Microsoft released a near-final version of Internet Explorer 9

REDMOND (Washington): Microsoft released a near-final version of Internet Explorer 9, saying the updates make the web browser even better at tapping into a computer's powerful processors to help multimedia-laden websites load and run faster.

IE9 is a free download that works Windows Vista and Windows 7 computers. It's not compatible with Windows XP.

With IE9, Microsoft followed the visual lead of Google's Chrome browser. IE9 has far fewer buttons, icons and toolbars filling the screen, leaving more room for the contents of webpages. It mimics some features in Windows 7, the newest PC operating software from Microsoft, in that it lets people "pin" individual websites to the taskbar at the bottom of the PC screen to make permanent one-click shortcuts.

Based on feedback from the beta version, which Microsoft said was used by 25 million people, the software will let people add a new row of tabs to the bar at the top of the browser window. It will also pop up fewer notifications.

The new browser is much more than an aesthetic overhaul. IE9 can take advantage of multicore microprocessors to crunch website code faster. It also uses the PC's graphics processing unit to make movie clips and other visuals load and play faster.


Microsoft said that it has improved several aspects of the browser that make it run faster than the beta that was released in September. It finetuned the engine for rendering JavaScript so pages load faster.

IE9 now also decides on the fly when to tap into the graphics processor for more speed.
Competitors including Google and Mozilla, maker of the Firefox browser, are also working on similar technical upgrades to their software.

This new crop of browsers will be competing with "apps," small programs for smartphones, Tablets and other devices that deliver the some of the same content as websites but in a way that's easier to navigate on smaller screens. - AP

Microsoft released a near-final version of Internet Explorer 9

REDMOND (Washington): Microsoft released a near-final version of Internet Explorer 9, saying the updates make the web browser even better at tapping into a computer's powerful processors to help multimedia-laden websites load and run faster.

IE9 is a free download that works Windows Vista and Windows 7 computers. It's not compatible with Windows XP.

With IE9, Microsoft followed the visual lead of Google's Chrome browser. IE9 has far fewer buttons, icons and toolbars filling the screen, leaving more room for the contents of webpages. It mimics some features in Windows 7, the newest PC operating software from Microsoft, in that it lets people "pin" individual websites to the taskbar at the bottom of the PC screen to make permanent one-click shortcuts.

Based on feedback from the beta version, which Microsoft said was used by 25 million people, the software will let people add a new row of tabs to the bar at the top of the browser window. It will also pop up fewer notifications.

The new browser is much more than an aesthetic overhaul. IE9 can take advantage of multicore microprocessors to crunch website code faster. It also uses the PC's graphics processing unit to make movie clips and other visuals load and play faster.


Microsoft said that it has improved several aspects of the browser that make it run faster than the beta that was released in September. It finetuned the engine for rendering JavaScript so pages load faster.

IE9 now also decides on the fly when to tap into the graphics processor for more speed.
Competitors including Google and Mozilla, maker of the Firefox browser, are also working on similar technical upgrades to their software.

This new crop of browsers will be competing with "apps," small programs for smartphones, Tablets and other devices that deliver the some of the same content as websites but in a way that's easier to navigate on smaller screens. - AP

Microsoft released a near-final version of Internet Explorer 9

REDMOND (Washington): Microsoft released a near-final version of Internet Explorer 9, saying the updates make the web browser even better at tapping into a computer's powerful processors to help multimedia-laden websites load and run faster.

IE9 is a free download that works Windows Vista and Windows 7 computers. It's not compatible with Windows XP.

With IE9, Microsoft followed the visual lead of Google's Chrome browser. IE9 has far fewer buttons, icons and toolbars filling the screen, leaving more room for the contents of webpages. It mimics some features in Windows 7, the newest PC operating software from Microsoft, in that it lets people "pin" individual websites to the taskbar at the bottom of the PC screen to make permanent one-click shortcuts.

Based on feedback from the beta version, which Microsoft said was used by 25 million people, the software will let people add a new row of tabs to the bar at the top of the browser window. It will also pop up fewer notifications.

The new browser is much more than an aesthetic overhaul. IE9 can take advantage of multicore microprocessors to crunch website code faster. It also uses the PC's graphics processing unit to make movie clips and other visuals load and play faster.


Microsoft said that it has improved several aspects of the browser that make it run faster than the beta that was released in September. It finetuned the engine for rendering JavaScript so pages load faster.

