Stunningly enough, BETA 2 is actually a huge improvement. After a remarkable 11 years, IE8 BETA 2 finally properly renders that 11 year-old standards test for inline padding.

The bizarre random hang-ups from IE7 and BETA 1 where the entire would just lag completely out are now resolved. Also important is the big improvement on JavaScript performance, now reasonably similar to the competition to be tolerable.

The developer tools are further improved and are now very nice. Features are extended, including a new private browser option, which is basically a quick way to block cookies to keep your browsing completely within the browser itself and not appear anywhere on the harddrive.

Accelerators are new extensions that allow you to quickly reference content in other sites, such as highlighting a word and choosing the accelerator to find the Wikipedia entry on it.

This blog would not be complete, though, without my continued problems with the browser. While IE8 has finally fixed the inline padding glitch, it still doesn't fair to well at the Acid3 test:

While browsing is faster and JavaScript improved, the HTML draw speed is still sluggish. When scrolling, the page can't keep up. Customization remains an ugly amalgamation of add-ons and Internet options and ultimately little in terms of usability to personalize.

It's not a reason for Firefox or Opera users to jump ship, but it at least puts IE back on the radar. All things considered, BETA or not, every stubborn IE user should absolutely upgrade. Internet Explorer 8 BETA 2 is the biggest improvement in IE since IE5.

The first is the page translator. Well, Google is able to perform something similar to that, but doing it in IE8, you can actually see the page being translated LIVE. The page will be divided into 2 columns, where one column will contain the original site, while on the other column, is the translated site.

Besides that, what is super super cool, is the fact that you will be able to browse the net, anonymously. No cookie, temp internet file and history will be save on your computer. All that needs to be done is go to shield logo on the top right, wait for the drop down list, and then select InPrivate Browsing. As pointed out by Rohan, this feature can be freaky for those who server por*.

lots of questions ???

seems totally confused, but ya finally the bang came and news was IE8 beta 2 is available..

but what is so special about it, that made me start a new tech blog..??

hmm.. people, just get up, go to the download page , download it , install the beta and feel the difference !!!

i would say it is the best ever version of IE ever released, although being beta it will be having bugs, one such is flickering of chat box in gmail, automatic shut down of explorer, missing data and many other things, but at the end of the day it is "user experience", I am sure most of us will enjoy using it.

For more details and features,

do visit my other blog http://kunjal-maheshwari.spaces.live.com

happy surfing :)

Instale, se tiver coragem! :)

First up, 11 Lessons from the Movie 'Fight Club', from The Blog for Men. My favourites:

2. We are victims of consumerism

Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt’s character) states…”The things you own end up owning you. Right. We are consumers. We’re the bi-products of a lifestyle obsession”  We do not NEED all the things we think we need, and NEWSFLASH! when we get the things we think we need…they probably aren’t making us any happier.

7. Accept things outside of your control

“I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say let… lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may.”  We do not have to do/have everything.  Accept your life.  Be proud of it.

If you haven't seen the movie. Do it right away, I say.

Next up, Microsoft granted Page Up Page Down patent. Essentially, what MS is saying is that it 'invented' the technology that allows you to skip through pages in a document one at a time. Thank you Bill Gates uncle, without you the world would have been such a sad place.

When MS is here, can Apple be far behind? Here's Apple's History of Innovations. Checkout the iPod on slide 8. Looks so ancient as compared to the one available today. To say that it was invented in 2004, just four years back. Had, god forbid, Microsoft invented it, I dare say it'd have looked the same for the next 4 years as well.

Dudes at the Wall Street Journal like the Internet Explorer 8 because:

Microsoft has added “accelerators” that facilitate common tasks like emailing a Web site, mapping an address, or looking up a word. Just highlight text on a Web page and a accelerator displays the map or definition in the same window....

and

There’s also a nice feature that makes tabs that are related to one another the same color and a button that shows miniature versions of all open tabs on one screen.

They claim to have been using Firefox all the time. It's a pity no one told them about this site.

Another one for MS. David Letterman's tribute to MS (Google Video). How very apt.

Fifteen spectacular lightning images from the Digital Photography School.

The Disturbing Origins of 5 Common Nursery Rhymes. This is an old one, but interesting none the less.

And finally, How it all started in Kashmir 60 years ago.

