FIREFOX’S BEST NEW TOOL L
Why you must switch on ‘Reader View’
What you need: Windows 7, 8/8.1 or 10
The new version of Mozilla’s open-source browser impressed us with its security features (see Protect Your Tech, Issue 486). But that’s not the only reason Firefox 49 is worth a look, especially if you find web articles hard to read in some browsers.
Reader View, an optional setting that strips away clutter and makes web pages much easier to read, has been part of Firefox since last year. However, it used to be tucked away behind an assault course of configuration settings with catchy names like ‘reader.parse-on-load.enabled’. Now, it’s an icon on the address bar above any text-heavy page. Click it to automatically reload the article on a clean white background, like the BBC News page in our screenshot below. You can then adjust text size, layout and font to suit you, and even have the article read out loud using the new Narrate tool.
Pocket, the popular ‘read it later’ add-on (Firefox’s name for extensions), is now built into Reader View as well, but you’ll need a free Pocket account to use it ( www.snipca.com/21914).
While Reader View says hello, Firefox Hello waves goodbye. Hello, the instant messaging and video chat tool, wasn’t a big hit (clearly). Firefox has a list of free third-party alternatives for anyone who’ll miss it: www.snipca.com/21916.
To get Firefox 49, click the Download Firefox button, then save and run the installer. The Options button lets you opt out of background updates. Firefox then asks if you want it to be your default browser; click ‘Not now’ if you’re only trying it out. You’re invited to set up a free Firefox account. You don’t need one, but it’s handy if you use the browser on your laptop and other devices, and want to keep your settings in sync.