IE9 now also decides on the fly when to tap into the graphics processor for more speed.
Competitors including Google and Mozilla, maker of the Firefox browser, are also working on similar technical upgrades to their software.

This new crop of browsers will be competing with "apps," small programs for smartphones, Tablets and other devices that deliver the some of the same content as websites but in a way that's easier to navigate on smaller screens. - AP

LifeCam Studio : Video calls in HD

Microsoft has unveiled its first high-definition webcam with a 1080p sensor.

The 1080p sensor is more than twice as large as the 720p HD sensors on the market and lets more light in so people experience great video in virtually any lighting condition, the company claimed.

It also uses a couple of technologies, including TrueColor which keeps the most important part of the video call - the face - properly exposed. ClearFrame technology helps keep video smooth and detailed even in low light conditions.

Also, an elongated hood, modelled after high-end cameras, helps protect the lens from stray light to avoid washed-out colours.

The webcam is Microsoft's first to feature a tripod thread for capturing videos from different angles - not only in front of the monitor.

It also features improved autofocus that will keep objects in focus even when the object is far away from the webcam, and high-precision glass element lens for superior clarity.

The LifeCam Sudio is also meant to complement Windows Live Messenger 2011, which supports HD video calling in widescreen format so everyone can easily be seen in the video call.

The LifeCam Studio retails for $109.

LifeCam Studio : Video calls in HD

Microsoft has unveiled its first high-definition webcam with a 1080p sensor.

The 1080p sensor is more than twice as large as the 720p HD sensors on the market and lets more light in so people experience great video in virtually any lighting condition, the company claimed.

It also uses a couple of technologies, including TrueColor which keeps the most important part of the video call - the face - properly exposed. ClearFrame technology helps keep video smooth and detailed even in low light conditions.

Also, an elongated hood, modelled after high-end cameras, helps protect the lens from stray light to avoid washed-out colours.

The webcam is Microsoft's first to feature a tripod thread for capturing videos from different angles - not only in front of the monitor.

It also features improved autofocus that will keep objects in focus even when the object is far away from the webcam, and high-precision glass element lens for superior clarity.

The LifeCam Sudio is also meant to complement Windows Live Messenger 2011, which supports HD video calling in widescreen format so everyone can easily be seen in the video call.

The LifeCam Studio retails for $109.

LifeCam Studio : Video calls in HD

Microsoft has unveiled its first high-definition webcam with a 1080p sensor.

The 1080p sensor is more than twice as large as the 720p HD sensors on the market and lets more light in so people experience great video in virtually any lighting condition, the company claimed.

It also uses a couple of technologies, including TrueColor which keeps the most important part of the video call - the face - properly exposed. ClearFrame technology helps keep video smooth and detailed even in low light conditions.

Also, an elongated hood, modelled after high-end cameras, helps protect the lens from stray light to avoid washed-out colours.

The webcam is Microsoft's first to feature a tripod thread for capturing videos from different angles - not only in front of the monitor.

It also features improved autofocus that will keep objects in focus even when the object is far away from the webcam, and high-precision glass element lens for superior clarity.

The LifeCam Sudio is also meant to complement Windows Live Messenger 2011, which supports HD video calling in widescreen format so everyone can easily be seen in the video call.

The LifeCam Studio retails for $109.

Quick Review of MS Office 2011 for Mac

Microsoft has announced the local availability of Office 2011 for Mac, which the company said comes with some important additions.

One of the additions to the new productivity suite is Outlook, which replaces the ill-received Entourage e-mail client in the previous version.

Outlook for Office 2011 features a combination of e-mail, calendar and contact management and is designed to be an all-in-one application for checking your e-mail and planning your schedule.

The other components of Office 2011 for Mac are Word, Excel and PowerPoint, all of which come with new features.

Word 2011, for example, has a new full screen view mode, which is billed as a tool for taking away distractions when you need to get some serious work done.

It also supports Visual Basic scripting for accessing complex documents like macros.

Users will also be able to choose from a variety of different templates to add some visual flare to their documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

For number crunchers, Excel 2011 benefits from new features like Sparklines, which are thumbnail-sized charts that represent large volumes of data at a glance.

Adding media to PowerPoint 2011 has also been made easier with new tools like the photo-editing and document layout tools. Microsoft said the tools allow you to make simple changes to documents such as remove the background from a picture and manage stacked images by layers.

