Mozilla releases a Firefox 2 beta intended for the general public. New are antiphishing controls and an automatic session restore feature, plus some enhancements to features seen in the previous alpha builds.
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Guba.com has a fine interface, nifty features, and a hybrid video store that includes free and premium titles, but it could use more content.
Will Google's online payment system kill PayPal? Maybe not, but Google Checkout aims to make it a snap to shop online with one login.
Google Desktop 4 beta is less clunky than its predecessor, and we love the zippy search and creative Sidebar Gadgets. Still, we're wary of handing over our computing habits to Google's servers.
We love the idea of Starz Vongo and think $10 per month is a fair price for all-you-can-watch movies, but the service needs a better selection of movies and improved compatibility with portable devices.
Can Writely replace Microsoft Word? Yes, if you have stable Internet access and don't need a ton of editing and formatting features.
While Windows Live Messenger offers better file sharing and video chatting, Yahoo Messenger with Voice 8 stands out for its Net telephone service, photo sharing, novelty plug-ins, and embedded search.
We really like Opera 9, but we like it more as the cool, arty browser that it is and not as our everyday workhorse for the Internet.
The live file-sharing capabilities and clear video call quality make Windows Live Messenger stand out.
The online Google Spreadsheets is free, easy to use, and handy for collaboration, but stick with Excel for complex spreadsheets.
The biggest new feature of Google's new Picasa beta is the capability to post pictures directly from the application to a Google-hosted Web album. It's about time.
By allowing you to fly around the planet and craft your own virtual worlds, Google Earth 4 beta stands apart from other mapping tools.
Ask Maps and Directions 2.0 offers driving and walking directions for up to 10 locations, but Yahoo Maps and Windows Live Local offer more features.
Windows Live Local beta's dynamic maps and business directories invite you to plot your own points of interest and collaborate with other users.
While changes within Firefox 2 Alpha 3 are bolder and better than those in Alpha 2, this version is still best suited only for developers and the technically adventurous.
With plenty of useful features wrapped in a simple and attractive interface, the Yahoo Maps beta is the online mapping tool to beat.
Mapquest is still an excellent resource, but it needs a major overhaul to keep up with the online mapping world.
While changes within Firefox 2 Alpha 2 are bolder and better than those in Alpha 1, they are still best suited only for developers and the technically adventurous.
Despite some glitches, MTV Urge is one of the best subscription music services we've seen to date. If taking your choice of millions of songs with you anywhere sounds appealing, make sure you check out this offering from MTV.
Napster often leads the field in new features and now offers a welcome free streaming plan--but it doesn't lead on price.
