Firefox has also added a nifty new security feature -- the browser alerts you when a plugin, such as Shockwave Flash, is out of date. This is particularly important, because even if your browser itself is secure, an out-of-date plug-in can be a security hole through which malware crawls. Mozilla has also set up a that will show you all of your plugins, alert you about which are out of date, and let you update any of them by clicking an Update button. This page works with earlier versions of Firefox, not just version 3.6.

This latest version of Firefox is clearly an evolutionary rather than a revolutionary release. Other than a notable speed improvement, not much else is of note. Personas are of moderate interest; the improved HTML 5 compatibility is of little help right now, and may or may not prove important in the long run.

Still, if you're already a Firefox user, upgrading is a no-brainer -- the speed boost alone is worth the upgrade. If you're not currently a Firefox user, the moderately interesting new features may not be enough of a draw for you to give it a try. But you may want to give it a spin just to try out browsing the Web at full speed.