I'm currently a big fan of Chrome, but it sounds like IE might be finally worth using. I can't wait to try it.

Also, it seems to me as though Microsoft, at their best, can do a really good job with a product (see also Kinect, Windows Phone 7[1], Bing[2]). But then there are the huge flops like Vista and Kin. It almost seems like what Microsoft really lacks is someone who understands quality and can kill bad projects before they are released. There are still great products being made at Microsoft, but it's sometimes hard to see them past all the crap.

[1] Too bad about the update situation though.

[2] I realize Bing is bleeding money, but I think Bing is a well-designed search engine in search of a sustainable business model.