Avant Browser 11.7 build 36

For those who like their customization in-house, the Avant Browser's latest update might appeal to you. Built on an IE-rendering engine, Avant takes off in a different direction--IE if it were being produced by a small firm instead of Microsoft.

The browser is sufficiently fast, preloaded with two dozen similar skins as well as tabbed browsing and modular toolbars that let you move around and hide the Status bar, Toolbar, Search window, and navigation controls. The Menu bar, though, is counterintuitively pinned to the upper-right corner, and icons for proprietary functions, such as an in-page search term highlighting toggle, aren't instantly comprehensible.

Avant can save personalized data online, making bookmarks and form content accessible from any machine. Around the same size as Firefox, Avant includes many features that are available to Firefox users only through plug-ins--such as automatic form fillers. The Full Screen view autohides all menu bars, a nice touch, but certain plug-ins--notably Flash--didn't work on Windows Vista.

Avant is a good browser with some nice built-in features and interface-customization options, but the lack of extensibility and Vista problems don't help. We recommend it to users who want a Microsoft-based engine but think that Internet Explorer 7 is a pain.

Top Rated Features of Avant Browser

Online Profile Storage:

Avant Browser can save users' bookmarks, RSS Feeds, configurations or web passwords etc, in Avant Online Storage. In this way, users can access their personal data from anywhere, office, home or an Internet cafe, and don't need to worry about losing those data when re-installing Windows.

AutoFills:

Help users to memorize web passwords, and fill passwords for users with one click.

Flash Animation Filter:

More than 85% of all flash animations on web pages are advertising. These flash files are pretty large, and normally take up to 90% of the size of the page you're visiting. With Avant Browser you can save the bandwidth by blocking the download of these flash files with just one easy click. Avant Browser also provides options to block downloads of pictures, videos, sounds and ActiveX components. With these options users can control their bandwidth and speed up page loading.

Built-in AD/Pop-up Blocker:

Easily eliminate unwanted AD banners and pop-up pages automatically with just one click.

Built-in RSS/ATOM Reader:

Avant Browser has a built-in RSS/ATOM Reader, which allows you to read RSS/ATOM feeds just like browsing web pages. And you can also keep your favorite feeds as bookmarks.

Additional Mouse Functions:

If you click a link in the web page with the middle mouse button, the link will be opened in a new window in the background. This feature is extremely useful for opening posts in forums. Avant Browser also comes with customizable Mouse Gestures, with which you can easily navigate the browser by moving the mouse.

Multi-Window Browsing:

Browse multiple web pages simultaneously. All opened pages can be easily stopped, refreshed, closed or arranged with one click.

Real Full Screen Mode and Alternative Full Desktop mode:

When you enable Full Screen Mode, all you see is the webspace, with no toolbars or other clutter. They are simply autohidden! Move your mouse over the top or bottom and find the toolbar and tab bar respectively. Avant Browser also provides Full Desktop Mode, which is the same as Full screen mode, but differs in that your windows task bar stays visible.

Built-in Search Engine:

Avant Browser provides a built-in search engines. Built-in search engines enable user to search for web pages, images, groups, directories, news, lyrics and software in Internet.

Full IE Compatibility:

Avant Browser comes with all Internet Explorer functions, including Cookies, ActiveX Controls, Java Script, Real player and Macromedia Flash. IE bookmarks are automatically imported into Avant Browser.

Control Your Privacy:

With Avant Browser, you can easily keep your privacy by deleting all browsing traces such as: Typed Addresses, Auto-Complete Passwords, Cookies, History of Visited Web Sites, Temporary Internet Files and Search Keywords.

Safe Recovery:

If Avant Browser is closed improperly, all open web pages are saved and will be automatically reopened at next startup.

Customizable Skins:

Express your creativity by making a skin for Avant using a custom, easy to use program called Avant Browser Skin Maker, or use any of the many and varied skins made by other users.