Second beta seeks additional user feedback on upcoming browser
Microsoft has unveiled a second beta test version of its forthcoming Internet Explorer 7 browser.
The beta is targeted at technology enthusiasts, after earlier versions of the browser primarily catered to developers of websites and online applications.
"We want to get them using the product and get us some feedback," Margaret Cobb, group product manager for Internet Explorer at Microsoft, said.
"We still have a few months before we release publicly and we want to make this the best experience possible."
The beta users help to test the product, and Microsoft has promised free technical support over the phone to users in North America, Germany and Japan.
Internet Explorer 7 is slated for release in the second half of this year. A first beta was unveiled in February.
The second beta will not offer any additional features, but will be the first application that runs on the 64-bit version of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.
The application has been made available in English only. Arabic, Finnish and German versions are scheduled for release on 3 May and a Japanese version on 8 May.
Microsoft also unveiled a new website where users can download so-called Internet Explorer add-ons. The page is meant to increase the visibility of third-party applications that build on top of the browser.
Add-ons for the current version of the browser, for instance, enable a tabbed browsing capability for the software.
Internet Explorer 7 boasts enhanced security and privacy protection as its main features. Users will be notified if they visit a known phishing website, for instance, and will be able more easily to clear the browser's history logs and cookies.
The application has copied the tabs feature popularised by the open source Firefox browser, allowing several websites to be open in a single window. It also offers a Quick Tabs feature displaying an overview of all the tabs in a window.
As part of the introduction of Internet Explorer 7 Microsoft will introduce broad support for the RSS syndication technology to Windows.
Rather than every RSS application using its own library with RSS feeds, the technology will introduce a single library that any application can access.
It will also introduce the ability to use RSS for new applications such as publishing calendars or picture slideshows.
The Internet Explorer 7 beta is available for download from Microsoft's website.
Microsoft has unveiled a second beta test version of its forthcoming Internet Explorer 7 browser.
The beta is targeted at technology enthusiasts, after earlier versions of the browser primarily catered to developers of websites and online applications.
"We want to get them using the product and get us some feedback," Margaret Cobb, group product manager for Internet Explorer at Microsoft, said.
"We still have a few months before we release publicly and we want to make this the best experience possible."
The beta users help to test the product, and Microsoft has promised free technical support over the phone to users in North America, Germany and Japan.
Internet Explorer 7 is slated for release in the second half of this year. A first beta was unveiled in February.
The second beta will not offer any additional features, but will be the first application that runs on the 64-bit version of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.
The application has been made available in English only. Arabic, Finnish and German versions are scheduled for release on 3 May and a Japanese version on 8 May.
Microsoft also unveiled a new website where users can download so-called Internet Explorer add-ons. The page is meant to increase the visibility of third-party applications that build on top of the browser.
Add-ons for the current version of the browser, for instance, enable a tabbed browsing capability for the software.
Internet Explorer 7 boasts enhanced security and privacy protection as its main features. Users will be notified if they visit a known phishing website, for instance, and will be able more easily to clear the browser's history logs and cookies.
The application has copied the tabs feature popularised by the open source Firefox browser, allowing several websites to be open in a single window. It also offers a Quick Tabs feature displaying an overview of all the tabs in a window.
As part of the introduction of Internet Explorer 7 Microsoft will introduce broad support for the RSS syndication technology to Windows.
Rather than every RSS application using its own library with RSS feeds, the technology will introduce a single library that any application can access.
It will also introduce the ability to use RSS for new applications such as publishing calendars or picture slideshows.
The Internet Explorer 7 beta is available for download from Microsoft's website.
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