Google has narrowed the projected time-frame for a Mac release of its Chrome browser, according the CNET News. Owners of both Mac and Linux systems should be able to download the program by the first half of the year. "That's what we've been hoping for," said Brian Radowski, product manager for Chrome. "Those two efforts proceeding in parallel. They're at the same level of progress."

The project is still currently in the "test shell" stage with only basic functionality. "We're still iterating on making it stable and getting the architecture right," Radowski added.

Google is also actively working to add support for third-party extensions, with user script capabilities recently included in the Chrome 2 beta. Other features being tested include autocomplete, full-page zoom, browser profiles, autoscroll and faster malicious-site warnings. The second release will use the same WebKit version found in Safari 3.1, along with an updated JavaScript engine.

Users can currently monitor the progress of the Chrome project for Mac, while the test shell is also available to download for users of OS X 10.5 or higher.