Internet Explorer 8 officially launched at 12pm EST and is the result comes after several public trials, beta versions and a long time in the waiting. Finally Microsoft has a new Browser to offer the massive Online community.
While there has been an increasing threat of Online phishing and other security threats, browsers have been often accused of not providing the necessary tools for the user. Considering the amount of time and energy Internet users have been devoting to find the best tools to ensure Online security, the emphasis this time has been with security itself. The browser has improved on a number of realms and users found Internet Explorer 8 more advanced, and also having a better interface than its previous versions.
Interesting new features on Internet Explorer 8
Though some people would not like to upgrade to the next version, IE 8 certainly has a number of great features which would woo even users of other rival browsers. Most important features of Internet Explorer 8 have been the WebSlices and InPrivate Browsing. The tools seem to be the icing on the cake with the developers hoping migration to rival browsers thanks to them.
WebSlices are apparently ‘RSS with bells on’ and they would bring you the latest information constantly from wherever you might have subscribed. InPrivate Browsing perhaps is the most attractive of all the features and it helps the user to not leave any trace of browsing once it is closed. Moreover, it prevents websites form collecting information about the user. Other security features include cross-site scripting and click-jacking prevention. However, both the features need to be manually enabled before they can begin functioning.
SmartScreen Filter allows the user to know if a site has been previously involved in phishing scams. With rising fraudulence and Online threats, this is a much needed feature. Other features include tools for developers, Favorites Bar, Automatic Crash Recovery, Zooming, Performance and Stability, and Suggested Sites. The Suggested Sites feature is a little interesting as I wonder if there is any business involved between the sites themselves and Microsoft.
Where Internet Explorer Nags
There are many downsides to the new Internet Explorer 8 anyway. Firstly, I would argue against the success and necessity of WebSlices. If the so called ‘RSS with Bells’ is going to ring way too often, it may become a pain even if these alerts are from the sites you want. Moreover, there are many other applications which bring you the latest from the net.
Secondly, Firefox is a rival that is difficult to compete with, thanks to the Open Source community which always develops interesting and fun plug-ins which are not available on the IE 8. Thirdly, Google Chrome and Safari 4 are expected to do pretty well too, posing some serious competition for IE8 not withstanding the optimism of John Curran, Microsoft. Nevertheless, it would certainly be interesting to try and experience these new features which may surprise us pleasantly.
If you would like to get your hands on the new Microsoft Browser, you can find the free download of Internet Explorer 8 at the official IE site.
