Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Mobile

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Source: Mozilla (1), (2)

Mozilla knows how to keep on the fast track. Just weeks after the Firefox 16 beta first showed, the finished version is ready and waiting. Surprises are few if you were an early adopter, although the update still has some welcome changes for the right audiences. Mozilla is most keen to talk about preliminary web app support for the Mozilla Marketplace, but you'll also find device-specific additions like a Reader Mode for the Android flock and VoiceOver support automatically switched on for Macs. More responsive JavaScript and on-by-default Opus audio playback give existing surfers extra reasons to upgrade. Firefox 16 is immediately available through all the usual channels, so hit the relevant source link if you're ready to live on the not-quite-bleeding edge.

Filed under: Internet, Software

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Source: Mozilla, Google Play

Filed under: Internet, Apple, Microsoft, Nokia, Google, HP, Facebook

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Via: 9 to 5 Google

Source: WebPlatform.org

We all know those web pages where the only alternative to a site-specific login is a social networking account. That's not very reassuring for anyone skittish about linking their commentary to a Facebook account relatives might see, if they're even willing to join a social network in the first place. Mozilla has been aware of that hesitation long enough to have just released its long-in-development Persona sign-in service as a beta. Although it has the same kind of simple approach to a login as a Facebook or Twitter pop-up window, Persona's emphasis is on privacy: it stops paying attention the moment credentials go through, keeping any diatribes or subscription details from landing in social streams or central databases. Users don't have to play a rousing game of guess-the-username, either, as they just need to sign in with one or more familiar e-mail addresses and a single password. Persona faces an uphill battle in getting web developer adoption when the establishment sign-in services are open to hundreds of millions of internet citizens, but it does have The Times' online crossword section, OpenPhoto and Voost as early poster children -- and anything that lets the privacy-minded join the party has our vote.

Filed under: Internet

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Mozilla Persona, Mozilla Hacks

Mozilla has been seeding Firefox OS to eager developers for some time. However, we've largely been denied a peek at how the developer's own take on a mobile app store will play out on an actual device. Some of that picture just filled out thanks to some images of the mobile Firefox Marketplace that have landed in Engadget's hands. From what we've seen of the current store, it's a significant break from the top-level storefront we saw back in the Boot to Gecko days, not to mention Mozilla Marketplace on the desktop. The deeper exploration shows a minimalist store that's focused on quickly delving into individual categories rather than an abundance of highlighted apps. We're not seeing any startling revelations -- there's only free apps visible in these early images, for example -- but the gallery is proof that Mozilla is well on its way to fleshing out the core of its OS for a launch next year. Let's just hope that the rest of the software moves at a similarly quick pace.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Gallery: Marketplace in Firefox OS during development

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Firefox 15 is barely fresh off the vine, and we're already looking at a beta version 16 for both desktop platforms and Android. Mozilla's test release builds in the first support for web apps that play nicely with the Mozilla Marketplace; as long as titles have a slight amount of extra formatting, they can slot into Firefox without hiccups. More treats exist if you're running certain platforms: the Android crowd receives a Safari-style Reader Mode that strips out the fluff from pages, while Mac users see the once test-only VoiceOver support flipped on by default to improve accessibility. Even developers get a little something special through a quick-access toolbar and more readily accessible CSS4 scripting. If any of this sounds tempting, there's a pair of source links waiting for your attention.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software

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Via: Future of Firefox

Source: Firefox Beta, Google Play

[Thanks, Keith]

Filed under: Internet, Software

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Source: Mozilla

Mozilla's Thunderbird mail client just hasn't enjoyed the same level of stardom as its Firefox cousin. Their developer must be feeling this discrepancy more than most, as the company has confirmed plans to take the organization out of active Thunderbird development. The shift is officially being spun as an adaptation that lets the Foundation center its energy on Firefox OS and the usual browser plans, but when Mozilla proper will only be handling bug fixes and security updates for a client that's "not a priority," we'd say it's putting Thunderbird on ice. Accordingly, leaked details from TechCrunch show Mozilla moving some of the team out of the project at some point; any new features will have to come from the community, which suggests the future upgrade schedule will be more than a bit unpredictable. The writing is on the wall soon enough that existing owners could have food for thought well before a final strategy is due in early September.

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It's been barely over a month since the Firefox 13 beta began, but the wait for a completed version has felt especially drawn out. Thankfully, Mozilla has just wrapped up its work and set loose the polished code. The new release makes its changes felt right away, as you'll see a new default home page with bookmarks and history. Opening a new tab page presents a list of most visited pages -- a feature that we can swear we've seen in a few browsers before. A slightly fresher addition switches on Google's SPDY protocol by default, which as its convenient acronym suggests should squeeze and streamline web traffic to load it faster. Mozilla won't completely open the floodgates until tomorrow, but you can download Mac and Windows editions today from the source links below.

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Filed under: Mobile

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