Internet Explorer 8 is Launched

As we delve further into the cloud computing analogy of software plus services we need to start to change the way we access and use the internet, and key to this is the browser in which we use as our portal to the internet. Over recent years, the race to become the top performing browser has heated up dramatically and now Microsoft once again sets the bar for performance, security and user experience with Internet Explorer 8.

Currently available in the form of the beta 2, Internet Explorer promises to deliver a next generation browsing experience. Ideas such as accelerators, which let you complete your everyday browsing more quickly while possibly discovering new services.

Security and privacy are key features of IE 8. With the inclusion of an InPrivate Browsing feature, which keeps IE from adding sites to your browsing history, great for when buying gifts for loved ones without them finding out. Also the new security features such as the SmartScreen filter, which helps protect you against deceptive and malicious websites that can compromise your data and privacy.

Internally Internet explorer sees many improvements to its scripting engine, so pages based on JavaScript or Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) will have considerably shorter loading times. A tab isolation feature is now in place for if a process in one-tab crashes; it will only affect that tab, and not the whole IE window.

In all there have been many improvements to Internet Explorer, too many to talk about here. If you are interested in trying out the new Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 or just want to learn more, visit the Internet Explorer 8 webpage