In addition Office 2011 for Mac will support online collaboration tools such as Windows Live SkyDrive and Microsoft Office Web Apps, which will allow Mac and Windows users to simultaneously edit documents over the Web.

Office 2011 for Mac will be available in two editions: Home & Student (RM468 for single install; RM599 for three installs) and Home & Business (RM768 for single install; RM1,099 for two installs).

Both editions will come with Word 2011, Excel 2011 and PowerPoint 2011. However, only customers with the Home & Business edition will get Outlook 2011.

Quick Review of MS Office 2011 for Mac

Microsoft has announced the local availability of Office 2011 for Mac, which the company said comes with some important additions.

One of the additions to the new productivity suite is Outlook, which replaces the ill-received Entourage e-mail client in the previous version.

Outlook for Office 2011 features a combination of e-mail, calendar and contact management and is designed to be an all-in-one application for checking your e-mail and planning your schedule.

The other components of Office 2011 for Mac are Word, Excel and PowerPoint, all of which come with new features.

Word 2011, for example, has a new full screen view mode, which is billed as a tool for taking away distractions when you need to get some serious work done.

It also supports Visual Basic scripting for accessing complex documents like macros.

Users will also be able to choose from a variety of different templates to add some visual flare to their documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

For number crunchers, Excel 2011 benefits from new features like Sparklines, which are thumbnail-sized charts that represent large volumes of data at a glance.

Adding media to PowerPoint 2011 has also been made easier with new tools like the photo-editing and document layout tools. Microsoft said the tools allow you to make simple changes to documents such as remove the background from a picture and manage stacked images by layers.

In addition Office 2011 for Mac will support online collaboration tools such as Windows Live SkyDrive and Microsoft Office Web Apps, which will allow Mac and Windows users to simultaneously edit documents over the Web.

Office 2011 for Mac will be available in two editions: Home & Student (RM468 for single install; RM599 for three installs) and Home & Business (RM768 for single install; RM1,099 for two installs).

Both editions will come with Word 2011, Excel 2011 and PowerPoint 2011. However, only customers with the Home & Business edition will get Outlook 2011.

Quick Review of MS Office 2011 for Mac

Microsoft has announced the local availability of Office 2011 for Mac, which the company said comes with some important additions.

One of the additions to the new productivity suite is Outlook, which replaces the ill-received Entourage e-mail client in the previous version.

Outlook for Office 2011 features a combination of e-mail, calendar and contact management and is designed to be an all-in-one application for checking your e-mail and planning your schedule.

The other components of Office 2011 for Mac are Word, Excel and PowerPoint, all of which come with new features.

Word 2011, for example, has a new full screen view mode, which is billed as a tool for taking away distractions when you need to get some serious work done.

It also supports Visual Basic scripting for accessing complex documents like macros.

Users will also be able to choose from a variety of different templates to add some visual flare to their documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

For number crunchers, Excel 2011 benefits from new features like Sparklines, which are thumbnail-sized charts that represent large volumes of data at a glance.

Adding media to PowerPoint 2011 has also been made easier with new tools like the photo-editing and document layout tools. Microsoft said the tools allow you to make simple changes to documents such as remove the background from a picture and manage stacked images by layers.

In addition Office 2011 for Mac will support online collaboration tools such as Windows Live SkyDrive and Microsoft Office Web Apps, which will allow Mac and Windows users to simultaneously edit documents over the Web.

Office 2011 for Mac will be available in two editions: Home & Student (RM468 for single install; RM599 for three installs) and Home & Business (RM768 for single install; RM1,099 for two installs).

Both editions will come with Word 2011, Excel 2011 and PowerPoint 2011. However, only customers with the Home & Business edition will get Outlook 2011.

New features of Windows Phone 7 : reviewed

HTC 7 Mozart

On February 15, 2010, Microsoft Corp unveiled its Windows Phone 7 during the Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona. While the new operating system could be the most significant for Microsoft since losing the lead in the smartphone market to RIM's BlackBerry, Apple's iOS devices and Google's Android operating system, the local launch was marred by the unavailability of certain key features that would have made Windows Phone 7 devices in this country more competitive.

This is unfortunate, because Microsoft's new smartphone operating system has a real chance of taking hold in the market, thanks to a well thought-out interface that has all the animation and flash of its rivals and yet looks completely unlike any of them.