Well, that's it for now. Will share more as I find them. Please feel free to share your favourite links as well, on your blogs that is.

Hoy Microsoft ha liberado el Beta 2 del clásico Internet Explorer 8, el próximo navegador de windows en reemplazo del actual IE7, respecto al Beta 1 se han habilitado nuevas funciones como aceleración de busquedas, mejor compatibilidad con sitios diseñados para navegadores antiguos, navegación privada sin dejar rastros (InPrivate), sugerencias en la busqueda y un filtro más avanzado de sitios maliciosos.

Si eres curioso y saber que tal es esta nueva versión, lo puedes descargar desde el sitio web de Microsoft, aunque aún no se encuentra en español, seleccionando tu sistema operativo actual.

PD: Si instalas IE8 en Windows XP SP2 y luego instalas el SP3, no podrás desintalar IE8, a menos que desintales el SP3.

Fuente: IEBlog via Techpowerup via CHW

Uma das nova funções, o InPrivate, que permitirá que internautas suspendam temporariamente o armazenamento de histórico, cookies e outras formas de identificação de sites visitados, já havia sido anunciada na terça-feira. O navegador, no entanto, apresenta outras melhorias na área de segurança e privacidade.

Além de bloquear sites de phishing, o IE 8 destaca o nome do domínio dos sites visitados. Isso significa que se você estiver navegando no eBay e o endereço que aparecer destacado não for ebay.com, será bastante provável que você esteja num site falso. O browser também bloqueia o download de scripts de sites de terceiros, impedindo que você baixe conteúdo desavisado.

O novo IE8 traz uma funcionalidade semelhante ao Ubiquity, anunciado pela Mozilla Labs nesta quarta-feira. Com os "Accelerators", basta clicar com o botão direito do mouse numa imagem, link ou texto destacado para receber opções como postar num blog, traduzir ou definir um termo, enviar o conteúdo por email, mapear um endereço, etc.

A Microsoft promete também "fatiar" as páginas da internet, permitindo que o internauta acompanhe mudanças em partes de um site. Será possível acompanhar um leilão no eBay ou um aplicativo no Facebook sem precisar entrar nas páginas. Para essa função será preciso que os administradores insiram códigos definindo as partes das páginas que poderão ser clicadas

Uma das características do Firefox 3 que a Microsoft copiou (e aprimorou) no IE8 é a barra de ferramentas. O navegador faz buscas no histórico, favoritos e nos feeds, procurando pelos termos digitados nos títulos e endereços das páginas. Pode-se ainda excluir itens específicos de buscas futuras.

As abas, que só chegaram ao mundo Microsoft no IE7, voltam com melhorias significativas. Agora se um site trava, pode ser fechado sem interferir na navegação das outras abas. Além disso, o IE reconhece abas de sites relacionados e os agrupa com a mesma cor. A partir daí, grupos de abas podem ser fechados ou movidos juntos.

Fonte: O Globo Online

Tras lanzar la primera beta de IE 8 en el mes de marzo, Microsoft ha configurado una segunda versión destinada a un público más amplio. Con características similares a Firefox 3, con quien pretende competir de tú a tú, tiene mejoras en los sistemas de privacidad y seguridad que dan al usuario más control sobre su historial de navegación y 'cookies'. Además, cuenta con una barra de direcciones inteligente similar a la del producto de Mozilla.

Sin embargo, entre sus características destaca el modo InPrivate. Gracias al cual el ordenador no registra el historial, los archivos temporales ni las cookies, algo aparentemente inofensivo pero que podría servir de carambola para dañar a Google. Con este sistema Microsoft previene que los portales almacenen información sobre los usuarios, algo que le sirve a Google para personalizar sus anuncios.

De momento, Microsoft rehúsa explicar cuándo puede ver la luz la versión definitiva de su nuevo explorador. Actualmente, tres de cuatro internautas navega mediante el 'Explorer', pero en sólo cuatro años Firefox le ha quitado un 15% de cuota de mercado. Los porcentajes pesan y la compañía de Bill Gates comienza a notarlos, por lo que ha decidido poner toda la carne en el asador y todo el dinero sobre la mesa.

Fuente: libertaddigital.com

Here's a stupidly easy tip for web browsing that can be a real time saver. It works in Firefox or Internet Explorer (and maybe even Safari). The trick is to bookmark all of the websites you commonly visit as one group so that you can open them all at once when it comes time for your daily maintenance.

