In it’s third release in two weeks, Mozilla have released Firefox 3.6 beta 3.

The update includes 84 bug fixes, but gone, surprisingly is support for Windows 7 features, including tab preview and jump lists – perhaps the most anticipated feature of Firefox 3.6. The feature is now expected to reappear in Firefox 3.7.

This release is not surprisingly aimed at increasing stability heading into the release candidate phase.

A full list of changes can be found in the release notes, while the browser can be downloaded from the Firefox beta website.

Firefox 3.6 final is expected November 26.

It looks as if Windows 7 support is on its way for Firefox 3.6, rather than Firefox 3.7 as previously announced.

The move is likely to come with this weeks upcoming release of Windows 7 to the public on October 22nd.

Features supported include jump lists which can be accessed by right clicking on the Firefox icon and allows users to perform their most recent tasks. Tab preview is also included which shows all open tabs when hovering over the Firefox icon, and gives the users the ability to jump to any tab from the previews.

Users will also be able to monitor the progress of their downloads from the taskbar, without needing to be in Firefox.

The feature is expected to appear in future beta versions of Firefox 3.6 in the coming weeks, and can be seen in current nightly builds of the browser.

Stephen Horlander, a Visual Designer for Firefox, has revealed some Firefox 3.7 and Firefox 4 mock-up designs for Mac computers.

The designs are based on feedback and comments left about the firm user interface direction for Firefox 3.7 and 4 designs. Below are possible Firefox 3.7 and 4 interfaces for Mac.

More details, variations and information on these designs can be found on Stephen Horlander blog post.

Mozilla has posted a new roadmap, outlining the future for Firefox in the next 12 months. At this stage, Firefox 4.0 is due to hit somewhere between September and November 2010 according to the roadmap.

New features for Firefox 4 are said to include platform enhancements, including running tabs in separate processes, interface enhancements, and speed and responsiveness improvements.

Also on the roadmap are Firefox 3.6 and Firefox 3.7, due October or November 2009 and February or March 2010 respectively.

Firefox 3.6 is aiming to include Windows 7 enhancements, including Jump Lists and Aero Peak. The browser is also expected to include light weight themes (persona’s) and big improvements to the Tracemonkey JavaScript engine.

Firefox 3.7 is biggest draw card is each add-on will be placed in its own process, making the overall browser experience more stable (especially with poorly written add-on’s). This release should also see some form of bookmark syncronisation.

The next 12 months are looking bright for Firefox, with some great new features expected.

Hot on the heals of the Firefox 3.7 interface mock-ups, Firefox 4.0 mock-up designs have surfaced.

While the new Windows interface looks similar to that of Firefox 3.7, there are some slight differences, including an in-line refresh and stop button.

Two separate designs have been proposed, one with tabs above the address bar, and one with the tabs below the address bar as is currently the case. More screen shots are available after the jump.

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With Firefox 3.5 barely out the door, the Mozilla team is already working on Firefox 3.7, which is expected to have a brand new user interface, tweaked for Vista and Windows 7 Aero.

Below is an initial mockup of Firefox 3.7 running in Windows Vista, with features including:

1. Embracing Glass: Toolbar and Tabs using Glass. Buttons translucent and slightly glossy to meld with the toolbar. Raised 3D look achieve tactile “feel”.
2. Page Button: Connect the Page button to the left side of the tab area. Directly connected to the Page.
3. Tools/Bookmark Bar: Connecting the Tools button to the side of the Window to emphasize the fact that it is used for customizing and changing the UI. Adding a button next to that to toggle the Bookmarks Bar which is turned off by default.

More screenshots are after the break.

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