Browser Round-Up: Which Is The Best One For You?

A large number of people tend to use the browser that just comes with their computer: Internet Explorer on Windows, Safari on the Mac, and Firefox on Linux. However, it's good to realize that laptop and desktop users still have a choice when it comes to what they'll be using to surf the web.

On the the most-widely used operating system, Microsoft Windows, you have five different options to choose from - Internet Explorer, Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox, or the Opera browser. Any system without Windows can't use Internet Explorer. 

You're thinking - how do I choose? Here are descriptions explaining the perks of each browser. Click on the browser title to view the main website and start your download. 

Internet Explorer - Compatible with PC & Mac (5.2.3 version)

The browser we've all surely heard of, Internet Explorer, is continually growing. The new Internet Explorer 9 is full of features like One Box, Pinned Sites, and Tap Enhancements. With One Box, you can start typing a web address and AutoComplete anticipates what you're looking for to help you get to your websites quickly. You can type in familiar terms like "news" or "music" and the sites will pop up right away. With Pinned Sites, you can get to your favorite sites directly from the Windows 7 taskbar—without having to openInternet Explorer first. Enhanced tabs allow you to "tear-off tabs" and interact with multiple sites in a fast and easy way.

Safari  - Compatible with Mac & PC

Safari works on your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Mac, and PC. Do you make a lot of spelling errors? Safari automatically corrects your spelling and grammar. (Life saver!) Safari is always fast. It uses an HTML5 audio and video tags, which reduces development time and gives you a faster response when trying to zoom through different pages. The window easily fits the screen. You can zoom in by just double-taping, or by pinching and extending your fingers. The browser even has a "Privacy Browsing" that allows you to see what websites are storing data that could be used to track you online. 

Google Chrome - Compatible with Mac, PC, and Linux
Chrome is designed to be fast in every way. It's quick to start up from  your desktop, loads web pages in a snap, and runs complex web applications lightning fast. The browser window is neat because you can search and navigate from the same box in addition to arranging your open tabs however you wish. Google Chrome also allows you to design your browser window in whatever way you'd like. You can choose a plain color scheme (black, gold, silver) or even pick a template, such as a background of flowers or a famous celebrity. (Don't worry there's "manly" backgrounds as well.) 

Firefox - Compatible with Mac and PC

Firefox has an easy-to-use search bar in the upper-right hand corner. Searching for things have never been so easy. By pressing, "CTRL-F", you'll notice a little bar appear at the bottom of the browser. It will stay at the bottom instead of getting in your way like some other pop-up dialog boxes will do. Firefox attached their URL bar to Google's "I'm Feeling Lucky" search option. Anything you type into the URL bar without an actual URL, will be put into Google's search engine and brought up once you hit enter. What a neat little feature!

Opera Browser - Compatible with Mac, PC, and Linux

You're definitely not limited on where you can use the Opera Browser; available on Windows, Macs, phones, and tablets. Cool Opera features include tab stacking, which allows you to drag one tab over another to create groups of tabs, and a Password manager that saves your password after the first time you log in to a website. The next time you go to that website, just press "CTRL + Enter" and you'll be logged in.