Internet Explorer 7

Internet Explorer 7, otherwise known as IE7, is Microsoft’s newest version of their Web browser, and it is supposed to be released sometime during the summer of 2005, at least in a Beta version. Microsoft has said that it intends to make IE7 available for Windows XP Service Pack 2, Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 and Windows XP Professional x64 users. A first beta version of IE 7.0 is due out this summer. Though Microsoft is not saying anything official about the new version of its browser yet, rumor has it that IE7 will involve at least some of the following components:

IE7 - Tabs

Perhaps taking the lead from its competitor, Mozilla Firefox, IE7 is rumored to include tabs in the browser. The tabs will allow users to view multiple Web pages in a single browser window.

IE7 - Increased Security

The only thing that Microsoft has shared publicly about IE7 is that it will be focused on improving security. How the browser will do this, is still not entirely known. Among many possible security enhancements, this version of the browser could feature:

• reduced privilege mode becomes the default
• no cross-domain scripting and/or scripting access
• possible integration between IE 7.0 and Microsoft's Windows anti-spyware service, which currently is in beta

IE7 - Other Features

Also, IE 7.0 will apparently feature international domain name (IDN) support, transparent Portable Network Graphics (PNG) support, which will allow for the display of overlayed images in the browser and new functionality that will simplify printing from inside IE 7.0. Sources also say that the new browser is likely to include a built-in news aggregator, which will compile all the latest news updates into one window. 

In a blog, Bill Gates writes that all of these improvements and developments have come after actively listening to customers, analysts and business partners.

Need More Info about IE7?

The best place to find updated information about IE7 is the Internet – and blogs, especially. Blogs are forums where people ask and answer questions about a wide variety of topics, and IE7 happens to be a topic that is being heavily discussed at the moment. Simply type in “IE7” into any search engine and you’ll likely come across quite a few blogs discussing the topic. To fully appreciate all the new features that IE7 will have to offer, you’ll want to get a broadband Internet connection like cable or DSL.