01425i14113700ib7.jpg 3 browsers in the same year get major updates … which one you are using and planning to use, is the question.

Feature

Firefox 2 Beta 1

Internet Explorer 7 Beta 3

Opera 9.00

Tabbed browsing

Yes

Yes

Yes

Add-ins

Yes—Extensions

Yes—Add-Ons

Widgets

Themes

Yes

No

Yes—Skins

Built-in search with multiple engine choice

Yes

Yes

Yes

Pop-up blocker

Yes

Yes

Yes

Anti-Phishing

Yes

Yes

No

One-Click Button to add Favorites

No

Yes

No

RSS reader

Yes

Yes

Yes

Download manager

Yes

No

Yes

Can remember open tabs for next session

No

Yes

Yes

Save group of tabs as bookmark

Yes

Yes

Yes

Thumbnails for tabs

No

Yes—Quick Tabs

Yes—Mouse over tab; also can tile tabs

Macintosh/Linux version

Yes/Yes

No/No

Yes

BitTorrent client

No

No

Yes

Spell-checker for text boxes

Yes

No

No

Download pause

Yes

No

Yes (stop and resume transfer

Big changes have or are about to occur in three well-known browsers: Internet Explorer is finally being updated, with version 7 in its third beta and almost ready to roll out the door; Firefox is also ripening an upgrade beta for its Version 2.0—it’s in beta 1; and finally Opera, which has a devoted but smaller following, has recently come out with Version 9.0.