'Project Spartan' Browser and Review

[uhMayzedHD]

 

Microsoft's new Project Spartan Web browser is available to test drive in the latest Windows 10 Technical Preview for PCs.

Windows Insiders can now access the browser, which will make its debut in Microsoft's updated browser later this year.

 

Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president of Microsoft's operating systems group, promised that the browser won't visually interfere with your online life. "Project Spartan is designed to work the way you do, with features enabling you to do cool things like write or type on a webpage," Belfiore wrote in a blog post. "It's a browser that is made for easy sharing, reading, discovery and getting things done online."

Still in "an early, incomplete state," Project Spartan testers will find features like Cortana, which will offer help based on what she knows about the Web and the user when needed.

 

 

Once you've arrived at your destination, use Spartan's new inking feature to write/type on or clip part of a Web page; then share that "Web Note" (pictured) via email or a social network, or save it directly to OneNote.

For those who love saving articles to read later, but hate navigating to a separate app to access their library, Microsoft has added the Reading List—a collection of everything you want to catch up on, including websites or PDFs. The integrated, distraction-free Reading View also helps keep you focused on the content.

A new browser also deserves a new rendering engine—one which Belfiore said was "built around the idea that the Web 'just works,' while being fast, more secure, and more reliable."

 

The list doesn't end there: Redmond promised more features and improvements coming to Project Spartan before its consumer launch. This preview, Belfiore cautioned, is not a polished release; Windows Insiders are encouraged to offer feedback.

Check out Project Spartan in action in the video above. At this point, the preview is intended for tech-savvy users, and should probably be downloaded on an extra device, not your main PC. Most Web users should wait for the full launch of Windows 10 this summer.

Meanwhile, this week's announcements include good news for mobile users: The next iteration of the Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones is expected to reach even more Lumia handsets. A full list is available online. For more, see How to Get the Windows 10 Technical Preview on Your Smartphone.

 

PCMAG Review

 

Pros: Sleek design. Compatible with popular sites. Webpage annotation. Reading mode. Built-in Flash and PDF support.

 

Cons: Some non-standard window behavior in testing. Occasionally non-responsive in tests. Fewer privacy protections than Internet Explorer. Slower hardware acceleration than IE11.

 

Bottomline: With a trim design, solid standards support, and speed, Microsoft's new browser shows promise, though it's still rough around the edges.

 

[handymanshandle]

Nah still like Chrome.

[MrRavens]

Lol, for every new Microsoft browser, I try it at least once. Let's see how it goes once it comes out. But even then I'll give it some time to be polished.

[Guest]

Safari FTW.

[handymanshandle]

Safari FTW.

I miss Safari (sort of) OS X Mountain Lion's Safari and the last version of Safari for Windows were okay but in Yosemite it looks rather gorgeous. 

[Guest]

I miss Safari (sort of) OS X Mountain Lion's Safari and the last version of Safari for Windows were okay but in Yosemite it looks rather gorgeous.

Right? And it's so efficient.

[Guest Generallee]

Nah still like Chrome.

 

If it wasnt for the gigantic ram consumption i'd use it exclusively

 

Netscape FTW