Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Mozilla is growing, and it seems that in addition to the recent world record, which was set for the software downloads in a 24 hour time period, they have also risen to 19.03% of the market share. Mozilla saw an increase from 18.41% up to 19.03% from the end of May to the end of June.

Of course, Firefox may be seeing an increase, which is at least partially due to the recent release of Firefox 3, but Internet Explorer still remains on top with a whopping 73.01%.

On the other hand, some are saying that because of the auto-update features within Firefox, that those users are amongst the most users with up to date versions of their browser installed. Firefox was noted as having 83% of their users with an up to date software version, as compared to just 63.3% of Safari users, 56.1% of Opera users and IE having just 47.6% of users with the latest and most stable version.

Read [Yahoo! News]

Did you know Samsung makes refrigerators?  True, really tech-looking ones you can find in Lowes.  Another surprise for you, this Samsung has a Safari browser.  Yes, that Safari.

Samsung has been working with Apple to get the browser and it looks like this is going to happen.  While the basic S60 browser was pretty good, bringing Apple branded software is an interesting move I suspect we’ll see lots more of.  Way to go Samsung.

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It looks like we may have all misinterpreted PayPal’s announcement that it will block users who are using old browsers when doing online transactions at PayPal. Some reports have included Apple’s Safari browser as among those that will be blocked by PayPal.

PayPal has denied this report by saying that it has no intention of blocking current versions of any browsers that include the Safari browser from accessing it’s site. And to clarify, it will only block customers from logging into the PayPal when using obsolete browsers on outdated or unsupported operating systems, such as IE4 running on Windows 98.

Actually, the confusion may have started when reports cited that the Safari browser does not support Extended Validation SSL Certificates.

So there, the confusion is cleared and clarified. Safari users can still access PayPal’s site using their trusty browser. End of story.

Via [Mac Daily News]

After all the cries and complaints over Apple’s deceptive ploy to boost its web browser market share by installing its Safari browser on Windows PCs as part of an “update”, the company has now made a slight change to its latest Software Update. The new Software Update 2.1 now provides two categories: ‘Updates’ and ‘New Software’. So, instead of of deceiving Windows users by listing Safari as an “update” to existing software, the Software Update 2.1 now clearly marks Safari as brand new software. However, the install check box is still marked by default, but users can uncheck the box should they not want Apple’s web browser.

Mozilla’s CEO John Lilly, the most vocal critic of Apple’s sneaky Safari install, calls the new update “a good change” but he says he’d like to see Apple “do a bit more”, hinting that the company should unmark the install check box by default.

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Apple’s distribution tactic of its Safari web browser for Windows last Tuesday has created a raucous when CEO of rival Mozilla posted on his blog that what Apple did was wrong. Mozilla CEO John Lilly criticized Apple’s move to push the Safari 3.1 Windows browser through its software updater pop-up. The software updates gives users the option whether to install the Safari browser along with the iTunes software.

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As we get close to the final availability of Internet Explorer 7, Microsoft is scrounging for a way to regain market share in the browser war. Recent polls have shown Firefox, Safari, and Opera gaining more ground while Internet Explorer (IE) is loosing share. To combat this, MS has announced that they will distribute IE7 as a high-priority update via Automatic Updates (AU) shortly after the final version is released for Windows XP (in Q4 of this year), “to help our customers become more secure and up-to-date.” Advanced security features include ActiveX Opt-in, a Phishing Filter, and Fix My Settings.

Nice marketing Microsoft, it’s ok you can just say that you a scared sh!tless after loosing a anti-trust battle in the EU and loosing multiple percentage points of market share each month to Mozilla, a company that started as a hobby and now makes tons of $$ from their forward thinking.

Read [IE Blog]
Via [Huddled Massess]

Opera released Opera 9, its newest Web browser for PCs in more than 25 languages for Windows, Mac, Linux and other platforms. Opera 9 includes widgets, BitTorrent support, a high level of security and more. Though not as popular as the renegade Firefox or incumbent Internet Explorer/Safari, Opera does offer a rich feature set. Opera comes with a built in saved sessions, the trash can (to get those closed tabs back), notes, pop-up blocker, skins, and more.

Opera believes in an open Web by supporting open standards and technologies that lead the next wave of innovation. Opera 9 includes tools to make it easier for sites to code for these open standards. Built-in Extensible Rendering Architecture (ERA) helps developers make sure their sites work well on any Web-connected device. Opera’s browsers are built on the same core technology, making it easy to test once in Opera 9 and ensure compatibility with a variety of devices - from mobile phones to Nintendo’s Wii and DS.

I will admit that while using the software over the weekend it took some time to get used to, after being addicted to Firefox and my plugins, but I can see myself giving the browser a run here and there. Who knows, maybe I’ll get hooked, it happened with Fx.

Read and Download [Opera]
Read [Opera Watch]

Opera released the first public beta of their 9.0 software. The new releases comes with many features including widgets, BitTorrent support , and an advertisement blocker.

The ‘widgets’ are essentially plug ins that sit inside a program. Konfabulator, which is now known as the Yahoo! Widget Engine, popularized the technology. Apple Computer included widgets in their Mac OS X 10.4 update. Activating the widget feature is as simple as clicking on the “Opera Widgets” button or pressing F6. Widgets can now be used for multimedia, news feeds, games, and more.

When browsing a website with torrent files, Opera can download them instead of relying on a separate BitTorrent program. Opera 9 also supports the RSS icon that is used in Mozilla Firefox, and now Internet Explorer 7.0 Beta 2. Opera is still the smallest, major browser out there with IE, Firefox, and Safari ahead of it, but it has certainly made headroom on the past few years.

Read [AMCP Tech Blog]