Manas T

Development is rapidly progressing on the Linux version of the Chrome browser from Google. The latest build (4.0.202.2) on Linux now has experimental Plugins Support (read Flash) and even inherits your GNOME theme and Icons.

You can easily install Google Chrome browser on your Ubuntu Linux. Follow the below steps to install Google Chrome browser on Ubuntu Linux.

1. Go to this page and download the 32 bit or 64 bit deb of Google Chrome for Linux. These are the Dev channel builds for Chrome, so you always get the latest updates.

2. Open Terminal and type the below command to install Google Chrome:

If you have downloaded the 32 bit version:

sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-unstable_current_i386.deb

If you have downloaded the 64 bit version:

sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-unstable_current_amd64.deb

This will automatically add Google’s repo to your Software Sources. So you receive all future updates from Google automatically.

If you are using Adobe Flash on your Ubuntu, here is how to enable Flash on Google Chrome. Type the below commands in Terminal:

sudo cd /opt/google/chrome/

sudo mkdir plugins
sudo cd plugins
sudo ln -s /usr/lib/flashplugin-installer/libflashplayer.so

/opt/google/chrome/google-chrome --enable-plugins %U

Now open Google Chrome. A faster internet browser with Flash.

Microsoft has released the Beta 1 of Internet Explorer 8 and put up a dedicated page for Internet Explorer 8 Beta.

The IE 8 Beta 1 page lists out the new features which will be available in Internet Explorer 8 along with download links to Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1.

The new features in Internet Explorer 8 are :

1. Activities
2. WebSlices
3. Favorites Bar
4. Automatic Crash Recovery
5. Improved Phishing Filter

That’s it. No more new features. Sadly, I don’t find any feature above exciting enough for me to be waiting for Internet Explorer 8. Neither do I find any new UI for Internet Explorer 8 from the screenhots on the page.

Hopefully MS will add more features on the way and also give a new UI to Internet Explorer 8. If not Mozilla Firefox 3 will be THE browser for me. Anywayz it is even now.

Internet Explorer 8 New Features

Download Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 

Download Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 for Window XP SP2

Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 Download Page

Update : Mozilla Links has put up a review of Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 and compared it to the Firefox 3 Beta which is under development now. A post worth reading….