Firefox Takes a Bite of Microsoft in Europe

Explorer, Firefox down as Google's browser makes big gains

(NEWSER) - Less than three years since its official public launch, Google's Chrome has become the second-most popular web browser in the world, reports Digital Trends . In November, Chrome accounted for 25.7% of global browser usage, climbing just past declining Firefox, which fell to 25.23%. Just two years ago, Chrome had been roughly tied for third, along with Safari and Opera, with about 4.5%, but since then has steadily gained market share around the world. More»

Especially if they haven't upgraded

(NEWSER) - If you’re reading this site on Internet Explorer 6, you should know you’re not in good company. A new study from a Canadian company called AptiQuant has found that Internet Explorer users are on average significantly less intelligent than users of other browsers, especially if they’re using older versions. Those still running Internet Explorer 6 have an average IQ just above 80, while Firefox and Chrome users are up at around 110 and Opera and Camino users above 120. More»

Microsoft's latest puts it back ahead in browser wars

(NEWSER) - It's been quite a while since Microsoft was in the lead for browser innovation, but Internet Explorer 9—released in beta form yesterday—is good enough to lure some users back from Firefox and Chrome, say reviewers.

• IE9 "not only catches up with its competitors, but improves in several areas," writes Jared Newman at PC World , praising the lack of clutter and Microsoft's adoption of the "omnibar" for addresses and searching.

Chrome 4 is the best way to surf the web, writes Farah Manjoo

(NEWSER) - Chrome 4, Google's latest version of its web browser, beats Internet Explorer 8—no surprise—and Firefox 3.6 hands down, writes Farhad Manjoo. He's been a fan of Chrome's earlier versions: They've always been fast, handled web video well, and compartmentalized tabs, so problems on one website don't crash your whole session. But Manjoo just couldn't do without some of Firefox's perks: With Chrome 4, Google addresses those long-standing shortcomings. More»

Vulnerabilities spotted after release of security patch

(NEWSER) - An Internet security firm has found yet more serious "vulnerabilities" in Internet Explorer just days after Microsoft released a fresh security patch in the wake of a major hack attack. The browser—which was exploited by hackers in the recent wave of massive cyberattacks blamed on China—has weaknesses that thieves can use to remotely access all of the data on a computer if a user clicks on a malicious link, according to Core Security Technologies. More»