Google Chrome just shook its beta status a month ago, and now Google's already distributing a preview of version 2.0 of its browser. Technically version 2.0.156.1, the developer preview release isn't even considered a beta yet, available to give interested parties a look at the broswer's future if they don't mind dealing with an potentially unstable, buggy build. The Chromium project has info on how to check it out yourself if you're up to it.

Google is adding a docking mode in version 2.0, letting you lock the browser window to an edge of the screen, auto-resizing it so you still have desktop space to get other work done. An updated version of the core WebKit rendering engine, the underlying code that draws web pages to screen, adds in support for some advanced CSS tricks, adding effects like fade-outs and reflections. Form autocomplete will remember full pages of info you've put in before, saving you from tedious reentry. Now the zoom mode scales everything, images included, instead of simply making the text larger.

There's also the beginning of what should become a Greasemonkey-like scripting system. Greasemonkey is a Firefox plugin that lets you customize your browsing experience by running code that changes the way webpages work. Site-specific scripts can change the layout of certain pages, moving a news box from the bottom of the page to the top, for example. There's no word on when we can expect a more finalized version of Chrome 2.0, so check out the demo if you can't stand the wait.

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