Internet Explorer 9 is now in final version and can be downloaded immediately to be installed on Windows 7 and Vista computers . Internet Explorer 9 will be available for 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 and for Windows Server 2008 SP2 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
The minimum system requirements are 512 Megabytes of RAM, a computer with a 1 Gigahertz processor and 70 to 200 MB of hard disk space depending on the version used.
Internet Explorer 9 works best on faster systems with more CPU cores and computer memory.
Who has Windows XP is excluded from this update because Microsoft has decided to abandon support for Windows XP even if this operating system is installed on at least 50% of computers around the world.
UPDATE: While Internet Explorer 9 no longer exists, the latest version for Windows 7 is Internet Explorer 11 .
Important: even if you do not use Internet Explorer as your default browser, you need to update because, being such a program integrated in Windows, you must have the safest and most protected version, that is, the latest.
Microsoft explains that Internet Explorer 9 does not support Windows XP, because the hardware acceleration that allows faster loading of web pages using the graphics card, does not work correctly with the Windows XP drivers.
However, as seen, both Firefox 4 RC and Google Chrome 10 support hardware acceleration even on Windows XP therefore, the excuse does not hold.
Obviously Microsoft is pushing everyone who has XP to update by buying Windows 7.
Although those who use other browsers such as Google Chrome and Firefox will not be particularly impressed by the new Internet Explorer, this version 9 certainly represents a significant improvement, both in terms of functionality and speed, compared to previous versions.
Immediately after installation, whoever wants, can read the guide and the summary of the features of the new browser from the presentation page in Italian .
The change that is immediately noticed in IE 9 is the elegant interface, without toolbars and with the search box integrated in the address bar as Google Chrome did first.
What I like about IE is that, looking for something from the address bar, you can quickly choose which search engine to use and immediately display the suggestions given by one or the other while with the other browsers you have to go to the options or install some external extension.
The menu interface can be customized by pressing the right mouse button on the upper bar which also gives the possibility to move the tabs below the address bar, to display the classic management menu and to show the favorites bar.
Extensions is and still remains the main problem of Internet Explorer 9 which discourages its use and does not give users the possibility to customize the browser and add functions as it does in Firefox, Opera and Chrome.
The Internet Explorer add-on gallery, accessible from the menu at the top right (the wheel), in the management of add-ons, is very sparse and with few possibilities.
A good thing is that if you install an add-on that slows down your browser speed, you will receive a warning.
The best way to expand Internet Explorer functions is by installing the excellent Bing Bar with Email, Facebook, Weather and maps notifications, which integrates seamlessly into the Microsoft browser as if it were part of it naturally.
Anyone who wants can download the version of Internet Explorer 9 for Bing and MSN much more interactive but, for now, only in English.
All warnings are displayed at the bottom and not at the top as was the case before.
When you create a new tab within IE 9, you start to see a visual list of the most visited sites with a colored bar indicating their attendance.
The IE 9 Download Manager warns the user of the danger of downloading unknown or suspicious files from the Internet.
An innovative feature is the integration between IE9 and the Windows 7 desktop where you can drag your favorite websites onto the taskbar and, depending on how the site is developed, obtain lists to navigate on that site with fast desktop shortcuts.
The function of the Web Apps is particularly evident with sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Ebay.
Internet Explorer 9 is faster, more beautiful and more secure than previous versions.
If the installation proves to be a problem, start it by running the downloaded installation file with administrator rights.
