Mozilla Firefox - faster, more secure, easier to use and sporting a new look, this latest Firefox release sets a new standard for web browser innovation. Three key goals for Firefox: Making the browser faster, building up support for more powerful web standards like HTML5, and giving users full control over their online identities on the social web. That last one in particular is good news to us, as we've often advocated that identity belongs in the browser. Mozilla has been experimenting with different identity management techniques for the past year or so, and it's good to see the company treating user identity as a primary top 3 feature. The whole web is social now, and it's time the user agent starts really acting as the user's agent.
Mozilla Firefox is focused on improved memory handling, performance, and stability, improved XUL, and new core components such as application data stored in SQLite. Mozilla Firefox could break a few existing extensions and applications built on top of Firefox, and it will definitely include new optimizations if you like to build on the popular browser. Mozilla Firefox should have additional javascript and SVG features if you're into that sort of thing.
Features in Firefox include: - Easy migration: Switching to Firefox has never been easier now that Firefox imports data like Favorites, history, settings, cookies and passwords from Internet Explorer. Firefox can also import settings from Mozilla 1.x, Netscape and Opera. - New Default Theme: A new default theme provides a bright new look for Windows and Linux users. - SmartUpdate: A new SmartUpdate feature notifies users of new versions of Firefox to ensure that the browser is always up to date. - Help: A new online help system makes this one powerful, friendly browser. - Extension/Theme Manager: New Extension and Theme Managers provide a convenient and secure way to manage and update the hundreds of add-ons that set Firefox apart from other browsers. Mozilla Firefox also includes numerous bug fixes and incremental improvements, including faster page load speed. - Popup Blocking: Stop annoying popup ads in their tracks with Firefox's built in popup blocker. - Tabbed Browsing: View more than one web page in a single window with this time saving feature. Open links in the background so that they're ready for viewing when you're ready to read them. - Smarter Search: Google Search is built right into the toolbar, and there are a plethora of other search tools including Keywords (type "dict " in the Location Bar), and FastFind (start typing the first few letters of some text in the page and Firefox takes you there). - Privacy and Security: Built with your Security in mind, Firefox keeps your computer safe from malicious spyware by not loading harmful ActiveX controls. A comprehensive set of privacy tools keep your online activity your business. - Hassle-Free Downloading: Files you download are automatically saved to your Desktop so they're easy to find. Fewer prompts mean files download quicker. - Fits Like a Glove: Simple and intuitive, yet fully featured, Firefox has all the functions you're used to - Bookmarks, History, Full Screen, Text Zooming to make pages with small text easier to read, etc. - Firefox is the most customizable browser on the planet. Customize your toolbars to add additional buttons, install new Extensions that add new features, add new Themes to browse with style, and use the adaptive search system to allow you to search an infinite number of engines. Firefox is as big or small as you want. - A Developer's Best Friend: Firefox comes with a standard set of developer tools including a powerful javascript and CSS error/warning console, and an optional Document Inspector that gives unheard of insight into how your pages work. - Read Mail - Not Spam
Addons: AdBlock Plus, NoScript, Video Download Helper, FlagFox, HTTPS Everywhere, Bulk Media Downloader.
HTTPS Everywhere. Encrypt the web! HTTPS Everywhere is a Firefox extension to protect your communications by enabling HTTPS encryption automatically on sites that are known to support it, even when you type URLs or follow links that omit the https: prefix. Many sites on the web offer some limited support for encryption over HTTPS, but make it difficult to use. For instance, they may default to unencrypted HTTP, or fill encrypted pages with links that go back to the unencrypted site. The HTTPS Everywhere extension fixes these problems by rewriting all requests to these sites to HTTPS.
Bulk Media Downloader. Grab and download media (image, audio, and video) resources by monitoring network (like FlashGot or Flash video downloader extensions). Bulk Media Downloader extension is a lightweight alternative to media grabbing extensions like FlashGot or Flash video Downloader extension. It grabs and downloads all sort of media resources in bulk. You can filter different types to prevent cluttering the grabber window. It also has a pause button to stop appending more resources. Note that network observer is only active when the grabber window is open, hence this extension has no effect on your browser performance when the grabber window is closed.
