MozillaFirefox
Latest
Mozilla giving Thunderbird the (effective) axe, leaving its fate to the community
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.
Native Firefox Android browser adds speed, Flash, HTML5 and a fresh look (hands-on)
After a brief stretch in beta followed by some vague teasing, Firefox's native Android app update is finally set to hit Google Play. While there are a raft of bells and whistles -- a new welcome page, curvy Australis tabs, Flash and HTML5 support, for starters -- it's the browser's newfound speed that is getting the MVP treatment. That rapidity is as good a place as any to start a quick hands-on, especially since the native browser lag on one of our older handsets, a Galaxy S, often makes us want to hurl it through a pane of glass. Mozilla claims it built Firefox to a new benchmark it developed called Eideticker, resulting in an overall browser experience twice as fast as the stock Android one. As advertised, initial loading is quasi-instant, and navigation, zooming and tab switching seemed smooth as well, even on the two-gen-old phone. Feature-wise, preferences and other desktop settings imported easily with Firefox Sync's shared password system, and the unfortunately named "Awesome Screen" is the new home page shown above, from which it's fairly simple to launch your preferred sites. Flash and HTML5 generally displayed correctly despite a few minor rendering bugs, and the curved tabs and other design touches make it one of the more elegant Android browsers we've played with. Unfortunately, many sites display in full because they don't yet detect Firefox as a mobile app, but the installation of the Phony 3.2 add-in lets it impersonate other smartphone browsers, and it seemed to work well. We also didn't like that tabbed browsing now requires two taps to get to another page, unlike the previous version, but we imagine that was needed for the increased speed. Overall, Firefox is a welcome addition to the Android ecosystem -- we bet you're just as eager to start browsing as we are, so stay tuned for the app to hit Google Play later today, or jump past the break for a quick speed demo from the kind folks at Mozilla. Update: The new version is now available at the source link below.
Firefox teases something 'big' coming for Android next week
There's been a steady flow of betas for Firefox's Android offering and now the official Twitter account promises something "big" on the way next week, along with this image. The size declaration plus a lack of updated features (specifically Flash support) on tablets so far has us looking there for something new, although the image clearly shows a phone with the words "Fast. Smart. Safe." Also curious is an update for the Firefox beta on Android today which the Twitter account also admonishes those looking for an early preview of next week's news to check out. Finally, there's the timing, as Firefox's main browser rival Chrome has been rumored to be taking over as the standard bearer in Android Jelly Bean next week during Google I/O. Leave all relevant speculation or information in the comments below.
Firefox shows its curvy Australis tabs for upcoming unified version
Mozilla is busy sprucing up and unifying Firefox, and an oven-fresh test build will see how users feel about ditching square tabs. The new curved element will be part of a future multi-platform version codenamed Australis, and Mozilla threw the build up on the designer's blog, asking downloaders to comment on the new look. Active tabs will get the rounded corners, and those not in use will have no background, appearing as just text against the titlebar. If you've been eyeing Chrome's sleek chamfers enviously and want to scope the Fox's new curves, check the source for the link.
Mozilla Marketplace is live, lets you run web apps like desktop programs
An early version of the Mozilla Marketplace is currently live, offering users with the Firefox 16 Nightly build some 100-plus apps to install, including Evernote, Jolicloud and Springpad. Apps from the store can run on Mac or Windows machines, and it looks like Linux support is here, too. As Liliputing reports, rather than just providing web apps and extensions à la the Chrome Web Store, the Mozilla Marketplace offers apps that act more like desktop programs once installed: they'll show up in your list of installed programs, for instance, and they can be launched from the Windows Start Menu.
Firefox 13 final swings by with new home and tab pages, flaunts its SPDYness
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.
Firefox native version hits Android in beta, new UI and speedups tag along
Those who've liked Firefox for Android but have been clamoring for a native version can rest easy, as there's now a truly optimized version waiting for you in Google Play. Mozilla's new Firefox 14.0 beta now looks like, and importantly runs like, a full member of the Android family. Making the leap also affords it Flash support, a new starting page with top sites, secure Google searches and a slew of load time and responsiveness upgrades over the creakier, XUL-based version. Beta status should still trigger a moment of pause if you're not ready to accept a few bugs, but if you've got Android 2.2 or later, you're welcome to give Firefox a shot.
