Now Firefox 3 beta 5 has been made available, we can take the opportunity to encourage you to use the superb official synchronisation add-on, Mozilla Weave, which will enable you to synchronise your bookmarks, passwords and browsing history across your installed editions of Firefox 3, wherever they are located and whatever the operating system. If you like to bookmark at work, then your bookmarks will be available on your laptop.

Mozilla Weave is an official free add-on that's still in development. In the future it will enable you to share bookmarks with other users, including your friends. At the moment, it's useful for sharing bookmark information across your various Firefox 3 browsers. However, note that it only works with Firefox 3. If you want to synchronise your Firefox 3 bookmarks, you'll need to consider Google Browser Sync or Foxmarks (who have a beta preview available for Firefox 3).

It's nearly half a year late, but the final beta of Firefox 3 is now available. This is classed as code complete, apart from minor fixes and the removal of debug code, before the final release. We'll see more than one release candidate made available before the final release, which is now scheduled for June.

Firefox 3 beta 5 isn't massively different from the previous beta. There are a few new visual tweaks and improved security. For instance, the new version of Firefox will integrate with your anti-virus software so it will automatically check through the download to make sure that it is safe to install. There is built-in web forgery page checking, so the browser will attempt to detect if the website you're visiting is legitmate, rather than a fake version.

Firefox 3 beta 5 download.

Answers on a postcard why Apple decided to release a web browser for the Windows platform. Applications such as QuickTime and iTunes we can understand. QuickTime drives iTunes and enables playback of certain encoded video on your PC. However, there was no reason behind Safari. The Internet Explorer webcore is builtin to Windows and that's what drives the HTML components of the Windows version of iTunes, whereas the Mac version uses the Safari core, built in to Mac OS X.

Safari for Windows 3.1 is now available and, to be fair to Apple, it's a usable browser. It's fast, too. Indeed, probably the fastest web browser for your PC. It also supports the up-and-coming HTML 5 standard, amongst other new features. However, the downside is that it uses elements from OS X, including the Aqua blue scrollbars.

Download Safari for Windows.

Trying to find a free domain is almost impossible these days. Who on earth decided to offer .com and similar domains, without restrictions, made a serious error of judgement. It's resulted in holding companies and individuals registering domains and then parking them to be sold on at a later today. The problem is, instead of paying $10 for a domain, you could quite easily end up paying $10,000. However, there is still the chance you can think of a memorable domain based on a combination of words.

Domain Lookup for Firefox 1.01 is an add-on for Firefox that enables you to search for a domain based on key words within a web page. Simply highlight the words and then select domain lookup from the right mouse button within the browser. You can search for international domains as well as the regular .com and similar.

Domain Lookup for Firefox link.

If someone had said that you could safely ditch your laptop, grab your iPod and then take your applications on the road, along with your work documents and other important files, I don't think I'd have taken them seriously. However, with the rise in portable applications, you really can take some of your favourite applications on the road and then safely connect your external drive to any host computer, then work without leaving a trace of the files on the host machine.

Mozilla Firefox 3 beta 4 Portable Edition is the version of the browser that you can use to store on a portable USB stick, your iPod or other portable device. With the Weave add-on installed, you could then sync your bookmarks with the portable browser without them appearing on the host computer.

Firefox 3 beta 4 portable link.

Originally Firefox 3 was due to be made available by November 2007. Although we're still only in beta, the browser shows a lot of promise and is expected to be feature-complete by beta 5, due at the end of March. At the moment you'll have to make do with beta 4, which was made available this week and contains a few new enhancements, including an improved download manager.

Firefox 3 beta 4 Mac users may find that the user interface has been updated again, more in line with the Windows version. We've tested both the Windows and Mac versions of Firefox 3 beta 4 and, although the Windows version seems stable, the Mac edition had a few issues and caused a few instant crashes.

Firefox 3 beta 4 (Windows at least) is possibly usable for your day-to-day web browser, but remember that many of your existing addons, extensions and themes will not be usable with the new release.

There are some websites that simply require Internet Explorer, only display correctly using Explorer or, if you're a web developer, you may wish to view your pages using Explorer. However, if you're a Firefox user and have spent time configuring the browser and sorting out your bookmarks, you won't like to move away to use Internet Explorer just to browse a particular site. Most people do not realise that the Internet Explorer web core is built in to Windows and any developed application can access this engine.

IE Tab 1.5 is a free Firefox add-on that enables you to open a tab and then use this as if you're browsing through Internet Explorer. It simply uses the web core engine in Windows to render the page content as it would appear in Internet Explorer. The latest version of this add-on supports Firefox 3.

IE Tab link.

