Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 8, the latest version of the most commonly used web browser in the world, has left beta testing and is now available as “Release Candidate 1.” This isn’t the final release version per se, but it’s close enough that reviewers and users can really start kicking the tires and forming early judgments. I’d participate in that process too, except that IE8 isn’t available for Macs.
At the very least, I can say that the new browser includes some compelling concepts that could help Microsoft hold on to its insanely high market share, and perhaps even reverse its decline against competitors like Mozilla’s Firefox and Apple’s Safari. At the top of the list are Accelerators, which let you access various web services without leaving the page you’re on. For example, you can map an address via Microsoft Live Maps, or you can “tweet” about interesting things you find online via the Twitter Accelerator. A lot of companies are exploring this idea with similar products, including Vysr and Mozilla’s Ubiquity.
IE8 also includes a related concept called “Web Slices,” which lets you monitor certain web services even after you’ve left the page. So no matter where you are on the web, you can receive updates whenever you get a new email, for example.
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