Read this if you are an Android user…or even if your not, yet.
Firefox is finally available for your smartphone! It’s still in the ‘early-build’ phase of its mobile browser, codenamed ‘Fennec’ but it’s available to test drive. Firefox is still developing Fennec, working out the kinks, but has released an early version for all you eager beavers wanting to taste the forbidden fruit. So far, the app isn’t even a full representation of what it will finally look and work like, but it’s enough to get a great inside glimpse into what Mozilla has in store for Google’s Android platform.

Mozilla has been working feverishly since their announcement last October to develop the first mobile browser to support add-ons for Android devices. So far, there is only this pre-alpha build which is available for downloading now. Those who have tried it thus far have commented on its ‘rough but promising’ attributes. It is still missing a lot of the functionality we users are now accustomed to (ie. doesn’t recognize simple commands and hardware) but trial users are still excited about the future potential for Firefox and Android.

What potentials are they excited about? Well, to name just one, and the list is long, a secondary preference menu, called ‘Add-ons’. This Firefox Android App’s potential for expansion and customization is off the charts. The best of which is Mozillas own Weave Browser Sync, which allows you to sync your bookmarks, saved passwords and browsing history between your desktop computer and your mobile phone. It will even be able to sync your current set of tabs which means you can open an app on your phone and see it pop up on your computer. Feel free to check it out for yourself; Mozilla is being really upfront about it still being in the pre-alpha phase meaning it hasn’t been optimized for memory yet so it will be slow and finicky at this point. There is lots of promise though, and you can see that easily. Support for Javascript, CSS, Flash, SVG, video and audio are all there. Be forewarned that system crashes are frequent at this stage; you need to have Android 2.0 or higher and read all of the warnings listed before proceeding. Being a pre-release build there are a few minor risks, hardly anything to fear, however.

Personally, I love the promise and potential this has so far. However, I would suggest the multitouch pinch to zoom capability function. Right now it’s still the older ‘tap’ version, if they upgrade that function I think people will be more eager to play around with it, eventually leading to its use in their day to day computing. Basically, users want access to what is already available for their Smartphones, then up the ante with the new tricks, and that’s what Mozilla is trying to develop. As I have already stated, it’s still in its pre-alpha phase so it is up to trial users to report back and give their suggestions and complaints to develop it to the users’ best functionality. If you are not as eager as some, and just want to be kept in the loop on its development without trying it, you can access all the reviews you want online.

It’s quite the compelling platform. Mozilla’s Firefox Android browser is something to be aware of and kept up to date on, for now. I think it’s going to be the next greatest browser, used by everyone in the next few years. Good luck to you Firefox. Let’s quicken the pace people, try it out and offer your insights.

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Category: Computers and Technology
Keywords: smartphones,iphone,blackberry,mobile internet plans