A pre-beta version of Firefox 4, an open-source Web browser, was released as a public beta two days ago. The Firefox 4 comes loaded with some visual changes, including Chrome-like tabs on top. It also has an Opera-like button to replace the menu bar.
The new improved browser will support Google’s WebM HTML5 video format. In order to maintain protection against crashes the new browser will regulate plug-ins such as Flash to a separate process. The FireFox 4 also offers faster JavaScript performance and it also has JetPack, which is a new Extension system. The JetPack will make coding Extensions easier to build and use.
Users can install the Firefox 4 beta 1 without uninstalling the existing Firefox 3. The sub-9MB installer will take half a minute on dual-core 3.16-GHz machine to get downloaded. Once you will download the beta and launch it, a dialog will open which will ask the user if he wants to make Mozilla’s browser as the default Web browser.
First time users will be given a link to the optional “New Test Pilot Survey” of browsing habits. The beta version also has a Feedback button that will allow the users to send their feedbacks to Microsoft. The new menu button of the Firefox 4 beta 1 may confuse some people, since its function is not clearly defined.
The new web browser comes loaded with a very good feature called Awesome Bar but the feature is not completely developed yet. If as user will type text in the Awesome Bar and it will search history, previous searches and sites that the user has bookmarked or tagged. It also tags the titles of all the open tabs.
The new web browser has an improved Add-Ons Manager. The previous version used to open in a small window and listed only the add-ons, with options to enable, disable, uninstall or customize them.
The first beta definitely shows a lot of the new look and capabilities of the browser and initial reports showed that Microsoft definitely has a winner at hand this time. The Mozilla has even more planned and it has been loaded with several new features.
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