldn't agree more with your sentiment.

But, just for the sake of accuracy, there is no such thing as the human race. There is the human species.

[tikigawd Posted Jul 28th 2010 4:23PM]

@paul34

Tell that to the teabaggers.

[Hark1 Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:39AM]

About time. Find it strange how people are optimistic about this making Safari a browser to be reckoned with, whereas something like Windows Mobile 7 is reported by so many as dead in the water because they'll never catch up with the Apple App Store. I know it's a different category of product, but the same rules apply. It's never too late.

[216 Posted Jul 28th 2010 8:43AM]

Hmm well they beat Google/Firefox in the Pizazz factor for their gallery atleast