I'm not sure what's going on. Microsoft have surpassed our expectations. Only a couple of weeks ago we were blogging that Microsoft have announced the first details of Internet Explorer 8 and a public preview was expected before Summer 2008, but expected late Q2. Yesterday Microsoft launched the first public preview of Internet Explorer 8, along with details of new features.

The updated web browser supports 'Activities' that enable you to do things based on information on a web page. For instance, if there's an address, right-click the address and then look up the location using Microsoft Live Maps. The favourites bar has been updated, new security and anti-phishing tools included and a few interface improvements. If you're a web developer, you can also use Internet Explorer 8 in IE7 mode, for compatibility testing.

Internet Explorer for Vista download.

Although we're not quite at the public beta stage, it's been noted that Microsoft have contacted a few members of the public to ask if they want to sign up for beta-testing the first beta of Internet Explorer 8. This does mean we're going to get Internet Explorer 8 some time during 2008, possibly close to the release of Firefox 3, which is probably due this side of summer.

There are few details of the forthcoming Internet Explorer 8, apart from details about the browser being more standards compliant. What we do know is that we'll find out more information at the MIX08 conference, on March the 5th. Microsoft will give the first presentation of the new browser.

If you want to keep abreast of the possible first public beta, and other details of Internet Explorer 8, follow the Internet Explorer blog.

Back in 1998 it wasn't Microsoft Internet Explorer that was the leading web browser, it was Netscape Navigator, which was the Mozilla Firefox of the day. Indeed, Mozilla Firefox has some history in the old Netscape, as it was born out of the original death of the Navigator browser. However, Microsoft decided to integrate the browser in to the operating system and the rest is history.

AOL bought Netscape many moons ago and recently revived the web browser. The latest version (9) is based around the Firefox engine and that's always a good start. The problem is that it doesn't differentiate itself enough from Firefox, so AOL have decided to completely erase Netscape Navigator, so the latest version - merely a security fix - could be the last. From 1st of March, AOL will no longer support nor produce new revisions.

Netscape 9.0.0.6 download link.

If you're a Mozilla Firefox 2 user, waiting for the major new revision to be launched, you may want to consider giving the new Firefox 3 beta 3 a spin. This new version is far more stable than previous versions and visually far improved over subsequent betas. The interface differs between operating system. The Vista version is way different from the OS X version, for example. Not sure if this is a 'good thing' if, like me, you tend to work across different operating systems.

There are loads of other improvements, such as the updated download manager, home button and a description of the current site status. If you want an in-depth review of the new improvements and features, take a look at the Mozilla preview online.

Download Mozilla Firefox 3 beta 3.

With Firefox 3 closer to primetime, some of us will have already moved across to the new web browser. The major update ships with a brand new bookmarks manager, called Places, so many of your existing bookmark management and backup tools will cease to work. That's a shame as, if you're anything like me, you'll want the same bookmarks synchronised across all your computers. I want to access the same bookmarks whether I'm at work, home or on the road, with the laptop.

Mozilla Weave 0.1.15 is an official add-on for Firefox 3 (and only Firefox 3) that will both backup and synchronise your bookmarks, securely, with a Mozilla server. If you lose your bookmarks in the future, you can restore them at any time. If you want the same bookmarks across every computer, you can make sure they are synchronised. Features in future will include the facility to share your bookmarks, or some of your bookmarks, with other authorised web users.

Mozilla Weave link.

How often do you find an address or postcode when browsing the Internet, then need to copy and paste this information in to another window, or tab, so you can find the location? Wouldn't it be far easier if you could turn the address information in to a searchable option, so you could run the location from within your browser?

Mini Map Sidebar 0.1.4.12 is a free add-on for Firefox that will enable you to run an address or location search from within your browser, using your right mouse button. Better still, a sidebar will appear with the mapping location, based on Google Maps. You can quickly refer to the information and then find other details, such as a local cafe, close to the location. You're not just restricted to Google Maps either, so you can search an alternative if required.

Mini Map Sidebar 0.1.4.12 link.

Like many people, you'll choose your favourite browser, at home and at work, then spend time seeking and storing your favourite bookmarks. The snag is, if you need to take a laptop on the road, you'll install Firefox but not have access to your bookmarks. You can get around this by installing the fantastic Google Browser Sync that will synchronise your bookmarks across your Firefox-based web browser. However, there isn't a version available for Firefox 3.

Mozilla Weave is an add-on that will enable you to sync your bookmarks across your Firefox 3-based web browser. It will support any Firefox browser, irrespective of the platform or location. You simply create an online account, login and then it will synchronise. Well, that's if you can get it to work. We simply didn't receive our login details, so we couldn't set up our account.

Mozilla Weave link.