Third betas of Adobe Flash 11.3, AIR 3.3 give peeks at low-lag audio and deeper iOS support
Adobe's famous desktop browser plugin may be looking forward to a 2013 overhaul, but that doesn't mean it isn't out to improve itself in the here and now. Flash Player's 11.3 beta, for instance, rolls in low latency audio support through NetStream, designed specifically to cut back audio lag in cloud gaming. The beta also introduces support for complete keyboard control when in full-screen mode, background Flash updating on Macs, and a Protected Mode for Firefox that keeps rogue Flash files from compromising Windows PCs using Vista or later. The AIR 3.3 beta, on the other hand, smooths the runtime's iOS experience, allowing compiled apps to run in the background more like their natively-compiled siblings. It's also friendlier to developers, with new USB debugging and simulator support that now doesn't require a physical device. Android 4.0 users aren't entirely left out, getting stylus support for AIR apps on their platform. Adobe hasn't said when the finished versions of Flash 11.3 and AIR 3.3 will reach its servers, but if you're willing to live life on the bleeding edge, you can find the download links below.
Mozilla plans war on fragmentation, reveals unified UI design for Windows 8 and mobile devices
Mozilla has shown off ideas for future versions of Firefox as it becomes less of a traditional browser and more of a "soft, friendly, human" ecosystem. Slides released on the web hint at a new desktop environ with a simplified menu, cleaner download interface, and a more functional startpage -- all the while maintaining the same curved-edge look as the mobile variant. A Windows 8 Metro tile-based version is also in the works that's similar to the Firefox tab layout on Android. There's no word when Mozilla's so-called Kilimanjaro project will come to fruition, but you can check out the slideshow after the break for an early glimpse.
Google badmouths HTTP behind its back, proposes SPDY as a speedy successor
If there's anything that Google doesn't like, it's things that collect dust. The company is famous for its annual spring cleaning efforts, in which the firm rids itself of redundant and dead-end projects, along with more bullish moves, such as its push to overhaul the internet's DNS system. Now it's looking to replace HTTP with a new protocol known as SPDY, and to that end, it's demonstrating the potential speed gains that one might expect on a mobile network. According to the company's benchmarks, mean page load times on the Galaxy Nexus are 23 percent faster with the new system, and it hypothesizes that further optimizations can be made for 3G and 4G networks. To its credit, Google has already implemented SPDY in Chrome, and the same is true for Firefox and Amazon Silk. Even Microsoft appears to be on-board. As a means to transition, the company proposes an Apache 2.2 module known as mod_spdy, which allows web servers to take advantage of features such as stream multiplexing and header compression. As for HTTP, it's no doubt been a reliable companion, but it seems that it'll need to work a bit harder to earn its keep. Stay weird, Google, the internet wouldn't be the same without you.
Mozilla dispatches Firefox 3.6, fills its chair with version 13 beta
If you've been defiantly clinging onto Firefox 3.6 by your fingertips, bad news. Mozilla is officially putting it to sleep -- whether you like it or not -- by auto-updating users to version 12. You've still got a few days to bid your emotional farewells, with the switchover being pegged as early May. But, the browser's creators stop short of setting a date for you to get the flowers delivered by. Official support for the 2010 release finished this week, and the final bout of security fixes was back in January. At the other end of the spectrum, Firefox 13 wobbled up onto its beta legs yesterday, bringing a new homepage, Google's new SPDY protocol and tab extra features with it. If you're making the leap, don't panic if you find some old friends missing.
Firefox deems favicons risky, banishes them from address bar
Who'd have thought those tiny reminders of the site you're browsing could bite your backside? Apparently Mozilla did, and with its latest nightly Firefox build it has expunged favicons from their eternal perch just left of the URL. The problem is that instead something friendly -- like Google's famous "g" -- nefarious sites can use a padlock or similar image, making you think you're on a secure SSL page. So, starting from mid-July you'll see a generic globe for standard websites, green padlocks for SSL sites with validation, and gray padlocks for SSL sites without it. Take note that (so far) tabs will keep their favicons, so those of us with 43 sites open at the same time will still know where in the web we are.
Mozilla demos WebRTC integration, browser-powered video chat (video)
Last week at IETF 83 in Paris Mozilla gave a little demo that went almost completely unnoticed. The team behind Firefox showed off an experimental built of its flagship browser with integrated WebRTC support. To showcase the real-time communication plug-in's capabilities, the foundation built a simple video chat client based around Persona and SocialAPI. Whether or not such a feature will ever make it into an official build of the browser remains to be seen, but for now you can check out the simple, yet impressive, HTML and Javascript demo after the break.
