Get ready for IE8. Ain't It Great?

: Image via Wikipedia

Microsoft has unleashed its Release Candidate for Internet Explorer 8, the latest upgrade to the widely popular web browser. You can download it here.

Unfortunately, this version is only for Windows Vista, XP, and Server. If you happen to be testing out Windows 7, you’ll have to keep your shirt on until the next OS update.

This new version, which comes after two public beta releases, is now considered “platform complete”. The browser is “effectively complete and done” writes IE General Manager Dean Hachamovitch.

Unless there are happen to be some major issues that arise, this version should be exactly the same as the finished product. Other changes between Beta 2 and the Release Candidate include improved reliability, performance, and compatibility, as well as ‘clickjacking‘ protection.

The new features of IE8 seem to focus on usability. One nice little feature is the ability to see a list of your recently closed tabs whenever you open a browser window, which makes it easy to reopen pages that you may have accidentally closed without having to resort to your web history. We also now get Accelerators – which basically allow you to act on snippits of text using shortcuts found under the right-click menu.

Let’s not forget about “porn mode”, otherwise known as InPrivate. This feature lets you browse the web without leaving any bread crumbs behind. Safari has something similar, though InPrivate has strong visual indicators to let you know when you’re in the private mode, while Safari just has a check mark under a menu.