According to the official announcement, Firefox 5 includes:

• more than 1000 improvements and performance enhancements
• adds support for more modern web technologies
• now supports CSS animation standards
• Do Not Track privacy feature now available on Android too
• the new Add-on SDK allows local development of add-ons

To install it immediately in Ubuntu rather than waiting for the PPAs to update, you can follow this tutorial I wrote a few days ago. It shows how to install Firefox manually and Flash too.

Download Firefox 5

Here are the new features (with screenshots) introduced since Firefox 3.5:

Tab grouping

Yesterday I talked about Opera 11, which also introduced in their latest release the tab grouping feature. Firefox offers a special space for this, allowing you to move tabs in different groups, rename tab groups, and finally bring up front the group which you need at the moment.

Recently closed windows

I don’t know why this feature didn’t make it into 3.5, since recently closed tabs was around for a while. This new feature is now accessible under the History -> Recently Closed Windows menu entry, or using the Ctrl+Shift+N keyboard shortcut (and Ctrl+Shift+T for recently closed tabs).

Add-ons window now opens in a tab

The add-ons window is now opened as a tab instead of a separate window on its own. Check this screenshot:

Mouse over link shows URL in the address bar instead of bottom

I don’t know whether it’s actually a feature or not, it’s probably more intuitive to some though.

Feedback forms

Firefox now comes by default with a feedback plugin which allows the user to submit their own opinion regarding what they liked or disliked. User studies are also available, and Firefox encourages you to answer a few questions to improve it.

Another new feature introduced is Firefox Sync, which allows you to synchronize bookmarks, history, tabs and password between any other Firefox installation.

Test pilot survey

Stop/reload button moved to the right of the awesome bar

Firefox surely looks very promising. The new interface approach, although not new or revolutionary compared to the one of Chrome or Opera is really a good change. Same goes for the tab grouping, the friendly approach of introducing by default a feedback form or user studies in order to improve even more until the final release.

Download Firefox 4 Beta

Opera 11 first start

First, let’s see what this new release has to offer, so here’s the news in Opera 11:

• improved address field – the address field now hides long links focusing instead of the main domain name, so you can spot fake websites which try to impersonate a different address; all web pages got a badge to the left to replace protocols like HTTP or HTTPS, also, there is a badge showing if Opera Turbo is turned on or off
• improved Opera auto-update system; checks for updated extensions and Opera Unite applications
• the bookmarks bar is located below the address bar now (this can be changed back in the Appearance dialog)
• availability of improved extensions system; extensions can be created using HTML, CSS and JavaScript
• the mail panel received several notable improvements
• plug-ins can be loaded on demand
• the Presto rendering engine has been improved too with several changes at handling HTML5 and CSS3
• Google search predictions can now be integrated into Opera’s search field
• tab improvements: tabs can be grouped separately now; improved locked tab feature, now renamed to “pin tab”
• user JavaScript improvements
• visual mouse gestures, can be activated by holding down the right mouse button and moving the mouse cursor; Opera will show what gestures are available

As you can see, the list is quite big.

The address bar

Opera Mail

Bookmarks bar

Google search predictions

Pin tabs stay locked, taking up little space and preventing accidental closing

Tab grouping, group tabs by dragging one over another

Visual mouse gestures

Opera’s extensions offer additional functionality

In addition to these, Opera comes with already consecrated features, like the email client, the BitTorrent client, IRC client, download manager, extensions support, widgets support, configurable keyboard shortcuts, configurable interface, importing/exporting feed lists or bookmarks, sidebar panel for fast access to places like history, downloads or mail, powerful speed dial page, powerful tab management, fullscreen mode. And these are just a taste of what Opera has to offer. Opera incorporates so many services it makes it easy to use it on everything web based, from a BitTorrent client to an IRC client or even a small games platform via widgets. One approach I always liked about Opera is how it handles everything in a tab, making the interface easy to use and easing the navigation.

Opera BitTorrent client

Integrated IRC client

Private tab browsing

Opera Widgets with the Analog Clock and Biolab Disaster game activated

To conclude, this release really meets up expectations, introducing several useful features and continuing to polish this awesome web browser.

Installation packages are available for all the popular distributions out there, and Opera always provided good Linux installing support.

Download Opera 11