Browser Comparisons Internet Explorer 8 & 9, Chrome 11 and Firefox 4 Security, Privacy, Add-ons & Convenience

Browser Comparisons – Security browsing protection IE8 & 9 - Smart Screen Filter Click gear or “Safety”, turn on Smart Screen Filter IE9 flags unsigned files from unknown sites, Ed Bott says it’s best protection against socially engineered malware. Chrome – Phishing & malware protection click wrench, Options, Under the Hood, Privacy, some say security is best because it sandboxes processes. Firefox – blocks attack sites, forgeries, warns of add-on install attempts Click Firefox, Options, Options, Security tab

Browser Comparisons – Security check for valid/secure address IE 8 & 9 – Domain Highlighting in address Chrome Domain highlighting Site Information - right-click on icon to left of address Firefox Site identity button to left of address - click

Browser Comparisons – Security download protection IE9 – Download Manager with malware protection, also flags unsigned files from unknown sites. Chrome has a built-in download manager, others available as extensions Firefox Download Manager scans files with user’s antivirus program after downloading.

Browser Comparisons – Privacy leave no traces on your PC IE8 & 9 – also hides from 3 rd party site tracking Click gear or “Safety”, “InPrivate Browsing” Chrome Click wrench, “New incognito window” Firefox Click Firefox, “Start private browsing”

Browser Comparisons – Privacy leave no traces on the web IE9 – Tracking Protection Lists Click gear, “Safety”, “Tracking Protection”, ‘Your Personal List”, right-click to enable (off by default), user blocks tracking sites, best solution. Chrome Add extension called “Keep My Opt-outs” Firefox Click Firefox, Options, Options, Advanced, Browsing header, click “Tell websites I do not want to be tracked.”

Browser Comparisons – Add-ons, Extensions and Apps – fun & useful IE8 & 9 Click gear, “Manage Add-ons”, “Find more…”, “Internet Explorer Gallery” for Pinned Sites, Add-ons Chrome Click New Tab icon, “Web Store” for Apps, Extensions & Themes Firefox Click Firefox, Add-ons, Get Add-ons, Firefox 4 Collection of Add-ons & Themes (see bottom right to browse all, check reviews

Browser Comparisons – Add-ons, Extensions and Apps – what I tried IE8 & 9 – I’ve installed Define with Wikipedia, an accelerator Chrome – I’ve installed: Google Mail Checker – extension, by Google Google Docs – Apps, Productivity Firefox – I’ve installed: Unread Gmail Favicon Flash Video Downloader (YouTube Downloader)

Browser Comparisons – Convenience Controlling your search engines IE9 IE8 - Click down arrow to right of search bar, select “Manage Search Providers”, you can disable, enable, remove, or set as default, or select “Find more providers”. Chrome - Right-click address/search bar, select “Edit search engines” – make default or remove. Firefox - Click search engine icon and “Manage Search Engines” – move them up or down in list, remove or get more.

Browser Comparisons – Convenience Permanent tabs outside browser IE9 & Win 7 - Pin tabs to taskbar Drag tab to Win 7 taskbar Chrome – App shortcuts on the desktop For Apps from App Store - Click New Tab, right- click App, select “Create Shortcut”, choose where, click Create For other apps – open site, click wrench, Tools, Create application shortcuts, choose where, click Create

Browser Comparisons – Convenience Permanent tabs in browser Chrome Pin tab to tab bar – right-click tab, click “Pin tab” Firefox Pin tab to tab bar – right-click tab, click “Pin as App Tab”

Browser Comparisons – Convenience Useful New Tabs page IE9 includes “Your most popular sites” IE8 Offers closed tabs, InPrivate browsing & Accelerators Chrome Includes installed apps, most visited and recently closed sites Firefox Blank page

Browser Comparisons – Convenience Zooming, Highlighting IE8 & 9 Zoom – Ctrl +/- Accelerator Button – highlight text & rt-click to blog, , search, map, translate, etc. Chrome Zoom – Ctrl +/- or wrench, Zoom +/- Highlight & rt-click to copy or search with Google Firefox Zoom – Ctrl +/- Highlight &rt-click to search, choice of engines

Browser Comparisons – Convenience Feature unique to a browser IE9 & Win 7 Snap – drag 2 nd tab to right edge of Win 7 screen Web slices – on Favorites bar, click “Web Slice gallery”, checks sites for updates even when IE is not running, available from IE Gallery Firefox Translates pages not in browser’s language

Browser Comparisons – Themes and Personnas IE8 & 9 None Chrome Click New Tab icon, “Web Store”, “Themes” Firefox Click Firefox, Add-ons, Get Add-ons, at bottom right, “See all themes and Personnas”

Browser Comparisons – Synch IE8 & 9 None Chrome Click wrench, Options, Personal Stuff, Set up Synch Firefox Click Firefox, Options, Options, Synch tab