Mozilla releases its first mobile Firefox browser

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Mozilla releases its first mobile Firefox browser
Topic Started: Jan 30 2010, 12:29 AM (32 Views)
Dark Knight	Jan 30 2010, 12:29 AM Post #1
Admin Posts: 4,395 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: January 24, 2007	http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-10444754-12.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20 Mozilla has been steadily creeping towards it goal of releasing the first Firefox browser for mobile phones. On Friday, Firefox 1.0 for Nokia's Maemo--previously code-named Fennec--arrived. Firefox for the Maemo 5 platform has a few interesting conceits that set it apart from other mobile browsers, like Opera Mobile and Opera Mini. Mozilla is banking on the uniqueness of its claim to fame--third-party, customizable browser extensions--to help its browser win mobile market share. Add-ons, after all, helped make Firefox the top browser alternative to Internet Explorer in the desktop space. To punctuate the importance of add-ons for Firefox's mobile browser, Mozilla also pushed out on Friday the general release of its bookmark and history-syncing extension, Weave Sync 1.0, for both desktop and mobile. Mozilla's accomplishment with a mobile version of Firefox is a mixed one, and not only because Maemo is a platform relatively few people have heard of. Nokia's open-source, Linux-based Mamo operating system supports mobile Firefox on just two devices--the N900 and the N810, an Internet tablet. To make matters more limited, just two days ago Mozilla unveiled a third release candidate with a last-minute decision to pull wholesale support for Adobe's Flash plug-in from the build, citing unhappiness with the overall standard of quality. As an aside, this is apparently a sore spot for Adobe, who became miffed with Apple for excluding Flash in its new iPad device about the same time that Mozilla made its comment about degraded performance when visiting Flash sites. Yet what kind of mobile browser would Firefox be if users couldn't watch videos or adequately view Web sites that heavily rely on Flash? Not a browser anyone could take seriously. As a workaround, Mozilla has released an add-on called YouTube enabler, that early adopters can install to view YouTube videos. Mozilla is hoping t work out other solutions for those who are wary of optionally installing the Flash plug-in, but still want to see select Flash-based content. Luckily for Mozilla, a relatively small sliver of the mobile phone-toting population actually has one of the two compatible devices, so there's time to smooth out Firefox before it matures on another mobile platform. Windows Mobile is slated to be next, with Android to follow. You can download Firefox 1.0 for Maemo here, and read more details in Mozilla's blog post.
	I can't wait for the I'm an iPad/I'm a Maxi-Pad commercials


Speedy	Jan 31 2010, 07:47 PM Post #2
Google Whore Posts: 2,767 Group: Admin Member #8 Joined: January 27, 2007	Nice, good to see Firefox hitting another market. I've been using Firefox since it was called Firebird waaay back when.
	Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, "Where have I gone wrong?"/ Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night." - Charles M. Schulz Software Reviews


Dark Knight	Jan 31 2010, 08:42 PM Post #3
Admin Posts: 4,395 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: January 24, 2007	I've been browser hopping lately. Used Firefox for years then switched to Safari when I got a Mac then went to Chrome. Now I'm using Opera but that probably won't last. I don't like it much.
	I can't wait for the I'm an iPad/I'm a Maxi-Pad commercials


Speedy	Feb 1 2010, 03:15 PM Post #4
Google Whore Posts: 2,767 Group: Admin Member #8 Joined: January 27, 2007	I bounce between Firefox and Chrome. I'm back in the Linux world again so I'm mostly using Firefox. Is it too much to ask for Adobe to make flash not suck?
	Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, "Where have I gone wrong?"/ Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night." - Charles M. Schulz Software Reviews


Dark Knight	Feb 1 2010, 08:54 PM Post #5
Admin Posts: 4,395 Group: Admin Member #1 Joined: January 24, 2007	Yes it is. I've heard that that's actually why Flash is not on the iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. It's just a bit unstable.
	I can't wait for the I'm an iPad/I'm a Maxi-Pad commercials


Speedy	Feb 2 2010, 09:51 PM Post #6
Google Whore Posts: 2,767 Group: Admin Member #8 Joined: January 27, 2007	In all forms, regardless of if you live in the PC, Linux, or Mac worlds.
	Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, "Where have I gone wrong?"/ Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night." - Charles M. Schulz Software Reviews


trewert	Feb 4 2010, 05:22 PM Post #7
Wanderer in the Fog Posts: 731 Group: Members Member #10 Joined: January 28, 2007	Another theory is, Apple doesn't want flash on the i-somethings because you can write programs in flash. Those programs wouldn't be sold by their app store.



Speedy	Feb 5 2010, 08:35 PM Post #8
Google Whore Posts: 2,767 Group: Admin Member #8 Joined: January 27, 2007	I'm more for the Flash Sucks theory.
	Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, "Where have I gone wrong?"/ Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night." - Charles M. Schulz Software Reviews


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