As both as a Mac and Windows user, I've experienced both Firefox 2 and the latest beta preview of Firefox 3, across both operating systems. Before you ask, why not Safari? The problem we have is that our internal CMS works with IE or Firefox. Forget Opera, Safari or anything else. This means that - despite wanting to use Opera and store my bookmarks on the browser - it's rather pointless if the majority of your work can not be achieved using the browser. As Firefox 2 can become rather unstable on a Mac, I've moved across to the latest Firefox 3, despite the beta status.

Mozilla Firefox 3 beta 2 was released shortly before Christmas and, as you can imagine, ships with a host of improvements and fixes as a result of the beta 1 public testing. In addition, there are some new features. For instance, start typing a URL you might want to visit and Firefox 3 will offer you a list of URL options, saving you from having to type the remaining part of the URL. Very Opera-esque, I might add.

If you're a Mozilla Firefox fan, we hope that you've downloaded the first preview of Firefox 3? No? Well, you're not missing too much at this stage. Visually it's very similar, a little faster in certain areas, but most of your favourite themes, add-ons and extensions will not be compatible with this early release of Firefox 3. You can't even install additional dictionaries and it crashes for us, on a small number of sites which we know work well with Firefox 2. Whilst we all wait for the final release, another update of Firefox 2 has been made available.

Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.10 is now available for download and contains a number of small security fixes and, well, that's about it. Of course, if you use Firefox 2, it should auto-update. If you're yet to move across or do not want to auto-update, you can download manually.

Unless you use Internet Explorer for everything, just which web browser do you set and use as your favourite? It's frustrating. You might prefer to use Opera at home, but then your work-based laptop will stop you from installing third-party software, so you're stuck with Internet Explorer. On your workstation, you might be able to install any browser, but only Firefox or IE will access and work with your internal CMS (we can't use Opera to edit vnunet.com content). Worse, you want to use Mozilla Firefox 3, but the majority of your favourite add-ons aren't yet compatible.

StorURL 2.5 is a bookmark manager that will enable you to store all your bookmarks within one separate interface, rather than within the browser. You can then open your bookmarks within the browser of your choice. StorURL will also import your existing bookmarks, from multiple browsers, to get you started.

It was originally meant to have been released in November 2007, so it's a long way behind schedule. Let's be positive, the first beta public preview of Mozilla Firefox 3 has been made available. Yes, you can now start on the Firefox 3 path and leave Firefox 2 behind. However, it's not all good news - most, if not all, your add-ons will not work with the new browser. For instance, our British dictionary didn't work, which means that some of the spell-checking facilities were US-based only.

Start Firefox 3 and it appears that you've accidentally launched Firefox 2. There was talk of a new interface, although that may appear in the final release of the browser. However, there are lots of new improvements. It seems quicker, the rendering engine has been updated and there is a number of small visual improvements to the interface. There is a brand new bookmarks manager, Places,  and it seems fairly stable.

Check out Mozilla Firefox 3 for yourself.

Like many Internet users, you're probably keen to see more about the forthcoming Firefox 3, which is due for a beta preview release any time soon. This will be the first release that is made available for general public testing. Our friends at LifeHacker have put up a preview of the forthcoming features, along with various screengrabs.

Mozilla Firefox 3 beta 1 contains a brand new bookmarks manager, called Places. You can zoom in to your web pages, there's a much-improved and advanced plugins manager and many other minor features, such as the facility to see if a web page is located in your bookmarks, when you search and much more.

Check out the preview at LifeHacker and keep an eye out vnunet.com/downloads for the forthcoming beta 1 preview.

Confusing as it seems, Apple really do believe that there's room in the market for another Windows-based web browser, along with the popular Mozilla Firefox and Opera. For this reason, they are still pressing ahead with updates to their Safari web browser and the latest version sees a host of new updates, features and bug fixes.

Safari for Windows 3.04 is the latest release and includes font smoothing, so your text looks rounded and easier-to-read, on screen. Other improvements include support for cookie management, inline spell checking, essential for writing your online blogs, keyboard shortcuts and a number of security and bug fixes. One reason we can think that you'd consider Safari for Windows, is purely if you're used to Safari on the Mac.

There's nothing worse than having to use another person's computer, when you're on the road. Accessing your email isn't easy, you can't remember your passwords, you might not have access to your bookmarks and you'll leave behind your personal information whilst you use their system. The best option would be to take your own software, on the road, on a USB stick. Simply connect this stick to their machine and use your software, self-contained, without leaving personal information behind.

Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.8 Portable edition is the version you can install on a USB stick, external hard drive or even your iPod, then use from this external device. If you install add-ons such as the Google Browser Sync and GMail Manager, you'll be able to access your bookmarks, email and more.

