Firefox x64

So I've downloaded a beta release of Firefox 4 x64. I quite like it, actually.

The interface is much more minimalist. All I get is a button in the top left that says "Minefield" (which will presumably change to "Firefox" on the final release), a row of tabs underneath that, and a toolbar underneath that. The toolbar has forward, back and home buttons, an address box and a Google box. And that's it.

Clicking on the Minefield button pops out a menu that has everything on it (Options, Add-ons, Downloads, Print, etc, so no functionality is lost there. At first glances, the "back" button appears to have lost it's memory feature (the list that allows you to go back five pages by clicking the line on a dropdown box) but it's still there. Just hold the mouse button down and the menu pops out. Also, it warns you if you have unsubmitted data in forms on the site (like this blog post) and gives you the option to stay. Useful.

The best bit is it's 64 bitness. Whether it's just me, I don't know, but it seems faster, especially at things like images and stuff.

I have also downloaded the beta (or perhaps an alpha) release of Adobe's x64 FLash player, codename "Square". But it and Firefox won't play nicely together, with Firefox crashing and exiting at the sniff of anything Flash, whether it Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook, or Youtube.

Anyway, the release is due for sometime in the New Year. The official review should wait until then, as it's not really fair to pick faults in a beta. It's a beta, afterall.