OSRIN.net

No doubt you have been following the many discussions in the press recently about some of the new features coming in IE8, over the last two weeks much of that chatter has been about the InPrivate functionality that is being added in the upcoming release.

CNet News had the following to say;

Known as InPrivate, Microsoft is touting the feature as one of several security enhancements within its next major browser release. The scenarios for using InPrivate include when you’re using someone else’s computer, when you need to buy a gift for a loved one without ruining the surprise, or when you’re at an Internet kiosk and don’t want the next person to know which Web site you visited. While you can currently clear the browser cache with a mouse click, it’s an all-or-nothing action. InPrivate temporarily suspends the automatic caching functions, allowing you to keep the rest of your browsing history intact.

You can now take a look for yourself, IE8 Beta 2 was released to the web earlier today as a free download. Here are a few resources that you will find helpful.

You can download IE8 beta 2 from here.

You’ll find a gallery of add-ons here.

And a set of videos showing the new functionality here.

The main page contains a detailed overview of many of the new features. I’ve copied some of the highlights in to the post below, you can navigate to the full information here.

Accelerators

Accelerators let you efficiently complete your everyday browsing activities like mapping directions, translating words, emailing your friends, and more in just a few mouse clicks. Learn more.

Common accelerator showing driving directions

InPrivate Browsing

Browse the web without saving your history with Internet Explorer 8’s InPrivate Browsing. Now you can shop for that special gift with confidence knowing your family won’t accidentally find out or use a shared computer without leaving a trace. Learn More.

The InPrivate button on the Address Bar

Web Slices

Keep up with changes to the sites you care about most. Add a Web Slice and you won’t have to go back to the same website again and again for updates on news, stock quotes, online auctions, weather, or even sports scores. Learn more.

A common Web Slice

Search suggestions

Search smarter with detailed suggestions from your favorite search providers and browsing history. See visual previews and get suggested content topics while you type in the enhanced Instant Search Box. Learn more.

A search showing visual content

SmartScreen Filter

New security features help to protect you against deceptive and malicious websites which can compromise your data, privacy and identity. Learn more.

A blocked website because reported as unsafe