It's the news that most web users have been waiting for, that Mozilla Firefox 3 is close to a public beta release. A few betas later and we'll find that we're close to the final release that was planned for late 2007. Along with many improvements to the image rendering engine and new features such as the Places bookmarks tool, the first beta is going to the first version where you'll see an user-interface refresh.

This user-interface is going to be improved across the board, particular for Vista and OS X users. Indeed, if you look at the OS X version, you may feel that you've accidentally launched Safari. Look at the image, it's very close. The OS X version will receive a few Leopard-like improvements though, including a cover-flow style add-ons browser and more. For now, check out Mozilla Firefox 3 preview 8 (alpha 8).

Don't get too excited, there's a new version of the popular web browser, Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.8 available. However, we ask you not to get too excited as you can't expect this updated browser to be packed full of new features. In fact, there aren't any new features. Much like the current situation with Opera 9.24 and the previews of the forthcoming Opera 9.5 release, Firefox 2.0.0.8 is merely a new release with a few new bug and security fixes.

What we're all waiting for is the first beta release of Firefox 3, which was originally planned as an official release in October or November 2007. That's clearly delayed as the first beta isn't even available. We estimate the beta should be available during November as there have already been around eight alpha previews.

Only recently we had two mainstream web browsers to choose from. Internet Explorer 7 which is still a popular browser, despite only receiving minor security fixes. I guess people just trust the browser that ships with their computer. The other is or was Mozilla Firefox 2, with the beta of Firefox 3 available soon. Since the release of Opera 9, that's now a serious competitor to the browser crown and the forthcoming Opera 9.5 looks fantastic. It's updated on a weekly basis and the first beta is out soon. Opera 9.24 has also been released which ships with a number of minor fixes and security updates.

Netscape Navigator 9 has had an official launch and, although this is simply based around the existing Mozilla Firefox 2, with its own customised user-interface, it is said to be rather swift and not quite as bloated as Firefox. So, with this in mind, it might be worth investigating if you like Firefox, but think it's become a little bloated and slow (and crashes frequently under Vista).

The all-new Firefox 3 was promised for late 2007, but we're now able to download to the latest preview version of the browser, preview 8. Yes, preview 8. Firefox 3 is still in alpha and not even reached beta stage, never mind a 'release candidate'.

The latest preview 8 ships with a host of new features. For instance, the browser now contains malware protection, so you can more assured that the files you're downloading from the web are legitimate and will not infiltrate your system. The new Places idea has had a basic implementation, although the user-interface isn't the final design you'll see in the release of Firefox 3. On top of the new features, there are a host of fixes and bugs squashed since the previous preview.

With the recent release of Opera 9.5 Preview 2, you'd have thought that Mozilla would be hot on their heals with an update to Firefox. That's usually the norm. We do have a new release and Firefox 2.0.0.7 has been made available to download. Before you get too excited, there is barely a new feature or improvement in the latest release, with the changes made up of bug fixes and security fixes.

Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.7 will automatically download and install if you have Firefox running on your system. Whilst we wait for the forthcoming Firefox 3 (there should be a new alpha or even the beta due soon, surely?), make sure you keep your system safe by downloading the latest release.

Switching to an alternative web browser makes sense for a number of people. Firefox and Opera are developed rapidly, with new features, security fixes and other enhancements released on a monthly basis. These are fast browsers, supporting the latest web standards, and ship with a range of extensions and gadgets that expand the core functionality. Firefox has a number of backup and synchronisation extensions, which enable you to sync your data between your Firefox browsers, irrespective of the operating system or location of the browser.

Opera 9.5 Preview 2 has just been released and one of the many new features is the function to synchronise personal data with other installations of Opera, though my.opera.com. You'll need an online account with my.opera, but this will enable you to safely backup your bookmarks and then synchronise them with another computer. Idea if you want to keep your Opera-based bookmarks synchronised at home and work.

Apart from email, web browsing is probably the primary activity for most computer users. We use our web browser to surf the web, read blog posts, check the latest news and download files. Therefore we're quite particular about the speed of our browser, usability, how we can configure the user-interface and more. This is why modern and regularly updated web browsers such as Firefox and Opera have become really popular.

Opera 9.5 Preview 1 is the first release of the forthcoming major update to the web browser. We tested this early preview and it's already looking superb. The performance is the best of any browser we've used, it was very stable and the Mac OS X version ships with a much-improved user interface that looks like a proper OS X interface.

The key web browser developers are competing against each other with innovative new features that improve our browsing experience. Some of these new features aren't exactly compelling, but Opera using a system of previewing open tabs by showing a visual preview of the tab contents, when you hold your mouse over each tab. If you have a few tabs open from the same website, this makes differentiating the tab contents far easier. With Firefox, you only get a text description of each open tab.

