IE9 is Here, Except for XP Users

The new Internet Explorer 9 arrives today and it may be there fastest browser ever. Much of its speed is derived from the creative use of your hardware, something that the other browsers have yet to do (but will). I have used it and like it, but probably won’t make me change over from Chrome and Firefox, which I still dearly love.

But the most interesting part of this new browser is that it is not made to run on XP…in fact there are some parts of it that don’t work well for Vista. The clear message is from Microsoft…update to Windows 7, or be left in the dust. This is not the first application that is not made to run on XP. The latest versions Windows Live programs will also not run on XP. And quite frankly, it is worth getting Windows 7…it is so superior.

And here is another little tidbit for you based on test results I have seen.  If you are running 64 bit Windows 7 or Vista, you want to get the 32 bit version of IE9. Surprisingly, the 64 bit IE9 does not run as fast as the 32 bit.  It’s a little tricky to do, but this article will tell you how. - JRC

Internet Explorer 9 arrives, but not for XP

The training wheels have come off of the latest version of Internet Explorer, as Microsoft unleashes version 9 of the world's most heavily used browser this evening at an event at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. Internet Explorer 9 (download after 9 p.m. PT) debuts to the public not only as the fastest, most standards-compliant version of IE yet, but also as one that can stand up and compete on features and looks with Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and the Opera browser.

Gmail tries again with smart labels

In Gmail, I love labels. I set up filters to apply labels to incoming e-mail so it's automatically deleted, archived, sorted as travel-related, flagged as important in various ways, or organized by senders I care about.

Google wakes up to new photo reality

Now, photos are becoming an in-the-moment part of people's online social lives, notably with Net-connected smartphones and Facebook sharing with friends. Picasa Web Albums--never a product that advanced at blazing speed--is beginning to adapt to this era. Perhaps Google's success with its Android operating system has made the company more aware of just how far the world has moved from the shoebox-of-prints-in-the-closet days.

The best social networking add-ons for all your browsers

Wouldn't it be great if there were some add-ons and extensions that could make light work of your surprisingly busy social networking lifestyle? Even if you only use Facebook or Twitter, there are still plenty of annoyances that could be offloaded to add-ons. Guess what...there are!

Fresh Diagnose 8.51 (Windows)

Fresh Diagnose analyzes and benchmarks your computer system. It can handle many types of hardware, including CPUs, hard disks, video systems, and mainboards. Use this free software to learn more about your computer and its components. Free, of course.