Microsoft today announced the
InternetExplorer 9 published and is opening a new round in the battle for dominance in the browser market. Lost market share to be won back with the new version. We have used the software extensively examined.
The developers in Redmond have the Internet Explorerdonated a number of new features, but for many users, the new framework should be at least as interesting. It ensures that web pages rendered more quickly, while important standards like HTML5 support. The lack of performance and ignoring standards paved the way for the descent of the Internet Explorer in recent years. Relatively new products such as Firefox and Chrome could benefit from it.
Support for modern standards
Even before Microsoft features and user interface design has focused on were new, so-called Platform Previews published. In it, the developers focused entirely on the rendering engine, the display of the website is responsible for. It now supports all major standards, the Web needs to be modern in.
This is especially the upcoming version 5 of the HTML specification. HTML5 provides both in graphics (canvas, SVG) and in the field of multimedia (video and inline inline audio) new possibilities. It adds new interfaces that developers can use to easily implement various functions. The Geolocation API (Application Programming Interface) is a popular example. Furthermore, it is possible to determine the whereabouts of a user, if this is in agreement.
Another important standard supported, in the Microsoft Internet Explorer 9, CSS3 (Cascading Style Sheets) is. The style sheet language allows Web sites to create visually. CSS3 brings with it some new features such as easy ways to implement multi-column layouts as well as rounded corners of the frame.
On the website Beautyoftheweb.com Microsoft demonstrates what modern standards on web pages can be realized thanks to the support. Internet Explorer 9 is not the only browser that is capable of in modern web technologies to benefit from. Chrome and Firefox 4.0 are two popular competing products that use a similar standard-compatibility feature. The differences between products lie in the details.
The new user interface
Microsoft has designed the user interface of its browser from scratch. Already at the first start to notice that the Internet Explorer 9 is much clearer. Only the most important functions that are needed each day while navigating the Web, are accessible with one click. Everything else was to save space in the "Tools" menu located, hidden behind the small gear on the right of the window. The favorites are hidden - they are represented by an icon in a star shape.
The idea behind the design of the user interface is easy to explain. They want to give the site as much space as the browser is Microsoft's view to the window in the online world. For this reason, they located directly next to the tabs at the address bar. The eye-catching are the arrows back and forth jumping on the same level. As part of the public beta testing of this design was criticized by some users, after which Microsoft has made it possible to place the tabs below the address bar. Especially when working with many open tabs you will appreciate this. The menus can be hidden if desired map.
Otherwise, the user interface designers are more adapted to the design requirements of Windows 7. The entire window, apart from the site is transparent. Only the optional expandable menus let it be nothing.
Pinning sites
A new feature in Internet Explorer 9, which came already in the testing phase for an award, is the possibility of sites on the Windows task bar to attach 7th This must be only the favicon of a website that appears in the browser before the URL, drawn on the taskbar. Then the site can be accessed in Windows 7 directly from the Taskbar.
This new interaction possibilities on the basis of jump lists that Microsoft introduced with the latest edition of its operating system. Right-click on the pinned site opens a menu (the jump list), some of the functions of the website can be executed directly, unless the website owner has provided such support this functionality. On the basis of WinFuture.de can demonstrate this well.
Once you have attached WinFuture.de to the taskbar of Windows 7, will open when you right click on our logo, a jump list can go directly to the one of our central points of contact: news, downloads, videos, forum and if you are a registered member , MyWinFuture. In addition, the headers are displayed the three most popular news, so you never miss important news.
Who uses the opportunity to comment on the news and videos on WinFuture.de is informed of the pinned site also answers to his comments. Once this occurs, the icon flashes on and thus makes attention to new answers. When watching videos on our player WinFuture.de can control via the Preview menu that appears when you place the mouse pointer briefly on the Tech Support logo in the taskbar.
Download Manager
For years, want the users of the Internet Explorer download manager that allows to handle multiple downloads in parallel, in a window clearly display. Microsoft has recognized the desire and implemented in Internet Explorer 9 is a download manager with basic features. For the first time can be active pause and resume downloads at a later date.
The download manager displays a sequential list of files that you downloaded from the Internet. These can also search so that you keep regardless of where the big picture. Useful functions such as copying the download link, complete the download manager. Should be sufficient for most users the functionality to do without third-party software can.
More with Tabs
While the Internet Explorer 8 has already supported the so-called tabbed browsing, but you have to even look at competing products, it soon became clear that there is potential for improvement. That was recognized by Microsoft and also improves work with Tabs in Internet Explorer ninth
This starts already open a new tab in the. There is now a list of sites most often shown open. A small bar for each entry is information about how active you Each web site is up. About the "Suggested Sites" can be based on the personal conduct, a surf of websites can be set to propose that may be of interest.
The tabs themselves have learned. So you can now pull it out of the tab bar, and thus constitute a separate window. For Windows 7, this can also be combined with the popular Aero-snap function, scaled to the window half the width of the screen as soon as she moves to the left or right margin. In this way, let's face, for example, two Web sites. A color-coding the tabs will show which sites are related.
Improved Add-on Manager
Internet Explorer can be by using add-ons extend the functionality. In particular, the toolbars offered by many companies should be negative for some users in mind. In Internet Explorer 9, Microsoft has equipped the Add-on Manager, and reviewed with a useful function.
