Nov 14

Maxthon 2 Released as they near 100 Million Downloads

Posted in: Features, Freeware, Internet Explorer, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on July 23, 2007 by CyberNet.

maxthon2

The IE-based Maxthon browser released a much anticipated version 2 today. This comes just 3-months after Google invested an astounding $1 million into the browser, and that raised a lot of eyebrows because of the close relationship Google has with Firefox. I’m guessing that Google saw it as a way to gain more popularity in China since 17% of people there use it to search sites like Google and Yahoo. Why? Because users can set it up to use proxies that will bypass any filtering techniques employed by the government.

We actually took a look at Maxthon 2 starting in August 2006 (yes, it’s been in development for over a year now). There hasn’t been many new features since then, but there have been quite a few bug fixes. For those of you thinking about trying it out here’s what you’ll find in Maxthon 2:

  • New Look & Optimized Layout – The default skin of Maxthon Browser has been completely redesigned and polished to provide a clear and smooth user experience.
  • Fully Customizable Interface – Almost all elements of Maxthon Browser are customizable. You can create layout to fit your browsing habit and have a different look of Maxthon Browser by applying skins.
  • Quick Search – Type the keywords you want to search in the address bar and press Enter, Maxthon will search them with the Default Search Engine. You can also do a search by drag & drop selected text in page.
  • Mouse Gestures – Hold down right mouse button and move in different directions, you can perform a lot of common operations with it.
  • Super Drag & Drop – Drag & Drop a Link to open it in new Tab. Drag & Drop to Perform a search on selected text. With key combinations, you can perform even more operations with this feature.
  • Feed Reader – Maxthon Browser has integrated a powerful and easy to use Feed Reader sidebar which supports all RSS and Atom feed formats.
  • Popup Blocker – Prevent unwanted popup windows to show up unless it’s triggered by your interaction.
  • Content Filter – Remove Ad Images & Flash Movies from your view.
  • Anti-Freeze – Maxthon has developed a new technology to prevent freezing due to AJAX while browsing websites.
  • Web Sniffer – Helps you find the real URL’s of FLV video files on sites like YouTube.
  • Screen Capture – Capture Full Screen, Selected Area, Selected Window and Page Content as an image. Then copy it to the clipboard or save it to a file.

Of course there are two features that disappointingly don’t seem to work. One is the tab manager which I mentioned in my early review, and the other is Aero Glass support on Vista. The tab manager is equivalent to Internet Explorer 7’s thumbnail view of all your open tabs, and the Aero Glass support is supposed to add transparency to things like the address bar (for those of you running Vista).

Another disappointing thing is that you can no longer use the Gecko engine in Maxthon, which is a feature the previous version had. In Maxthon 1.5 you could choose whether you wanted tabs to render using Gecko (the same thing Firefox uses), or have it use the IE rendering engine. The benefit of using Gecko is that sites will typically load faster, but as it turns out most people only use Maxthon because it uses IE to render sites.

Maxthon 2 Tour
Maxthon 2 Features
Maxthon 2 Homepage
Maxthon 2 Download

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Nov 02

W3C tests HTML5 browser compatibility, crowns IE9 the champ

Posted in: benchmark, Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, official, Opera, stats, Today's Chili, web

The World Wide Web Consortium — you know, the team responsible for certifying and standardizing HTML5 — has put together its first table of official conformance test results, giving us an idea of how well prepared each of the most popular browsers is for the oncoming web standards revolution. The data show Internet Explorer 9 as the most adroit performer (again), though Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Safari don’t seem to be too far behind in their HTML5 compliance, either. Of course, these checks don’t cover the entire spec, which in itself isn’t even finalized yet, but they provide us with a glimpse into a brave new world where Microsoft actually cares about coders keen on maximizing interoperability by adhering to web-wide standards. Good stuff. Check out the full results at the source link below.

