Firefox 8 beta now available with Twitter search

The beta release of Firefox 8 is now available for download, adding a number of user interface enhancements and tools to aid web development.

The Firefox 8 beta allows users to test the new features ahead of the full release, according to Mozilla, and is available to download now for Windows, Mac and Linux.

The new features fall roughly two categories: user interface improvements; and better support for new web standards, of which developers will be able to take advantage.

On the user side, Firefox has improved control over add-ons, making it easier to choose third-party add-ons with a notification to review and confirm the choices. The browser also now disables new add-ons by default until the user explicitly opts in to use them, Mozilla said.

It is also now possible to restore only selected tabs following a restart of Firefox, and the new version adds Twitter as an option in the search box and tab animations when users tear off and reorder open tab windows.

Under the hood, Firefox 8 beta adds support for cross-origin resource sharing, a W3C recommended method for sharing cross-site content in a more secure manner, especially WebGL graphics content, which has been the focus of warnings about potential vulnerabilities.

For developers, Firefox now supports HTML5 media elements for audio and video content, plus the ability to add items to Firefox's right-click menu using HTML5 markup.

Mozilla also announced new features in Firefox Beta for Android, including Twitter search, a master password to protect usernames and passwords stored on the handset, and the option to add a shortcut for a bookmarked site directly to the phone home screen.