Navigator 9.0.0.4 was released earlier today in order to incorporate the security fixes included in Firefox 2.0.0.10. Please be sure to update your installation of Navigator when prompted by the automatic updater, or you can force the update manually by choosing "Check for Updates" from the Help menu. The release notes for this release are here.

You can also download the full installer for Netscape Navigator 9.0.0.4 from browser.netscape.com.

Netscape is pleased to announce the availability of the first public alpha of Netscape Messenger 9, a mail and news client, to complement the Netscape Navigator Web browser. This release is now available for download from mailnews.netscape.com for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

The release notes for 9.0a1 are here; they include download and installation instructions.

NOTICE: This alpha release is an early developer milestone of the next major version of Messenger. It is being made available for testing purposes only. If you are currently using a previous Netscape mail client, you should not switch to Messenger 9a1 as your primary mail and news client. Feel free, however, to install and test it so that you can help shape the future of this product.

Report any bugs, or request any features, via this feedback form.

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Netscape Messenger 9a1 is based on Thunderbird 2.0.0.9, giving it a secure and efficient base, as well as allowing it to support Thunderbird-compatible extensions. As we move through the alpha period with this product, we look forward to adding the most-requested features from the community, allowing us to improve on an already great product.

Along those lines, we have two questions for you:

1. What is the #1 killer feature that you'd like to see in the final release of Messenger 9?

2. Google and Yahoo have recently made announcements to the effect that they'll be building social networking features into their webmail clients. Are you interested in seeing social features added to Messenger?

Navigator 9.0.0.3 was released earlier today in order to incorporate the stability fixes included in Firefox 2.0.0.9. Please be sure to update your installation of Navigator when prompted by the automatic updater, or you can force the update manually by choosing "Check for Updates" from the Help menu. The release notes for this release are here.

You can also download the full installer for Netscape Navigator 9.0.0.3 from browser.netscape.com.

Navigator 9.0.0.2 was released earlier today in order to fix a bug related to searching using both the location bar and the default Netscape search engine. Please be sure to update your installation of Navigator when prompted by the automatic updater, or you can force the update manually by choosing "Check for Updates" from the Help menu. The release notes for this release are here.

You can also download the full installer for Netscape Navigator 9.0.0.2 from browser.netscape.com.

Navigator 9.0.0.1 was released earlier today in order to incorporate the security fixes included in Firefox 2.0.0.8. Please be sure to update your installation of Navigator when prompted by the automatic updater, or you can force the update manually by choosing "Check for Updates" from the Help menu.

You can also download the full installer for Netscape Navigator 9.0.0.1 from browser.netscape.com.

A few weeks ago, we announced that the social news functionality was being removed from the Netscape Navigator Web browser in parallel with Netscape.com's transition to Propeller.com; at that same time, we promised that we'd release these features as standalone browser extensions.

We're making true on that commitment; the following social news features that had been standard components of early betas of Netscape Navigator 9 have now been reborn as browser extensions. These extensions are compatible with both Firefox 2 and Navigator 9:

• Propeller.com Friends' Activity Sidebar

• Propeller.com Sitemail Notifier

• Propeller.com Tracker
  

• Propeller.com News

The News and Tracker extensions are still available only in the Mozilla Addons sandbox; read this for more information about the sandbox.

Netscape is pleased to announce the immediate availability of the official release of Netscape Navigator 9. The release is available for download from browser.netscape.com.

The following changes have been made since Release Candidate 1:

• Added security measures when installing extensions from the sidebar browser
• Fixed error that was displayed after updating (with auto-update) from 9.0b3 to 9.0RC1

For a complete list of the new features in Netscape 9, see What's New in Netscape Navigator 9? at browser.netscape.com; you may want to also check out the Netscape Navigator FAQ for information on running Navigator 9 alongside previous Netscape browsers.

Netscape is pleased to announce the immediate availability of the first release candidate of Netscape Navigator 9. The release is available for download from browser.netscape.com.

Due to Netscape.com's transition from a social news site to a traditional news portal (and the resulting re-launch of the social news site at Propeller.com), we made the decision to remove the built-in social news functionality from the Netscape Navigator Web browser. We will be releasing those features as stand-alone Propeller-branded browser extensions shortly, and our browser development efforts will be refocused on providing new features and browsing enhancements not specifically tied to a single Web service.

The following changes have been made since Beta 3:

• Added splash screen
• Fixed formatting bug in Mac license
• Fixed a bug that was preventing custom background colors
• Mini-browser enhancements
• Removed social news integration
• Exposed more preferences in the Preference Dialog for tabs and the mini-browser
• Fixed reversed preference for opening searches in new tab
• Fixed Mac bundle signature
• Fixed default icon and file assocations
• Moved custom FTP style out of userContent.css
• Added URL correction preferences to Advanced Preferences page
• Added drop-down menu to print button
• Added drop-down menu to home button
• Added Firefox profile importing
• Added support for importing Netscape 8 bookmarks after the initial install
• Fixed theme issues on Linux
• Fixed truncation of Reload button label
• Fixed bugs with URL correction and country codes
• Added "Save to Linkpad" option to History context menu

For a complete list of the new features in Netscape 9, see What's New in Netscape Navigator 9? at browser.netscape.com; you may want to also check out the Netscape Navigator FAQ for information on running Navigator 9 alongside previous Netscape browsers.

