Updated: Firefox 3 available for download

Firefox 3, the latest browser from Mozilla, is set to be available for download from 6pm today in the UK.

Mozilla is looking to set a Guinness World Record for the most downloads in one day, which might be one reason downloads are set to start in the morning for Americans. Of the 1.5 million people who have pledged to download the browser on ‘Download Day’, some 63,000 come from the UK, while 247,000 are based in the US. That said, there’s no existing record to break.

Some 1.6 million downloaded Firefox 2, and Mozilla has previously said five million was a reasonable target.

The latest version of the second-most popular browser will feature faster load times two to three times faster than the previous version and better security, Mozilla said.

Firefox 3 is based on the Gecko 1.9 web rendering platform, which Mozilla said has been underdevelopment for over 34 months and includes 15,000 updates. The browser also offers advanced browsing history and tagging, one-click bookmarking and full-page zoom.

Mozilla is particularly excited about its so-called “Awesome Bar” – a smart location bar which apparently learns as people use it.

“We’re really proud of Firefox 3 and it just shows what a committed, energised global community can do when they work together,” said John Lilly, chief executive of Mozilla.

To download the browser at 6pm, click here. For more on the latest features, visit here.

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