MIX08 - Internet Explorer 8 Unveiled

Internet Explorer 8 is the next version of Microsoft’s popular browser and in Beta 1 delivers significantly improved standards-support and developer platform investments with enhanced user experiences.  Today's unveiling focused on Interoperability and Innovation

  1. CSS2 on Support - showed CSS2 support with IE8 (first look) and Safari.
  2. CSS Certification - Need comprehensive testing on browser support.  Microsoft has contributed 700+ working test scenarios to W3C.  The goal is to make sure we are interpreting standards the way everyone else does.  IE8 will be the most compliant standards based browser.
  3. Performance - modern, rich applications on the web rely heavily on script.   Tests show at least 2.5X support with much more to come.
  4. HTML 5 Start - Experience AJAX behavior as expected by end-user.  Demonstrated granular level of control when zooming in-and out then hitting the back button.  IE7 would take you back to the previous page whereas with IE8 you can back-up one zoom-level at a time.  Good demonstration on improved hash function for improving Ajax behavior.
  5. Developer Tools - showed ability to integrate debugging tool to test rendered page - set break-point added watch
  6. Activities - Ability to select text, go to activity indicator and execute work, e.g. look up address, purchase item on EBay.
  7. WebSlices - Indicator allows you to subscribe to a slice of a page that is retained as a shortcut that is always available to you.  e.g. EBay, Facebook Status.  Webslice specification is available in the public domain.  Activities and WebSlices provide an easy to build innovative experiences that reach beyond the current web site.
  8. KEY ANNOUNCEMET - Beta 1 for developers is available after the keynote!!