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firefox-3.5 posts

Filed under: Mozilla, Browsers

Mozilla prompts Firefox 3 users to upgrade to 3.5

Firefox 3.5 upgrade prompt
It's been a few months since Mozilla launched Firefox 3.5. And while the company still supports Firefox 3.0, that's not going to last forever. Come next year, Mozilla will stop issuing security updates for the older version of the web browser, and don't expect to find any new features in Firefox 3.0 anytime soon (you know, unless you install new plugins).

So it shouldn't be too surprising that Mozilla recently started sending notices to Firefox 3.0.13 users suggesting they update to Firefox 3.5, or version 3.5.2 to be exact. Users who want to hold off can hit decide to hold off on upgrading until later or click the "never" button if 2008 was a good year and one that they don't ever want to leave. Or you can upgrade from within the browser.

Mozilla says more than 90% of the add-ons that were built for Firefox 3.0 have been updated to work in Firefox 3.5. But if you happen to have a few plugins installed that don't have newer versions, the update notice will alert you to this fact. So if there actually is a good reason for not upgrading, you'll know.

Filed under: Google, Browsers, Web

Google Gears now supports Firefox 3.5

Google Gears / Google Reader
Google has released an updated version of Google Gears that, unlike previous versions, supports Firefox 3.5. Gears lets you access some web applications in a browser even when you're offline. For example, you can download your reading list from Google Reader to read on a plane, or use Gmail to read and write email messages while you're offline. When you get back to an internet connection, Gears will send your messages or update your Google Reader or other settings.

Google Gears is available for Mac, Linux, and Windows. You can either grab the latest version from the download page or if you're an existing user you can grab it by using the Firefox add-ons "find updates" option.

[via CNET]

Filed under: Browsers

How to disable tab tearing in Firefox 3.5

bug489729One of the new features in Firefox 3.5 is the ability to "tear" a browser tab off into a new window. Say you have 5 browser tabs open, but you'd rather have one of those tabs open in an entirely new Firefox window. Just click on the tab and drag it away from the tab bar to launch a new window. You can also drag tabs from one browser window to another the same way.

But there are a few downsides. First, you can no longer drag a tab onto the desktop to create a shortcut. Second, it's easier than I'd like to accidentally tear a tab into a new window when you just wanted to click on a tab.

Bug489729 is a Firefox add-on that lets you change the way tab tearing works. You can either disable the feature altogether or just check the box labeled "enable drop url" which allows you to drag a tab onto the desktop to create a shortcut.

[via Firefox Facts]

Filed under: Mozilla, Browsers

Tweak Firefox 3.5 to keep running when you close all tabs


Ever try closing a series of tabs in Firefox by hitting Ctrl+W over and over until you were down to your last tab? Ever overshoot and accidentally wind up closing the whole browser and then having to wait (im)patiently to reload the browser?

There's a setting tucked away in the recesses of Firefox 3.5's configuration options that will keep the browser running after you close the last tab. Instead of closing, Firefox will simply display a single blank tab.

Here's how it works. Type "about:config" into the location bar (without the quotation marks), and then finding the setting labeled "browser.tabs.closeWindowWithLastTab" (again, without the quotes) and double click that setting to change the value to false. That's it. Now when you close all your browser tabs Firefox will stay open.

[via Lifehacker]

Filed under: Windows, Linux, Mozilla, Browsers

Firefox 3.5 exceeds 7 million downloads, portable, Ubuntu versions available

Firefox 3.5 download tracker
In the few days since Firefox 3.5 was officially unleashed on the public, it's been downloaded well over 7 million times according to Mozilla's real-time download tracker. That's nowhere near the estimated 8 million downloads achieved in the first 24 hours after Firefox 3.0 launched, but it's still pretty good.

It's also probably worth pointing out that anyone who was running Firefox 3.5 RC3 on launch day probably isn't included in these numbers since RC3 is basically the same as the final release, which means if you had that version installed you didn't download any updates.

Now that there's a new version of Firefox, there's also a new version of Firefox Portable, which lets you run the browser from a USB flash drive. If you were running an older version of Firefox Portable you should be able to upgrade automatically from within the browser. But if you want to give Firefox 3.5 a try without installing it to your computer, the portable version is an excellent alternative.

And while Mozilla thinks Firefox 3.5 is stable enough to take remove the "beta" and "release candidate" labels, some Linux distributions might be slower to add the browser to their repositories. But that doesn't mean you can't install the browser manually. Kabatology has posted instructions for installing Firefox 3.5 in Ubuntu by typing a single line of code into a terminal window.