For me, the list is:

• Local weather
• Gmail
• Remember the Milk
• Remember the Milk weekly planner
• My internet usage quota from my ISP
• Facebook
• Google Reader

Step 1: Open your favorite sites in tabs

Keep using Ctrl-T or middle-click to open sites in a new tab until you have a list of all the sites you normally visit at the start of a day.

Step 2: Bookmark the open tabs as a group.

This is where the magic happens. Instead of individually saving the bookmarks, you save them as a group/folder so that you can open them all at once.

In Firefox, use Bookmarks >> Bookmark All Tabs (Ctrl-Shift-D)

Hot Tip: Save to group under Bookmarks Toolbar so that they'll be accessible from your Firefox toolbar.

In Internet Explorer, use Favorites >> Add Tab Group to Favorites

Step 3: Organize your bookmarks

If you want to remove a link from your group (because Facebook is a timesink) then you can use the organize feature of your web browser to add or delete bookmarks, or to reorder them.

In Firefox, use Bookmarks >> Organize Boomarks (Ctrl-Shift-B)

In Internet Explorer, use Favorites >> Organize Favorites

Step 4: Opening the group all at once

In Firefox, you can navigate to your bookmarks using the toolbar or the Bookmarks drop-down menu (depending on where you saved them in step 2) and choose Open All in Tabs.

In Internet Explorer, it's a bit more complicated.

• Click on the Star (for favorites)
• Click on the arrow beside the tab group you just created

After that's all done, you've probably saved yourself a few minutes a day of having to switch between sites you check out very often. Because they all start loading at the same time, it's pretty quick to jump between them and grab the information you need.

Microsoft yesterday warned users of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) that they won't be able to uninstall either the service pack or Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) under some circumstances. The warning was reminiscent of one Microsoft made in May, when Windows XP SP3 had just been made available for downloading. At the time, the company told users they wouldn't be able to downgrade from IE7 to the older IE6 browser without uninstalling the service pack.

In a post to the IE blog today, Jane Maliouta, a Microsoft program manager, spelled out the newest situation, which affects users who downloaded and installed IE8 Beta 1 prior to updating Windows XP to SP3. If those users then upgrade IE8 to Beta 2 , which Microsoft unveiled today, they will be stuck with both IE8 and Windows XP SP3. A warning dialog will appear to alert users. "If you chose to continue, Windows XP SP3 and IE8 Beta2 will become permanent," Maliouta said. "You will still be able to upgrade to later IE8 builds as they become available, but you won't be able to uninstall them."

View: The full story @ InfoWorld

:!: Please read the installation wizard instructions to avoid any major issues as IE 8 is still in Beta 2 stage. The program cannot be uninstalled on the systems with Service Pack 3 installed.

Screenshots: Click here for a gallery of the install process

Według MSnowa wersja ma być szybsza i bardziej bezpieczna. Microsoft zapewnia, że Windows Internet Explorer 8 ma być najbezpieczniejszą przeglądarką stron world wide web . Microsoft wprowadza w drugiej wersji beta swojej przeglądarki Internet Explorer 8 nową funkcję usuwania pozostałości po grzesznych wycieczkach po sieci.

Pojawią się nowe usprawnione funkcje, jak na przykład Accelerators (mające ułatwiać odnajdywanie np. lokalizacji firm), Web Slices (wyświetlającą zmiany na wybranych stronach, w pasku Ulubione), czy Visual Search (wyświetlanie małych ikon przy wynikach wyszukiwania). Wszystkie te funkcje wymagają przystosowania do nich stron internetowych.

Nowy Internet Explorer można zainstalować na komputerze z jednym z następujących systemów operacyjnych serii Windows: Vista, XP, Server 2003 i Server 2008. Wersję beta 2 można pobrać ze strony internetowej Microsoftu - tutaj o: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/beta/default.aspx . Reklama: problemy z komputerem ? , serwis komputerowy warszawa , gdy komputer odmawia współpracy , naprawa komputera , uwaga na wirusy komputerowe .

