Internet Explorer 8: An Introduction of Key Features

About Internet Explorer 8

About Internet Explorer 8

It didn’t seem like long ago since Internet Explorer (IE) 7 was released (19 Oct 2006) , and right behind it was the release of FireFox 2 (24 Oct 2006).  Then in March 2008 Microsoft released Internet Explorer (IE) 8,  which was followed by FireFox 3 on 17 Jun 2008; then Google followed suit with their own Google Chrome on 03 Sep 2008.

As you can see the battle for your Internet browsing interface is fierce, and even though Microsoft has the market dominance with respect to Internet browsers, its share is slowly being eaten away by FireFox and now Chrome.

The release of IE 8 was a major milestone in that it was apparent Microsoft was responding to user needs and competition pressure.  Microsoft claims that IE 8 is web compliant and allows you to view web sites with ease.  It is also supposed to be faster and more secure.

This article will not attempt to prove Microsoft’s claims, but will provide users with a good overview of the key features available in IE 8 that most people don’t realize exist or don’t bother to use to their advantage.

IE8 Command Bar

IE8 Command Bar

IE 8’s command bar pretty much summarizes all key features:

  • Home Page – manage home pages
  • RSS Feed – manage RSS feeds
  • Read mail – open email program
  • Print – print page
  • Page – take action on page (e.g. save, email, etc.)
  • Safety – protect your computer and identity
  • Tools – set options, control other features
  • Help – online help
  • Research – look up dictionary, encyclopedia, etc.

We will review each of these features in detail on my follow on articles on IE 8. 

In the mean time, here’s a quick tip on quick keys for IE:

If you want to toggle visibility of the menu press the “ALT” key.

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