Technoglitch
Core Member
Starting Up
To get Spartan (which is currently only available in Windows 10 for desktops), you'll need to register as a Windows Insider with the Fast updates setting, and update Windows 10 to build number 10049. This will occur automatically if you've turned on automatic updates. Keep in mind that if you can wait, you may be better off using the more-stable Slow update track, since the fast track breaks some features; in this case, for example, you can't run Hyper-V virtual machines.
Interface
True to Microsoft's claims, the Spartan interface is very lean and trim. In fact it's so discreet that you may not even find the address/search bar at first. The browser sports eight controls along the top (not counting the reporting smiley button): back and forward arrows, Refresh, Reading Mode, Add Favorite, Favorite Folders, Web Note, and Overflow Menu (…).
The tabs extend all the way to the top edge of the browser window, so you can only drag it around from the area between the rightmost tab and the minimize button. This could take some getting used to. The Favorites bar is off by default, for a cleaner appearance. On both machines I tested, the flat globe icons overlapped the top of the webpage below. Most sites showed the generic globe icon in the Favorites bar; of the sites I tried, only ExtremeTech.com and Facebook showed their own favicons.
New Features Reading Mode.
Safari introduced this browser feature way back in 2010, and it's shown up elsewhere, especially in specialized mobile Web browsers. The Spartan implementation wakes up in the form of an open book icon that's enabled when you're on a site for which the mode makes sense, such as a tech blog. Reading mode uses an off-yellow background with a pleasant font that recalls an actual paper book. The mode preserves inline images and links, so you're not completely restricted to reading. In Settings you can change the Reading view to have a lighter or darker appearance.
Review Microsoft Project Spartan 0.1: Microsoft Project Spartan 0.1
To get Spartan (which is currently only available in Windows 10 for desktops), you'll need to register as a Windows Insider with the Fast updates setting, and update Windows 10 to build number 10049. This will occur automatically if you've turned on automatic updates. Keep in mind that if you can wait, you may be better off using the more-stable Slow update track, since the fast track breaks some features; in this case, for example, you can't run Hyper-V virtual machines.
Interface
True to Microsoft's claims, the Spartan interface is very lean and trim. In fact it's so discreet that you may not even find the address/search bar at first. The browser sports eight controls along the top (not counting the reporting smiley button): back and forward arrows, Refresh, Reading Mode, Add Favorite, Favorite Folders, Web Note, and Overflow Menu (…).
The tabs extend all the way to the top edge of the browser window, so you can only drag it around from the area between the rightmost tab and the minimize button. This could take some getting used to. The Favorites bar is off by default, for a cleaner appearance. On both machines I tested, the flat globe icons overlapped the top of the webpage below. Most sites showed the generic globe icon in the Favorites bar; of the sites I tried, only ExtremeTech.com and Facebook showed their own favicons.
New Features Reading Mode.
Safari introduced this browser feature way back in 2010, and it's shown up elsewhere, especially in specialized mobile Web browsers. The Spartan implementation wakes up in the form of an open book icon that's enabled when you're on a site for which the mode makes sense, such as a tech blog. Reading mode uses an off-yellow background with a pleasant font that recalls an actual paper book. The mode preserves inline images and links, so you're not completely restricted to reading. In Settings you can change the Reading view to have a lighter or darker appearance.
Review Microsoft Project Spartan 0.1: Microsoft Project Spartan 0.1
- PROS
Sleek design. Compatible with popular sites. Webpage annotation. Reading mode. Built-in Flash and PDF support.
- CONS
Some non-standard window behavior in testing. Occasionally non-responsive in tests. Fewer privacy protections than Internet Explorer. Slower hardware acceleration than IE11.
- BOTTOM LINE
With a trim design, solid standards support, and speed, Microsoft's new browser shows promise, though it's still rough around the edges.