Tab Scope 0.1.7 is a Firefox extension that will enable you to visualise a tab when you hold your mouse over each open tab. However, this only works with the Windows version of Firefox. Once installed, you'll wonder why this function isn't included in Firefox as standard.

The most frustrating part of surfing the Internet is that there are website that still insist on using Internet Explorer, particular financial institutions and sites that require Active X. You've probably tried using Opera and Firefox, but ended up back with Internet Explorer, missing some of the enhanced features you experienced with the alternative browsers.

Get hold of the IE-based Maxthon 2.0.3.3958 and you'll have the chance to enjoy not only a enhanced multi-window interface but also a more extensive list of extras that can make your browsing experience more productive and enjoyable.

Maxthon 2.0.3.3958 is a free web browser that requires few resources and even fewer addons.

You open a tab and then another, and your open tabs all look the same. It's easy to get confused and you spend your time browsing between open tabs to find the site you previously visited. There surely must be an easier way to preview open tabs. On the Mac, there's a browser called Omniweb that enables you to open new tabs as previews located down the left hand side of your browser window. You can see a visual preview of each open tab and to view the website, simply click on the visual preview.

Firefox Showcase 0.9.3 enables you to do something very similar with Firefox. You can quickly see a visual preview of your open tabs - mini versions of each website, represented by an image. However, that's not all, you can also show each open web page as a thumbnail (to the size you require), a little like the Speed Dial feature in Opera.

It's all too easy to open new browser windows, particularly if we want to keep a website open for reference purposes. If you're using a laptop, you only need eight tabs to be open on screen and you'll soon find that you're scrolling across your tabs to find the tab relevant to your chosen website. Wouldn't it be so much easier if you could simply reduce the size of the tabs, perhaps down to the website icon, so you can quickly refer to each open tab by icon-only.

FaviconizeTab 0.9.7.4 is a Firefox extension that will enable you to reduce the size of your tabs to just the icon that represents each web page. This will allow Firefox to show more than a small number of tabs across the top of the screen.

It is so refreshing to find developers who pro-actively improve their web browser, almost on a daily basis, keeping us informed of development through their blog. Whilst we wait for the next major release, Opera 9.5 (which is due for a beta release soon), the development team have been making minor changes to the current release.

Opera 9.23 is now available and contains a number of minor fixes, including stability issues around the Speed Dial function, issues with the scrolling wheel through Vista and more. If you're a current user of Opera, it will be worth upgrading to the latest release.

There have been multiple private and public previews, but the final version of Maxthon 2 has been released. Maxthon 2 is an Internet Explorer based web browser that uses the core web engine that drives Explorer, with a number of feature enhancements that improve the browser (in many people's opinions). The latest version ships with an improved interface and additional security features. As it uses the IE engine, which is built in to Windows, you can also use many of the features of IE, such a Active X and more.

Of course, there are alternatives. For instance, Avant 11.5 was recently released and is another alternative IE-based web browser. Firefox 2 and Opera 9.22 are also recommended. If you're a fan of Internet Explorer, but feel it lacks innovation, try Maxthon 2.

Only a few years ago Netscape was the web browser of choice. As soon as Microsoft bundled Internet Explorer with their operating system, naturally more and more people chose to use Internet Explorer. Those were the days where there were no pop-up advertisements, few worries about malicious software and tabbed browsing was yet to be invented. Thus most people were fairly happy with the basic Internet Explorer and didn't really worry about innovation. Netscape quickly disappeared from the mainstream.

Netscape Navigator 9 beta 2 is the second public preview of the forthcoming major release. There is little information about the second beta release, so probably no additional features over the first release. This contained a few innovations such as the facility to guess the URL you insert in to your URL bar at the top of the screen, if you insert the wrong URL.

The latest version of Internet Explorer 7 offers far more functionality than previous editions. This might be enough for most people, but if you want even more than IE can offer, but do not want to lose the engine and other components that make up Internet Explorer, you might be best looking at a replacement browser that uses the Internet Explorer engine.

Maxthon 2.0.2 RC4 is the fourth preview of the forthcoming Internet Explorer-based web browser. It ships with an updated interface, multi-user support within the browser and beefed up security. Of course, it uses Internet Explorer, so you get the benefits of still being able to use ActiveX and other IE-only plugins.

Many of us use multiple computers to access our work, email and other data. We can have a work PC, our home PC, laptop and other machines. We like to run the same web browser across multiple computers, whether we choose Internet Explorer, Firefox or Opera. Either way, we like to make sure we have instant access to important web pages - such as a server login page, access to our blog and more. Making sure that your bookmarks are accessible across these computers isn't always easy. It's not a task that can be done manually.

oSync 1.0b1 is a tool that you can use to synchronise your Opera bookmarks across multiple computers (that have Opera installed). Note that it only works with Opera, however. If you want to synchronise your bookmarks between different web browsers, you'll probably have to do this manually or by using an external bookmark manager to handle your bookmarks, independently.

