Mar 19, 2024

The Project Spartan logo seems to project a lot of promise when it comes to browsing.

by Rey Beltran | www.gogagah.com

We have read that the Internet Explorer browser is no more. And we know that Project Spartan will be its successor. But just what is Project Spartan aside from Explorer’s replacement? Here is what we have gathered online.

First, Project Spartan is not its final name. Not unless Microsoft decides to call it Spartan. Sampled on my Windows 10 Technical Preview for cell phones, Spartan has a minimalistic look which I love. It’s not cluttered, and lets your eyes breathe. It’s not your usual browser, which what is exactly Microsoft has made clear from the start: you will forget that you’re using a browser.

Then there’s Cortana, integrated with Spartan. As most of you know, Cortana was named after the AI in Halo. And now, here is Cortana, in a browser, to help us out online. For instance, when you search for a restaurant, Cortana will automaticall pop up with customer reviews, directions on how to get there, and of course, menu. If you type in weather on Spartan’s search bar, Cortana will come up with the weather based on your location. Neat, eh? It’s just a matter of time if Spartan will have a full voice support for Cortana once Microsoft officially launches Spartan.

Another improvement is Spartan’s speed. This time around, Microsoft seems to hit it spot on, with an 80% improvement over Explorer. Even RAM consumption is impressive. Especially if one is a heavy browser, Spartan can handle multiple windows without eating up so much RAM, thereby maintaining its speed. With further tweaking, Spartan might come close or surpass Google Chrome. Who knows? One thing is for sure, Spartan’s speed will be at par with Google Chrome.

There’s an Inking and Reading List/Reading View integrated to Spartan. Inking lets you draw or type notes directly on the webpage. The notes can then be saved or shared on social media, so this feature is helpful for those who are doing research, be they students or professionals. As for the Reading List/Reading View feature, they’re not new to the any browser. Safari does this effectively. I hope that this feature will be at par with it.

One thing is for sure, though. With Project Spartan as part of the Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones, I will definitely try to use it to its full potential. Why would I Google it if Cortana can do it for me?

Here’s looking forward to the official release of Project Spartan late this year.