Windows 7 users now have a good reason to celebrate because they no longer have to put up with the poor functionalities of Internet Explorer 9. Windows 8 users have for a long time been the most privileged as it was possible for them to use Internet Explorer 10 by default. Well its time for Windows 7 users to now eat a piece of the ‘cake’ too as Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) if finally available for Windows 7.

 

Considering the comparably low browsing speed that is evident when using IE9; it is important for Windows 7 users to now upgrade to the latest version of the browser, Internet Explorer 10. Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 also has incredible features that users can enjoy when using granting a better experience than previous versions.

 

What to Expect

The first thing to expect with the Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 is improved security for the browser. This IE version has the ‘enhanced protected mode’ which prevents the browser from having an easy access to the Windows Operating System by locking some parts of the OS. The browser also updates automatically improving its security features with each update.

 

IE10 comes with a default ‘Do-not-track’ feature which keeps users out of targeted advertising. This feature Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 is enalbed by default.

 

Although this upgrade is yet to be effected, the Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 will have a built-in flash for specific sites. Microsoft has expressed its intentions of making this a reality in the near future.

 

Lastly you can expect to find a virtually new interface with this latest version of Internet Explorer. For instance, the tabs and the address bar in IE10 use the same space. However the forward and backward buttons are still intact so not much has changed as far as its interface is concerned.

 

Features, Support and Standards

Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 supports the following:

1. WebSlices

2. SmartScreen phishing filter

3. Privacy Features (InPrivate)

4. Accelerators

 

This new version has shown increased support for current web standards over previous versions such as:

 

1. Advanced Security for Web Applications: HTML5 Sandbox Support

2. Rich Visual Effects: CSS3 Gradient, CSS3 Transitions, SVG Filter Effects, CSS Text Shadow

3. Advanced Web Programming Design: enables better offline applications

4. Interactive Web Applications Supporting Technologies Such as: HTML5 Forms, File Reader API, Pointer Events

5. Responsive Web Page Layouts.

 

Pros

Your browsing will be a lot different from previous experiences you have had with any other Internet Explorer version. This is because the performance of Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 is faster, fluid and more reliable; getting things done faster.

 

For users who would often prefer to opt out of targeted advertising, this IE version will also prove ideal as its ‘Do not track’ feature has been enabled by default. The browser also makes it difficult for the OS of the user to be hacked or infected by viruses through its advanced security and privacy features. What's more,Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 provides suppor for add-ons.

 

Cons

There are a couple of outdated interface features that are still present in the IE10 for Windows 7. Secondly, albeit there are plans to upgrade the version by adding a built-in flash, keep in mind that it has no built-in flash at the moment.

Finally, Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 is only a desktop browser unlike IE10 for Windows 8 which is both a desktop and a touch-enabled browser.

 

Conclusion

IE10 for Windows 7 can be considered as a standards-compliant browser, which offers great performance for Windows 7 users. However there are still a number of upgrades that are necessary for it to compete at the same level as the Microsoft Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 8.