Microsoft took the wraps off Internet Explorer 7 on Tuesday, releasing the new "preview" version of its Web browser to the general public for testing. The program, still a work in progress, became available for download at 9 a.m. PT from the Internet Explorer section of Microsoft's corporate Web site. The company, which began limited testing in July, had promised to deliver a public beta by the end of March. "The big update is that it's public," said Margaret Cobb, group product manager for Internet Explorer at Microsoft. "All previous releases were limited."

The latest version works only with Windows XP Service Pack 2 and includes many of the features Microsoft has been touting for months. Among them are new security and privacy protection capabilities such as mechanisms designed to combat phishing attacks, spyware and other threats. Another new feature lets users clear their browsing history more easily and thus wipe out passwords, form data and cookies in one click, the company said.

Note: This beta of the browser is compatible only with Windows XP Service Pack 2. And, keep in mind that, like any still-in-development version, this beta 2 release has bugs and rough edges.

Download: Internet Explorer 7 Beta 2 Preview
News source: C|Net News