Microsoft recently announced that they will be releasing a new browser version sometime this summer. The new browser version was to be released with Longhorn, the code name for their next operating system to replace Windows XP, but they decided that they needed to release it sooner than that.

Many think the reason is because Firefox, the new popular browser, has introduced some key features that many surfers have come to expect. This probably has put pressure on Microsoft to respond with a browser with the same specs.

One of these key features is tabbed browsing, which allows you to browse to multiple sites using just one window with tabs rather than opening a new window for each page.

But tabbed browsing isn't all...

I am really excited about the possibility of a new feature that could change the way web-surfers get their content!

Although there has been no formal announcement about this, there has been a lot of speculation about the new browser including a built-in RSS reader.

An RSS what'?

Let me explain...

RSS has taken off like a rocket. Blog sites love it, and every major website out there now supports it including CNN, ESPN, Yahoo, Google, and MSN.

RSS is nothing more than a format for delivering article headlines that can be read and neatly displayed by RSS readers, much like an email program displays email messages.

But so far the popularity of RSS has been confined mainly to blogsites and tech-saavy individuals who know how to "tune in" to an RSS Feed. Though it is spreading like wildfire, many average web users have no idea what RSS is! (I've confirmed that by recently asking several of my friends, and none of them had ever heard of it!)

This is all about to change!

Microsoft has very good reason to include an RSS reader with their new IE version. If they don't, surfers may have reason to switch to another that does. Firefox already includes an RSS reader.

If they DO include an RSS reader, think of the implications:

*You could browse to a webpage and IE could "discover" any RSS links on the page and notify you of them

*You may be able to Right-Click on an RSS Feed and have an option to "Add to RSS Reader", which would instantly subscribe you to the Feed.

*Web developers may be able to write web pages that allow visitors to automatically subscribe to a feed by clicking a button or submitting a form.

Remember, Firefox already has all these features, but the vast majority still uses IE!

Once visitors learn how RSS works and figure out how easy and convenient it is, RSS will become the expected format.

Soon you will be FORCED to offer RSS content because consumers will not want to hand out their email address anymore!

The time will come...will you be ready to deliver?

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