CNET: Internet Explorer to shut down pop-ups

The other pop-up shoe dropped, with Microsoft announcing that an upcoming version of its Internet Explorer browser will allow for the blocking of the self-spawning ads. Just about every other browser maker has already implemented this option, but companies relying on pop-ups had belittled those blocking attempts as ineffective in the face of Internet Explorer's monopolistic domination of the PC desktop.

The new version should be out in about the second half of next year, according to a Microsoft spokesman - which long-time Redmond watchers will take to mean it won't be released in the next nine months, and could happen anytime in the subsequent year or two. The spokesman also gave Microsoft an out, saying that they would be collecting feedback on the feature, and depending on customer feedback, might not include the feature. This uncertainty might be taken by pop-up companies, like WhenU, as a call to belly up to the Microsoft to see if they can wheel a deal by sharing their profits.