Remember the days of Internet Explorer 5 vs Netscape? What about the days when you actually had to buy browsers at your local computer store? (if you don’t use AOL like everyone else). Browser compatibility wasn’t really a big deal back in the day, websites for the most part displayed text and graphics with little dynamic interaction.

Nowadays, browsers are packed with technology: Javascript, CSS, Jquery, Ajax, Flash support, etc just to name a few. These are no longer used simply to display static information, but also to take input dynamically, and are packed with animations. While there is a global standard W3C on how browsers should be designed, big names (ahem…. Microsoft) frequently deviate from the “standard”. The result is that websites frequently look different on various browsers, and (gasp!) sometimes function differently on different browsers.

As much as I hope everyone in the world uses a standard browser, the reality is that most people use IE, some use Firefox. A chunk of development time is dedicated to testing browser compatibility. As we pack in more dynamic tools and features into FirstradeNEXT, making it work on IE6 has become difficult. Watching how the tech guys at Firstrade get it to work on IE6 is like magic.

Facebook simply gives the user an error warning if it detects IE6, we don’t have that luxury. As we prepare to launch FirstradeNEXT, if you’re an Internet Explorer 6 user, I urge you to update to IE8 or Firefox for better online security. If you really want to stick with IE6, we’ll make it work .

As we continue to finish up the site we want to know if there’s anything we can do to help our customers have a fufilling experience. We want to know what features you guys would like in the new Firstrade site. Check out FirstradeNEXT on twitter and facebook. See our little thumbnail previews to the new site and comment on them. Want to suggest a feature? Get on facebook, twitter or our blog and leave a comment. We hope to incorporate your ideas into our new site.

It’s official. Sony’s coming out with a slimmer PS3. Coming out September 1st, the new slim PS3 is 33% smaller, it’s lighter and has a hard drive upgrade from 80GB to 120GB. It also has a price reduction from $399 to $299. All these summed up makes the PS3 have the potential to boost up its sales and compete with the Xbox 360 and Wii in the fall. In my personal opinion, a $299 PS3 is a steal. Having used the Xbox 360 and the Wii, the PS3 in comparison of processing power and visual power is top notch. Not only does the bluray discs allow people to watch HD movies, but it allows game producers to bulk up their games with better graphics and extras. All of that and with a power adapter built into the PS3 (unlike the xbox’s behemoth power block) plus free online gaming and a good selection of games releasing comprable to the Xbox 360, it looks like Sony’s getting its formula down for the fall to take the console lead. Take a look at the comparison here.

Here at the blog we like to mix it up, a little funny, a little news, a bit of commentary and information on about our site. But you see the brand new FirstradeNEXT button right below subscribe to us? If you’re looking for nothing but firstrade updates and want a chance to try out the new trading system before anyone else? Become a fan! Right now we have a couple of small snapshots of our sleek upcoming site and we’ll continue to update you on the latest and greatest things coming to Firstrade on FirstradeNEXT. So become a fan! and while your at it, let your friends know too

San Leandro police in California pulled over a man who seemed to have a lot of 37″ lcd tv for sale. Instead they found out out it was a bunch of glass oven doors cleverly disguised as TVs with stickers. He happened to sell it in the parking lot of Walmart for a low price of $100. He also said he got the TVs at a flea market for $60. I don’t know what the guy was thinking, but a 37″ TV for $100 is already crazy, on top of getting it at flea markets for $60? Talk about lying to the law. Read more about it here.  Check out the picture below.That tin-foil gives that new TV that nice new chrome look. But it’s about three stickers too many. Wait, are there even 37″ TVs being sold for $1949.99 anymore? Rediculous.

Here at Firstrade we’ve been working hard to create a brand-new, more user-friendly site, with a new sleek look and a web 2.0 feel. Along with it, easier access to options, better access to Customer Service, more information in Research & Tools and all the while keeping our best material from before such as X-Stream. Most of it’s done and we’ve been putting the finishing touches on it. Meanwhile, we’ve been offering our frequent customers a sneak peak at the new site and we’re planning to handout more beta accounts soon. The initial reviews have been great and the users have been pleased with it. Want to learn more about the new site? Stay tuned as we slowly unravel more of what’s to come of the new Firstrade.

CARS (Car Allowance Rebate System) or Cash for Clunkers is so popular that it has already ran out of funds to support it. Only a month into the program, CARS has gone through its billion dollar program. However, the house is planning to extend the program and fund two billion dollars more. CARS is a program by the US government to help promote the sale of new, more fuel-efficent cars. From July 1, 2009 until November 1, 2009, consumers are able to trade-in their used car (a car with a combined milage of 18 or lower and less than 25 years old) for $3,500 or $4,500 towards a new car. Over 250,000 cars have been purchased since the program has been enacted.

Read more about it here.

Learn more about the CARS program here.

High-frequency trading has been a hot topic in the markets. These high-frequency traders have been using super computers with advanced trading algorithms to manipulate the stock market for their own benefits. They’ve done it so much so the SEC has been looking into it to see if they have been taking an unfair advantage. They’ve been able to trade millions of shares in milliseconds changing the market even before regular traders have a chance to bid. This is coming into question after Goldman Sachs made a great profit in the second quarter. Do you think it’s fair? Read more about it here.

Just when it seemed CIT was hopeless falling into the same bankruptcy pit as other companies, they are saved… for now. CIT, a financial business offering loans to small businesses are saved by  bondholders who agreed to a three billion dollar deal. This allows CIT to buy sometime to stablize. This in return has bumped the CIT’s stock up, making it gain 81% today. However, this is only a short beneficial gain.  Sure they have stability for now, but with small-businesses defaulting and a continued crippling economy it only holds off the bankruptcy for now. Also, other small businesses are seeking other banks for loans as they see CIT breakdown. Read more about it here.

Here’s some quizzical interesting news for today. A man in New Hampshire went to a local gas station to buy a pack of cigarettes. He charges it on his card and lo and behold, gets charged for $23,148,855,308,184,500. Can you imagine that? That’s alot of debt. Read more of it here.