Product development perplexes me these days. Alphas used to be internal-only builds that were made available to developers, employees and generally within a company. The next stage would be an early beta that would go out to a limited number of people who were aware that it was still and early build and shouldn't used on a production machine. These days, we're seeing alphas released to the public for 'internal testing' and, slightly more bizarre, multiple alphas before we even reach first beta.

Mozilla Firefox 3.0 alpha 6 is the sixth very early preview of the forthcoming major browser from Mozilla. This release contains a major re-write of the text rendering code and various other fixes and minor changes. Bear in mind that this still isn't designed for production use and should be used as preview technology only.

It was only last Monday when Apple announced Safari for Windows 3 (and there's a Mac OS X version, too). In the last week or so, two updates have been made available, fixing various bugs and issues involving Windows compatibility.

Safari for Windows 3.02 beta is now available and this fixes even more bugs and enhances text support for non-English systems. There's a Mac OS X 3.02 update available, too. Note that this comes with an updated version of the WebKit technology which also drives and powers other Mac OS X products, such as Dashboard, iTunes and more. Some users have reported problems with the installation of the new WebKit (that ships with the Mac OS X version of Safari 3 beta) with third-party software that uses this WebKit.

You may or may not be a fan of Internet Explorer 7, but one thing is for sure, it's not as pro-actively developed as Firefox or Opera. These two browsers are often being updated and the preview of Firefox 3 is already available in early alpha form. It won't be long before the first stable beta is available for testing. Internet Explorer 8 is way off on the horizon at the moment, although Microsoft are welcoming ideas and input from web users.

Avant Browser 11.5 is an Internet Explorer-based web browser that uses the IE engine within a different user interface. You get all the benefits of Internet Exporer, along with support for ActiveX, but with a host of additional features. For instance, you can backup your profile online, then import this back in to another version of Avant, so you can take your bookmarks and other information on the road.

If, for whatever reason, you're not happy with Firefox or Opera, there's now another alternative web browser for you to try on your PC. Apple recently released Safari for Windows 3.0, which was quickly updated to 3.01 within 48 hours. We've not discussed this browser before, for a very good reason: I can't get it to work under Windows Vista. The browser starts, but the menus and other components are missing. This applies to the latest Safari for Windows 3.01 and under the latest version of QuickTime. Makes no sense.

Other people have got the browser to work successfully, so it's still worth a look. Visually it looks like it's a Mac web browser on your PC, as the user interface is taken from Mac OS X - the scrollbars are aqua in design, for example. It's a fast browser and contains a number of interesting features. If you're a Safari user on the Mac, you might be so used to this browser, you might find that Safari for Windows 3.01 is the ideal browser of choice, as you already understand the custom key shortcuts.

Who understands the thoughts behind web browser development? There are three key web browsers and all compete to make their browser the best on the market, providing it free of charge to any user, irrespective of home or commercial use. So, how do they justify the development, resources and costs involved? Either way, the latest web browsers are certainly improving. More secure, quicker downloading of web pages and new technologies.

Mozilla Firefox 3 is the forthcoming major release and this is the fifth preview. It's still an early alpha, so shouldn't be used instead of your current browser. New features include a central password manager, an early version of the 'Places' bookmarks and an updated version of the Gecko rendering engine.

Getting your favourite files and digital photos to your friends and family isn't too easy. You could place them on your homepage, enabling other users to download from the server or through a page on the site. Another option is to archive and email them as an attachment, but you'll struggle with outgoing email filesize limitations. You could use Messenger or a chat client, but they'll have to be online to accept the transfer.

AllPeers 0.6 is an extension for Firefox that has received a varied reception, so far. It uses the peer-to-peer network to enable you to share your files between users you add to AllPeers. You can invite friends and family and then provide them with the files or family photos. If you add a few people to your closed network, there's nearly always someone online, so there's a strong chance you'll be able to download the files from another location.

Does anyone remember the big browser battle between Microsoft and Netscape in the late 90s through in to 2000? Seems like a long time ago now and most people won't even realise that Netscape were the biggest web browser developer only a few years ago. They lost their way somewhat (in the browser market) and asked a third-party developer team to work on Netscape 8. It was ok, but was never going to rival Firefox, Opera or Internet Explorer 7.

Netscape Navigator 9 is the first public preview of the forthcoming web browser, based around Mozilla Firefox. It does have a few features of it's own, such as URL correction, so it's worth checking out. As it's based on Firefox, it will enable you to use your favourite extensions, add-ons and more.

