San Francisco - Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled a trial
version of a new Internet Explorer designed to fight the growing
challenge from Firefox.
But the new browser from the giant software company won't have it
easy. Developers for the open-sourced Firefox released a trial
version of a new application for the internet, Ubiquity, which makes
it easier to access and share information that combines intuitive
commands with browser functionality.
Microsoft's new Internet Explorer showed off improved privacy and
security features that give users greater control over their browsing
history, 'cookies' and other data.
The browser boasts 'InPrivateBrowsing,' which allows users to surf
the visit being logged in the browser history, and
'InPrivateBlocking' that prevents sites gathering information about
their visit.
It also includes a browsing tool called an 'accelerator,' which
allows users to highlight text on a Web site and access a variety of
functions, including different search engines, language translation
or map displays.
Ubiquity offers a similar service but with a much wider range of
commands.
Initial reviews found that IE8 also loaded web pages significantly
faster than its predecessor, IE7, and that it matched Firefox for
speed.
Microsoft is anxious to boost use of its browsers, which have 73
per cent of the browser market compared to Firefox's 19 per cent
share.
Prior to the launch of Firefox four years ago, Internet Explorer
had over 90 per cent of the market, and Microsoft's fading power on
the internet is a chief strategic concern.
Firefox made its biggest gain in June when more than 8 million
people downloaded a new version in the first 24 hours of release.
USA
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