Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 Available for Public Download

Microsoft on Tuesday made available for public download a pre-Beta 2 release of Internet Explorer 7, which is designed to showcase features the new browser will bring and give developers time to play with the latest technology. IE7 notably adds a tabbed interface and improves browser security.

Although the release is not yet Beta 2, because it "requires additional fit and finish work," Microsoft sees the preview as a major milestone over Beta 1. A key addition is the integration of the Windows RSS platform that provides a framework for downloading, storing and accessing RSS feeds across the operating system.

BetaNews - Microsoft Releases Public IE7 Preview

The latest version works only with Windows XP Service Pack 2 and includes many of the features Microsoft has been touting for months. Among them are new security and privacy protection capabilities such as mechanisms designed to combat phishing attacks, spyware and other threats.

Another new feature lets users clear their browsing history more easily and thus wipe out passwords, form data and cookies in one click, the company said.

It remains to be seen how the new IE will stack up against its increasingly popular competitors. But its release presents no downside: IE finally gets an upgrade, and the newly revived browser wars spur competition that hopefully will make all our browsers better.

Yahoo - Internet Explorer 7 Now Available for Public Download