Latest IE more secure, has quicker shortcuts

Microsoft Corp released a new version of Internet Explorer yesterday, adding features meant to speed up common Web surfing tasks and bringing the browser's security measures in line with those of major competitors.

The number of browsers has grown to a dizzying array, from Internet Explorer and Mozilla's Firefox, the two most popular, to Apple Inc's Safari, Google Inc's Chrome, the Norwegian entrant Opera and others. Each is using speed, security enhancements and new features to fight for a share of Web surfers' growing time online.

Dean Hachamovitch, the IE group's general manager, said in an interview on Wednesday that the free browser is important to Microsoft because the company simply wants PC users to have a "great experience every day" when surfing the Web.