Wired highlighted the new Internet Explorer 9 Beta version that was just released.

Internet Explorer 9 Beta was made available for download shortly after it was announced at a launch event in San Francisco, around 10:00 a.m. Pacific time. The download link for Windows Vista and Windows 7 users can be accessed here.

The final version of IE9 is still some months off — Microsoft wouldn’t commit to a definite time frame for the browser’s release when we asked. But we’ve spent a few days in IE9 Beta’s company, and so far, it has proven to be a thoroughly modern machine. The world’s most-used browser is getting a new look, much expanded support for HTML5 and other 21st-century web technologies, and a big speed boost.

Quite a change. Microsoft has a reputation for being an also-ran when it comes to browser innovation. When IE8 arrived in March 2009, we found it rich in features, but lacking in support for the emerging standards powering the shiny apps that make the web exciting. IE8 was faster and more secure than its predecessor, but when it came to speed and productivity, it wasn’t up to snuff with its peers — Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Opera. In fact, it was a bit of a snooze.

Read More http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/09/internet-explorer-9-beta-drops-its-lean-fast-and-modern/#ixzz0zdL9kyGN