- Quick specs
- Price: Free
- Operating system: Mac OS X 10.4 PPC/Intel/10.5 PPC/Intel/10.6 Intel
- Date added: January 21, 2010
- Total Downloads: 1,312,288
- Downloads last week: 7,952
- See full specifications
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 276 votes
See all user reviews -

CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on January 21, 2010
No longer a fledgling upstart, Firefox is the gold standard of alternatives to the still-dominant Internet Explorer. Firefox 3.6 is full-featured, lightning fast, and secure. Its killer selection of add-ons remains strong, with built-in support for the next generation of themes, called Personas, plus the latest update makes version 3.6 about 20 percent faster than version 3.5. However, competition is strong and it can no longer be said that Firefox is the fastest browser available.
Several notable improvements in the latest revamp keep Firefox abreast of current browsing tech. In addition to the aforementioned improvements made to the TraceMonkey JavaScript engine so that it renders Web applications faster, there have also been other significant under-the-hood changes. These include: blocking third-party software from encroaching on Firefox's file system turf to increase stability; support for the Web Open Font Format, which means many non-English browser users should have a faster time loading Web pages with downloadable fonts; and support for the File interface, which can help with tasks such as uploading multiple photos and is part of the draft HTML5-standard effort. HTML5 support debuted in Firefox 3.5. Another deeper change to the browser is that it is now running scripts asynchronously, which can help to load a Web page faster by putting off some work until the high-priority chores are complete. Firefox 3.6 also isolates out-of-date plug-ins so they do not become a security risk.
Unlike Firefox 3.5, which was more about keeping the browser current rather than blazing new trails, Firefox 3.6 is once again on the warpath. Upgrading is highly recommended.
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Publisher's description
From Mozilla :Mozilla Firefox is a fast, full-featured Web browser. Firefox includes pop-up blocking, tab-browsing, integrated Google search, simplified privacy controls, a streamlined browser window that shows you more of the page than any other browser and a number of additional features that work with you to help you get the most out of your time online.
What's new in this version:
Firefox 3.6 is built on Mozilla's Gecko 1.9.2 web rendering platform, which has been under development since early 2009 and contains many improvements for web developers, add-on developers, and users. This version is also faster and more responsive than previous versions and has been optimized to run on small device operating systems such as Maemo.
Notable Firefox 3.6 features include
- Available in more than 70 languages - get your local version.
- Support for a new ... see all new features
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 3.7 stars out of 276 votes
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
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Showing 5 of 16 user reviewsSee all 16 user reviews
This software version | All versions -
Version: Mozilla Firefox 3.6
"Should have waited until the add-ons were updated."
Pros: Nice look, feel. I've been a Firefox fan for years. Love its security.
Cons: Some hangs (incompatible add-ons, I suppose, that I don't recall as having been reported), caused Firefox to absorb almost 100% of my CPU.
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Version: Mozilla Firefox 3.6
"Firefox ate my bookmarks and I can't get them back"
Pros: Loved it until it 'ate all of my bookmarks.
Cons: Loved it until it 'ate all of my bookmarks.
Summary: I used Firefox exclusively for about four years or so. About two weeks ago, it 'ate my bookmarks' and, no matter what I have tried (and I have looked on tons of blogs), nothing has gotten them back. I now (sadly) use Chrome, since it had imported m... read more >>
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Version: Mozilla Firefox 3.6
"I don't know what you guys' beef is."
Pros: My add-ons from 3.5 work just fine
Cons: I can't find any.
Summary: Great browser (the only one I use now). I love the tree-style tab add-on because I can have my >50 tabs open and see them without having to scroll back and forth up top.
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Version: Mozilla Firefox 3.6
"More stable but does not have add on features"
Pros: More stable
Cons: Symantec Anti Virus Add on will not load on this. Also the add ons of the previous version disappeared.
Summary: Stability is present but in other respects it is an average Browser
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Version: Mozilla Firefox 3.6
Pros: None that I could see
Cons: Ver. 3.6 totally wrecked ALL of my add ons. And it disabled my 3rd-party download speed-up app, and it disappeared all my saved login passwords.
I HATE this version. I immediately uninstalled, re-installed 3.5.7 and restored my Profile backup.Summary: This version BITES, baby!
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