Browsers

Microsoft's release should retain its browser base but doesn't yet have enough to lure loyal Firefox users back to Internet Explorer.

If only for the speed, lightness of being, and security alone, Firefox remains our Editors' Choice for best Internet browser.

Mozilla Thunderbird 2 is a fine, free, extensible e-mail client and a solid alternative to pricey Microsoft Outlook 2007 or the free Windows Live Mail.

An alpha version of Firefox 3 (Gran Paradiso) Alpha 1 is available for download, but this release is not meant for public consumption; it's only for testing.

Mozilla Firefox 2 is a winner, beating Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 on security, features, and overall cool factor and deserving our Editors' Choice award.

IE 7 was Microsoft's one chance to leapfrog ahead of the competition, but the company has only barely caught sight of the current front-runners. For more features and greater security, switch to Mozilla Firefox.

No new changes in this latest build of IE 7 from Microsoft, except for more stability and application compatibility, but this browser still is not ready for prime time.

Microsoft has changed the look and feel of its venerable browser while adding some much-needed security features.

We like Netscape 8's customization features and its emphasis on security; however, we wish this new version included the native RSS support found in Apple Safari RSS.

Apple Safari RSS, the default Mac OS X browser, beats Opera, Firefox, and Internet Explorer as the best Web browser for Mac users.

Lycos makes the grade if you're checking up on someone or scouring discussion forums; otherwise, turn to Google.

LookSmart falls short when it comes to standard Web searches, but its article searches and innovative Furl tool are unmatched among the competition.

AOL Search's slick, friendly interface caters to beginners, but Yahoo and Google are better choices for power searchers or multimedia mavens.

AltaVista's toolbar gets the job done, but it does little to stand out from the crowd and is marred by some clunky features. We recommend a more feature-rich toolbar, such as Yahoo's.

Fans of A9's innovative search capabilities will warm to this search engine's toolbar, but those needing specific search types should keep looking.

The Ask Jeeves Toolbar has plenty of specific search options for news, images, video, and MP3/audio, and the toolbar lets you zoom Web pages in and out. But its too-big search box and annoying frames around search result pages wore on our nerves.

MSN's fair-to-middling toolbar lags well behind its still competition, but its one-of-a-kind highlighter viewer wins an honorable mention.

HotBot Deskbar would be a strong contender for the search toolbar throne, were it not for its spotty performance.

Unless your business has specific ActiveX technology needs, you are much more secure running Firefox than Internet Explorer.

If you're only after speed, try Safari but keep your other browser, too. Try Camino if you crave advanced settings.