New interface

For those who haven't seen the phone in action, Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 interface is made up of customisable "Tiles" which are active shortcuts to various applications - for example, the Outlook tile not only takes you to the application when tapped, but the tile itself will show users how many e-mail messages are unread.

Similarly, the People tile, which takes the user to the contacts list, also has constantly active thumbnails of people taken from the user's contacts list.

Tiles on the Home screen can be customised and the user can easily add (and remove) shortcuts to a variety of applications and even favourite websites.

Within this interface is a concept called "Hubs" which are essentially areas which hold collections of related tasks - for example, the People Hub not only allows users to access their contacts lists, but also to access each contact's Facebook photos and Windows Live feeds.

Then there's the Office Hub, which of course includes mobile versions of Word, Excel andPowerPoint as well as OneNote, a new application in the mobile Office suite for note-taking on the go.

Microsoft's hardware partners like HTC, LG and Samsung are set to launch products based on Windows Phone 7 in the coming months.

HTC announced that it will be releasing its HD7 and Mozart models early next month. The HD7 has a retail price of RM2,399 and will be available exclusively from Maxis at a subsidised price with a plan. Meanwhile the Mozart will have a recommended retail price of RM2,099.

Hardware front

In an effort to avoid the fragmentation in hardware (CPU speeds, screen resolutions, etc) which resulted in vastly differing user experiences in the company's previous Windows Mobile operating system, Microsoft has this time set more stringent base hardware specifications for devices running on Windows Phone 7.

With Windows Phone 7, every device must run on a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, have a screen resolution of 480 x 800-pixels, have at least 8GB of storage and at least a 5-megapixel digital camera.

Missing Marketplace, Xbox Live

For Malaysians, however, the disappointing news could be that both Xbox Live and the Windows Phone Marketplace will not be available at launch.

For gamers, Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 is one of its biggest draws, as the feature allows Xbox 360 console users with Xbox Live accounts to log in on Windows Phone 7 to customise their Xbox Avatars and even add to their achievement points for mobile games played on the smartphone.

While the unavailability of Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 isn't that big a surprise considering that the Xbox 360 console itself isn't officially available in the country, the missing Windows Phone Marketplace, Microsoft's application store for the smartphone, may turn off some users.

According to Ananth Lazarus, managing director of Microsoft Malaysia, the missing features are "to be rolled out in the future," although no specific time-frame was given as to when this would be.

As it is, the missing Marketplace puts Windows Phone 7 at somewhat of a disadvantage, because the smartphone operating system itself has no Twitter application nor an instant messaging client like Windows Live Messenger built in.

New features of Windows Phone 7 : reviewed

HTC 7 Mozart

On February 15, 2010, Microsoft Corp unveiled its Windows Phone 7 during the Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona. While the new operating system could be the most significant for Microsoft since losing the lead in the smartphone market to RIM's BlackBerry, Apple's iOS devices and Google's Android operating system, the local launch was marred by the unavailability of certain key features that would have made Windows Phone 7 devices in this country more competitive.

This is unfortunate, because Microsoft's new smartphone operating system has a real chance of taking hold in the market, thanks to a well thought-out interface that has all the animation and flash of its rivals and yet looks completely unlike any of them.

New interface

For those who haven't seen the phone in action, Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 interface is made up of customisable "Tiles" which are active shortcuts to various applications - for example, the Outlook tile not only takes you to the application when tapped, but the tile itself will show users how many e-mail messages are unread.

Similarly, the People tile, which takes the user to the contacts list, also has constantly active thumbnails of people taken from the user's contacts list.

Tiles on the Home screen can be customised and the user can easily add (and remove) shortcuts to a variety of applications and even favourite websites.

Within this interface is a concept called "Hubs" which are essentially areas which hold collections of related tasks - for example, the People Hub not only allows users to access their contacts lists, but also to access each contact's Facebook photos and Windows Live feeds.

Then there's the Office Hub, which of course includes mobile versions of Word, Excel andPowerPoint as well as OneNote, a new application in the mobile Office suite for note-taking on the go.

Microsoft's hardware partners like HTC, LG and Samsung are set to launch products based on Windows Phone 7 in the coming months.

HTC announced that it will be releasing its HD7 and Mozart models early next month. The HD7 has a retail price of RM2,399 and will be available exclusively from Maxis at a subsidised price with a plan. Meanwhile the Mozart will have a recommended retail price of RM2,099.

