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 California-based
Mozilla Foundation recently announced the release of their latest
web browser, Firefox 3
Beta 3, which is now available for download.
The release is in its eleventh iteration under the Firefox 3
development also known as "Grand Paradiso”.
The current version made significant improvements over its
previous builds most notably on the user interface aspect. With the
current build, Firefox now has the option that allows the user to
save all the tabs upon exit. The previous version does not have this
option; it instead asks the user to continue exiting the browser.
One of the favorite features in Firefox is that it allows you to
download plug-ins and add-ons. One popular plug-in is the “Download
Statusbar” wherein you can view the download via a progress bar
indicator. With beta 3, this is now a built-in feature of the
download manager option.
Browser security has also been enhanced. Incorporated in the
Beta
3 release are anti-phishing capabilities, malware protection,
plug-in and add-on checker features, SSL certificates checker, and
secure-add on updates. They have also introduced a feature called
Web Forgery Protection that prompts the user if the site they are
visiting is suspected of forgery and that the contents of the page
will not be displayed. For Windows Vista users, Beta 3 also taps
into the Vista Parental Controls that won't allow downloads if they
have been restricted in the operating system.
For the Mac faithful, more improvements have also been introduced
in
Beta 3 such as allowing you to move tabs between windows. Also
with
Beta 3, Mac users can now add download progress notifications
to the browser status bar even if the download manager is closed. In
addition, they now search and add add-ons directly from the add-on
site of Mozilla thru the add-on manager option.
Mozilla is already nearing its completion of the final release
version of Firefox 3 which should be out by early 2008. Beta 3 is
available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X platforms and in over 30
different languages.
Link:
Firefox Beta 3 (Warning This Is Beta Software)
Excio Erving A. Lao Jr.
Staff Technology Writer |