Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 27, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
However, it is undergoing one final extensive round of testing. Internet Explorer 8 RC1 can be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/ie8.
Release Candidate 1 includes a compatibility list for the first time. It covers well-known and frequently visited websites that still have compatibility problems with Internet Explorer 8. This is because the new version displays web pages according to existing web standards by default for the first time. Pages adapted to older versions are therefore not always displayed entirely correctly. If users visit a page on the compatibility list, it is automatically shown in Compatibility View, rendering correctly as it would in an older version of Internet Explorer.
Compared with the last beta version, Internet Explorer 8 RC1 includes further improvements. The smart address bar no longer shows duplicate entries when a potential page appears in both browsing history and favorites. Search now has a “Quick Pick” menu at the end of the results list, allowing users to switch among suggestions from different search providers with one click. InPrivate Browsing and InPrivate Filtering can be used independently. InPrivate Browsing now automatically disables toolbars and extensions and enables automatic deletion of browsing history upon closing. Standards support and various security, development and administration functions have also been optimized.
Internet Explorer 8 provides improved security and simpler use, easier navigation, new functions, and greater speed and efficiency. Related tabs, for example, are automatically grouped and color-coded so users can recognize similar tabs immediately. Developers can identify parts of websites as Web Slices, enabling users to keep important information in view while browsing the internet.
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For optimum privacy, InPrivate Browsing allows sessions in which no history, temporary internet files, form data, cookies, usernames or passwords are stored. The SmartScreen Filter provides improved security through new controls that also check downloaded files. The browser largely identifies dangerous websites automatically and warns users of malicious programs when they visit relevant providers. Domain highlighting also helps users determine more reliably and quickly whether the site they are visiting is the intended one or a fraudulent offering.
Partner Offers
Current partner offers are listed in the Internet Explorer Gallery at http://www.ieaddons.com/de. To provide a quick start to the internet, the new freenet-optimized version of Internet Explorer 8 RC1 includes the most popular freenet pages and RSS feeds in its favorites. It also includes the freenetMail WebSlice, which conveniently informs users of new email in their freenetMail inbox regardless of which web page they are viewing. This WebSlice, the “freenet News” accelerator and intuitive freenet Visual Search keep users informed. The freenet-optimized version of Internet Explorer 8 is available at http://software.freenet.de.
http://www.t-online.de integrated around 450,000 term suggestions into search for Internet Explorer 8 RC1. These include the 100,000 most frequently searched queries on T-Online Search and are continually updated. Suggestions appearing as users type into the search box make finding information substantially easier.
The sueddeutsche.de Quick Search for Internet Explorer 8 RC1 is divided into two sections. The upper section displays people, places, companies and topics matching the entered term. The result list changes live with every added letter, while showing how many results can be expected on sueddeutsche.de. The lower section directly displays the best matching articles, including images. This preview also changes in real time.
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