There are a few programs that you use on a daily basis. These apps you spend time with, customise, set the preferences to your requirements and you feel lost when you use a vanilla version of this application on another computer. Your web browser is one of these apps and you'll have your bookmarks, preferences, browsing history and more. If you spend time on the road, you'll want to take these elements with you. It's possible as you can now share your bookmarks between editions of Firefox using the Google Browser Sync for Firefox.

Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.4 Portable Edition is the free portable version of the web browser. Install this on your USB key and then use the Google Browser Sync for Firefox extension to sync your bookmarks, preferences and history. When you take your USB key with you, you'll be able to access you edition of Firefox without leaving behind a trail of personal history.

Why are so many people still using Internet Explorer? That confuses a lot of people. I guess it's a combination of familiarity and the fact that people trust brands (ie Microsoft) rather than open-source or individual developers. The thing is, gone is the day when websites still require Internet Explorer to enable complete access. There's the occasional banking website that will require Internet Explorer, but that's becoming a rarity.

Mozilla Firefox 2.0.04 is the latest version of the popular web browser. The latest version isn't a major upgrade. It simply contains a few bug fixes and minor security enhancements. However, if you're already a Firefox user, it should update automatically. If not, why not consider making Mozilla Firefox 2.0.0.4 your new default web browser and grab some of the fantastic add-ons and extensions.

There are times when you need to download large files and you'll leave them running either overnight or whilst you have dinner. You get back to your browser and find the download has either finished (early) or has stopped downloading. The only way around this is to start the download again. What you need is a download manager which will enable you to manage multiple downloads, resume downloads that have stopped downloading and speed up downloads by sourcing them from multiple locations.

ReGet Deluxe 5.0 is a standalone download manager that will also work in conjunction with your web browser (with Firefox, you'll also need FlashGot). It will speed up your downloads as it will attempt to source the data from multiple locations. Your downloads can be paused and halted, as well as resumed.

Who said that you need to use Internet Explorer to browse the web? Still, over 80% of people still use the browser as their primary choice for web browsing, even though Firefox and Opera are more regularly updated, contain more modern features and a wide number of extensions. It would be superb if there was a way of browsing Internet Explorer only content (such as your bank's website) through a browser such as Mozilla Firefox.

IE Tab 1.3.3 is an add-on for Mozilla Firefox that enables you to do just this - view Internet Explorer content within the browser. As IE is integrated in to Windows, any Windows application can use this webcore as a platform for browsing the web. Therefore IE Tab is simply a tool for Firefox that enables you to use Internet Explorer within a tab in Firefox. You can browse the same (or different) page within Firefox and IE at the same time, within the same browser.

Even with the fastest broadband connection, how many times have you started downloading a large file, for it to stop at 75%. With a standard download, you will have to restart the download, from scratch. However, there are alternative options. A download manager will enable you to maximise your bandwidth, download from more than one source and resume downloads that you've either stopped or have stopped themselves, whilst you've left your computer download overnight.

FlashGet 1.84 is a download manager that integrates in to your web browser. You can download in multiple packets from multiple locations, which means that, one way or another, your download should continue as it isn't being sourced from one location. You can also batch download, managing multiple files.

Have you ever tried working on someone else's computer? They have their own way of working, configured their computer completely differently from yours and, of course, when you come to use their web browser, none of your bookmarks are available. If you move from computer to computer or are planning a trip abroad, ideally you'll access to your favourite web browser, bookmarks, personal information and more.

Mozilla Firefox Portable Edition 2.0.0.3 is a version of Firefox that you can install to a USB stick and then take that USB stick with you. When you need to to use another computer, don't worry about having to set up another user-account, simply grab your USB stick, start Firefox and all your bookmarks will be available and your browsing history will be stored on your stick, rather than their computer.

With the news that Google has been investing in the IE-based Maxthon web browser (once recommended by Microsoft, before they went on to release IE 7), it seems that the 'browser wars' may resurface in the near future. We know Firefox 3 is due during 2007, that Microsoft are planning IE 8 and there will be constant updates to Opera. Indeed, Opera 9.2 was officially launched this week.

Netscape 8.1.3 is the latest web browser from the Netscape Corporation and is now produced internally, so updates are more frequent. There was a time when Netscape was the primary web browser of choice, before Internet Explorer started dominating the market. Either way, it results in a number of browser options, especially if you factor in the IE-based browsers from Maxthon and others.

It must be difficult trying to think up new features for the next version of a web browser. With Firefox 3 planned for late 2007 and Microsoft evaluating ideas for the next version of Internet Explorer, Opera are busy working on new features for their fantastic web browser.