[Thanks, Mehran]

W3C tests HTML5 browser compatibility, crowns IE9 the champ originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 05

Internet Explorer falls below 50 percent global marketshare, Chrome usage triples

Posted in: Chrome, Google, Internet Explorer, market share, marketshare, Today's Chili, web, web browser, WebBrowser
Internet Explorer falls below 50 percent global marketshare, Chrome usage triples

Oh, IE, it pains us to do this to you. You who once so mightily won in the battle against Netscape Navigator now seem to be losing your war against a battalion of upstarts, relatively fresh faces like Firefox and Chrome. According to StatCounter, IE’s global usage stats have fallen to 49.87 percent, a fraction of a tick beneath half. Firefox makes up the lion share of the rest, at 31.5 percent, while Chrome usage tripled since last year, up to 11.54 percent. Two years ago IE had two thirds of the global market locked down, and even if Internet Explorer 9 is the best thing since ActiveX, well, we just don’t see the tide of this battle turning without MS calling in some serious reinforcements.

Update: If you needed more proof of Chrome’s increasing popularity, we got a tip on this report from Softpedia confirming that Chrome is the fastest growing browser of the moment. Firefox is more or less flat and, well, you know all about how IE is faring.

Continue reading Internet Explorer falls below 50 percent global marketshare, Chrome usage triples

Internet Explorer falls below 50 percent global marketshare, Chrome usage triples originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 07:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Oct 01

CyberNotes: Best IE7 Scripts

Posted in: CyberNotes, Freeware, Internet Explorer, Software, Today's Chili, Windows

This article was written on April 30, 2008 by CyberNet.

CyberNotes
Web Browser Wednesday

One of the most popular extensions for Firefox is Greasemonkey simply because it gives developers and users a chance to customize their browsing experience with very little work. The extension has been downloaded over 165,000 times which is pretty incredible, and new scripts that power the extension are always being created.

Given the popularity of the scripting system it comes as no surprise that Internet Explorer has something very similar, but it too requires an add-on before you’ll be able to get it to work. It just so happens that one of the best add-ons for doing so is IE7Pro, which in general is an awesome tool to have installed in Internet Explorer 7.

Once you get IE7Pro installed and running you can check out some of the scripts that it comes with by pulling up the configuration screen. Along the left side you should see a section dedicated to the User Scripts:

ie7pro scripts.png

It comes with over a dozen different scripts out-of-the-box which is definitely a nice touch. Some are more handy than others, but there are a few that really stand out to me. The Show Password onMouseOver is really nice because it will reveal the contents of a password field when you hover over it with your mouse.

One problem with finding more is that you can’t go and grab a script designed for Greasemonkey because not all of them will work. The creators of IE7Pro realized that, and that’s why they setup their own script site that hosts only the scripts that function properly with their add-on. We thought it would be fun to go through the scripts they have posted, and pull out our favorites. So that’s exactly what we’ve done.

–No JavaScript Errors (Homepage)–

iescript no javascript erros.pngIf you’ve ever used any version of Internet Explorer it’s very likely that you’ve been pestered by those annoying popups saying that there is an error with the JavaScript on the page you’re viewing. I’m not sure if anyone really knows why Microsoft decided to show the general population this message when the developers are really the only ones who can do anything about it. Oh well.

This script will, however, save you some frustration by hiding those popups from you. Is it not amazing that something so simple can be the number one script on the site with over 64,000 installs!

–Google Redesign (Homepage)–

If you’ve been wanting to make Google look a little better then this is the perfect opportunity. With this script your Google search results will use up the full width of the screen, and each result will be nicely divided making it a lot easier on the eyes. Check it out:

iescript google redesign-1.png

–Google Two Columns (Homepage)–

If the previous Google redesign wasn’t for you, then maybe this one will be! This takes your Google results and splits them up into two different columns. You might find this especially useful if you have a widescreen monitor and like to browse the Internet using all of the screen space that it has to offer.

iescript google two column-1.png

–Compatibility Script for IE7Pro (Homepage)–

This script doesn’t actually “do” anything. It’s sole purpose is to make more Greasemonkey scripts compatible with IE7Pro. It consists of over 1,500 lines of code that try to replicate the functions and features provided by Greasemonkey so that it’s a lot more likely for these scripts to work. I’m actually a little surprised that this doesn’t come with IE7Pro.

