Mozilla has released a preview version of Firefox specifically designed for Windows 8. The popular web browser has been re-engineered to work as a standalone desktop program as well as a Windows Store app but as the preview moniker suggests, there’s still a lot of work to be done before it’s ready for the big show.
The Register notes that the touch-enabled version is probably the furthest behind in development. It’s currently only available as a Mozilla nightly build and the app itself is even called “Nightly”, lacking any sort of Firefox branding at this point. It does work, however, and should be far enough along to give early adopters a decent idea of what they can expect from Firefox in Windows 8.
Those interested in trying out the Windows Store version of Firefox, or the Metro app as Mozilla incorrectly refers to it, will need to be running the RTM version of Windows 8 or later. People still using the preview release will only be able to experiment with the desktop client.
Mozilla has given Firefox a complete redesign based on the Australis theme released as a Nightly version earlier this year. The foundation describes the new look as modern, streamlined and beautiful but if you ask us, it’s very Windows 8-ish. For example, the Bookmarks page features rectangular tiles that are nearly identical to what’s found natively in the OS. But of course, it’s more than just a fancy new look as Firefox for Windows 8 now supports OS-specific touch and swipe gestures among other things.
If you’re interested in trying the new Firefox, you can download a copy by clicking here.
