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Browzar, a British company, has launched its own Internet browser that it hopes will attract users by offering a chance to surf the Web without creating personal histories.
The Browzar browser is currently being offered as a free beta download through the companys Web site. An Aug. 30 release by the company did not give a specific date for when the full version will be available.
In its statement, Browzar, based in Huddersfield, England, said its browser does not require any installation or registration and eliminates cookies, histories and cache automatically.
The browser also removes the autocomplete form, the feature that anticipates a users search terms or Web addresses by gathering information from previous searches.
Traditional Web browsers, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, automatically save a users information in histories and cache, although these functions can be turned off.
If not turned off, these caches and histories can trap personal information, which can be picked up by hackers.
Browzar said it hopes to attract users by bringing up these concerns about privacy and Web searches. A news release cites recent problems at AOL, where an executive and a several employees left after customers Web searches were made public.
The company was founded by Ajaz Ahmed, who founded Freeserve, one of the first ISPs in Britain and Europe to offer free Internet access. Ahmed has since sold the company to Wanadoo, a French firm, according to the company.
“We divulge masses of information about our habits, hobbies and financial dealings while online, often unknowingly, and there are times when all of us would rather this was kept private,” Ahmed said in a statement.
“Using Browzar, anyone worldwide can surf the Web privately in the knowledge that no one will stumble across the sites they have visited when using the same computer,” Ahmed continued.
The beta version is only 264KB and can be downloaded directly from Browzars homepage. The current version is available for Windows.