Internet Explorer 8: Review

For the web developers, Microsoft MIX08 event was very significant. In this event, the Microsoft has released a web-browser which is very online marketing friendly. The name of this browser is Internet Explorer 8 or (IE 8).

On the first instance the IE 8 doesn’t seem much different from version 7. Most of the base features are the same and it looks like an Internet Explorer. However, this is packed with some new features. Let’s look at what these features are.

IE8 has some new and improved features which can be beneficial for the end-user. Some of these features are…

1. Activities: Previously, if you needed to get the address and map a route to a holiday spot, you would go to their website, copy the address and paste it into a map website such as Live Maps.

Now, with Activities, you simply highlight your selection and the activities button appears. This button gives you the option to map an address (a preview of activities is available without launching a whole new tab or page).

2. WebSlices: in IE8 some of the websites are enabled for WebSlices, like eBay and Facebook. You can simply click on the WebSlice button and add it to your favorites bar and from any webpage your updated content will appear with bold type.

3. Favorites bar: The Favorites bar replaces the links bar from IE 7 which provided one-click access to favorite sites.

4. Automatic Crash Recovery: this feature is designed to recover your web pages in case of a crash or hang in your web browser. ACR might help in minimizing disruptions and it can improve your productivity.

5. Improved Phishing Filter: IE 8 have a safety filter that does more than block sites that are used for phishing. It blocks sites that are known to contain malicious software that may harm your computer.

There are speculations that these improvements may make Internet browsing easier and more productive. With IE8, Microsoft may change the Web browsing experience.