• Unii prefera Firefox

[syryus]: Sunt utilizator de Firefox. Desi e mai sigur decat IE [Internet Explorer] , Firefox are o mare problema... de care vad ca nu scapa: consumul de memorie, care, in anumite situatii, este absolut criminal. In aceasta privinta IE e mai bun.Si vad ca aceasta versiune inca beta e si mai buna in aceasta privinta. Totusi, inca raman la firefox 3.

• IE8: defecte in opinia unora

[mirko] enumera ceea ce el considera a fi defectele IE8:

- a durat o veşnicie şi 2 restartări instalarea pt. XP;
- se încăpăţânează ribbonul cu "Internet Explorer is currently running with add-ons disabled. Click here to manage, disable or remove your add-ons"; orice combinaţii par a fi fără efect; nu mai rulează nimic în flash prin pagini, nexam clipuri, nexam YouTube, nexam permisiune de instalare Adobe's Flash Player, "NO NOTHING";
- singura noutate de până acum, o bâzdâganie albăstruie enervantă care se iveşte cum dai un click pe câte ceva şi se oferă să caute pe net chestii similare;
- a dispărut bara pentru semne de carte (Favorites) de parcă suntem din nou în 1995;
- au reintrodus în submeniul click dreapta "Open in new tab" care dispăruse din Beta1.

• IE8:  nu sunt defecte - spun altii
  

[Gigi Marga @Mirko]
- instalarea dureaza o "vesnicie" numai daca alegi sa faca scan de malware, altfel instalarea dureaza max. 2-3 minute si o singura restartare sub XP!
- eu n-am nici un ribbon "incapatanat", problema este exclusiv a ta: ai facut disable la add-on-uri si acum te miri ca nu-ti merge flash, youtube si altele; probabil la fel ti-ai taiat permisiunile de instalare si acum te plangi... (la mine merg toate din prima).
- referitor la "bazdagania albastruie" poti sa mergi la Manage Search Providers si sa disable optiunile de "Search Suggestions" pentru providerul tau de search;
- bara de "semne de carte" este acolo, trebuie numai sa faci right click (sus pe bara de meniu) si sa selectezi "Favorites bar"...
s.a.m.d.

[Concluzia lui Gigi Marga]: Microsoft s-a chinuit sa imbunatateasca IE in versiunea beta insa majoritatea userilor novici nu stiu sa-l configureze si sa-l foloseasca pentru a beneficia de imbunatatirile aduse. IE5 era suficient pentru majoritatea userilor.
Cel mai bine este sa se astepte versiunea finala care speram ca se va configura din start in asa fel incat "profesionistii" care scriu review-uri sa nu aiba atatea probleme;

After 2 peaceful years of gardening new products and shopping (still checking if Yahoo comes in the right size) Microsoft has apparently decided to go extrovert and check out the competition. The new internet explorer, IE8, marketed as the “discrete one’ comes with features like ‘In Private Browsing’ that help you block away some aspects of commercial intrusion such as cookies, history lists, and ads.

Wait a minute, are ads angels or demons? It depends on whose side you are, ads are actually multifaceted like mood rings: their use and value are subject to the judge’s role, critical spirit, need of information.

Web ads are mostly seen as angels: they do no evil, they function more elegantly than on other media, probably that’s why people put up with them and other people have based business and state funding models on them.

Demonizing web ads is not part of the ‘InPrivate Blocking’ goals, free will rules. But with privacy on internet becoming a hot topic for regulation, InPrivateBrowsing is actually a do-no-evil, democratic timebomb.

So, this is my scenario.

(late this summer, honey I’m home)

Microsoft is risking committing twice the same antitrust crime, expecting the ad-allergy to spread like a demon-ex-machina by means of ambient buzz (autumn leaves and dust).

(later this year, in the city)

In the same way we’ve rapidly become eco-aware, we begin paying more attention to our privacy.

(you’re just too good to be true)

As Google’s adwords becomes better and Google’s search engine becomes more personalized the results of these two tend to look alike. At some point, our contextual aesthetics react to the lack of difference in the typology of service. Allergy. (atsum)

(in the meantime, the trial)

Then, the second antitrust trial for Microsoft magnetizes ambient dynamics towards privacy awareness.

(whose side are we?)

People are mostly concerned with the direct impact of this issue on their lives rather than the health of the economic competition. This aspect works for Microsoft.

(in the spring, jingle bells blossom/ after the trial…)

As time goes by, behavioral reflexes are built on this awareness.

