Firefox hot on the heels of Internet Explorer

However, competition is strong and it can no longer be said that Firefox is the fastest browser available.

Several notable improvements in the latest revamp keep Firefox abreast of current browsing technology.

In addition to the aforementioned improvements made to the TraceMonkey JavaScript engine so that it renders Web applications faster, there have also been other significant under-the-hood changes.

One obvious change is the Smart Location Bar (aka “awesome bar”).

As you type in a URL, the awesome bar searches through your history and bookmarks and presents a drop-down list of recently accessed pages with that same keyword.

It works even if you already know the URL.

Some people have found it to be annoying, so there is a way to disable it requiring a small tweak to the About:Config file.

An Add-On further allows you to learn which of the search results you want to always be on top.

Another deeper change to the browser is that it is now running scripts asynchronously, which can help to load a Web page faster by putting off some work until the high-priority chores are complete.

Firefox 3.6 also isolates out-of-date plug-ins so they do not become a security risk.

Unlike Firefox 3.5, which was more about keeping the browser current rather than blazing new trails, Firefox 3.6 is once again on the warpath.

Immediately after the URL and just before the RSS icon is the new Star icon.

Click it once to store the page’s URL as a bookmark; click it twice to assign the bookmark to a new or existing folder.

You can also give it tags: short keywords to help when searching through your bookmarks.

Use the new Library feature to create and store searches.

Also new is Full Page Zoom.

Unlike Opera, Firefox hides the Zoom feature within the View toolbar option and doesn’t increment: just big or small.

Hopefully Mozilla will refine this feature in Firefox 4.

Enhancements within Firefox 3 include changes to the Add-Ons manager.

Now Firefox presents a list of popular Add-Ons without redirecting your browser to a Web page.

From the manager you can install the recommended Add-Ons directly.

There is still a link to the addons.mozilla.org page where you can find more than 5,000 add-ons written for Firefox.

Download manager

Another enhancement is within the Download Manager.

Mozilla has added search engines and improved the ability to start and resume downloads.

There are also numerous security features such as Malware and Phishing protection, Instant Web site ID, support for the Extended Validation Secure Socket Layer (EV SSL), enhancements to the Password manager, and greater security for Add-Ons.

Mozilla is quickly becoming more popular in various countries, prompting its development in more than 70 languages.

This latest version has support for a new type of theme called Personas, which allow users to change Firefox’s appearance with a single click.

Firefox 3 touts faster rendering, vastly reduced use of system resources, clever new data-mining tools for your bookmarks and browser history, and more security features than any other browser.

But, Firefox 3 will no longer support Windows 95, 98, and Me; same with Mac OS X, versions 10.2 and earlier. Upgrading is highly recommended.

Adapted from cnet.com