Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 8 today, no more beta
Microsoft will be making IE8 available for download at 12pm EDT, today, March 19th, 2009. Microsoft has been scrambling to update it’s famed browser to keep its market share in light of some serious competition from Mozilla’s Firefox (my favorite), Opera Browser, Apple’s Safari, and Google’s Chrome Browser which I’m keep an eye on looks. Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer claims that Internet Explorer 8, “gets people to the information they need, fast, and provides protection that no other browser can match.” We will see.
Here’s a brief outline of what to expect from IE8:
In addition to offering improved security and privacy protections, Internet Explorer 8 is one of the fastest browsers on the market today, beating other top browsers in page load time on almost 50 percent of the 25 top comScore Inc. Web sites.* It also helps people save time while using the Web with easy-to-use new features, including the following:
- 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.
[Via Press Release]
Download your copy of IE8 at noon (Eastern Time Zone) today here.