Often provide toolbars and other add-ons for the browser to start noticeably slower. Microsoft is now in the dialog box there to disable add-ons, a graphical analysis of the start time. For each add-on is specified by how many seconds it delayed the launch of Internet Explorer ninth This allows service brakes to see at a glance and a click are disabled later.
Searching is simple, notifications do not interfere with Chrome shows the way, Microsoft makes it to the Internet Explorer 9 to integrate instead a separate field for requests to a search engine, a combined address and search box is offered. If you give it a full address can be done as usual on the site - it is a keyword or incomplete address, the default search engine is ready. Upon request to the respective input and searches are presented, but this function must be explicitly enabled.
A further innovation on the Microsoft attaches great significance, the newly designed notifications. These no longer appear in the form of a dialog box that interrupts work, but as a discreet bar, which moves at the bottom in the visible range. When notifications are, for example, downloads, the question is whether a password is stored, or the reference to a missing plug-in.
Hardware acceleration
The newest trend in the browser developers, the hardware accelerated display of Web sites. Processor to the rendering of the burden instead, the graphics card is used, which when surfing the Internet typically bored. Microsoft explains clearly that the sites on the Internet Explorer 9 how applications behave on the PC.
From the additional computing power of the GPU to benefit particularly in high-definition video, as it offers such as YouTube. Since the browser is now used as a gaming platform and it runs games in the browser, there are more opportunities here, because the developers can make use of such products to the greater power reserves. The Windows APIs Direct2D and direct write approaches were used. If the canvas element in the HTML5 standard used, the calculation is accelerated by graphic elements.
Tracking Cases & ActiveX Filter
The Tracking Protection, called on the German Internet Explorer 9 and tracking protection is to increase the safety of operators. According to Microsoft, can thus prevent the unwanted forms of tracking. The user can specify exactly what personal information can save a site.
An open platform Microsoft distributed the so-called tracking protection Lists (TPL). They contain the addresses of sites that may invoke the browser unless the user explicitly clicks on a link or typing directly. If one of the addresses call when another site, thus the collection of user data is prevented.
The tracking protection is completely voluntary and therefore disabled by default. If necessary, they can be activated in the options of Internet Explorer ninth In addition to the common open platform Tracking Protection Lists can also create your own lists with specific URLs, which can then disseminate it.
Using the ActiveX filter can decide which ActiveX elements on an open site may be shown. Especially in Asia, the ActiveX technology is still used in many places, such as Web sites of banks. Basically out of the Internet Explorer ActiveX controls from 9 does not - say the user must explicitly which components can be loaded.
Benchmarks
Compared to Internet Explorer 8, the Microsoft developers with version 9 is a huge performance leap lying down, especially in the execution of JavaScript code. We have the latest browser in three benchmarks against each other and attack each case back to the latest final build. The only exception is Firefox, which we can compete in version 4.0 RC. Here, the final version will follow shortly.
The SunSpider JavaScript benchmark (version 0.9.1) was able to secure the Internet Explorer 9, the first place. As the only browser he remained under the brand of 200 milliseconds. The competing products are very similar, only Apple's Safari is out of line and 284 milliseconds with the red lantern.
The V8 JavaScript benchmark of Google, the performance gap is very different. Here comes Chrome 10 in the first place and creates competition for a large safety margin. However, this good performance meets expectations, finally, the V8 JavaScript benchmark used internally for all improvements and considered a success knife. The Internet Explorer only 9 landed in fourth place, in Safari, but behind Firefox and Opera.
The third benchmark we have chosen for peacekeepers from Futuremark, which also measures the performance of JavaScript, but it works according to the makers very practical. Here, too, Chrome 10 comes easily in the first place. Internet Explorer 9 ranked third, is however significantly behind Chrome and Opera. Only Safari and Firefox have performed worse at Peacekeepers.
However, one should not judge the speed of a browser, not only on the basis of benchmarks. Subjective factors often play a major role - one might speak of a "perceived speed". In this discipline is the browser of Microsoft not hide behind the competition. In the editorial, however, Tech Support consensus emerged that Chrome remains the Performance Reference.
Usage statistics
Already in the test phase, the Internet Explorer 9 win over some users. Microsoft hopes that the lost market share in the past can be recovered using the new version. Among the users of the Microsoft browser features already the trend to switch from what the software group contributes with an extensive advertising campaign.
In February 2011 the set of WinFuture.de 15.88 percent of visitors to the Internet Explorer browsing use, pre-release edition 9.0. Internet Explorer 9 was so even before its release to a total share of 4.17 percent under the WinFuture readers.
Conclusion & Outlook
Microsoft Internet Explorer displays the 9 that the browser is playing in the company's strategy is an important role. With the current trend toward cloud computing, the little wonder. The new version is a huge step in the right direction dar. During the development it was clear that this project will be crowned with success, because it seemed right for innocent bystanders, that first of all to the underlying platform, while focusing the optical functionality in mind was.
What plans has the Microsoft Internet Explorer is at present unknown. None has yet been no discussion of the version 10 that will follow with great probability. The development team has a lot of work to do, because the competition has many useful functions that are missing from Internet Explorer. A reasonable extension system, and synchronization between PCs are just two examples. One may be curious what the future holds.
