Microsoft Flips the Switch on IE8
Posted 03/20/09 at 11:23:10 PM by Mark Edward Soper
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As expected, Microsoft used this week's MIX09 conference to officially launch Internet Explorer 8, Cnet's Ina Fried reports. To make it easy to get your hands on IE8, links to the previous IE8 beta version website now automatically point to the official IE8 page. So, what's new in IE8? We've discussed a lot of the new features in previous articles, but if you need to get up to speed, here are some of the high points:
- Compatibility mode, designed to enable IE8 (built, at long last, to comply with official standards) to properly render pages on sites designed to match previous IE versions' Microsoft-only features
- Web accelerators, which provide one-click blog, define, email, find, map, and search for content in any web page
- SmartScreen filter and other built-in features to help provide a more secure search environment
- InPrivate browsing that automatically blocks history and other traces of where you've been online
- A growing collection of add-ons in over 15 categories to help you customize IE8
Not sure you want to take IE8 for a spin? In addition to videos demonstrating many new features, you can download white papers discussing browser performance, IE8 security features (PDF link), and IE8's improvements in usability and features (PDF link).
IE8 is available now for 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008. However, Windows 7 users must stick with the IE8 version included in beta and pre-release versions of Windows 7 for now. When Windows 7 RC is released, Microsoft plans to include the final Windows 7 version of IE8.
If you're having problems with IE8, check the FAQ, forums, and other resources available at the the IE TechNet page.
Have you tried IE8 final yet? Hit Comment and give us your take.
IE8 logo courtesy of David Naylor.
I didn't know Microsoft was
Submitted by Vathras on Sun, 03/22/2009 - 1:38pm
I didn't know Microsoft was going to still bother to even make web browsers. Their developers probably would be put to better use in accelerating work on Windows 7 instead of continuing to make a line of browsers that will be filled with continuous problems and security exploits.
new addon ??????
Submitted by jihnn on Sun, 03/22/2009 - 6:39am
guess i'm just a noooob i can't seem to figure out how to install this program in my firfox's addon folder
Please
Submitted by CTskifreak on Sun, 03/22/2009 - 9:53am
Please tell me this is sarcasm and you're kidding. I pray that you are. If you aren't, may the Interwebz treat you well.
I can has IE7 back?
Submitted by Why A Duck on Sun, 03/22/2009 - 3:53am
Ugh.
Downloaded it last night. It does render pages wicked fast, but that's AFTER it takes 5-10 seconds to start up & sit at "connecting" forever. And opening a new tab takes at least 5 seconds. Totally unacceptable.
Submitted by teh 1337 haxxor on Sat, 03/21/2009 - 6:52pm
I think microsoft needs to add a key feature: easier to UNINSTALL
maybe it should ask you the first time you start it, when it asks if you would like to change your default search providers etc
Windows Update?
Submitted by winmaster on Sat, 03/21/2009 - 8:16am
Is it on Windows Update yet. I usually wait for Windows Update to display an update like this before I download it. If it's not on Windows Update, Microsoft probably has a reason.
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The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
I think
Submitted by DBsantos77 on Sat, 03/21/2009 - 12:16pm
Microsoft hasn't released it on Windows Update because of bandwidth, months ago I read that certain updates are released to certain PC's little by little, something with QoS, but who knows, I know for a fact they did this with SP1, but that was hundreds of megs, while IE is not nearly as much.
Submitted by PhelanPKell on Sat, 03/21/2009 - 6:58am
64-bit on Vista 64 is running pretty smooth, unlike IE7's 64-bit.
I've tested both IE8 32 and 64-bit versions, and 64-bit runs faster (And yes, 64-bit was loaded up first, so 32-bit should have atleast used the same temp internet files).
Overall first impression, it seems solid, but we'll see how many holes hackers find in this final release within the first week...
What, no ad blocking add-on... I'll pass on IE8
Submitted by dwr50 on Sat, 03/21/2009 - 5:50am
Firefox is still the best browser, as it works on all three main Operating Systems. Learn Firefox once... use it everywhere.Propritary browsers are so 20th century.
Acer Aspire 5610z,Vista HP, No problems with Vista... so far, but I'm learning Linux, just in case.
Acer Aspire 5315-2153, $348 Walmart Special,Mandriva Linux 2008.1 Spring Edition,VirtualBox 1.6.4
It blocks AD's by
Submitted by gatorXXX on Sat, 03/21/2009 - 2:54pm
It blocks AD's by default.....a little yellow bar comes up at the top asking if you would like to unblock...if not, just ignore it. But YES, it does does block pop-ups.
Internet explorer has been
Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Sat, 03/21/2009 - 2:18pm
Internet explorer has been available for the mac freaks for a bunch of years now. It's source but it's not propriatary.
I think it'll run in Linux with an emulator like Wine. Microsoft refuses to give up it's source code because once it's been made public because it is such a widely used web browser hackers will figure out every possible vulnerabilty it has. A web browser by it's very being isn't very secure because it has to have openings somewhere to be able to access the internet. It downloads cookies and all the images in a website. If there is a trojan masked as a JPG file then there simply isn't anything you can do about it but hope your AV program catches it.
Submitted by BaggerX on Tue, 03/24/2009 - 7:27pm
Why would an application try to do anything with a supposed image file that would allow it to run code? Trojans disguised as images are only dangerous if your software attempts to do dangerous things with them, which admittedly, Microsoft has been guilty of in the past. But to say that you can't do anything about it is just wrong. You can just not run apps or OSes that do stupid, dangerous things like that.
Submitted by DBsantos77 on Fri, 03/20/2009 - 11:09pm
Downloading now - Will report :D
- I got it, setup was very easy and fast on Vista 32-bit, Speed-wise it's decent, not much change, Skin is a little changed. Most webpages look the same, but I haven't really looked for any terrible sites. So far I like it, but it seems like a minor update.
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