Google Announces Launch of Google Toolbar 5
Today google announced the latest version of Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer. The beta version is now available in US-English at http://toolbar.google.com/T5. Google Toolbar makes browsing the Internet simpler and more efficient with integrated Google search and other web tools. This release is about improving the way the millions of Toolbar users can engage with content on the web and personalize the browser experience.
Google Toolbar now lets you:
- Add Google Gadgets
- Fill in forms with a single click
- Access your Toolbar from any computer
- Clip and collect content as you browse
- Get suggestions for broken links
More info can be found here
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Firefox passes 400 million downloads
Firefox just passed the 400 million download mark, according to the Spread Firefox site for promoting the open-source, extendable Web browser.
That number shouldn’t be confused with actual installations, Mozilla’s public relations folks rightly caution. (I’m sure I’ve downloaded it at least a dozen times this year, and I’m only using copies on three computers at present. On the flip side, there are any number of other ways to get Firefox, including Linux installations.) Nevertheless, 400 million is an achievement worth noting, given that just a few years ago it looked like Microsoft had the market locked up with Internet Explorer.
However, not everything is going swimmingly in Firefox land. Mozilla had hoped to release a Firefox 3 "Gran Paradiso" beta in July. Instead, Mike Schroepfer, Mozilla’s vice president of engineering, now says it’s due "this fall."
News Source: CNET News
New and modified categories for the Windows Live product family
In early September 2007, you will see eight new / modified product categories in the Windows Live family of products.
Following are the categories -
1. Windows Live contains updates/upgrades for all Windows Live programs. All Windows Live programs are compatible with both Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems.
2. Messenger Installation and Upgrades contains installation and upgrade files for Windows Live Messenger, an instant messaging, file sharing, and PC to PC free calling program.
3. Photo Gallery Installation and Upgrades contains installation and upgrade files for Windows Live Photo Gallery, a tool for editing photos and organizing and sharing photos and videos. This program expands and improves on features available in Windows Photo Gallery (part of Windows Vista), and works on either Windows XP or Windows Vista.
4. Mail Installation and Upgrades contains installation and upgrade files for an e-mail program that allows users to manage multiple e-mail accounts, newsgroups, and RSS feeds in one place. This program combines elements of Outlook Express and Windows Mail with new features and improvements that are unique to new Windows Live Mail.
5. Writer Installation and Upgrades contains installation and upgrade files for a program that makes it easier to edit and publish rich content to your blog. Writer is compatible with multiple blog services, including Windows Live Spaces.
6. OneCare Family Safety Installation contains installation files for a program that helps parents protect their children from access to inappropriate website content and contacts.
7. Sign-in Assistant Installation and Upgrades contains installation and upgrade files for a tool that simplifies switching between multiple Windows Live IDs. This program is used in conjunction with all Windows Live online services, and is therefore recommended.
8. Toolbar Installation and Upgrades contains installation and upgrade files for Windows Live Toolbar, an Internet Explorer extension that provides search, customizable buttons, and quick access to maps and other information.
In September, we will be submitting Beta releases for the above mentioned applications through these categories. The apps will be marked as Optional and Feature Packs. We will let you know when we ship the final release (RTM) version of the Windows Live software.
Source- Technet Blogs
Firefox 3 has improved Password Saving
Opera 9.5 has got a new feature that it does not holds back the website from loading when prompted for “Save Password”.This gives the site oppurunity to continue log in and give the user the power to change the login credentials if unfortunately posted wrong.A simillar feature can be seen in the latest version of Firefox 3 - Nightlies ,but it is implented a bit better than that of Opera in the sense that Opera 9.5 uses a pop up dialog box to prompt for password saving whereas Firefox 3 uses a slim bar along the top of the site just like the Internet Explorer as shown in the image above it is small ,user friendly but cant be said pretty.
This feature is a good alternative to not still found feature of determining whether the login was successful, and if the login wasn’t correct prevent the password-saving option from even appearing.
Another Update that firefox has got is that now a bar appears asking for permission if the site asks you to install an extension whereas earlier one had to save the site in whitelist.But now one can temproraily allow it just like IE.
Source Technoworld
Microsoft to release the two most important updates for Windows Vista next week
These updates should go official on the next patch Tuesday (in one weeks 
time). So all have to wait for a week to download these updates or these updates are also available on some of the torrent sites of on file hosting sites.If anyone is so eager to download then he may do a little search and would easily find it!! .
Some information about the updates-
938979 Vista Performance and Reliability Pack
This update resolves a number of individual issues which may be affecting some computers running Windows Vista. These issues have been reported by customers using the Error Reporting service, product support, or other means. Installing this update will improve the performance and responsiveness for some scenarios and improves reliability of Windows Vista in a variety of scenarios. Some examples of the improvements contained in this update are:
- Improves performance in resuming back to the desktop from the Photo and Windows Energy screensaver.
- Resolves an issue where some secured web pages using advanced security technologies may not get displayed in Internet Explorer on Windows Vista.
- Resolves an issue where a shared printer may not get installed if the printer is connected to a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 system and User Access Control is disabled on the Vista client.
- Resolves an issue where creating AVI files on Vista may get corrupted.