Hardware front

In an effort to avoid the fragmentation in hardware (CPU speeds, screen resolutions, etc) which resulted in vastly differing user experiences in the company's previous Windows Mobile operating system, Microsoft has this time set more stringent base hardware specifications for devices running on Windows Phone 7.

With Windows Phone 7, every device must run on a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, have a screen resolution of 480 x 800-pixels, have at least 8GB of storage and at least a 5-megapixel digital camera.

Missing Marketplace, Xbox Live

For Malaysians, however, the disappointing news could be that both Xbox Live and the Windows Phone Marketplace will not be available at launch.

For gamers, Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 is one of its biggest draws, as the feature allows Xbox 360 console users with Xbox Live accounts to log in on Windows Phone 7 to customise their Xbox Avatars and even add to their achievement points for mobile games played on the smartphone.

While the unavailability of Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 isn't that big a surprise considering that the Xbox 360 console itself isn't officially available in the country, the missing Windows Phone Marketplace, Microsoft's application store for the smartphone, may turn off some users.

According to Ananth Lazarus, managing director of Microsoft Malaysia, the missing features are "to be rolled out in the future," although no specific time-frame was given as to when this would be.

As it is, the missing Marketplace puts Windows Phone 7 at somewhat of a disadvantage, because the smartphone operating system itself has no Twitter application nor an instant messaging client like Windows Live Messenger built in.

New features of Windows Phone 7 : reviewed

HTC 7 Mozart

On February 15, 2010, Microsoft Corp unveiled its Windows Phone 7 during the Mobile World Congress 2010 in Barcelona. While the new operating system could be the most significant for Microsoft since losing the lead in the smartphone market to RIM's BlackBerry, Apple's iOS devices and Google's Android operating system, the local launch was marred by the unavailability of certain key features that would have made Windows Phone 7 devices in this country more competitive.

This is unfortunate, because Microsoft's new smartphone operating system has a real chance of taking hold in the market, thanks to a well thought-out interface that has all the animation and flash of its rivals and yet looks completely unlike any of them.

New interface

For those who haven't seen the phone in action, Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 interface is made up of customisable "Tiles" which are active shortcuts to various applications - for example, the Outlook tile not only takes you to the application when tapped, but the tile itself will show users how many e-mail messages are unread.

Similarly, the People tile, which takes the user to the contacts list, also has constantly active thumbnails of people taken from the user's contacts list.

Tiles on the Home screen can be customised and the user can easily add (and remove) shortcuts to a variety of applications and even favourite websites.

Within this interface is a concept called "Hubs" which are essentially areas which hold collections of related tasks - for example, the People Hub not only allows users to access their contacts lists, but also to access each contact's Facebook photos and Windows Live feeds.

Then there's the Office Hub, which of course includes mobile versions of Word, Excel andPowerPoint as well as OneNote, a new application in the mobile Office suite for note-taking on the go.

Microsoft's hardware partners like HTC, LG and Samsung are set to launch products based on Windows Phone 7 in the coming months.

HTC announced that it will be releasing its HD7 and Mozart models early next month. The HD7 has a retail price of RM2,399 and will be available exclusively from Maxis at a subsidised price with a plan. Meanwhile the Mozart will have a recommended retail price of RM2,099.

Hardware front

In an effort to avoid the fragmentation in hardware (CPU speeds, screen resolutions, etc) which resulted in vastly differing user experiences in the company's previous Windows Mobile operating system, Microsoft has this time set more stringent base hardware specifications for devices running on Windows Phone 7.

With Windows Phone 7, every device must run on a 1GHz Snapdragon processor, have a screen resolution of 480 x 800-pixels, have at least 8GB of storage and at least a 5-megapixel digital camera.

Missing Marketplace, Xbox Live

For Malaysians, however, the disappointing news could be that both Xbox Live and the Windows Phone Marketplace will not be available at launch.

For gamers, Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 is one of its biggest draws, as the feature allows Xbox 360 console users with Xbox Live accounts to log in on Windows Phone 7 to customise their Xbox Avatars and even add to their achievement points for mobile games played on the smartphone.

While the unavailability of Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 isn't that big a surprise considering that the Xbox 360 console itself isn't officially available in the country, the missing Windows Phone Marketplace, Microsoft's application store for the smartphone, may turn off some users.

According to Ananth Lazarus, managing director of Microsoft Malaysia, the missing features are "to be rolled out in the future," although no specific time-frame was given as to when this would be.