By highlighting that do-no-evil doesn’t equal do-good, the trial triggers the attitude of systematically using the ad-blocking features in IE or elsewhere (Firefox, Safari…)

(is the trial just a bad dream?)

[caption id="attachment_1193" align="alignleft" width="128" caption=" "][/caption]

Google on the other side is still our clean cut hero, our Brandon Walsh.. Fighting for free airwaves, for openness, for us, has chosen an original model of B2C partnership. Beyond a company it acts as a web NGO.

So what is the best path to protect its core business? The legal, the educational, the crowdsourcing or the self-transformational?

[caption id="attachment_1194" align="alignleft" width="80" caption=" Will Brandon "][/caption]

a) complain to the highschool director ?

b) organize an ad-contest for the beach-club kids to campaign for homeless veterans ?

c) run for highschool president ?

d) or study hard to access UCLA?

…to be continued

Well, I also have some legal questions:

If InPrivateBlocking is banned, is the same feature declared non grata for other browsers as well ? What about other add-on programs-is size(impact) shaping legality?

How is the applicable legal domain chosen? Is it an issue of commercial or civil law and how is EU regulation restrictive in each case?

Piss o’ cake?

Georgia

Also, before the Firefox / Linux guys attack, yes it will have flaws, it's software.  Remember there is no perfect software.  Yes, I have Firefox and yes I like Linux.

Also, IE8 has a compatibility view that I had to use just to post this.  The good side is with Web 2.0, changes in codes and websites, it allows you to move forward or back (appearance of site).

 Stretched box, fixed with compatibility mode.

All in all, I love change.  IE8 will be good.  Seems faster than IE7...

-Alex

August 28, 2008 (Computerworld) Microsoft Corp. yesterday warned users of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) that they won't be able to uninstall either the service pack or Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) under some circumstances.

The warning was reminiscent of one Microsoft made in May, when Windows XP SP3 had just been made available for downloading. At the time, the company told users they wouldn't be able to downgrade from IE7 to the older IE6 browser without uninstalling the service pack.

In a post to the IE blog today, Jane Maliouta, a Microsoft program manager, spelled out the newest situation, which affects users who downloaded and installed IE8 Beta 1 prior to updating Windows XP to SP3. If those users then upgrade IE8 to Beta 2, which Microsoft unveiled today, they will be stuck with both IE8 and Windows XP SP3.
A warning dialog will appear to alert users. "If you chose to continue, Windows XP SP3 and IE8 Beta 2 will become permanent," Maliouta said. "You will still be able to upgrade to later IE8 builds as they become available, but you won't be able to uninstall them."

She recommended that users instead first uninstall Windows XP SP3, then uninstall IE8 Beta 1; they should then reinstall XP SP3 and follow that by installing IE8 Beta 2.

It's unclear how many users the warning is aimed at. Although users running Windows XP and IE8 Beta 1 could manually download and install Service Pack 3 from Microsoft's site, the company set its Windows Update service so that it didn't offer SP3 to systems with IE8 Beta 1.

Windows XP users who do have the first beta already on their machines will be offered the update to Beta 2 via Windows Update if they have Automatic Updates enabled, Maliouta continued. "A prompt in your Windows task bar will alert you when IE8 Beta 2 is ready for installation," she said.

Windows Vista users, however, will not see IE8 Beta 2 in Windows Update because update apparently cannot sniff out instances of IE8 Beta 1 and uninstall them automatically. Instead, users must remove Beta 1 manually, said Maliouta.

Several additional updates are required before installing IE8 Beta 2 on Vista, including one that, if omitted, blocks its installation entirely. That fix, a revised version of a Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) prerequisite that earlier this year sent machines into an endless series of reboots, is also necessary for IE8 Beta 2; users with SP1 will, of course, already have it in place, but those running pre-SP1 versions of Vista must still install it.

Microsoft also spelled out a long list of IE8 Beta 2 known issues and compatibility problems in release notes it posted on its support site Wednesday.

Ironically, of the nine applications called out as incompatible with the new IE8, the only two that will lock up and crash are Microsoft's.

Visual Studio .Net Version 7, said Microsoft, will crash on a PC that also contains IE8 Beta 2. "No workaround is currently available," Microsoft said in the release notes.

