Microsoft has unveiled the beta version of its latest web browser, Internet Explorer 9 (IE9). IE9 is available to download from Microsoft from 7.30pm this evening.
New browser offers features first seen in Windows 7
The software company has worked with 70 top websites and global brands, including Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Amazon, Twitter and eBay, to ensure these sites can show off the capabilities of IE9.
Research by Microsoft revealed web users only use 12 of the features in the browser regularly. This prompted the software company to develop a user interface that is less cluttered than previous versions of the browser. In-keeping with the look of Microsoft's recent OS, Windows 7, the browser is framed in 'glass' so web users see a page's content first and foremost.
Open any website in the browser and a large version of the website's icon will be displayed in the top left-hand corner of the browser window, along with large back and forward buttons.
"The new browser delivers a fast, clean, trusted and interoperable online experience," Microsoft said.
The URL-bar is similar to the Awesome bar in Mozilla's Firefox, allowing users to type the address of the website they want to visit as well as offering search suggestions as words or phrase are typed. This function is turned-off by default, simply press the link displayed when you start to type, will turn it on. Users will be offered visual search results as well as standard results.
The browser also offers buttons for compatibility mode, which was first introduced in Internet Explorer 8, and allows websites not coded for the browser to be viewed properly as well as the Favourites button and Control, which offers access to personalisation and privacy menus.
IE9 also makes use of a number of functions first introduced in Windows 7. Users can pin sites to the taskbar, ensuring they don't have to open the browser window to navigate to the website. A number of pinned sites also offer Jump lists, that depending on the site, offer different function such as skipping backwards and forwards through tracks (on music streaming sites) or accepting a friend request on social networking sites, when hovering over the site's icon on the task bar.
Users of the new web browser also have the ability to tear off a tab, by dragging it away from the browser, and using Windows Aero Snap to view two sites side-by-side. Microsoft says this function is ideal for web users that want to compare products from different websites or even watch a video while reading email. To tear off a tab and snap it, simply click a tab and drags it to the edge of the screen.
These functions are backwards compatible with machines running Windows Vista SP2, but unfortunately not those using the older Windows XP.
See also: Internet Explorer 9 UI vs Chrome, Firefox
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Comments
Eddie Foster said: I downloaded IE9 and it stopped my internet from working I have had to restore my pc to an early time and go back to IE8 I have a DELL INSPIRION approx 10months old using windows 7 home premiumIE9 is rubbish
Cyteck said: Replying to datasmanIts only that this IE9 beta has been so widely touted especially by people such a Paul Thurrott on his site who sang its praises Otherwise I would have avoided it as a beta product I take your point completely but I guess curiosity got the better of me temptation to see what the fuss was about and I paid the price my own fault and totally accepted still feel once bitten twice shy perhaps
datasman said: CyteckAs I said before this particular Beta version of IE9 is rubbish and I recommend avoiding it like the black plagueDear me thats a pretty assertive comment I must be using a completely different beta because its working perfectly on three machines in my office and everyone who has used it has been pretty impressed You seem to be completely missing the point about beta software - its intended for use by people who understand that beta products will have faults the purpose of a beta test is to reveal themIts obvious that Firefox and Opera will be better by comparison - they are final version products Making comparisons like that is rather pointless Expecting a beta version of anything to be ready for market is a little naive to put it mildly
Big L 266 said: Hello IE9 Installed it with no problem Once inI couldnt log into my online bank account to do internet transactionsnor could I access my online credit card account eitherWithin 10 minutes I removed it and went back to IE8 My first and last experience of this IE9 waste of personpower
Cyteck said: As I said before this particular Beta version of IE9 is rubbish and I recommend avoiding it like the black plague Just to emphasis Im sure its just this Beta and Im also confident that the final version of IE9 will be fine Obviously being a beta there appears to be ALOT of serious variation in end users experience
datasman said: I must be living in a different world I installed the beta yesterday and so far its working beautifully in Windows 7 Its fast looks good and of course it has some rough edges - the whole point of a public beta is to stimulate feedback from usersIE9 shows great promise and I look forward to the final - fully tweaked - version
Cyteck said: I downloaded IE9 beta 32bit for win7 amp installed it over IE8 the install process was rather doggy as the installer had to go off amp fetch extra files amp components to complete the process Post installation IE9 was dreadful the browser just didnt respond at all well struggled to any websites and the worst was the lack of decent ad blocking Frankly it was an utter dogs breakfast so buy beware I wouldnt recommend this Beta to anyone its clearly terrible with major problems under the hood If I had to give this a rating Id give it 35 out of 10 both Firefox amp Opera are much better than this although to be fair IE8 is fine The final version of IE9 might be a completely different creature by the final fully completed Release DONT INSTALL THIS VERSION IMO
mike said: downloaded yesterday worked ok for a while and was impressedthen suddenly pages were being displayed blank not only in ie9 but seemed to conflict with chrome aswellended up deleting ie9 and then all browsers worked fine
gary said: I dont know what it is but scrolling down webpages still feels jerky compared to Chrome and theres no need for it This puts me completely off IE as it makes it slower than it is Why on earth is scrolling causing this problem in IE its not as bad as IE8 but its totally unacceptable
pineman said: Once I had found out how to install the menu toolbar I was more than happy Similar speeds to Firefox and Safari but it might be my imagination everything looks sharper My online bank AL will not work and Trusteer Rapport does not work either
andrew adams said: I downloaded IE9 this afternoon 16th SeptemberI found it did not work it left my system unusable I had to restore my system to a previous time Page displayed was blank tabs did not work could not close programme had to use task manager I class my first experience of IE9 as rubbish