Chris Blizzard bids farewell to Firefox, heads for unnamed startup
Chris Blizzard, a man who has been with Mozilla since its founding in 1998, has left the group and his position as director of web platform to work with a startup. Who the company is and what it does Blizzard didn't specify when announcing his move. In a blog post he said only that the Palo Alto-based outfit was doing "great (and difficult!) work that deals with the intersection of systems, compilers, and web-scale problems." Blizzard's decision to leave the foundation comes a time of relative turmoil, including a number of high-profile personnel changes, a major shift in the development cycle and a landscape that is increasingly mobile minded and hostile to Firefox. Still, after more than a decade, the browser has proven its resilience and we wouldn't worry much about its future. We wish Mr. Blizzard the best of luck in his future endeavours.[Image credit: Mozilla]
Firefox 11 up for grabs now, Chrome migration and more dev tools in tow
It's only been a few weeks since the celebrated tin anniversary of Firefox hit the virtual streets, and now it's taken on another numerical increment. Alongside the fullscreen apps and promises of fewer crashes from version 10, Firefox 11 now allows you to migrate history, bookmarks and cookies over from rival Chrome. Additionally, you can now sync extensions between your computers. On the dev side of things, you'll have access to Style Editor for CSS tweaks, file storage in IndexedDB and SPDY protocol support for speedier page loads. Eager to take it for a spin? Check your browser for the updated goods or get it directly via the source link below. [Thanks, Robert]
Mozilla offers Gaia UI first look, will reveal Boot to Gecko partners at MWC
Mozilla surprised us last summer when it announced plans for its Boot to Gecko mobile OS. Now, it looks like the project has some industry support, with CTO Brenden Eich tweeting that the company will make a partner announcement at MWC this month. There are no details right now as to who might be involved, but given that developer support is already there (the operating system is based on existing web standards, after all), the hopes are that this could indicate vital operator, or even hardware manufacturer backing. Another encouraging development is the first sighting of the platform's Gaia UI, further suggesting the project might well meet its planned Q2 release target. It doesn't stray too far from the Android / iOS model that we're already familiar with, but give the source link a swipe if you want to see more.Update: The image has been updated to reflect the latest to screens from the final product. The initial shots were from a proof of concept.
Love and Hate tweets collected on 3D 'Love Will Conquer' site
Valentines Day might have passed you by, but for many it's a day of conflicting emotions. Some of you may be screaming EB Browning's Sonnet 43 from the rooftops, others talking about how much you hate smug couples. Either way, if you're tweeting your feelings then (innovative marketing firm Imperial Leisure's) Love Will Conquer will record it. Geotagged tweets are being mapped, in real-time onto a 3D Earth, where an perpetually growing tree maps out who's feeling what and when. If you tell someone you love them freely and the tree will swell with red leaves, whereas hate causes cold blue ones to sprout instead. If you want to watch the world venting its ardor, point your WebGL browser (Chrome and Firefox 10.1 both work) at our source link.
Firefox 10 out now: full screen apps, fewer crashes, disappearing forward button
The tenth iteration of Mozilla's browser is rolling out from today and we're sat here waiting for our own go signal. As the biggest UI tweaks will arrive in v12, the majority of changes are under the hood: except that the "forward" button now only appears once you've pressed "back." New APIs provide for full-screen viewing of web apps, Anti-aliased WebGL graphics and an "extended support release" that enables enterprise customers to only download security updates. CSS 3D Transitions are now supported alongside a new CSS inspector for those digging deep into the fabric of the universe internet. Java applet and moving bookmarks crashes should be a thing of the past, but it's not all plain sailing: no new release ever is, after all. On the "to be fixed" list includes herky-jerky scrolling in Gmail, Silverlight videos not working in OS X and vertical scrolling is broken on some touch-pads. Let's hope they get the former fixed quickly, our inbox is already overflowing 'round these parts.Update: The Mozilla blog has posted a quick demo video of how the new tools can help developers, check it out after the break.
Mozilla to overhaul Firefox's default home and tab pages
Despite Mozilla kicking its release schedule into overdrive, not all parts of Firefox have gotten the tender love and care they truly deserve. Take for example, the browser's default homepage, which hasn't evolved much since its humble beginnings nearly a decade ago. That'll change soon in a two pronged effort, with Mozilla first adding a function bar to version 12 (seen after the break), followed by a later and more extensive revamp (up-top) which incorporates apps, top sites and chat functionality. Also planned is a Chrome and Safari-esque Top Sites "New Tab" view and savvy URL autocompletion in the address bar. A more in-depth preview awaits at the source, or we suppose, you could live dangerously and hop aboard Mozilla's nightly release train. You decide.
Firefox and Google renew revenue agreement, stick it out for at least three more years
There was a moment there, where things were starting to look a bit shaky for Mozilla. With the Firefox creators facing increasing competition from Google, in the form of Chrome, rumor had it that the organization's revenue sharing deal with the search giant had expired and may not be renewed. Well, those rumblings can finally be cast aside as Mozilla announced today that it had signed an agreement with the Mountain View crew that is "significant and mutually beneficial." The three-year revenue sharing deal should help keep Mozilla a float just long enough to permanently put IE under water -- at least we assume that's what the two are hoping for.
