Microsoft Announces Availability Of Internet Explorer 8

Microsoft has announced the availability of Windows Internet Explorer 8, the new Web browser that offers effective solutions for people to use the Web. It can be downloaded in 25 languages at http://www.microsoft.com/ie8 starting at noon EDT on March 19.

Internet Explorer 8 is easier to use, faster and offers security features in direct response to people’s increasing concerns about online safety.

“Customers have made clear what they want in a Web browser – safety, speed and greater ease of use,” said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. “With Internet Explorer 8, we are delivering a browser that gets people to the information they need fast and with in-built protection too.”

The security enhancements to Internet Explorer 8 offer protection against existing and emerging security threats online. As per company claims, it blocks two to four times more malware attacks than other browsers, cuts down on the time it takes to complete common tasks on the Web such as searching, mapping and sharing, including navigating 15 of the 20 top worldwide sites, and blurs the lines between the services they use daily and the browser used to access the Internet.

Makes Common Online Tasks Faster and Easier

In addition to offering improved security and privacy protections, Internet Explorer 8 also helps people save time while using the Web with easy-to-use new features, including the following:

• Accelerators. Accelerators make it faster and easier to perform common tasks online by making Web-based services such as ESPN.com, Live Search and Sina available for use directly from the page people are viewing. Users can simply right-click a word or phrase and instantly map, e-mail, or share it.

• Web Slices. Web Slices in Internet Explorer 8 makes favourite information from sites such as Digg, Yahoo! Mail, OneRiot, and eBay instantly available wherever someone goes on the Web.

• Visual Search Suggestions. The Instant Search Box in Internet Explorer 8 enables rich, real-time search from sites such as The New York Times, Amazon.com and Wikipedia, as well as sites from people’s own Favourites and History, complete with visuals and detailed information that saves time.