[via Lifehacker]

Filed under: Mozilla, Browsers

Firefox 3.5 is out, adds private browsing, tab tearing and more


Firefox 3.5 is available for download today, following months of testing. The latest version of the web browser adds a ton of new features and bug fixes. Probably the most important thing is that it feels faster, thanks to a new Javascript engine and updated rendering engine.

But there are also a few new bells and whistles including a private browsing mode that lets you surf the web without saving any data to your computer. You know, because you don't want your spouse knowing what you're buying for their birthday. Because that's what you'll use this feature for.

There's also support for "tab tearing," which lets you drag and drop tabs between browser windows. Or you can drag a tab out of a browser window to create a new window. Firefox 3.5 also supports HTML video which lets you watch some videos embedded in web pages without any plugins.

Mozilla hasn't updated the official Firefox download page yet. But you can download Firefox 3.5 from a number of other sites including Softpedia and Filehippo.

Update: The change is now up at getfirefox.com.

Added: Direct download links (US English) straight from Mozilla:

Windows: http://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-3.5&os=win&lang=en-US

Mac: http://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-3.5&os=osx&lang=en-US

Linux: http://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-3.5&os=linux&lang=en-US

Filed under: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Mozilla, Browsers

Firefox 3.5 coming June 30th, Fennec updated today

Firefox 3.6
It looks like somebody at Mozilla is listening. Just yesterday, we asked when we could get a version of Firefox 3.5 that didn't have the silly "release candidate" next to its name. Now we have an answer: Tuesday.

Webmonkey and Betanews are both reporting that Mozilla has confirmed that's the date it will push out the full version of Firefox 3.5. The latest version of the popular web browser has been available for testing for months, but by removing the beta and/or RC label, Mozilla is essentially saying that the browser is ready for the public to use without fear of encountering major bugs of security flaws. You know, until some major bug of security flaw is discovered and Mozilla pushes out Firefox 3.5.1.

Firefox 3.5 includes a number of changes from Firefox 3.0, including faster Javascript rendering and a private browsing mode which allows you to surf without saving your personal data. It also supports viewing some web video in a browser without any plugins.

In related news, Mozilla's released an update to the mobile version of Firefox today. Fennec Beta 2 for Nokia Internet Tablets and Alpha 2 for Windows Mobile was released today. The latest version of Fennec includes performance tweaks and a new theme.

[via Mozilla Links]

Filed under: Mozilla, Open Source, Beta, Browsers

Dear Mozilla: Can haz non-RC Firefox 3.5? Thanx!


Mozilla, we love you and all, but could you do us a favor? Could you please, please drop the RC from Firefox 3.5 already? Because, honestly, I think if I read another battery of "Firefox RC# Released" reports, I'm probably going to puke on my shoes.

On the plus side for Mozilla, all these releases are great publicity. Three candidates times the number of blogs reporting on Firefox equals...what? 16 billion blogs posts? Exaggerated, I know, but it seems like I can't open Google Reader without someone poking me in the eye with another update notice.

I know there are probably still some last-minute things that need touching up, and I want a Firefox 3.5 that's as close to perfect as possible too...but is this the only way to get it?

Little annoyances can always be patched after the release, right? Like they were with Firefox 3.0, remember?

On second thought, maybe that's exactly what they're trying to avoid this time. Well, carry on then!

Filed under: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Mozilla, Beta, Browsers

Firefox 3.5 RC3 released (security update)

Firefox 3.5 RC3
Mozilla pushed out a third release candidate for Firefox 3.5 last night. If you're running an earlier release candidate or Firefox 3.5 beta, you may have woken up this morning to a message alerting you that there's a new security and stability update.

The tricky thing is Mozilla has a habit of leaving the "RC" out of the labels for its release candidates. This can prompt a lot of folks to think that they've just downloaded the final build of Firefox 3.5. The reason Mozilla does this is because if there are no major problems with the release candidate, effectively it will be Firefox 3.5. And it'd be silly to expect you to download and install an identical version of the browser just to get rid of the "RC" in its name.

That said, Firefox 3.5 RC3 is now available for download from the Firefox beta page. Existing users can upgrade by clicking the "check for updates" option in the Help menu of their browsers.

Filed under: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Mozilla, Beta, Browsers

Firefox 3.5 RC 2 released

Firefox 3.5 RC2
Just a few days after pushing out the first release candidate for Firefox 3.5 to beta testers, Mozilla has made Firefox 3.5 RC2 available to the general public. While the only way to test out the first release candidate was to install Firefox 3.5 beta 4 and upgrade from within the browser, anyone can download and install the latest release candidate... or you can just wait until the full version of Firefox 3.5 is released, which should happen any day now.

