LAS VEGAS -- Microsoft talked up the next version of its Web browser, Internet Explorer 9, at MIX conference this morning.

The company said the new browser will support the HTML5 standard, which Web developers had been pushing for so they can build Web sites with animated graphics on a single standard that works on different browsers.

Microsoft main browser competitor is Mozilla Firefox, as well as smaller players Google Chrome, Apple Safari and Opera.

"Developers want to use the same HTML, the same script and same standards across browsers," said Dean Hachamovich, a general manager at Microsoft, during the day 2 keynote at the Mandalay Bay convention center.

Microsoft said Internet Explorer 9 is available for platform preview starting today. Developers can download it at www.IETestDrive.com. It has developer tools, but has no back button.

"We love HTML5 so much, that we want it to actually work. In IE9, it will," Hachamovitch said.

Steve Sinofsky, Windows president, also came on stage to demo the animation developers can build in the new version of Internet Explorer.

Clippy, the talking paper clip from Office, was briefly resurrected in the demo. His thought bubble read: "Hi Dean, Remember me? Would you like some help with your demo?"

Sinofsky and Hachamovitch played asteroids on stage to show the potential for games in the new version of the browser.

Hachamovitch said Microsoft is committed to providing software upgrades to Internet Explorer 9 every eight weeks.

The keynote is still going on and is being streamed live at live.visitmix.com. You can follow my livetweets at www.twitter.com/sharonpianchan/.