Yeah this HTML 5 looks to be as improvement from HTML 4 but doubt it will be used because after HTML 4 there are many updates from DHTML, XML but seldom be used common folks (ordinary webmaster). Too complicated technical HTML will be avoided and make headaches only.
It might be used by things like this for big browser based game developers (eg, Jagex). But by the masses, it will mostly be for video, audio, rounded corners, text shadows, etc..
ALL modern browsers (not IE) support HTML5 to a great extent. Many of the current new elements work today. The document is still being written but the stable elements work now except, of course, in IE.
HTML5 defines the fifth major revision of the core language of the World Wide Web, HTML. "HTML5 differences from HTML4" describes the differences between HTML4 and HTML5 and provides some of the rationale for the changes. # Defines a single language called HTML5 which can be written in HTML syntax and in XML syntax. # Defines detailed processing models to foster interoperable implementations. # Improves markup for documents. # Introduces markup and APIs for emerging idioms, such as Web applications
there are lots of promising features besides canvas; geolocations, offline storage, microdata, it's just exciting, except for the IE users