The beta version of Internet Explorer 9 is now available for download. In this Photo Gallery, TechRepublic takes a first look at Microsoft’s latest Web browser.
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Microsoft is couching this version of IE as a way to a more beautiful Web. My surfing habits tend toward more efficient browsing rather than more graphic intensive browsing, so I am a little ambivalent about these claims.
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When the installation is complete, restart to complete the process.
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Just for comparison purposes, here is what my workstation install of Internet Explorer 8 looks like. Note the toolbars.
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My Yahoo looks to be about the same except for the missing ad. I don’t know why this ad is missing, but, as you’ll see later, it does not appear to be Internet Explorer’s fault.
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While the button for favorites has moved, what it does is very similar to IE8.
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IE 9, at least until I load them, has no toolbar anymore.
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The tools button on the right side contains the usual controls. In this case, you have your basic print options.
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The file section of the tools button has some the primary file controls on it. Notice the Add to Start Menu item. Microsoft has given IE 9 capabilities that treat Web sites like an application from the perspective of the start menu and taskbar.
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You can zoom in and out as needed.
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There are more privacy options in IE 9 – an area that we will explore more closely in the future.
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Internet Explorer 9 will not track your downloads for you.
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And IE 9 will manage your add-ons too. Looking at the list, I guess I did have a few add-ons after all.
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IE 9 has added some developer tools.
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However, there is one difference that Microsoft is emphasizing – GPU acceleration. Unfortunately, my test machine is a netbook with an integrated graphics chip that does not meet the requirements.
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Being a beta version, Microsoft would like you to provide them with feedback. But you’ll need a Windows Live ID.
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The file section off the menu is more extensive than the file section we saw off of the tools button. I changed my Internet connection so now I get the lovely ad I was missing.
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The tools selection off of the menu is also extensive. IE 9 can revert to a compatibility mode if need be.
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Scientific American has one of the Web sites Microsoft is citing as an example of what you can do with Internet Explorer 9.
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Click the Famous Brains section and you can choose a famous brain and drag and drop it into the section below.
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When you run the mashup you get this swirling display. Now, this is where my efficiency sensibilities come into play. While the display is pretty to look at, I am not convinced this is a better experience. For example, if I want to click a specific image, I have to chase it around the screen as it swirls – why?
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The IMDb example is a little more practical – I like the higher resolution images and the flow of the images across the screen.
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The movie trailer looks good.
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You can drag and drop Web pages from your browser window onto the taskbar to pin them there. I do like that idea – instead of opening a browser then navigating to a particular Web site, you can pin a site to the taskbar and get there in one click.
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Mark W. Kaelin has been writing and editing stories about the information technology industry, software, hardware, gaming, finance, accounting, and technology geekdom for more than 30 years.