As it is, the missing Marketplace puts Windows Phone 7 at somewhat of a disadvantage, because the smartphone operating system itself has no Twitter application nor an instant messaging client like Windows Live Messenger built in.

Review of IE9 Beta Version

JAZZED UP: IE9, now available in beta test form, has a more minimalist look and promises to make websites load and run faster. - Microsoft Corp

The beta version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9(IE9) web browser is now available online for users to try out.

Sporting a much cleaner, less-cluttered layout than its predecessors, IE9 promises a speedier and better user experience, the company said.

It is however only available for Windows 7 and Vista operating systems. Not applicable for Win XP operating systems.

According to Microsoft, users can expect trusted and interoperable online experiences that take full advantage of Windows 7 capabilities as well as a tighter integration with the Bing search engine. It supports the HTML5 video and audio tags and the Web Open Font Format.

IE9 introduces a new scripting engine called Chakra that leverages on the common multicore processors in PCs to deliver significant performance gains.

Microsoft said Chakra has a separate background thread for compiling JavaScript and multiple threads can run in parallel, each on an individual core when one is available.

IE9 also supports full hardware acceleration of HTML5, which enables it to use the graphics processor when rendering complex pages, which takes a significant load off a PC's CPU.

On the security front, IE9 includes the SmartScreen Download Reputation feature that identifies safe downloads and will immediately alert users when it encounters untrustworthy files.

MORE SECURE: The In-Private Browsing and In-Private Filtering security features have been enhanced to give users added peace of mind. - Microsoft Corp

Meanwhile, the In-Private Browsing and In-Private Filtering security features have been further enhanced to give users added peace of mind when using the browser.

Other notable new features include a URL address box that doubles as a search bar just like in Google's Chrome browser, and Windows Taskbar integration that allows shortcuts to links or favourites to be pinned to the taskbar.

IE9 also features user alerts that are more discreet - instead of a steady stream of annoying pop-ups like in IE8, a bar will now appear at the bottom of the screen to ask users about what action to take.

Review of IE9 Beta Version

JAZZED UP: IE9, now available in beta test form, has a more minimalist look and promises to make websites load and run faster. - Microsoft Corp

The beta version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9(IE9) web browser is now available online for users to try out.

Sporting a much cleaner, less-cluttered layout than its predecessors, IE9 promises a speedier and better user experience, the company said.

It is however only available for Windows 7 and Vista operating systems. Not applicable for Win XP operating systems.

According to Microsoft, users can expect trusted and interoperable online experiences that take full advantage of Windows 7 capabilities as well as a tighter integration with the Bing search engine. It supports the HTML5 video and audio tags and the Web Open Font Format.

IE9 introduces a new scripting engine called Chakra that leverages on the common multicore processors in PCs to deliver significant performance gains.

Microsoft said Chakra has a separate background thread for compiling JavaScript and multiple threads can run in parallel, each on an individual core when one is available.

IE9 also supports full hardware acceleration of HTML5, which enables it to use the graphics processor when rendering complex pages, which takes a significant load off a PC's CPU.

On the security front, IE9 includes the SmartScreen Download Reputation feature that identifies safe downloads and will immediately alert users when it encounters untrustworthy files.

MORE SECURE: The In-Private Browsing and In-Private Filtering security features have been enhanced to give users added peace of mind. - Microsoft Corp

Meanwhile, the In-Private Browsing and In-Private Filtering security features have been further enhanced to give users added peace of mind when using the browser.

Other notable new features include a URL address box that doubles as a search bar just like in Google's Chrome browser, and Windows Taskbar integration that allows shortcuts to links or favourites to be pinned to the taskbar.

IE9 also features user alerts that are more discreet - instead of a steady stream of annoying pop-ups like in IE8, a bar will now appear at the bottom of the screen to ask users about what action to take.

Review of IE9 Beta Version

JAZZED UP: IE9, now available in beta test form, has a more minimalist look and promises to make websites load and run faster. - Microsoft Corp

The beta version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9(IE9) web browser is now available online for users to try out.

Sporting a much cleaner, less-cluttered layout than its predecessors, IE9 promises a speedier and better user experience, the company said.

It is however only available for Windows 7 and Vista operating systems. Not applicable for Win XP operating systems.

According to Microsoft, users can expect trusted and interoperable online experiences that take full advantage of Windows 7 capabilities as well as a tighter integration with the Bing search engine. It supports the HTML5 video and audio tags and the Web Open Font Format.

