The empire strikes back: Microsoft launches Internet Explorer 9 (but not for XP users)



Latest browser is available to download now but only works on Vista and Windows 7

IE9 is first major browser to include 'do not track' tool



Microsoft released the latest version of its Internet Explorer web browser for free online today.

Internet Explorer 9 (IE9), which is available to download in 30 languages at BeautyOfTheWeb.com, is designed to be used on Microsoft's latest two operating systems, Vista and Windows 7.

But the browser will not run on Windows XP because the software giant wants to 'push the web forward'.

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'Dramtically different': Microsoft's Dean Hachamovitch launches Internet Explorer 9 at the South By Southwest technology festival in Austin, Texas, yesterday

IE9 is the first major browser to include a 'do not track' tool that helps users prevent their online surfing habits from being monitored.



Mozilla has already announced that it too will introduce an anti-tracking tool in an upcoming release of its Firefox browser, leaving just Google's Chrome and Apple as the only major browsers yet to declare their support.

IE9 will also include a 'tracking protection lists' feature to allow users to stop specific web-tracking companies from monitoring what sites they visit



The browser also uses HTML5, which Microsoft said will make it speedy to navigate, and graphic processing chips that power visuals including videos and games.

It was launched last night at the South By Southwest technology conference in Austin, Texas.

How Hotmail looks in IE9: The browser is designed to be used on Microsoft's latest two operating systems, Windows 7 and Vista - but not XP

IE9 uses HTML5, which Microsoft said will make it speedy to navigate, and graphic processing chips that power visuals including videos and games.

Microsoft spokesman Dean Hachamovitch said: 'Things are about to change. We took a dramatically different tack.'

He revealed that many companies, including Facebook, Twitter and Yahoo!, have adapted their websites to IE9.

He said: 'We have worked with partners reaching a billion active Internet users. All of these partners are using IE9 to make a more beautiful web, starting today.'

Microsoft released a beta version of IE9 last September which was downloaded two million times in the first week. More than 40million copies have since been downloaded in the run up to today's official release, the firm said.

Microsoft is hoping IE9 regains them lost ground from rivals like Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Safari, who use different operating systems.