Microsoft rolled out a test version of its upgraded Internet Explorer browser Tuesday, marking the biggest change to IE in more than half a decade and sending a message to competitors that the software giant isn’t ignoring the browser market.

In the latest version, the Redmond giant built in a search box, enhanced the browser’s security, and introduced new features like tabbed browsing, which allows users to better manage simultaneous surfing of a number of web sites.

From reading this and various other bits on the new IE7 browser, it sounds like it's finally catching up with what I would consider standard features in a web browser. It is still missing the one "hook" that would make me want to convert to it away from my current browser though - all the features in it are mainstream in almost all browsers these days so it would feel like a downgrade to move from my current browser to IE7.

It is certainly a huge leap forwards for Internet Explorer, but I'm not convinced it's enough of a leap to slow people down from converting away from it.

RED HERRING | Microsoft Releases IE Preview