I’m usually loath to install really early versions of our dogfood software. As a manager, I need to make sure that all of my line of business tools are available in case I need to do some team admin, planning or validating Expenses claims – things like that.
But I installed the Beta version of IE8 and so far, I’m impressed. it’s actually the developer preview too. It makes the web page much more interactive somehow. The activities are particularly cool.
Activities are contextual services that provide quick access to external services from any webpage. Activities typically involve one of two types of actions:
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"Look up" information related to data in the current webpage
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"Send" content from the current webpage to another application
So here’s an example of an activity tag that appeared on a blog page I was looking at. I clicked on the green arrow that appeared and got the following drop down
These are my Activities and they also appear if I right click anywhere on a web page too
So straight away I have a more responsive and interactive web site. I can add more Activities using the web page.
The media seem to like IE8 too. Here are some of the stories I’ve read so far…
Web browser to get ‘privacy mode’
Microsoft plans Internet Explorer privacy mode
Microsoft to protect furtive web searches
Microsoft’s IE 8 puts giant web hole on notice
Microsoft planning IE privacy mode
IE 8 looking like a November release
IE 8 Beta 2: Privacy is about more than cookies
So when Beta 2 arrives – perhaps you’d like to take a closer look? So far I’m impressed with what I’ve seen and for me to be this impressed by a Beta 1 product, then the final result is going to be amazing…