The other Microsoft incompatible application is Windows Live Mail, formerly called Windows Live Desktop, and the desktop mail client meant to replace Outlook Express and Windows Mail. "If you install Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2, Windows Live Mail will crash when you create or reply to an e-mail message," Microsoft warned.

August 28, 2008 (Computerworld) Microsoft Corp. yesterday warned users of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) that they won't be able to uninstall either the service pack or Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) under some circumstances.

The warning was reminiscent of one Microsoft made in May, when Windows XP SP3 had just been made available for downloading. At the time, the company told users they wouldn't be able to downgrade from IE7 to the older IE6 browser without uninstalling the service pack.

In a post to the IE blog today, Jane Maliouta, a Microsoft program manager, spelled out the newest situation, which affects users who downloaded and installed IE8 Beta 1 prior to updating Windows XP to SP3. If those users then upgrade IE8 to Beta 2, which Microsoft unveiled today, they will be stuck with both IE8 and Windows XP SP3.
A warning dialog will appear to alert users. "If you chose to continue, Windows XP SP3 and IE8 Beta 2 will become permanent," Maliouta said. "You will still be able to upgrade to later IE8 builds as they become available, but you won't be able to uninstall them."

She recommended that users instead first uninstall Windows XP SP3, then uninstall IE8 Beta 1; they should then reinstall XP SP3 and follow that by installing IE8 Beta 2.

It's unclear how many users the warning is aimed at. Although users running Windows XP and IE8 Beta 1 could manually download and install Service Pack 3 from Microsoft's site, the company set its Windows Update service so that it didn't offer SP3 to systems with IE8 Beta 1.

Windows XP users who do have the first beta already on their machines will be offered the update to Beta 2 via Windows Update if they have Automatic Updates enabled, Maliouta continued. "A prompt in your Windows task bar will alert you when IE8 Beta 2 is ready for installation," she said.

Windows Vista users, however, will not see IE8 Beta 2 in Windows Update because update apparently cannot sniff out instances of IE8 Beta 1 and uninstall them automatically. Instead, users must remove Beta 1 manually, said Maliouta.

Several additional updates are required before installing IE8 Beta 2 on Vista, including one that, if omitted, blocks its installation entirely. That fix, a revised version of a Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) prerequisite that earlier this year sent machines into an endless series of reboots, is also necessary for IE8 Beta 2; users with SP1 will, of course, already have it in place, but those running pre-SP1 versions of Vista must still install it.

Microsoft also spelled out a long list of IE8 Beta 2 known issues and compatibility problems in release notes it posted on its support site Wednesday.

Ironically, of the nine applications called out as incompatible with the new IE8, the only two that will lock up and crash are Microsoft's.

Visual Studio .Net Version 7, said Microsoft, will crash on a PC that also contains IE8 Beta 2. "No workaround is currently available," Microsoft said in the release notes.

The other Microsoft incompatible application is Windows Live Mail, formerly called Windows Live Desktop, and the desktop mail client meant to replace Outlook Express and Windows Mail. "If you install Internet Explorer 8 Beta 2, Windows Live Mail will crash when you create or reply to an e-mail message," Microsoft warned.

Some record companies concerned that Apple's iTunes is negatively affecting the industry's overall sales power are shying away from the online service. Musician Kid Rock's "Rock 'n Roll Jesus" album, released last year, was not available through iTunes, but still sold 1.7 million copies in the U.S. The Wall Street Journal (8/28)

AC/DC hasn't licensed its music to iTunes, staying with album sales, which are more profitable.

When it comes to search, Microsoft is trying everything it can to become a serious player. It tried to acquire Yahoo, its latest version of Internet Explorer attempts to steer Web surfers away from Google, and then there is straight-out payola to search advertisers. I am talking, of course, of Microsoft’s Live Search Cashback promotion, which lets advertisers offer rebates to consumers who make a purchase after doing a Microsoft search. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/28/microsoft-live-search-cashback-scheme-fails-to-move-the-market-share-needle 8/28)

Mozilla, the non-profit organization behind the popular Firefox web browser, has extended its search deal with Google for another three years. In return for setting Google as the default search engine on Firefox, Google pays Mozilla a substantial sum - in 2006 the total amounted to around $57 million, or 85% of the company’s total revenue. The deal was originally going to expire in 2006, but was later extended to 2008 and will now run through 2011. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/28/mozilla-extends-lucrative-deal-with-google-for-3-years 8/28)

YouTube has turned on the ability to add full closed captions to videos. This will not only allow videos to appeal more directly to foreign audiences, but will give YouTube excellent data for searching videos and targeting ads to them. After all, a complete set of subtitles is the same as a transcript of the video. And you can upload subtitles for as many languages as you want. It’s excellent data. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/28/youtube-adds-closed-captioning 8/28)

To turn closed captioning on or off, click the CC button at the bottom right of the screen.

