Internet Explorer 9 Review

Microsoft Unveils Internet Explorer 9

Microsoft finally released Internet Explorer 9, two years after Internet Explorer 8.

It went through eight previews, one beta, and one Release Candidate (RC).
Internet Explorer 9 builds upon the company’s strategy towards creating a different and beautiful next-generation web experience for its users, and is available for download from Beauty of the Web. Unveiled after months of rigorous testing as well as users’ feedback, IE9 embeds a range of new features such as closing a tab without making it active, Tracking Protection Lists, hi5, and support for HTML5 features & Web standards among others. It won’t run in Windows XP; only runs in Windows Vista and 7. The browser has surprisingly been improved and some of its features are discussed below:

Tracking Protection and Tracking Protection Lists – Similar to ‘Do Not Disturb’ service, this feature allows users to control their information being shared on the web. This cuts off the browser’s communication with specific websites that gather information about your web navigation habits. Enabling this service, IE9 automatically blacklists domains spying on you. This is list is created from websites you visit.

Hardware Acceleration – It is designed to enhance browser graphics and ultimately the graphics-viewing experience of the users. IE9 can exploit multiple processors and optimize the computer’s GPU (graphics processing unit). IE9 also features special Windows APIs and improved JavaScript engine for improved speed and performance. Although it has improved, it is still lagging behind Chrome.

Support for HTML5 – It is still lagging behind Google Chrome and Firefox. It does not offer support for WebM Video, but Google has released a plugin to allow it to play the content.

User-friendly Interface – Has been adapted to fit the site-centric concept Microsoft is going after. And they managed to do a great with shifting the focus from the browser to the web content by placing the tabs alongside the multifunctional address bar (One Box). The result is the slimmest of frames for web browsers, only 55 pixels in height with the tabs alongside the address bar. This allows you to focus on the page and the content it delivers easier, shifting the focus from the web browser itself to the actual web content. Handling tabs is a pretty comfortable experience, download notifications are discreetly shown in the lower part of the window and the new download manager is able to keep a history list of the activity as well as offer protection against malicious files.

The address bar is now a multifunctional area that not only serves the URL of the page you’re one, but also works as a search bar for search engines and incorporates “Refresh” and “Stop” buttons. You can easily annul restrictions for ActiveX controls and the tracking mechanism.

Interoperability – It has been facilitated via embedding enhanced support for HTML5 features as well as Web standards. Such feature allows web developers to locate a user’s Geo-location and provide enhanced service experience. The inclusion of additional rounded-corner CSS3 standards, DOM level-3 core, DOM level-3 events, SVG 1.1 2nd version, and DOM level-2 style etc. makes it a great solution for web developers and others

Security & Privacy – IE9 features ActiveX Filter that blocks all ActiveX controls and ensure enhanced web security to its users. Users can turn on and off ActiveX Filter as per their need. IE9 also includes SmartScreen Filter that integrates with Download Manager and shows highly severe messages to users while downloading infected files or attachments. ActiveX filtering can be disabled through One Box.

Conclusion

This is the best browser Microsoft has released to date. It is expected to make Microsoft cglose the gap with Firefox, Google Chrome, and Opera etc. nternet Explorer 9 moves faster and much better than Internet Explorer 8, has a slicker look and adds its privacy protection is greatly improved. Offers more screen for web content, a SmartScreen Filter, and Tracking Protection System. The new interface is more powerful despite its smaller size. However, its support for HTML5 is quite limited, it is still much slower than Google Chrome, and it is still not as customisable as Firefox, but it is definitely a step in the right direction. However, if you are running Windows XP or an earlier system, you won’t be able to run it, as it only runs in Vista and Windows 7.

Microsoft Internet Explorer 9

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1. Explorer Startpage — July 3, 2011 @ 1:57 am

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