Download the new Firefox 3.5 Web browser

Firefox 3.5, the latest version of the competitor to Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser, was released Tuesday. Developed by open-source company Mozilla in Mountain View, Calif., Firefox has revitalized competition among Web browsers since the first version came out in 2004.

Firefox first introduced tabbed browsing, which has since become commonplace. Mozilla also paved the way for other companies to develop browsers to compete with Microsoft, such as Apple's Safari, Google's Chrome and Opera.

"Since then the Web has become a more interesting place," said Mike Beltzner, director of Firefox, in an interview earlier this month. "We got a secondary explosion of Web startups, then Apple put its foot in. Now there's intense collaboration and competition. We're happy to see Microsoft is not standing still."

Firefox 3.5's new features include: faster browsing, video capabilities built into the browser, location-aware browsing and a privacy-browsing mode (which many have dubbed a "porn mode"). Developers hope that the new features will spur Web developers to create more innovative applications on the Internet. As Beltzner said, think back to 2004, when most Web sites were little more than static brochures, to today's rich landscape of video and other applications.

Firefox 3.5 is available at www.mozilla.com .

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