Attorneys representing online video sites around the country are salivating today over the Veoh summary judgment decision (I know this because I’ve spoken to a few of them). In a nutshell, here’s what we learned today: If you take reasonable precautions against copyrighted materials on your service, you may be ok. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/28/what-the-veoh-decision-means-for-youtube-and-others 8/28)

CSI creator Anthony Zuiker signed a deal with publishing house Dutton to create a trio of suspense/thriller "digital novels" that include print, online video and social networking components, reports Variety. At the end of each five chapters readers will receive a code they plug into a website in order to view filmed vignettes that act as a transition to the next part of the story. The first title, Sqweegel, is due out in the fall of 2009 about a retired FBI (who guessed it) forensic investigator who picks up cases on the side. (Cynopsis 8/28)

Why is it that both political campaigns feel the need to have their own social networks. Barack Obama has my.barackobama.com and John McCain has McCainSpace, which just relaunched with a new design from KickApps after failing massively on its own. The new McCainSpace design itself is functional enough, giving McCain supporters a central place to discuss election issues via blogs, forums, videos, and photos. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/08/28/close-encounters-of-the-republican-kind-mccainspace-relaunches 8/28)

West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin chose Facebook to break the news about his newest film project with producer Scott Rudin - about the birth of Facebook. (He actually admits it was his researcher Ian Reichbach who started the group, given how technologically challenged Aaron is.) He gets points for using the medium he will be writing about to announce the deal and ping the crowd for backstories, but bloggers are already questioning his tech street cred. (Cynopsis 8/28)

Multiplatform music network Music Choice launched a special Live Your Vote thematic programming feature including a politically themed video playlist hosted by rapper/activist David Banner. A special Live Your Vote edition of Rock U features contributions from politically outspoken rock stars such as Tom Morello, Serj Tankian and Three Doors Down. (Cynopsis 8/28)

Lifetime, which doubled its revenue during the recent digital sales upfront, has acquired the ParentsClick Network, a San Francisco firm that develops social-networking Web sites for parents to share best practices in raising their children. As part of the deal, Lifetime gets control of MothersClick.com and more than 200 other URLs, including FathersClick.com. The Washington Post/paidContent.org (8/27) , Mediaweek (8/27) , Variety (8/27)

Video search engine Blinkx is partnering with Getty Images to help users more easily index Getty's video and photo content. As part of the deal the company will leverage Blinkx's AdHoc platform to place contextually relevant advertising against Getty Images' multimedia, sharing resulting ad revenue. Getty's digital video content includes live footage from the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. (Cynopsis 8/28)

Top Visited US Broadcast Network TV Websites (Week ending Aug. 23, 2008)
Rank                Network Website    Market Share of Visits
1  CBS       www.cbs.com 32.09%
2  NBC       www.nbc.com 27.21%
3 ABC        www.abc.com 21.19%
4 FOX*      www.fox.com 14.08%
5 The CW    www.cwtv.com 4.75%
6 MNTV   www.mynetworktv.com .69%
Source: Custom report from Hitwise, *includes traffic aggregated from stand alone websites americanidol.com, amw.com, familyguy.com, thelot.com and thesimpsons.com.

Top Visited US Broadcast Network TV Show Sites (Week ending Aug. 23, 2008)
Rank   Network       Website                      Market Share of Visits
1          CBS          Big Brother 9                        16.48%
2          FOX          American's Most Wanted         6.11%
3          FOX          American Idol                        5.73%
4          NBC          Deal or No Deal                     4.37%
5          ABC          Dancing With The Stars          4.37%
6          CBS          CSI                                       2.67%
7          NBC          Heroes                                  2.62%
8          NBC          The Office                              2.53%
9          ABC          Lost                                       2.50%
10         CBS          Swingtown                             2.46%
Source: Custom report from Hitwise