Microsoft will launch a new version of its consumer-friendly MSN Web browser later this year and for the first time charge users who don't also subscribe to its Internet access services.
The beefed-up browser, called MSN 8, is the latest consumer-oriented product to be unveiled by the software giant this week as it prepares to launch a series of new products this year aimed at extending its reach beyond the desk and personal computer.
Microsoft said the new browser would ship with a sleek new design and an array of features that make it easier for users to manage e-mail, protect their PCs from viruses, handle digital photos and browse the Web.
It said it was the most fundamental revamp ever for its MSN set of services, which also includes Internet access and a Web portal.
In a departure from previous practice, Microsoft said it would offer MSN 8 as a separate subscription for users who don't already use MSN Internet access services. The company introduced the MSN browser as an alternative to its dominant Internet Explorer software, which will remain free.
Microsoft declined to say how much the subscription would cost, but charging consumers for a browser would be another significant break with the Internet's "free" culture.
One of the key MSN features that Microsoft expects family household users to appreciate are an extensive set of parental controls capable of blocking e-mail, instant messages, file-sharing and specific Web sites.
MSN 8 even has the ability to generate an online activity report and a feature to request parental permission for certain sites.
MSN also features a new item called a "dashboard" that replaces the bookmark and media file menus that pop up on the left side of Internet Explorer.
Designed to display a variety of information and media, the dashboard can also be moved off the browser and onto the Windows desktop for constant access to communication and media functions.