Internet Explorer 9 provides the best browsing experience on the web

Doha, Qatar, April 28, 2011 --Microsoft Qatar located at Qatar Science & Technology Park today announced the launch of the latest version of the world's most-used browser with the release of Windows Internet Explorer 9 for consumers across the country. Using Internet Explorer 9, web users across Qatar can further leverage the power of the whole PC and get the best browsing experience on the Internet.

 "The best experience of the Web is on Windows with Internet Explorer 9," said Mohammad Hammoudi, Country Manager, Microsoft Qatar. "Today, the Web can unlock the power and performance of the best PC hardware through Windows and Internet Explorer 9(IE9). Websites also can act more like applications within Windows 7, with features such as Pinned Sites. In less than a year, Internet Explorer 9 went from early preview to final release with the help of hardware partners and the Web community. We are pleased to have launched Internet Explorer 9 locally here in Qatar to provide consumers with the ultimate browsing experience."

"At QDS, we are very excited about the final IE9 release providing the New JavaScript engine, enhanced security and hardware acceleration, adding to the greatly improved speed and stylish minimalist interface. This has left more room for webpages providing features that are highly valuable for corporate users. The level of commitment Microsoft is providing to web users is very commendable, and this has translated to many customers downloading and adopting the browser," said Mohammad Alam, General Manager of Qatar Datamation Systems (QDS).

Internet Explorer 9 is designed to bring sites front and center through Windows 7, enabling a more immersive, more beautiful Web experience. Features such as Pinned Sites and Jump List enable people to put their websites directly on the Windows 7 Taskbar, as though they were native applications, and then to quickly and easily perform tasks related to those websites, such as check their inbox, change the music station, accept a friend invitation or see breaking news.

"What people care about on the Web is their sites, not their browser. That's why Internet Explorer 9 is about making those sites shine. The browser is the theater and the sites people visit are the play, and that is what Internet Explorer 9 makes better -- your favorite sites," said Kerim Ozbakirci, Product Marketing Manager, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Middle East and Africa.

Fast is Now Beautiful: Internet Explorer 9 with Hardware Acceleration

The new version of Internet Explorer takes advantage of the power of modern Windows PC hardware to improve all-around Web browsing performance. The only browser with fully hardware-accelerated HTML5, Internet Explorer 9 harnesses the power of the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), unlocking 90 percent of the PC's power that went previously untapped by Web browsers.

Developers can now build faster, more immersive websites that feel like native applications using interoperable HTML5 or by using plug-ins such as Adobe Flash Player and Microsoft Silverlight, both of which will take advantage of the hardware acceleration in Internet Explorer 9 in their next versions.

Improving Privacy and Security Online

Because the Web is increasingly less secure and private, Internet Explorer 9 is designed to be the most trusted browser because it contains a robust set of built-in security, privacy and reliability technologies that keep customers safer online.

In December, Microsoft introduced Tracking Protection in Internet Explorer 9, which puts people in control of what data they are sharing as they move around the Web, by enabling consumers to indicate what websites they'd prefer not to exchange information with. Consumers do this by adding Tracking Protection Lists to Internet Explorer 9, and partners such as Privacy Choice, TRUSTe, Abine and Adblock Plus have already published these lists.

Malware is now the No. 1 risk to people's security online, and Internet Explorer 9 provides the first Download Manager with integrated SmartScreen malware protection. The browser also introduces SmartScreen download reputation, a groundbreaking browser feature that uses reputation data to remove unnecessary warnings for well-known files and show more severe warnings when the download has a higher risk of being malicious. Studies show that Internet Explorer 9 blocks 99 percent of socially engineered malware attacks, five times more than Firefox and 33 times more than Chrome.

Globally, Microsoft has partnered with more than 250 top sites from around the globe to take advantage of the capabilities in Internet Explorer 9 to deliver differentiated experiences to their customers, these partners include top social networks worldwide like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, top commerce sites like Amazon & eBay and top news sites like CNN, Wall Street Journal and USA Today, to name a few. Together, these partners reach more than 1 billion active Internet users on the Web. The result is a more beautiful Wed experience.

More information is available at http://www.Beautyoftheweb.ae.

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About Microsoft Gulf
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ:'MSFT') is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Gulf opened its Dubai-based headquarters in 1991. Microsoft Gulf today oversees Microsoft activities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE. Microsoft Corporation's address on the worldwide web is: www.microsoft.com and Microsoft's Gulf web site is: www.microsoft.com/gulf.

This material is for informational purposes only. Microsoft Corp. disclaims all warranties and conditions with regard to use of the material for other purposes. Microsoft Corp. shall not, at any time, be liable for any special, direct, indirect or consequential damages, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other action arising out of or in connection with the use or performance of the material. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting any kind of warranty.

For more information, please contact
Hala Kassab
Aileen Andojar
Asda'a Burson-Marsteller
Tel: +974 4 4351 113 
Fax: +974 4 4351 511
Email : h.kassab@asdaa.com
a.andojar@asdaa.com

© Press Release 2011