Internet Explorer has slowly been losing market share to Firefox. But this is a good thing for IE users!

The competition has forced Microsoft to add new features to its Web browser. It added a bevy of useful tools to IE 7. For example, there’s tabbed browsing and anti-phishing tools.

Now, Microsoft is preparing Internet Explorer 8. This week, it debuted Release Candidate 1. There’s a good chance that the final version will be identical.

You’ll find all of the features you like in Internet Explorer 7. You’ll also find features that you wouldn’t expect.

IE 8 now has InPrivate browsing. Simply click a button. Nothing you do online will be recorded on the computer. This is great for those who share machines.

Of course, Web tracking may be a bigger concern for you. You don’t want advertisers gathering information about your online activities.

InPrivate browsing will block third-party sites from tracking your movements. The SmartScreen feature will also alert you to malicious sites.

There’s more to IE 8 than security improvements, though. You’ll find new tools that make Web surfing—and your life—easier.

Accelerators will speed things up for you. For example, select an address on a Web page. Click the button that appears. Choose to map the address. Presto! You have an in-page map highlighting the address!