Opera 9.2 is the latest release of the fast, powerful and often updated web browser. SpeedDial is a new innovative feature that enables you to open a new tab and see nine of your favourite websites on show, as previews, so you can quickly click an image preview to go to that site. Well, it's better than opening a blank tab and seeing nothing at all. The latest Opera 9.2 contains additional anti-fraud online protection, so it's one of the safest browsers to use for the web.

Whether we travel on business or for pleasure, most of us can't leave behind our gadgets. Some of us take our laptop, others take our Blackberry or other mobile device. Either way, these tools can become invaluable when you land in a major city such as New York and want to make your way around the city. If you get lost, what's the quickest way of finding your current location? You could ask someone or grab your laptop and use a tool that pinpoints your exact location via WPS (wireless positioning service).

Loki for Firefox 2.0 is an updated version of the extension that enables you to locate your current position within a city and then find places of interest nearest to your location. For instance, if you're seeking your hotel, on foot, you can quickly map out a route between where you're located and the hotel. Note that Loki currently works within the US and European support is due soon.

Sharing a hobby or an interest is a great way of making use of the Internet. You can find web pages dedicated to your interest, blogs, the latest news and, of course, talk to other net users and share your thoughts and plans. However hard your tried, you'll only ever touch upon the the edges of the Internet and probably never find some of the more obscure blogs or web pages based around your interests. The easiest way to find them, is to ask another web user.

Yoono 3.1.1 is an extension for Firefox that enables web users to recommend sites, blogs and other pages based around your interests. You only need to visit a website to see recommendations. For instance, visit a website about mountain biking in Britain and you'll see all sorts of similar websites based around this subject area. Of course, you can add your favourite web pages too, for others to find.

There are times when your favourite website has been updated, but you simply don't have the time to read the info and you want to get out of the office and back home with your laptop, where you don't have Internet access. One option would be to download the website to your computer, so you can read it offline, later. If you're a web developer, you might want to evaluate how a particular website has been developed and put together. Either way, you'll want to do this in your own time, offline.

BackStreet Browser 3.1 is a tool that enables you to download and browse one or more websites, offline. You can download just the front-end or the entire site, include downloads, archives and much more. You can store all the information on your computer and refer to it at a later date. If you come across a website that inspires you, take it offline and store it as inspiration for your own work, at a later date.

You'd be surprised how long it takes to configure your web browser around your requirements. This has to be a key reason why people don't move to another browser, although there are plenty of tools that enable you to migrate your bookmarks and even your entire profile. If you're often on the road or need to access other computers, you'll have to put up with a generic web browser. Another alternative is to install your favourite web browser to a USB stick and then take this stick on the road with you.

Opera 9.1 USB Edition is a portable version of the popular Opera web browser. Simply extract the files to your USB stick and you can configure your browser and then use on any other computer, safe in the knowledge that your history, preferences and web browsing traits aren't being stored on the host computer. Download Opera 9.1 USB Edition and also take a look at PortableApps 1.0, which contains portable Firefox, Thunderbird and many other apps.

Sharing your files between other Internet users isn't always easy. You could use your free homepage to provide files to friends and family, but making this secure and a closed network is beyond the knowledge of most end-users. Another option is to manually transfer files through a chat program, such as Messenger.

AllPeers 0.55.1 is an extension for Firefox that has received a varied reception, so far. It uses the peer-to-peer network to enable you to share your files between users you add to AllPeers. You can invite friends and family and then provide them with the files or family photos. If you add a few people to your closed network, there's nearly always someone online, so there's a strong chance you'll be able to download the files from another location.

Productivity is the key to work-success. If we can do a job, quickly, professionally and beyond our usual remit, we'll be noticed. If you have to work with Adobe Photoshop everyday, you get used to the shortcuts, you set up various actions to make your work more productive. If your work requires you to use your web browser extensively, perhaps to find information, you'll want to get around pages quickly.

Mouse Gestures 1.5.2 is a tool that enables you to control and manage Firefox from your mouse. Instead of using mouse buttons, keyboard or the Firefox interface to move backwards between web pages, simply setup a gesture that you can draw with your mouse. Draw this gesture and the action will be performed.

The advantage of the Mozilla applications (Firefox, Thunderbird, SeaMonkey) is that they are updated frequently. New features are added, bugs are eliminated quicker than many other applications. However, the downside is that you have to keep updating your browser or, with a major release, re-installing a new version. Each time you do this, there's a chance your bookmarks might become corrupt, your personal information might be lost and so on.

MozBackup 1.4.6 is a tool that will enable you to backup (and restore) your Mozilla-based personal information. If you use Firefox, Thunderbird or SeaMonkey, you can keep your contacts, bookmarks, history and even your cache backed up. If there is ever a problem with your data, you can always use MozBackup to restore your info.