IE 8 beta 2 : going strong with MS....!!!

Internet Explorer 7 and Internet Explorer 8

The world's most popular web browser is better and safe than ever,as Microsoft's new beta version of the awaiting IE 8 provides many features of security and safer browsing experience. But till now, the only full browser available to us are IE 7, so lets talk first about IE 7 and then to IE 8 beta 2.

IE 7 :

Internet Explorer 7 is a useful program that includes advancements in security and browsing experience for end users, functionality and compatibility for developers, and manageability for corporate network administrators. 

Here are some key features of IE7:

# Security Status Bar : For better website security and privacy settings, next to

 address Bar.

# Toolbar Search Box : Choose your search engine and make your search, removes the need of additional toolbar.

# Delete Browsing History : Allows you to clean all your browsing data like history, cookies, passwords etc at a single option window.

# Tabbed Browsing : Open all your linked pages in a single window, although not very successful as crashing of one tab results in the whole window crashes. 

# Phishing Filter : Proactively warns and protect you against fraudlent sites and may block, if necessary.

# Improved AJAX support, RSS feeds and platforms.

# URL handling security and International domain name anti-spoofing.

# Application Compatability toolkit, a boon for IT pro and developers.

Download Link:

Click Here to Download IE 7 (microsoft's link).

Click Here to Download IE 7 (softpedia link)

IE 8 :

Although Microsoft makes remarkable improvement in this version of IE, but crash

ing of tabbed browser, comparable slow speed with other browsers makes it not so poular. So MS launched its IE 8 soon after the IE7 with its beta version. Now we have IE8 beta 2 as the latest IE browser. In IE 8 MS proved why they are called the masters. Remarkable improvement and almost perfect in security and speed makes IE 8 a very awaiting browser. As the full version is not out, we can hope a great browsing experience with coming soon IE 8.

Here are some features of IE 8 beta 2:

# Grouped Tabs : If you have open dozens of tabs at the same time, then it will be difficult to remember which tab is the hyperlink of other. So tabs of a same group have same colour, although you can disable it if you dont like it.

# Compatability : With IE 8 you can view the old sites too which are sometime not openwith new browsers.

# Accelerators : IE 8 provides tools that easily allow access to multiple points of information such as translations, maps, definitions etc - all in a single window, to accelerate your access to information on the web.

# Web Slices : The most innovative thing about IE 8 is web slices or "the suggested sites button" which make it one step ahead the other browsers. Microsoft uses ‘Web Slices’ technology to automatically trace sites that may be related to the one you are viewing. Using Web Slices, you can keep up with frequently updated sites directly from the Favorites Bar.

# Private Browsing : With this, the browsing history is cleared as you close your browser.

Although, its really fast and secure to use IE 8 but it lacks the looks , which microsoft always lacked. You easily get bored early as it dont match up with the cool, smooth and clear contrasts of other eye-catching browser like opera, safari and firefox.

As the browser war is at its peak, this MS product is still under copyright issuess. Where the other browsers are free, you can get it only if you have the registered version of windows.

Click Here to download IE 8beta 2 (microsoft site)

Click Here to download IE 8beta 2 (public) 

Before downloading or installing, its advisable to see the system requirements and the setup for your OS.

MOZILLA FIREFOX.........foxing browser !!!

MOZILLA  FIREFOX :

Firefox is a small, fast and very easy to use browser that offers many advantages over other web browsers. It is the second most popular open-source browser. Its very rich of security features and add-ons, which are available for free like the browser itself provides unbelievable browsing experience. You can have more than 5000 add-ons for your different browsing needs from security like anti-phishing, pop-up blocker, blogging counts and so on.

This browser supports tabbed browsing so you dont need to open a dozen of windows to surf different sites simultaneosly. Apart from these, some few of the features of firefox is listed below.

PROS : 

# Security : Anti-fishing , pop-up blocker, password manager, parental control.

Malware Protection, protects you when a site is opened which is known to installing malwares.

Web forgery protection page, SSL error page, warns you against a unprotected page.

Anti-virus integration, informs to the antivirus when installing a exe  file.

# Easy to use :    You can make bookmarks by simple pressing [Ctrl] + [D] .

Full page zoom, tab scrolling and quick menu.

Find toolbar, better text selection and easy to install . 

Intutive locator bar provides you instant suggestions that drops down with a search bar. 

# Web support features with podcasts and videocasts, plug-in management.

# Auto restore : Firefox restores the tabs if your computer crashes or hangs, it  can also resume downloads.

# Integration with windows, Mac and Linux.

# Download and easy to install add-ons , color-mangement and graphics & font        handling.

Although the pros list is plenty but it also had few cons too.

CONS : 

# Slow startup, you'll have to wait while installing this awesome browser as the initial starting time is more than 15 seconds.

# Compatability issues : Some websites do not show properly in firefox, this includes pages with Active X and VB script.

# It takes a consumable amount of memory, although in new versions its reducing.

Download Links :

Click here to download (Mozilla Firefox 3.0.5) or

Click here to download -external source (Mozilla Firefox 3.1 beta2-- Softpedia.com link)

Click here to go to the Mozilla Firefox's home page.

Something we should proud on.......!!!

A fourth standard girl from rural Tamil Nadu has become the youngest to pass the Microsoft certified professional examination.

The Microsoft exam, usually taken by techies for better job prospects, measures problem-solving skills and Lavinashree (9) passed it with flying colours.

By achieving this feat, she broke the record held by Arfa Karim, a ten-year-old Pakistani girl.

And what's more, the Madurai-based fourth-standard student has already planned her future.

"Dr Kalam is a very big scientist and I want to become like him," Lavinashree said.

Lavinashree is used to creating records. When she was just three, she was listed in the Limca Book of Records for reciting all 1330 couplets of Thirukural, one of the Tamil classics.

The child prodigy's admirers include many national leaders -- from former president APJ Abdul Kalam to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi.

In fact, according to Lavinashree's father, the Tamil Nadu government is likely to announce that they will take care of the child's education . Who knows she might well turn out to be India's Bill Gates one day.

This is what one can achieve with self-confidence. How many of us can do this in near future , that she did at the age of 9 years when we were more concerned with toys n plays.

Source: www.ndtv.com

Undersea Cable Cut Again.......!!

The undersea cables linking Asia and Europe, have reportedly been cut again. The same cables were repaired early this year, damaged by some ships. This disrupts the internet access and phone service between the Middle East, Europe, and parts of Asia. An additional third cable is down in the same region.

The cables Sea Me We 4(SMW4), SMW 3 and FLAG EA - run under the sea between Egypt and Italy and carry 90% of all data between Europe and Middle East.

According to Reports, India seems to have been hit with around 82% of traffic getting affected. I have also getting slow speed, and found difficulty while posting this article. As, there is congestion in the network due to the routed traffic.

As this happens twice in a year, some agencies felt of some kind of conspiracy. But the good news is that the cables would be repaired by this week or at most by 31st dec.

Although the  shut down will take several days to fix, and could have a major impact on the region and across the world. It is likely to hit businesses who will struggle to communicate in the affected countries. Call-centres who work for British companies are likely to be offline or hard to contact in the coming days. Others warned that bank and stock market trading could be affected.

The digital blackout highlighted the vulnerability of global communications. Hundreds of millions of people access the web, but the vast majority of international traffic runs through a a small amount of cables submerged below the sea.

How Undersea Cables are repaired : 

Below is an animation showing how the damaged undersea cables are repaired by ships :

Submit your comments, how much you got affected by this breakdown..!!

Source:TimesOnline, http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/the_web/article5372294.ece

Digital Inspiration, www.labnol.org .