Microsoft takes the wraps off of its new web browser

Today, Microsoft showed off a new feature-packed web browser, tentatively dubbed Project Spartan, for its upcoming Windows 10 operating system. It includes a number of elements not found on Internet Explorer, including integration with digital assistant Cortana; the ability to annotate web pages; a distraction-free reading mode, and reading lists that sync across devices. The decision to build an entirely new browser signals Microsoft is trying to move away from Internet Explorer’s legacy: outdated, slow, buggy, and susceptible to malware. This is a problem Microsoft is acutely aware of. As part of a 2012 campaign to promote Internet Explorer 10, the company launched a website with the domain browseryoulovedtohate.com (it now redirects to rethinkie.com). Microsoft has yet to say when Spartan will be released, but it likely won’t be in the next Windows 10 build for early testers.