Welcome to *new* Edge web browser. Chromium based Edge being rolled out to all.

[GoodBytes]

Microsoft is announcing that they are releasing to the public their new Edge web browser replacing the old Edge web browser.

The new web browser is based on Chromium web browser. And if you wonder, yes, it support Google Chrome extension which you download from Chrome Web Store as you do in Chrome web browser.

 

Let's start with the delivery of the the new web browser.

• The new Edge web browser is available for Windows 7, 8 and 10 and macOS (Mobile version for Android and iOS also exists. Linux based OS version is said to be coming in the future)
• The web browser will be delivered via Windows Update for Windows 10 users, as the old Edge web browser has already been discontinued. This is with the exception of Windows 10 Enterprise edition users, who it will be up to the IT dept to deliver the update or not.
• If you don't want to wait for Windows Update, or are using another OS then Windows 10, it can downloaded from the official website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge
• The new web browser will import all your favorites (bookmarks) from the old Edge web browser at startup. However, extensions will not be ported fro the old Edge web browser. They nee to be manually installed (but at this point, might as well get them fro the Chrome web browser website to get the latest and best supported version of them).

 

So, what's new/different?

• The web browser is now fully untied from the OS. A goal that failed to materialized with the old Edge web browser has now been reached. Microsoft now deliver updates of the web browser rapidly.
   
• It got a new icon. While normally I won't put this on the top as it usually minor, I put it here because many here does IT support for others, and I want everyone to be aware of this change as the new icon is completely different then the old one. While the old one wanted to keep the "blue e" icon that many users are accustom too to access the web, Microsoft is turning the page on IE completely with the new icon, removing any traces of the old horror that was IE.
  
  The new icon represents the edge of a wave, as you 'surf the web'. The new icon also fits the new Fluent Design language which Microsoft is pursuing for Windows 10 now, replacing the old Windows 8 "Metro" design language.
   
• As previously mentioned, the web browser supports Chrome very own extensions, which you can simply install by going on Google's Chrome Play Store, and get. Just hit "Add to Chrome" on the extension you want, and it will install it on your Edge web browser.
   
• As you imagined, the new web browser resembles a lot Chrome (which is also based on Chromium), but connects to Microsoft service instead of Google (if we compare to Chrome), so if you use a Microsoft linked account with your Win10 system, it is an additional new integration added. It will still sync with Edge web browser (which also got updated) on Android and iOS.
  In addition, the web browser looks like Chrome, so if you come from it, you'll get used to it nicely.
   
• A new look:
  
  
  The web browser has different startup tab experience. You have the the basics "open where I left off", "open to a specific website", and blank page, you have other layouts like you can see above, and bellow.
  
  
  
  
  
  The layout can be changed from the the gear icon, where a menu will appear (also found in the Settings section of the web browser):
  
   
• The web browser also brings in a nice, clear, understandable Setting panel, something of a miss from Chrome web browser, where you just have this massive list of options.
  
   
• As you can see from the above, as well, is the new Edge web browser features Tracking Prevention features not found on Googles web browser (for obvious reasons), so while Microsoft get to know you, like Google does via Chrome, you can make it harder for sites to know you.
   
• Install websites as Edge apps. If you prefer to have an app on your start menu/desktop to go to a site, you can now do that. This is because the the new web browser now supports PWA, and can make any sites a PWA app. This means you can go on Twitter.com, say, and install it as an app from the web browser. This also means that officially supported PWA apps can use system notifications for example.
   
• Netflix 1080p and 4K support. If you were not using Netflix app under Windows 10 or the old Edge web browser, you were not enjoying Netflix 1080p / 4K content. This new Edge web browser does, as it has the requirements that Netflix needs in terms of codec and DRM to allow this. So now you can enjoy Chrome + full Netflix experience from 1 web browser.
   
• More to come, like the old feature that is missing: Collections (a regroupement of tabs that you can set aside, so for example, you can switch between projects you are working on without having tabs cross each other between the two, and miss references, close the wrong tab by mistake but noticed a while back, and try to recover it, and so on)

Oh yes, there is Dark mode:

 

 

Since Microsoft started this web browser project, they have been doing a lot of contribution to Chromium web browser (which Chrome now have), including smoother scroll experience, performance improvement, to name a few. But as mentioned, this web browser has its unique feature set which Google is not interested in providing to its users.

 

So in conclusion, the new Edge web browser is Chrome, but tied to Microsoft service instead of Google, with Microsoft touch and improvements applied to it.

 

Source: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2020/01/goodbye-microsoft-edge-welcome-microsoft-chromium-edge/

[TVwazhere]

31 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

The new icon represent the edge of a wave, as you 'surf the web'.

[Guest]

Just now, TVwazhere said:

It looks like pasta.

[TempestCatto]

It's still only gonna get used to download a different browser.

[Bombastinator]

The functionality of chrome never bothered me.  It was the data collection.  
Is this chrome without the spyware?

 

Even if so, Chrome store still worries me.  I’m not going near those chrome extensions unless I know they don’t phone home

[GoodBytes]

6 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

The functionality of chrome never bothered me.  It was the data collection.  
Is this chrome without the spyware?

 

Even if so, Chrome store still worries me.  I’m not going near those chrome extensions unless I know they don’t phone home

So then you get the extensions from Microsoft website, but you are, so far, limited:

https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com/addons/category/Edge-Extensions?hl=en-US

 

It is Chrome with improved privacy, you do have these options you can turn off under the Settings > privacy, in the web browser:

But, at the moment, I don't know how far it goes.