–EZ Resize (Homepage)–

iescript resize.jpgI find this script to be one of the more essential ones. With it you’re able to resize any text area or input field on a site. If it’s an input field that you’re dealing with (such as the search box on Google’s homepage) just put your mouse along the right side and you should see your cursor turn into the double-ended arrow. You’re then ready to resize the box.

Similarly, if you’re trying to resize a text area (such as our large comment box) you’ll want to put your mouse in the bottom-right corner. The cursor will once again turn into a double-ended arrow indicating that you can begin resizing the box.

–Inline MP3 Player (Homepage)–

iescript inline mp3.jpgEver come across an MP3 on the Internet that you wanted to play, but didn’t want to download? This script will add a small icon next to any MP3 file that will let you stream the song instead of downloading it first.

–Overview–

Right now the number of scripts that are on the site is quite small, but I suspect that they will be growing as more people realize that they are available. Not only that but with the help of the Greasemonkey compatibility script that I mentioned above you should be able to use most of the scripts that are already out there.

Hope this helps some of you who are still using Internet Explorer!

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Sep 15

Internet Explorer 9 Beta review

Posted in: Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, NVIDIA, review, Today's Chili, video, windows 7, Windows7

Digg
If you’re anything like us, as soon as you get a new PC there’s a laundry list of things you do: uninstall every piece of crapware, change the desktop wallpaper, and fire up Internet Explorer 8 to download a new browser like Firefox or Chrome. Without fail, we’ve repeated that last step on every Windows laptop we’ve reviewed in the last year. Why is it that we almost instantly replace IE with another option? There are lots of reasons, but to name a few… the browser usually comes plastered with toolbars, which makes it painfully slow to load even just a simple news site. And even when those are uninstalled it feels sluggish in comparison to Firefox and Chrome. Also, it’s just not as attractive or intuitive as the others. Oh, and then there are the smaller items, like the fact that it lacks a download manager or uses more RAM than the competition.

That’s no short list of complaints, but you can’t say Microsoft hasn’t been listening. It’s been saying for months that Internet Explorer 9 — which is now available for download as a public beta — will mend all those issues and then some. A lot of the improvements come in speed — Redmond’s been talking about hardware acceleration since November of last year — but there are some other interesting features such as “Pinned Sites” and “One Box” that Microsoft’s been less vocal about. So, does IE9 live up to the hype and will it finally give us a preloaded browser that’s fast enough to run with the others? Should you run along and download it right now? We’ve spent the last week using it as our primary browser on a number of different laptops to find out. We’ll meet again in our full review after the break.

Gallery: IE9 screenshots

Continue reading Internet Explorer 9 Beta review

Internet Explorer 9 Beta review originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 15

Internet Explorer 9 Beta seeing public release later today (update: it’s out!)

Posted in: download, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, release, Today's Chili, web, web browser, WebBrowser

We all knew today was the day, but just in case you’ve been zoned out in Kauai the past few weeks, Microsoft’s getting set to release its refreshed build of Internet Explorer to the general public today. IE9 Beta is said to be a beta that’s essentially done, so you shouldn’t have too much to fear when the download links go live later today. The crew at Redmond claims that it’s far more compliant with HTML5, CSS3 and SVG2 standards, and that it’s the only game in town with full hardware acceleration. Keep an eye on that source link for a shot at downloading your copy later today, and if you’re terrified of offending your existing Firefox or Chrome installation, we’ll do you one better — our own in-depth review will be going live in a matter of hours.

Update: It’s out! Check out our review if you’re still feeling antsy.

Internet Explorer 9 Beta seeing public release later today (update: it’s out!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sep 07

Internet Explorer 9 Beta sees video demo, hits 95/100 on Acid3 test

Posted in: Internet Explorer, leak, leaked, Today's Chili, video, web, web browser, WebBrowser

Looks as if the Internet Explorer 9 Beta has now leaked on video, and — surprise, surprise — it looks exactly like Internet Explorer! If you were out hoping for a major overhaul, it looks as if you’ll need to pick a new wish to cross your fingers for. Design wise, the IE9 beta shown in the video past the break is no drastic departure from IE8, though the internals should obviously be revamped quite a bit. The rest of the world is still awaiting that September 15th launch date, but you and your impatient soul can watch an early build peak at 95/100 (so close!) on the Acid3 test with just a couple of clicks. Enjoy!

