Microsoft to Preview IE7

Internet Explorer 7 Preview
Exclusive from: Thu Sep 1, 7:19 PM ET
Michael Fitzgerald - ExtremeTech

By now, most of you probably know that the next version of Windows won't be called Windows at all, but Vista. Its browser will still be Internet Explorer - it will just be IE7. IE7 is already out in beta form and will be offered as a service pack update for Windows users (though we don't yet know when that will happen)

For starters, the new browser has a tabbed interface, much like those of Firefox and Opera. This will make navigation easier than it currently is, and in fact IE7 looks like it will be easier to customize than Firefox, no small trick. It also will have features like a Delete Browsing History tool, which lets you erase the sites you've visited, your cookies and passwords, data you've entered into Web forms, and temp files. All of this you could do in IE6, but not so easily.

IE7 also has its own built-in newsreader, a welcome addition for those who've struggled with IE and RSS. The newsreader in the beta version doesn't find every link it should, but we expect this to get ironed out.

Look, too, for better printing tools, support of international domain names (a boon for Web surfers who don't speak English) and support for the Portable Network Graphics protocol, which will improve image display.

But make no mistake, what Microsoft mainly intends is to produce a more secure browser. For instance, there will be a newer, better SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) interface. The new browser will get rid of scripting across domains, too. The beta version has a mode that will let you run your browser with the add-ins turned off, increasing security.

The two most interesting features are not in the beta: the Protected Mode, which is designed to keep malware from messing with your system, and the built-in anti-phishing service, which tracks and gauges whether the site you're about to visit is legit or part of a fraud scheme.

The new features, especially the updated interface, may stanch the flood of people leaving for other browsers, especially Firefox. It's possible that Microsoft may do enough with this browser to again make people not want to bother with anything else.

For more information, see a first look at a beta of IE7.