Bill Gates says Microsoft will ship a beta version of its new browser this summer, but the details remain sketchy.
Now that Microsoft has disclosed plans to release a test version of Internet Explorer 7.0 this summer, only the details remain. What new features will be included? When will a final release be available? Will IE 7 run on older versions of Windows?
When Bill Gates disclosed IE 7 on Tuesday at the RSA conference in San Francisco, he left those questions for others to answer. Microsoft's chairman provided only a general idea of what to expect, saying a beta version would be available early this summer for Windows XP Service Pack 2 and that it would focus on defenses against phishing attacks and malicious software. "Browsing definitely is a point of vulnerability," Gates said.
In an online discussion published on Microsoft's Web site, security VP Mike Nash said IE 7 will also include enhanced "privacy protections." And Neil Charney, director of Windows client, says the upgraded browser will fight off spyware better, too.
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