...Mario Herbert, who designed entry #11 from yesterday's post. Congratulations Mario!



Mario's design will be the default splash screen for Netscape Navigator 9. We especially liked the clean look and the throwback feel of the ship's wheel.

Many thanks to all of the other participants in the contest; the choice was difficult to make due to the high quality and aesthetic appeal of all of the entries.

In no particular order, here are all of the entries in the Navigator 9 splash screen design contest. Feel free to campaign for your favorite in the comments section.

We've gotten some great entries in the splash screen design contest for Navigator 9; we'll be accepting entries until 11:59PM Central Time on Friday, September 21, so you only have two and a half days left to enter. After the entry period ends, we'll post all of the submissions and announce a winner.

It looks like "Money" is winning the poll as to what the designer of the first-place entry should receive, with the other three options in a tie for second place. We'll have to see if we can't put together a prize package that satisfies everyone, but remember that you can't win anything if you don't enter; send your designs in PNG format to browser@newnetscape.com by midnight on Friday to have a shot at the prize, the fame, and the glory.

We've gotten a lot of feedback during the Navigator beta period that many users want the option of a splash screen. Well, we've decided to give our design team a break and let you submit your own idea for how the splash screen should look. The winning image will be used as the splash screen in the final 9.0 release of Navigator, and the designer will (of course) be listed in the browser credits. We've already seen some great designs in the Netscape community forums, so we know that there's untapped talent out there.

Send your designs in PNG format to browser@newnetscape.com; we'll be posting them here as they come in. You have until September 20th to enter, and don't forget to vote in the poll on what the final prize should be for the winner.

Netscape is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Netscape Navigator 9.0 Beta 3. The release is now available for download from browser.netscape.com for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Beta 3 includes the following changes from Beta 2:

• New preferences in Tabs panel of Preferences dialog
• Added "Link Pad" to the "Clear Private Data" dialog
• Fixed issue with Link Pad icon blinking indefinitely
• Added News preferences to Netscape.com pane of Preferences dialog
• Fixed bug with feed processor that was causing both a memory leak and excessive CPU usage
• Added tab preference for opening bookmarks
• Added tab preference for links opened by Netscape.com integrated components
• Changed URL correction confirmation to be enabled by default
• Fixed bug in URL correction that was interrupting the auto-addition of "www" and ".com"
• Fixed bug that caused the "Confirm correcitons" item in the Location bar's context menu to be hidden
• Added button in preferences to easily disable Netscape.com integration
• Various performance fixes

For a complete list of the new features in Netscape 9, see What's New in Netscape Navigator 9? at browser.netscape.com; you may want to also check out the Netscape Navigator FAQ for information on running Navigator 9 alongside previous Netscape browsers.

Netscape is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Netscape Navigator 9.0 Beta 2. The release is now available for download from browser.netscape.com for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Beta 2 addresses the following issues that appeared in Beta 1:

• Added URL as a tooltip to Linkpad entries
• Added "Reload" to the FAS and Tracker sidebar context menus
• Closing the last tab will now close the browser window
• Fixed the CFBundleSignature on the Mac DMG
• Fixed bug when removing the location bar while customizing the toolbar
• Various fixes to in-browser voting
• Various performance fixes

Automatic updates have not yet been enabled for Beta 1 users, but they will be available soon.
For a complete list of the new features in Netscape 9, see What's New in Netscape Navigator 9? at browser.netscape.com; you may want to also check out the Netscape Navigator FAQ for information on running Navigator 9 alongside previous Netscape browsers.

Netscape is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Netscape Navigator 9.0 Beta 1. The release is now available for download from browser.netscape.com for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Some of Navigator 9's new features are listed below; for a complete list, see What's New in Netscape Navigator 9? at browser.netscape.com; you may want to also check out the Netscape Navigator FAQ for information on running Navigator 9 alongside previous Netscape browsers.

What's New In Navigator 9?

URL Correction

Navigator 9 will automatically correct common typos in URLs. For example, if you accidentally type googlecom, Navigator will fix it be to google.com. The browser will watch for nearly 30 different types of common mistakes and correct them for you (asking you to confirm, if you choose to enable confirmation).

News Menu and Sidebar

The latest news is built right into the browser, under the News menu. Provided by Netscape.com, you can customize this menu to contain only the news sections that you want to monitor.

In-browser voting

Share your opinions with the world! The icons in Navigator's address bar let you share interesting stories you find as well as vote on stories shared by others.

Sidebar mini browser

You've always been able to have bookmarks open in the sidebar, but we've improved this functionality and extended it to all links, not just bookmarks. Additionally, we've added a navigation toolbar to the sidebar for even easier split-screened browsing. Just right-click on a link and select "Open Link in Sidebar" to get started!

Extension Compatibility

Navigator 9 shares its architecture with the latest Mozilla technologies; as such Navigator 9 will allow you to install extensions that are compatible with Firefox 2.