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Internet Explorer 8 available today

by Scott Bicheno on 19 March 2009, 09:53

Tags: Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qarih

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Emphasis on security

Microsoft has announced that the latest version of its web browser, Internet Explorer 8, will be available to download at noon EDT (which is 5pm GMT) today.

The main improvements being flagged up by Microsoft concern speed, ease of use and security. The latter improvement was prompted by a study indicating heightened concerns about online security in US consumers as a result of the current economic climate.

"Customers have made clear what they want in a Web browser - safety, speed and greater ease of use," said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. "With Internet Explorer 8, we are delivering a browser that gets people to the information they need, fast, and provides protection that no other browser can match."

Here are some of the key new features, according to Microsoft:

Security - Blocks two to four times more malware attacks than other browsers.

Accelerators - Accelerators make it faster and easier to perform common tasks online by making Web-based services such as ESPN.com, Live Search and Sina available for use directly from the page people are viewing. Users can simply right-click a word or phrase and instantly map, e-mail, or share it.

Web Slices - Web Slices in Internet Explorer 8 makes favorite information from sites such as Digg, Yahoo! Mail, OneRiot, and eBay instantly available wherever someone goes on the Web.

Visual search suggestions - The Instant Search Box in Internet Explorer 8 enables rich, real-time search from sites such as The New York Times, Amazon.com and Wikipedia, as well as sites from people's own Favorites and History, complete with visuals and detailed information that saves time.

Microsoft will be showing IE8 off at its MIX09 web developer conference today. Once you've had a chance to download and play with it, please feel free to share your initial thoughts with us in the HEXUS.community discussion forums.

 



HEXUS Forums :: 12 Comments

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Ahhh good stuff. Now I just wish Vista SP2 would hurry up and Windows 7! :D
If this fubars the system it'll be a good reason to reinstall :D
And it's already been broken:
http://dvlabs.tippingpoint.com/blog/2009/03/18/pwn2own-2009-day-1—safari-internet-explorer-and-firefox-taken-down-by-four-zero-day-exploits
(via Engadget)

“provides protection that no other browser can match.” - Steve Balmer.

Perhaps not so much….
Funkstar
And it's already been broken:
http://dvlabs.tippingpoint.com/blog/2009/03/18/pwn2own-2009-day-1—safari-internet-explorer-and-firefox-taken-down-by-four-zero-day-exploits


“In typical techie format, Aaron wanted to take a moment and write a quick program to randomly select order- but I stopped that nonsense, and we used a real hat”

lol
Indeed firey ferrit matched it!

Its a massively new codebase, its logical its going to have new bugs!

The shocker from that Pwn20wn was the Chrome got away unscathed, yet Safari was hit twice.

Considering they both use the Webkit engine under the hood, that is worrying. Then again, Macs are safe, they don't have viruses etc….