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Computer Support For Individuals And Small Business |
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3/25/11 |
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Firefox 4 Released |
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Following on the heels of the release of Internet Explorer 9 Mozilla released Firefox 4 on March 21. It’s faster, sleeker and includes some new functionality.
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One of the most noticeable changes is the expansion of the content viewing area. As with Internet Explorer the title bar at the top has been eliminated. Web page titles are included in each tab. The tabs have been moved nearer the top of the main window.
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The main menu has been moved to a pull-down menu in the upper left corner. All settings and options can be accessed through this menu. The Menu Bar (as per version 3.6) is not visible. Pressing the “Alt” key activates it above the tabs.
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If you prefer the Menu Bar it can be made available in place of the pull-down menu by activating the menu from the pull-down arrow, placing the mouse pointer over “Options,” and clicking on “Menu Bar.” If this option is selected the Firefox pull-down menu disappears and the current website title is displayed instead.
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Application tabs are now available as part of the native functionality. By simply right clicking a tab and selecting “pin as app tab” only the icon shows in the tab – useful for frequently used websites. They are automatically opened when the browser is opened.
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The ability to show tab previews when placing the mouse pointer over the Firefox icon in the Windows taskbar is now available. Open the “Options” window through the main menu, click on the “Tabs” tab, and click the check box next to “Show tab preview in the Windows taskbar.”
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The Add-on Manager has been re-designed making it easier to disable, remove, or set options. It also can be accessed easily through the main menu.
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This is just a quick overview of the changes to the Firefox 4 interface. There are other capabilities that have been added or enhanced such as Tab Groups and Private Browsing. In addition, there are under-the-hood enhancements, such as support for HTML5 and hardware acceleration (generally a more effective use of the graphics card), which provide better performance.
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So if you are using a previous version of Firefox should you upgrade to Firefox 4? Yes, but not right away. With its technical improvements and added functionality it is clearly a step up over 3.6.
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However, there are issues with some websites when using Firefox 4 as well as problems with some add-ons. Both of these issues will be resolved in time as the website owners and add-on vendors upgrade their products (it’s in their own self-interest to do so as soon as possible).
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If you are considering a switch from another browser, Firefox 4 is an excellent choice. However, the same suggestion applies. Wait a couple of months before installing it.
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Read more and find a direct link to download Firefox.
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