[just that pc guy]

ahh yes, a new simpler experience... for downloading chrome

[GoodBytes]

People asked for a Linux Tech Tips app, there you go "..." > "Apps" > "Install"

 

(Note: This is a demonstration of the feature, the website does not support PWA, so you won't have Windows showing you notifications, same applies if you do it on the Edge web browser on your phone)

[Roswell]

I don't think I'm going to leave chrome behind another browser supports password, bookmark and history sync with Android.

[Arika]

Please have smooth scrolling on touchscreen devices. This was something edge did that was superior to all other browsers I have tried 

[Mira Yurizaki]

53 minutes ago, Vitamanic said:

I don't think I'm going to leave chrome behind another browser supports password, bookmark and history sync with Android.

I think Firefox has this feature. Or at least the last two.

 

EDIT: It's everything https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/sync-bookmarks-tabs-history-and-passwords-android

[MageTank]

I might have to give this browser a try. I prefer Chrome, but if this can effectively pull off what it's advertising, it's worth a look.

[GoodBytes]

1 hour ago, Vitamanic said:

I don't think I'm going to leave chrome behind another browser supports password, bookmark and history sync with Android.

Why not? Edge on Android (which uses the same engine as well as Chrome on Android), has sync of passwords, bookmarks and history, and you get to enjoy unique feature like sending a website from your phone to any of your PC, or the reverse. So imagine you check your phone while being out, and you go "Oh yea, I want to read this when I get home in more detail", you can send it to your PC, and when you get home, it is open in front of you. You have that nice integration between your devices, which you don't have with Google.

[Bombastinator]

*still wants to know if Microsoft sucked the spyware out of chrome or not*

[Roswell]

6 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Why not? Edge on Android (which uses the same engine as well as Chrome on Android), has sync of passwords, bookmarks and history, and you get to enjoy unique feature like sending a website from your phone to any of your PC, or the reverse. So imagine you check your phone while being out, and you go "Oh yea, I want to read this when I get home in more detail", you can send it to your PC, and when you get home, it is open in front of you. You have that nice integration between your devices, which you don't have with Google.

You can push pages between your phone and PC with chrome too.

 

That aside, it's just more convenient for me. Password sync works in apps as well and there are Android integrations too like looking at an address on your PC and clicking a button to start maps and navigation when you open your phone.

 

[GoodBytes]

40 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

*still wants to know if Microsoft sucked the spyware out of chrome or not*

Yes. Your activity within the web browser is unknown to Google.

As for Microsoft, you have the following options:

 

[GoodBytes]

36 minutes ago, Vitamanic said:

That aside, it's just more convenient for me. Password sync works in apps as well and there are Android integrations too like looking at an address on your PC and clicking a button to start maps and navigation when you open your phone.

Everything you mentioned are outside of Chrome itself and continues to work. My Pixel 3a confirms this.

[Mira Yurizaki]

47 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

*still wants to know if Microsoft sucked the spyware out of chrome or not*

They likely based it off parts of Chromium, which is Chrome without the Google data tracking.

[Roswell]

30 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Everything you mentioned are outside of Chrome itself and continues to work. My Pixel 3a confirms this.

You can't auto fill passwords in Android apps that are saved in Edge...

 

As far as sending addresses, as far as I know the only way to do it in other browsers is to initiate from a search results page.

 

My other reasons from the previous post still stand as well. History sync, bookmark sync, payment method storage and auto fill, etc.

[GoodBytes]

41 minutes ago, Vitamanic said:

You can't auto fill passwords in Android apps that are saved in Edge...

 

As far as sending addresses, as far as I know the only way to do it in other browsers is to initiate from a search results page.

 

My other reasons from the previous post still stand as well. History sync, bookmark sync, payment method storage and auto fill, etc.

Ok Correction on my part as I missed them: History sync is coming, as mentioned in the first post, so yes, as we speak it is not there. Payment info is sync between desktops and not phone at the moment (or mobile versions of sites is not taken them as the page is drastically different from what I can see, or pushes in your face to use their apps instead that they spend too much money on).

 

That said, from what I can see, auto-fill works, bookmarks are sync, and etc.

Here is a screen shot if you don't believe me:
 

Spoiler

 

 

[yolosnail]

Well, looks like it's goodbye Chrome and hello Edge!

 

I used Edge beta on my old laptop, but after upgrading it really didn't play well with the trackpad (2 finger scrolling just didn't work!), but the release version is perfect.

 

I prefer the look of Edge over Chrome, it's a subtle difference but I do prefer it.

[Xiee]

Been using the Beta versions of this Edge Chromium. No regrets so far. I'd rather have Microsoft spying over me than Google.

Joking aside, I just prefer this over Google Chrome.

[Dabombinable]

Well I'm getting the same HTML5 results between Chrome 79 and Edge 79 (which means they are both a tad behind old Edge). That being said it does seem to be loading pages faster and to be more responsive.
And yes, IE 11 is a horrendous piece of shit.
 

HTML5 results:

 

IE11:

http://html5test.com/s/9cc3f549c6cee668.html

 

Chrome 79:

html5test.com/s/1b461949c6c56649.html

 

Old Edge:

http://html5test.com/s/18f88949c6c59446.html

 

New Edge/Edge 79:

http://html5test.com/s/bf4cc249c6cf9c5b.html

[DeScruff]

... Is it bad that all I can think about is how this will affect Merry's Web browser webcomic?


Also: Does anyone even say "Surf the web" anymore? To me thats such a... late 90s thing.

[Giganthrax]

Has anyone tested the performance differences yet? 

 

If the Chromium Edge makes better use of system resources, I can see myself switching to it on my old laptop and maybe even on my 2ndary computer.