*Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7* allows Windows 7 users to test out the
latest version of Microsoft's browser. Windows 8 launched with Internet
Explorer 10 installed by default but Windows 7 users were still stuck with IE
9. With Internet Explorer 10 Preview, Windows 7 users can now enjoy some of
the new features that Windows 8 already have. While Internet Explorer 10 for
Windows 8 lives a double life as a touch-based and desktop browser, Internet
Explorer 10 for Windows 7 only presents the desktop version of IE 10. Still,
there are plenty of interface and upgrades under the hood. *Interface* The
interface of Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 has changed only a little.
The forward and back buttons are integrated into the window, making the look
of Internet Explorer 10 Preview more seamless. Tabs and the address bar share
the same space. If you have a lot of tabs open, the interface can look a bit
cluttered. Menus have been simplified and the menu bar is still hidden by
default. Users can get to all of the options from the little gear icon on the
top right. The options menu is still there for the more technically inclined
but it hasn't received any update. *Performance* Internet Explorer 10 for
Windows 7 is the quickest version of the browser yet. Microsoft has included
support for web standards like CSS animations, HTML5 spell checking, and
improved JavaScript performance. The browser definitely feels a lot snappier
than previous versions and puts it on par with competitors like Firefox and
Chrome. Microsoft even partnered with Atari and Contre Jour to show off the
power of Internet Explorer 10. In our HTML5 benchmarks, Internet Explorer 10
for Windows 7 fell behind both Chrome and Opera but beat out Firefox. It is
slightly faster than IE 9 and much faster than IE 8. Microsoft has done a
great job of making Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 a speedy browser.
*Security* IE has been very weak in the security department and Microsoft
hopes to change this with Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7. The main
security addition to Internet Explorer 10 Preview is "Enhanced Protected
Mode," which will lock down parts of the Windows operating system, preventing
the browser from accessing the OS. There will be specific pop-ups that will
ask for permission to access part of the OS that a browser typically doesn't
require. This will help prevent viruses or hackers from gaining access to
your files, even if IE has been compromised. Internet Explorer 10 for Windows
7 takes a page out of Google's play book and adds automatic updating. This
way, users won't have to remember to update their browsers for the latest
security and performance upgrades. *Do Not Track* It seems that just about
every browser these days has a 'do not track' feature. This feature allows
users to opt out of targeted advertising. With Google Chrome, you'll have to
enable it yourself. Microsoft makes 'do not track' user friendly by having it
be opt-out instead. This move by Microsoft has upset some companies with its
do not track enabled by default. Some companies have announced that they will
be ignoring Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7's do not track settings.
*Integrated Flash* Like in Windows 8's version of Internet Explorer 10,
Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 will feature integrated Adobe Flash
support but only for selected sites. The Flash plugin isn't integrated into
Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 yet but will be added in a future update
for the browser. *Wrap-up* Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 offers a great
look at the future of IE 10 but lacks the complete touch-focused redesigned
of IE 10 for Windows 8. There are still interface elements in the Internet
Explorer 10 Preview that look and feel antiquated. *Unfortunately, its
improvements aren't enough to sway users away from competitors like Firefox
or Chrome.*Download *Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7 Release Preview
10.0.9200.16438 64 bit* in Softonic
