On the heels of Apple's Safari 3.0, made available for Windows Vista and Windows XP on the first day of the Cupertino-based company's Worldwide Developers Conference 2007, Microsoft responded by launching an optimized version of Internet Explorer 7. The refresh delivered to the Microsoft browser bridges the gap between Internet Explorer 7 and the company's online services united under the MSN brand umbrella. IE7 optimized for MSN will install on Windows XP SP2 both 32-bit and 64-bit editions and also on Windows Vista. Upon deployment, Microsoft will inform the user that the installation package has been customized with specific settings and additional applications.

"Now that you have Internet Explorer 7 optimize your online experience for MSN! Quick access to your MSN Content and Features, customized MSN links, feeds and favorites, MSN.com as your home page, Windows Live Toolbar and Live Search set as your default search provider," are the main characteristics of the IE7 optimized for MSN download. And Microsoft promises that optimizing the browser for the MSN online platform will be a streamlined, fast and free experiences. However, the company does advise users to disable any security products that they might have installed to avoid potential problems.

Microsoft is not the first company to deliver a branded version of Internet Explorer 7. In fact, the Redmond Company was beaten to the market by optimized IE7 version created by Yahoo and Google following the initial availability of the browser. The option of building a personalized copy of Internet Explorer 7 with the associated branding is supported by Microsoft via the Internet Explorer Administration Kit 7. Microsoft released the tool in mid December 2007, to open up the process of customizing the latest version of its browser. In this context, the Redmond Company is reasonably late to tailor-fit IE7 to MSN.