Microsoft unveiled their new Internet Explorer today, in beta form and it’s a definite leap above their prior 3 iterations of their browser easily. With HTML5 support, built-in integration with Windows 7 and 32-bit and 64-bit versions for Microsoft Vista and Windows 7 as well as support for hardware acceleration and a real clean interface, Internet Explorer 9 is nothing like the versions before it – it actually works well and lacks that sluggishness in the UI.

The improvements to Internet Explorer are as much about what you don’t see as what you do see. Internet Explorer 9 has a streamlined design, fewer dialog boxes to click through, more intuitive navigation, and many new features that speed up your web browsing experience. Features like Pinned Sites let you pin your favorite website directly to the taskbar for one-click access. Other features, like hardware acceleration, deliver an all-around faster browsing experience. With Internet Explorer 9, websites perform and feel more like the programs you use every day on your PC.

The bad part? If you’re still running Microsoft Windows XP, don’t even attempt it. And to be honest, the integration in Windows 7 is a tad bit more in-depth and seamless than with Windows Vista – but the experience is close enough between the two operating systems that I think it’s merely reflective on my like of Windows 7 and my intense dislike for Vista.

Seriously though? I’m impressed. It’s fast – I mean like Opera 10.6 fast – and the UI is not in the way at all. Combined with Adobe’s release today of their 64-bit Native Flash 10.1 Player nicknamed “Square” (download here), it seems like Internet Explorer might become an option once again for developers and people who have long abandoned Internet Explorer since the very early Mozilla/Opera days… like me.

Bravo Microsoft. You’ve all but shut up my typical hatred for all things Internet Explorer. Besides speed and support for new technologies though, let’s hope you’ve worked on the security of this browser just as well. That’s the other reason I disliked Internet Explorer.

[ Links: Beauty of the Web, Download IE9 Beta ]

The origins of hacking grow from healthy enthusiasm to add functionality to hardware by tweaking program code. So this is not the case. However, getting Windows drivers for Apple Magic Mouse in a way that turns out pretty easy makes us thing you’ll find it interesting and striking a bit.

The big news here is only that Windows 7 and XP machines have had their drivers extracted from regular software update for Macs with MS operating system running on Boot Camp to take its cover in hostile environment. As for Vista drivers, they should probably be backwards compatible from Win7.

Link to the original article…

Multiple touch has finally made its way to the desktop in a way that I’ve been waiting for. Imagine using Corel Painter 11 [ Product Here ] and really doing some serious finger painting without the mess. Or just going through multiple touch enabled operating systems – Mac OS X and Windows Vista and Windows 7 quickly come to mind – using gestures that make using a computer as simple as flicking a wrist to pan around, pinching to shrink or zoom or dragging a finger to scroll a webpage.

Enter the Wacom Bamboo Touch for $69 [ Product Here ] or Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch at $99 [ Product Here ]

Add this to my list of things I want. Can’t wait to test these out compared to my Wacom Intuos3 that’s in serious need of replacement.

[ Wacom ]