SEATTLE (AP) - The next version of Microsoft Corp.'s web browser makes it easier for people to surf the Internet without leaving a trace.

Companies that sell advertisements online - including Microsoft - can electronically gather tidbits about web surfers' habits, and then use that information to help decide what kinds of ads to show. However, in the newest "beta" test version of Microsoft's forthcoming Internet Explorer 8, which was made available on Wednesday, a mode called InPrivateBrowsing lets users surf without having a list of sites they visit get stored on their computers.

Microsoft would not say when it plans to release a final version of the newest browser, but said this second beta is ready for average users to try.