Let's take advantage of the new features

Oct 23, 2006 07:07 GMT  ·  By

Now that Internet Explorer 7 is out, many users may fall in love with its new look and functionalities. Microsoft claims that the new version improved a lot and has new features for the user's comfortability, along with a higher level of security. To celebrate this event I have decided to present you some useful settings for the new Microsoft offspring.

How to change the ClearType font

At first sight, the new Internet explorer looks friendlier, with a nice interface stuffed with useful functions like Tabs, Antiphising or RSS, but - because there is always a But - the text font is looking different. Why? Because Microsoft decided to add antialiasing to the fonts, thus making them smoother.

That's OK, many will say. Indeed, the new look makes webpages look better, but on the other hand, many users consider this change very tiresome for the eyes. I personally cannot read the texts using this font for more than ? hour. After I have installed IE 7 I noticed this inconvenience, but the problem was that the new font look changed for many more windows applications which was so unpleasant. The good news is that the problem can be solved though Internet Explorer Options.

Open Internet Explorer and go to Tools -> Internet Options -> Advanced. Under the settings panel you will find the Multimedia Options. Uncheck the first option "Always use ClearType for HTML" and click OK. Restart IE7 and you are done. The standard font will be used.

Use the new implemented RSS function

This new function will let you view RSS feed on webpages. As you already know, RSS feeds are very useful to inform Internet users about changes that take place on websites. For example, Softpedia provides a RSS feed with all the latest downloads and news available on softpedia.com.

You can subscribe to Softpedia feed to be informed very quickly with the latest downloads. So, open Softpedia.com and - in the right corner of Internet Explorer - click the orange button representing the RSS icon. A preview page of the feed will be displayed.

On top of the page, you will be able to subscribe to the feed. Click "Subscribe to this feed". In the window that will be displayed you can change the name of the feed and organize the feeds using folders. Click Subscribe and you are up to date!

More Tabs, multiple homepages

If you work over the Internet and you need to access every morning the same sites why don't you take advantage of the new feature offered by the Internet explorer 7? Let's say you come to work and you want your main working sites to start immediately after you start Internet explorer giving you time to get coffee.

Promising isn't it? Just go to Tools -> Internet Options and, under the General tab, in the Homepage field type in your main sites, then click OK. Next time you start IE7 you will have your sites served. Enjoy your coffee.

Fast search with your favorite search engine

As you all noticed, a search field was added into Internet explorer to ease the user's work. There you just have to enter the keyword and hit enter to search the related information. The default search engine is the newly created Live Seach from Microsoft, but most of the users are conservative and prefer to use their favorite search engine.

To add your favorite search engine as the default information finder click the arrow that points beneath and click "Find more providers". From the list, choose your favorite search engine and click Add Provider. If the search engine is not listed you have the freedom to create it yourself. From the same menu select "Change Search Defaults" and set up your favorite search engine as default. From now on, just type the word in the search field and hit enter. The results will be retrieved by your favorite search engine.

Why isn't my emoticon acting?

I met people who were wondering why when they use emoticons in Yahoo Messenger or other instant messaging application they are not acting as they are designed to do. It is all about an Internet explorer setting which is not particular for IE7 but some people do not know it. To see your "faces" act, go to Tools -> Internet Explorer -> Advanced Tab. Under the Multimedia Option make sure that "Play animations in webpages" is checked.

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