CLIP Microsoft’s IE8 Release Candidate Is Live; Nearly Identical To Final Release

Microsoft has just pushed live its Release Candidate for Internet Explorer 8, the latest update to the world’s most widely used web browser. You can download it here. Unfortunately the release is only for Windows Vista, XP, and Server - if you’re trying out Windows 7 you’ll have to wait for the next OS update to try out the RC.

The new version, which comes after two public beta releases, is now considered “platform complete” - the product is “effectively complete and done” writes IE General Manager Dean Hachamovitch. Unless there are major critical issues that arise, the final version of the browser should be identical. Other changes between Beta 2 and the Release Candidate include improved reliability, performance, and compatibility, as well as ‘clickjacking‘ protection.

In his blog post detailing the release, Hachamovitch writes that IE8 is focused on “how people really use the web”, explaining that while many of the people who are interested in Release Candidates and technology blogs may be interested in details and performance issues, most people are concerned with usability and an intuitive experience.

We sat down with Hachamovitch earlier this month and he showed us a number of the new features that are being incorporated into IE8 to reflect this emphasis on usability (note that these have been known about for some time, but may not be common knowledge for those who don’t follow IE’s beta schedule). Among my favorite is the ability to see a list of your recently closed tabs whenever you open a browser window, which makes it easy to reopen pages that you may have accidentally closed without having to resort to your web history. Also new are Accelerators, which let you act on snippits of text using shortcuts found under the right-click menu (for example, you could right click on an address and look it up on Live Maps).

And of course, the browser’s new “porn mode” (dubbed InPrivate), which lets users browse the web without having to worry about leaving any history or cookies behind. Apple’s Safari offers a similar feature, though I like the execution of InPrivate better - it has strong visual indicators to let you know when you’re in the private mode, while Safari just has a check mark under a menu listing.

Trinity Mirror joins the social media revolution

Posted by Lauren Drablier on January 27, 2009 at 10:02 AM

Trinity Mirror has joined other media organizations and newspapers in the social media revolution by introducing new interactive tools to its websites in collaboration with social media firm Pluck.  The tools will be incorporated using APIs and widgets, Journalism.co.uk reports.

According to David Black, Trinity Mirror's group director of digital publishing, "Our strategy is all about building a really engaged online audience. We see interactivity as absolutely critical to improving the experience we offer to our users." 

Pluck's features will appear on Mirror.co.uk, Sunday Mail and Daily Record, Liverpool Echo, Coventry Telegraph and Gazette Live websites.  

More additions planned for later this year are individual profiles and the implementation of user comments.

---

About Pluck

A leader in social media software solutions, Pluck helps transform how publishers, retailers and major brands engage their audiences and customers to discover, create and distribute content online. Providing the technologies for content generation, syndication and social networking, Pluck helps its customers more easily consume and leverage the new open content model that has emerged as the cornerstone of interactivity online.

Press agencies refuse to distribute Obama photos

Posted by Bhamini .N on January 26, 2009 at 9:29 AM

One of the things that President Barack Obama promised during his campaign is change. And he seems to be keeping his promise. 

Breaking a long-standing tradition, the White House refused to allow photographers to take pictures of the new President in the Oval office, on his first day. A result of which, three press agencies, namely, The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse refused to distribute photographs that were provided by the White House. 

Michael Oreskes, managing editor for U.S news at AP, said that they hope to negotiate an amicable solution, after emails and phone messages were not replied to by Obama's representatives. 

Ed: End to agencies. Why are they needed?