Firefox 3.5 offers a ton of bug fixes and new features including:
  • Private browsing mode that doesn't save your history or cached data when your browser session is over
  • Tab tearing feature that lets you drag a tabs between browser windows or drag a tab into a new window
  • Watch a video in your browser without any plugins or external programs
Sure, some of these features have been available in other browsers like Google Chrome since day one. But it's nice to see them coming to Firefox. Firefox 3.5 RC2 is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Filed under: Mozilla, Browsers

Mozilla pushes out Firefox 3.5 release candidate

Firefox 3.5Mozilla has pushed out the first release candidate for Firefox 3.5, following months of beta testing. If all goes according to plan, the final version of Firefox 3.5 will be available before the end of the month. If you're using Firefox 3.5 beta you can upgrade by selecting "check for updates" from the Help menu.

Mozilla claims that Firefox 3.5 has 5,000 new features since version 3.0 was released. Of course, many of those features will be minor changes or improvements that you won't notice. But there are a few biggies, including:
And if you don't understand everything in the list above, don't worry. Here's what you need to know: Firefox 3.5 is faster and generally more responsive than Firefox 3.0 when rendering most web content. It's worth the upgrade... unless you need all of your add-ons and extensions to work properly. While a number of add-ons developed for Firefox 3.0 are being updated to support Firefox 3.5, there are still many that don't work yet.

Filed under: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Mozilla, Beta, Browsers

Firefox 3.5 beta 99 is out

Firefox 3.5 beta 99
Mozilla has just pushed out a new version of Firefox 3.5 beta, which it's dubbing beta 99. Now, the last public beta was Firefox 3.5 beta 4, so either Mozilla went through 94 builds that they didn't feel like telling you about, or this is pretty close to the final product.

There's not a lot of information about the changes between 3.5b4 and 3.5b99. But several users have reported problems displaying some web content including errors with Wordpress 2.7.1's admin pages and problems displaying some elements of web forum pages.

You might want to hold off on upgrading until the kinks have been worked out. But if you just can't resist, you can upgrade from Firefox 3.5 beta 4 to beta 99 by clicking the Help button in the menu bar and then selecting "check for updates." You can also download Firefox 3.5 beta 99 from Filehippo and several other file download sites, although it's not yet available from Mozilla's Firefox beta download page.

Update: It looks like the preview release includes bug fixes, JavScript engine updates, and improved support for OGG based audio and video playback.

Filed under: Mozilla, Open Source, Browsers

It's Firefox 3.5 test day - go beat up your browser!

I'm sure many of you have been running Firefox 3.5 for quite a while by now - it's been available for download from the nightly build FTP for ages. Today, however, is the official test day for RC1 - and Mozilla wants you to get involved!

If you aren't running the latest version, you can download it manually to get started. The build string doesn't yet indicate an RC, but Mozilla has asked that testers run what's available. Any differences from the actual current nightly build to the RC would be very minor.

To get down and dirty, visit the Litmus page and see what kind of test results you can contribute. You'll need to register an account to start submitting. Initial reports are overwhelmingly positive (about 94%).

That won't come as a surprise if you've been running other builds. I've been using 3.5 for daily browsing for weeks, and I've enjoyed its speed and stability.

Firefox users, if you can spare some time to support your browser's development, go get testing!

update: Mozilla Live Chat is now closed.

Filed under: Mozilla, Browsers

Firefox 3.5 gets restore closed window feature

Recently Closed Windows
Firefox has had a feature that lets you re-open recently closed tabs for a while. But what if you accidentally close a whole Firefox window with several running tabs. Now you can restore that too... as long as you've got the latest nightly build of Firefox 3.5 installed.

If you accidentally close a window you can restore it by hitting Ctrl+Shift+N, as long as it wasn't the only Firefox window open. All of the tabs that were open when you closed the window should be restored. If you closed two or more windows you can find them by navigating to the Recently Closed Windows option in the History drop-down box.

[via Mozilla Links]

Filed under: Mozilla, Browsers

Firefox 3.5 beta 4 coming soon

Minefield 3.6a1preMozilla is inching closer to the release of Firefox 3.5, which includes a faster Javascript engine, a private browsing mode, faster page rendering, and changes to the way tabs are handled. Firefox 3.5 beta 4 is due to be released within the next week or so.

If you're not ready to test out pre-release software yet, Mozilla should be releasing Firefox 3.0.9 next week as well. That version will likely offer bug fixes and security updates but no major new features.

Or if you want to live on the bleeding edge, you can always try the early builds of Firefox 3.6, also referred to as Firefox.Next. Goals for that version include faster startup times, improved add-on and customization support, and blurring the distinction between desktop and web apps. You can download the latest nightly builds of Firefox.Next from Mozilla's FTP site.

[via Digg]

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