IE9 moves forward with third Platform Preview

Microsoft has posted the third Platform Preview for its Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) web browser.

As with the previous Platform Preview releases, the company is highlighting the browser's hardware acceleration features, which allow it to use GPU hardware to speed up load times and improve the performance of sites written in HTML5.

In particular, Microsoft said that the update shows improved performance for the HTML5 Canvas 2D illustration component. Canvas components can achieve faster performance and better frame rates with the hardware acceleration, the firm said.

"By using more of the underlying operating system, and taking advantage of the power of the whole PC, IE9 enables developers to do more with HTML5," wrote IE general manager Dean Hachamovitch in a blog post.

"Running through Windows, instead of just on Windows, makes a big difference; the web runs more like a native application."

Other improvements to the browser include faster JavaScript performance, better handling of typefaces and formatting, and better performance on the Acid3 standards test, according to Microsoft.

The Platform Preview is available for public download, and users are asked to test the build on the company's own test pages and on other sites.