Firefox 2.0 now available
Basil Hashem
a major update of the Firefox browser. The product is now available for
download from http://www.getfirefox.com for Windows, Mac or Linux
operating systems in 35+ languages. We strongly recommend that all users
upgrade to this latest release.
What’s New in Firefox 2
Visual Refresh: Firefox 2's theme and user interface have been updated
to improve usability without altering the familiarity of the browsing
experience.
Built-in phishing protection: Phishing Protection warns users when they
encounter suspected Web forgeries, and offers to return the user to
their home page. Phishing Protection is turned on by default, and works
by checking sites against either a local or online list of known
phishing sites. This list is automatically downloaded and regularly
updated when the Phishing Protection feature is enabled.
Enhanced search capabilities: Search term suggestions will now appear as
users type in the integrated search box when using the Google, Yahoo! or
Answers.com search engines. A new search engine manager makes it easier
to add, remove and re-order search engines, and users will be alerted
when Firefox encounters a website that offers new search engines that
the user may wish to install.
Improved tabbed browsing: By default, Firefox will open links in new
tabs instead of new windows, and each tab will now have a close tab
button. Power users who open more tabs than can fit in a single window
will see arrows on the left and right side of the tab strip that let
them scroll back and forth between their tabs. The History menu will
keep a list of recently closed tabs, and a shortcut lets users quickly
re-open an accidentally closed tab.
Resuming your browsing session: The Session Restore feature restores
windows, tabs, text typed in forms, and in-progress downloads from the
last user session. It will be activated automatically when installing an
application update or extension, and users will be asked if they want to
resume their previous session after a system crash.
Previewing and subscribing to Web feeds: Users can decide how to handle
Web feeds (like this one), either subscribing to them via a Web service
or in a standalone RSS reader, or adding them as Live Bookmarks. My
Yahoo!, Bloglines and Google Reader come pre-loaded as Web service
options, but users can add any Web service that handles RSS feeds.
Inline spell checking: A new built-in spell checker enables users to
quickly check the spelling of text entered into Web forms (like this
one) without having to use a separate application.
....and more.
For a complete overview of Mozilla Firefox 2, visit
http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/features.html and the release notes
available at http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/2.0/releasenotes/.
Upgrade Process
If you already have Firefox 1.5.x, you will receive an offer to upgrade
to Firefox 2.0 over the next several weeks or you can download Firefox
2.0 immediately from http://www.getfirefox.com.