Microsoft announced the release of Internet Explorer 8 Release Candidate 1(RC1), most likely the final, official version of IE 8.

The IE 8 RC 1 has several improvements from the past versions especially when it comes to enhanced usability, security and flexibility. Microsoft’s new Web browser does look better, but only compared to its older IE versions. When put in the balance with the latest versions of Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari and Opera, the new Microsoft Web browser doesn’t impress much.

Numerous IE 8 RC 1 new features are new only for IE and in fact a catching up to the aforementioned Web browsers. IE 8 still has some catching up to do. The IE 8 has just 0.82% of the global market share, compared to Google Chrome’s 1.04%, Mozilla Firefox’s 21.34%, and Apple Safari’s 7.93% (all versions).

The IE (all versions) lost a big chunk of its global market share from 91.27% in 2004 to 68.15%, according to data from Net Applications.

Nevertheless, there are some new feats on IE 8 that are unique: the tab management is excellent thanks to its feature of color-coding sets of tabs.

However, when it comes to security, Microsoft’s newly-designed technology released to protect IE 8 users from powerful new Web-based attacks won’t’ do the job, according to security experts. The company said it released the security technology to safeguard users of IE 8 from an attack known as clickjacking.

In clickjacking, attackers use a special Web programming in order to deceit users into clicking Web buttons without realizing it. By controlling a user’s click, the attackers can basically do very nasty things from turning off one’s firewall to executing stock transactions on Web sites.