- Improves the performance in calculating the ‘estimated time remaining’ when copying/moving large files.
- Improves performance in bringing up Login Screen after resuming from Hibernate.
- Resolves an issue where synchronization of offline files to a server can get corrupted.
- Resolves a compatibility issue with RAW images created by Canon EOS 1D/1DS Digital SLR Camera which can lead to data loss. This only affects RAW images created by these two specific camera models.
- Resolves an issue where a computer can lose its default Gateway address when resuming from sleep mode.
- Improves the performance when copying or moving entire directories containing large amounts of data or files.
- Improves the performance of Vista’s Memory Manager in specific customer scenarios and prevents some issues which may lead to memory corruption.
938194 Vista Compatibility and Reliability Pack
This update resolves a number of individual issues which may be affecting some computers running Windows Vista. These issues have been reported by customers using the Error Reporting service, product support, or other means. Installing this update will improve the reliability and hardware compatibility of Windows Vista in a variety of scenarios. Some examples of the improvements contained in this update are:
- Improved reliability and compatibility of Vista when used with newer graphics cards in several specific scenarios and configurations.
- Improved reliability when working with external displays on a laptop.
- Increased compatibility with many video drivers.
- Improved visual appearance of games with high intensity graphics.
- Improved quality of playback for HD-DVD and Blue-Ray disks on large monitors.
- Improved reliability for Internet Explorer when some third party toolbars are installed on Vista.
- Improved Vista reliability in networking configuration scenarios.
- Improved the reliability of Windows Calendar in Vista.
- Improved reliability of systems that were upgraded from XP to Vista.
- Increased compatibility with many printer drivers.
- Increased reliability and performance of Vista when entering sleep and resuming from sleep.
Fake Internet Explorer 8 Alpha screenshots!!!
A person at leneros.com has posted some of the images saying that the images actually are that of Internet Explorer 8 Alpha.The forum is in Spanish language so it may be difficult for some to understand.Here is the translated version of what he writes-
Internet Explorer 8 goes the development of the new explorer of Microsoft. At the moment, one knows that the greater priority of the company is to implement all the supports of RSS, CSS and AJAX within this new project.
In addition, also they have commented which this navigator will include support for the microformats, small labels written in code HTML that can be interpreted of different form, or like dates of a calendar or information of contact. The support for these microformats already was announced for the new version of Firefox, reason why Microsoft also will include it not to be behind its main competitor.
In fact, this new version of Internet Explorer is an answer towards Firefox 3, since Microsoft does not want that the navigator of Mozilla to them continues taking terrain. At the moment, the date of launching is not known, but Chris Wilson has announced that, at least, needs a year more development or even something more, reason why surely will be necessary to wait for near a year and means to be able to enjoy this new IE.
Here are some of the fake images of Internet Explorer 8 Alpha
Here is the link to full size images-
http://techtoday.110mb.com/wp-content/ieribbon1xv4.jpg
http://techtoday.110mb.com/wp-content/ieribbon3ph3.jpg
http://techtoday.110mb.com/wp-content/ieribbon4dk1.jpg
Source- Laneros.com
Update:As it looks it’s totally faked it has been photoshopped by someone who has simply combined Microsoft Office 2007 interface with that of Internet Explorer 7
Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2 has been released just take a look about it here
Safari 3.0.2 Beta
Safari has always been the fastest browser on the Mac and now it’s the fastest browser on Windows, loading and drawing web pages up to twice as fast as Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 and up to 1.6 times faster than Mozilla Firefox 2.
Why you’ll love Safari:
* Blazing Performance2x Faster - Safari is the fastest web browser on any platform.
* Elegant User Interface - Safari’s clean look lets you focus on the web — not your browser.
* Easy Bookmarks - Organize your bookmarks just like you organize music in iTunes.
* Pop-up Blocking - Say goodbye to annoying pop-up ads and pop-under windows.
* Inline Find - Search any text on any website with the integrated Find banner.
* Tabbed Browsing - Open and switch between multiple web pages in a single window.
* SnapBackSnapback - Instantly snap back to search results or the top level of a website.
* Forms AutoFill - Let Safari complete online forms for you, automatically and securely.
* RSSBuilt-in RSS - RSS tells you when new content is added to your favorite sites.
* Resizable Text Fields - Resize text fields on any website: Just grab the corner and drag.
* Private Browsing - Keep your online activities private with a single click.
* Security - Apple engineers designed Safari to be secure from day one.
Download: Safari 3.0.2 Beta
View: Change log
Link: Safari Home Page
Internet Explorer 8 Beta to begin later this year
One of the members of thehotfix.net forums confirmed that he received a mail from Microsoft saying that the Beta version Internet explorer 8 would be released later this year along with Windows Vista SP1.There is no information on when the exact date would be. However, since mainstream support for XP doesn’t end until April 2009 Microsoft will support IE 8 to Windows XP users.
But in the same way that IE 7 was released, there will be 2 versions: one that is built on the security settings of Vista, and the other one on the settings of XP SP2 or SP3.So it will be a good news for all the Windows XP users who can also use Internet Explorer 8.More information will be provided when available!!!