[Thanks, pradeep]

Continue reading Internet Explorer 9 Beta sees video demo, hits 95/100 on Acid3 test

Internet Explorer 9 Beta sees video demo, hits 95/100 on Acid3 test originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 25

Internet Explorer 9 makes cameo appearance on Microsoft Russia site

Posted in: Internet Explorer, leak, Microsoft, Pre-Release, teaser, Today's Chili

Microsoft’s gotten a little carried away with its Internet Explorer 9 excitement and posted an early screenshot of the browser up on its Russian site. The post and the image have since been diligently pulled, but not before Mary-Jo Foley managed to snag the pictorial evidence. What’s new to see? A resoundingly minimal interface, that’s what. The Chrome comparisons should be raining down thick and heavy if this snapshot is anything to go by, as Microsoft has done a fine job of ridding its browser from pesky menus, consolidated its controls into a few icons in the top right, and combined the search and address bars into one. Of course, given the earlier leak of screenshots, those menus could still just be hiding somewhere nearby, ready to spring at us. Another similarity to Chrome (and Firefox and Safari) is the new ability to “tear off” tabs from one window and reposition them independently. We’ll see how closely the Beta aligns to what we see here when it debuts for real on September. 15.

Internet Explorer 9 makes cameo appearance on Microsoft Russia site originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aug 12

Internet Explorer 9 Beta launching September 15th, might enter a beauty pageant

Posted in: Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Software, Today's Chili, video, web, web browser, WebBrowser, Windows

Once again, the whispers were true. Microsoft has proudly announced on this fine day that September 15th will mark the official launch of the Internet Explorer 9 Beta, but details beyond that are scant. We do know that the Big M will hold a gala in San Francisco to celebrate “The Beauty of the Web,” and once it hits the tubes, you’ll need either Vista or Windows 7 to use it (sorry, XP loyalists). ‘Course, it remains to be seen if IE can catch up to Chrome and Firefox in the technical department, but at least you can start preparing your existing squeeze for somewhat of a letdown next month. Let ’em down easy, okay?

Internet Explorer 9 Beta launching September 15th, might enter a beauty pageant originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jul 30

What would you like to see with Internet Explorer 8?

Posted in: Internet Explorer, Software, Today's Chili

This article was written on May 02, 2007 by CyberNet.

IelogoMicrosoft’s annual Mix Conference is wrapping up in Las Vegas, and lots has been said about Silverlight, including the announcement that Netflix would be developing a solution for movie subscribers to stream movies to their PC’s using Silverlight.

With all the fuss about Silverlight has come a few hints about what we can expect with Internet Explorer 8, which will provide the user interface for the new technology.

It’s all speculation, but educated speculation about what we can expect.  According to Ars Technica, Microsoft is giving high priority to RSS, CSS, and AJAX support which is definitely a no-brainer decision for them. But also:

  • Support for microformats- Small tags embedded into HTML code to be interpreted by software like calendar events, or contact info. (Firefox 3 is scheduled to have Microformat support, so it’s best Microsoft does too).
  • User interface customization options (this was lacking in IE7)

It’s amazing that Microsoft has finally gotten themselves into gear with Internet Explorer.  They sat stagnant for all too long with IE6 until Firefox crept up behind them.  I think Firefox and their gain in popularity is one of the biggest reasons that Microsoft has paid more attention to the browser that went unchanged for so long.

With IE8 slated for release in just two years, Microsoft has a lot of work ahead of them to make this  browser better in terms of performance (they’re still behind the times here) and features. One of Microsoft’s biggest issues is that the browser still isn’t fully compliant with the official standards that have been set which means it’s a nightmare for web developers.

For those of you who use Internet Explorer, what would you like to see in IE8? They definitely took a step in a right direction when they introduced tabs with IE7, and hopefully they just keep themselves moving in that direction.

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