Microsoft's New Spartan Browser Is Taking Its First Step Into the Wild
As Windows 10 inches ever closer to its summer release, Microsoft's been adding new features piecemeal to the preview version of its next-generation operating system, and this may be the biggest update yet. Microsoft's brand-new browser, Spartan, is about to get its first taste of open internet.
We got a brief tour of Spartan at Microsoft's press conference in January, showing off features like live annotation, a mode built specifically for reading, and of course, Cortana integration. And now an early version is packed into the newest Windows 10 preview build. As is true with all preview builds, Microsoft warns in a blog post that this is not the final version, meaning expect some bugginess and a little rough-around-the-edges design.
Spartan is part of build 10049, which you can read all about right here, and if you're a nerd you can install the new version and check it out for yourself. If you're a saner person, just sit tight and we'll put it through its paces ourselves very shortly. But even sight unseen, it has to be better than Internet Explorer. [Windows Blog]
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Seriously was it really that hard to have made this compatible with Windows 8.1? Is IE 11 going to be dead now or still updated?
Not saying that it would be an ideal solution for you because what do I know, but they're letting you upgrade to Windows 10 for free...
I feel like it would just be easier to upgrade to Windows 10.
1) Why the hell would you want to keep Win8.1 when Win10 is free?
2) Why the hell would you want to keep IE11 when Spartan will be free?
This is Microsoft's big chance to fix their pretty-good-but-slightly-fucked-up products and let them shine, and there are always going to be a few people who are addicted to their shaky past...
Have you been around for the last half dozen new versions of Windows? Nearly without exception, there have been a few hiccups on all of them. At the very least, it is a smart move to let others find the compatibility issues with WinX first.
Beyond compatibility, there are other potential issues waiting in the wings. Microsoft has made it clear that the reason they are giving this product away is to enhance their overall software position with consumers. It is possible that they will change the rules of the game with competitors on this version and at present no one knows what those rules will be. So, I will hold tight with 8.1 until I am absolutely clear that everything I use today will work and that the products I plan on using tomorrow will, as well.
"Windows 10 inches"
Must say I read that wrong at first...
Ditto - though they had somehow typoed writing about a tablet.
You have a much cleaner mind than I do...
and avatar.
Don't worry. Every man says that.
Hope they create some more proprietary languages that will only work on their browser.
Heh. I think that lesson's been comfortably learned.
Plus we've kind of moved past the arguments for it, so we should be safe (and if not, it'll have a harder time gaining traction with business specific apps)
Then again, I've been unpleasantly surprised before!
Microsoft will be fighting to get rid of IE for another decade due to their stupidity of digging the ActiveX hole. But, when you dig your own grave then I am afraid you are going to be sitting in it for a while. Maybe a long while.
Right because Mozilla never did that.
What are you referring to? It must have not been popular.
If Microsoft can come up with a browser as clean and sweet as this, they'll be doing something.
so you mean... like... the current IE? it's already pretty darn clean...
Then they've done something.
when exactly was the last time you actually paid it any attention? IE has come a long way since the IE6 days...
Seven years ago on a Windows PC running Vista at work. The experience was so traumatic, I swore I'd never have a computer in my house. It took my buddy two years to convince me to get a MacBook running Safari. I got one and suddenly everything made sense. I've been deliriously happy ever since.
I'm more interested what the final name for the browser will be.
Spartan has kind of grown on. Hopefully the icon will be similar to the Cortana icon but green and gold instead.
They should call it "Not IE" and the icon can be the IE icon with an X over it. I would sooooo use that browser if they did that.
I have both Windows 10 on my desktop and Windows 8.1 in my notebook. Both are pretty good; I got used to the Win 8 features pretty quickly after I disabled those "swipe from the right/left" annoying features.
I haven't tried spartan, but the latest version of Internet Explorer was pretty decent, light on memory and fast.
I haven't tried spartan, but the latest version of Internet Explorer was pretty decent, light on memory and fast.
It's Chrome who has to lose weight.
I don't see anything here that hasn't been available for years via plugins. Not sure why MS even cares about having their own browser. It does nothing for them but cost money and resources.
Wish I could watch ANY video. Chrome on my phone plays the video as a jumbled mess with no sound.
Spartan: Simple, frugal, austere. Let's hope it lives up to its name.
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