New HTML element: <dialog>

In this release we're also adding support for the <dialog> HTML5 element, which enables developers to create styled dialog boxes in their web applications and control them via a JavaScript API. For more details, check out some code samples and see <dialog> in action. The <dialog> element is a better-designed alternative to showModalDialog(), which is now disabled as we recently announced.

Other updates in this release

  • The Web Cryptography JavaScript API is enabled by default starting in Chrome 37, allowing developers to perform cryptographic operations such as hashing, signature generation/verification, and encryption.
  • Subpixel font scaling is now supported, which enables smooth animations of text between font sizes.  
  • TouchEvent co-ordinates are now doubles instead of longs, enabling higher-fidelity touch interactions on high-DPI displays.
  • CSS cursor values "zoom-in" and "zoom-out" are now unprefixed.
  • The number of cores on a physical machine can now be accessed by navigator.hardwareConcurrency.
  • The user's preferred languages are now accessible by navigator.languages, and the languagechange event is fired when this is updated.
  • The CSS Shapes Module allows developers to define non-rectangular text wrapping boundaries around floated elements.
  • NPAPI deprecation continues according to our previously-announced plan with a harder-to-bypass blocking UI
  • The default monospace font on Windows is now Consolas instead of Courier New.
  • Cross-origin fonts are now blocked unless the response includes the appropriate CORS headers.
As always, visit chromestatus.com/features for a complete overview of Chrome’s developer features,  and circle +Google Chrome Developers for more frequent updates!

Posted by Emil A Eklund, Software Engineer and Senior Blog DirectWriter