IE9 introduces a new scripting engine called Chakra that leverages on the common multicore processors in PCs to deliver significant performance gains.

Microsoft said Chakra has a separate background thread for compiling JavaScript and multiple threads can run in parallel, each on an individual core when one is available.

IE9 also supports full hardware acceleration of HTML5, which enables it to use the graphics processor when rendering complex pages, which takes a significant load off a PC's CPU.

On the security front, IE9 includes the SmartScreen Download Reputation feature that identifies safe downloads and will immediately alert users when it encounters untrustworthy files.

MORE SECURE: The In-Private Browsing and In-Private Filtering security features have been enhanced to give users added peace of mind. - Microsoft Corp

Meanwhile, the In-Private Browsing and In-Private Filtering security features have been further enhanced to give users added peace of mind when using the browser.

Other notable new features include a URL address box that doubles as a search bar just like in Google's Chrome browser, and Windows Taskbar integration that allows shortcuts to links or favourites to be pinned to the taskbar.

IE9 also features user alerts that are more discreet - instead of a steady stream of annoying pop-ups like in IE8, a bar will now appear at the bottom of the screen to ask users about what action to take.

Microsoft will launch more games on Windows Phone 7 platform for Xbox

NEW: Users with Windows Phone 7 handsets will be able to access their friends lists, game library and Xbox Live messages.

Microsoft will launch more and more games for mobile phones running its Windows Phone 7 operating system as the year goes on, unveiling 73 launch titles that integrate with the existing console service in one way or another.

Included in the roster are mobile versions of popular casual games Uno, Puzzle Quest 2,Bejeweled, and Flight Control, as well as more traditional console fare such as Assassin's Creed,Castlevania, Guitar Hero 5, and the blockbuster Halo series.

Integration with Xbox Live means that those with Windows Phone 7 handsets will be able to access their friends lists, game library, and Xbox Live messages.

Also included are leaderboard rankings and a cumulative, personal Gamerscore that can be increased via PC, Xbox 360, and mobile phone games that work with the Xbox Live service.

Latest estimates for Windows Phone 7's release indicate an October launch is most likely for European users, with United States joining in by November, though Microsoft has refrained from naming specific dates or, indeed, confirming anything beyond the 2010 holiday period.

Having elected to stand back from the handheld console market while Nintendo and Sony battled it out with their DS and PSP platforms, Microsoft looks well poised to leapfrog its console competitors, but face a tough challenge cutting through the established enthusiasm for Apple and Android handsets.

Given the buzz enjoyed by the iPhone 4 since its June release in the United States, and Google's march into the game space with its browser-based Web Store also targeting October, Microsoft need to come up with something special to cement its presence in the mobile entertainment sector - this could be just the foot in the door that it needs

Microsoft will launch more games on Windows Phone 7 platform for Xbox

NEW: Users with Windows Phone 7 handsets will be able to access their friends lists, game library and Xbox Live messages.

Microsoft will launch more and more games for mobile phones running its Windows Phone 7 operating system as the year goes on, unveiling 73 launch titles that integrate with the existing console service in one way or another.

Included in the roster are mobile versions of popular casual games Uno, Puzzle Quest 2,Bejeweled, and Flight Control, as well as more traditional console fare such as Assassin's Creed,Castlevania, Guitar Hero 5, and the blockbuster Halo series.

Integration with Xbox Live means that those with Windows Phone 7 handsets will be able to access their friends lists, game library, and Xbox Live messages.

Also included are leaderboard rankings and a cumulative, personal Gamerscore that can be increased via PC, Xbox 360, and mobile phone games that work with the Xbox Live service.

Latest estimates for Windows Phone 7's release indicate an October launch is most likely for European users, with United States joining in by November, though Microsoft has refrained from naming specific dates or, indeed, confirming anything beyond the 2010 holiday period.

Having elected to stand back from the handheld console market while Nintendo and Sony battled it out with their DS and PSP platforms, Microsoft looks well poised to leapfrog its console competitors, but face a tough challenge cutting through the established enthusiasm for Apple and Android handsets.

Given the buzz enjoyed by the iPhone 4 since its June release in the United States, and Google's march into the game space with its browser-based Web Store also targeting October, Microsoft need to come up with something special to cement its presence in the mobile entertainment sector - this could be just the foot in the door that it needs