web-browsers posts

Mozilla release mockups for upcoming Firefox Linux releases

by Brad Linder Oct 31st 2009

The folks at Mozilla have released the first mockup showing what Firefox 4.0 may look like on Linux... and it looks an awful lot like the Windows version.

Firefox 4.0 isn't due out for another year or so, but the developers have already stated a few goals for the project. One idea is to move the browser tabs above the location bar. Another is to consolidate the menus into a few tabs that will hang out next to the location bar. Both movies will free up space, allowing more of the browser to be dedicated to displaying web pages.

If the end result looks familiar, that's because it looks an awful lot like the default layout in the Google Chrome web browser.

Mozilla has also released some mockups of Firefox 3.7 for Linux. One of the most notable changes is that the interface will be more consistent across platforms. Firefox 3.7 for Linux will use the same Forward/Back buttons as the Mac and Windows versions, for example. The edges of the browser, tabs, and other elements will also be curved rather than angled, which will make the browser look more like the mac and Windows versions.

At this point, both the Firefox 3.7 and 4.0 mockups represent proposed changes and not finished products, so things may change by the time these browsers are actually released.

[via OMG! Ubuntu]

Tags: firefox, firefox-3.7, firefox-4.0, linux, mockups, web-browsers

Filed under: Mozilla, Browsers

Mozilla launches SeaMonkey 2.0 RC1 internet suite

by Brad Linder Oct 12th 2009

Mozilla's SeaMonkey is a utility that bundles a whole slew of internet activities into one application. It's a web browser, email application, IRC client, and an HTML editor. And it's inching toward version 2.0. Mozilla pushed out SeaMonkey 2.0 Release Candidate 1 this weekend.

If the concept of an all-in-one internet app sounds familiar, that's because that's what Mozilla originally did, in the days before there was a Firefox web browser or Thunderbird internet client. While development of that first Mozilla application stopped long ago, SeaMonkey brings the idea back to life.

I first looked at version 2.0 back when it was still in beta this summer. The release candidate build features a number of bug fixes and is generally more stable than the beta. It also feature the ability to reopen closed browser windows, delete/cut bookmarks from the bookmark search view, and it features a Thunderbird-style tabbed mail client.

There's also a long list of new features since SeaMonkey 1, including support for RSS and Atom feeds in the MailNews component, an improved password manager, an updated web page rendering engine, customizable toolbars in MailNews, and a web browser component that behaves more like Firefox.

SeaMonkey is an open source, cross-platform application that's available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Tags: mozilla, seamonkey, seamonkey-2.0, seamonkey-2.0-rc1, web-browsers

Filed under: Utilities, Windows, Freeware, Browsers

How to make Firefox Portable your default web browser

by Brad Linder Oct 8th 2009

Your default web browser in Windows is the one that opens any time you click a link to open a web page, open an HTML file, or take any other number of actions that would require a browser to load. It's typically pretty easy to make a browser your default. When you run Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, or Opera for the first time, odds are the browser will ask if you want to make it your default.

Things get a little more tricky when you start using portable browsers. These are browser that you can run without actually installing them to your computer. They don't write any data to your registry and all the files tend to be contained within a single folder which you can run from your hard drive, or a removable USB Flash drive or other media. One of the most popular is Firefox Portable.

But since Firefox Portable doesn't write anything to your registry, it doesn't ask if you want to make it your default browser. That's where a little freeware tool called DefaultBrowser comes in.

We first covered this tool a couple of years ago, when it allowed you to quickly and select your default browser from a small list of web browsers. But as the folks at Freeware Genius recently noticed, DefaultBrowser added support for Firefox Portable last year. That means all you have to do to set Firefox Portable as your default is download DefaultBrowser, run it once, click Firefox Portable, and hit "apply."

You can also select other portable browsers or any web browser not included in the DefaultBrowser by selecting pretty much any executable file using the "select your web browser" setting.

If you run Firefox Portable from a USB flash drive, if the drive letter changes you will have to register the program again.

Tags: default-browser, defaultbrowser, firefox-portable, web-browsers

Filed under: Google, Browsers

Google explains what a web browser is, treats you a bit like an idiot

by Brad Linder Oct 7th 2009

Google's been pushing its Chrome browser for a while now, and there's no question that it's one of the fastest, simplest web browsers around, if you're a Windows user anyway. But it doesn't have all of the features you'd expect from a fuller fledged browser like Firefox yet, such as stable support for plugins and extensions. And most importantly, it doesn't come bundled with most computers, like Internet Explorer.

Earlier this year Google put together a little video demonstrating that many people don't just not care what browser they use... they might not even know what a browser is. So what's the next step?Telling the world exactly what a browser is.

So Google has put together a followup video that explains that the thing you type web addresses into isn't called the computer or the internet. It's a web browser. And it's "the most important piece of software on your computer" because it handles all web pages. Of course, if you don't actually use your computer for web surfing, the browser might not be that important. But then you're probably living in 1992 and most modern browsers won't run on your machine anyway.

Google has also launched a new What Browser web site to help explain what a browser is, what other browsers are available, and sure, how to download, install, and Tweak Google Chrome. But I can't help but wonder who exactly Google is targeting with this overly-simplistic campaign. Because if you don't even know what a browser is, the odds of you coming across this video explaining it are probably slim to none.

Tags: google, google-chrome, web-browsers

Filed under: Linux, Open Source, Browsers

WebKit claims another browser as Epiphany bails on Mozilla

by Lee Mathews Sep 26th 2009

Gnome 2.28 was released this week, and one of the more interesting changes was the switch taking place in Epiphany, Gnome's default web browser. There's been a change under the hood, with Mozilla Gecko being replaced by Webkit.

Webkit has made some serious gains this year in terms of browser market share. Already providing the powerplant for Safari, Google Chrome, and Maxthon 3 (as well as numerous others), the open source project continues to win converts -- due in no small part to its speediness.

No, gaining Epiphany doesn't mean Webkit-based browsers are going to overtake Firefox for second place overall in browser share any time soon. But when you consider the large number of Gnome-based Linux distributions out there, this is still an interesting development for the Webkit project.

[via Linux Magazine]

Tags: epiphany, gnome, gnome-2.28, linux, web-browsers, webkit

Filed under: Mozilla, Browsers

WebGL support makes first appearance in latest Firefox 3.7 nightly builds

by Lee Mathews Sep 20th 2009

Google Chrome and other WebKit-based browsers aren't the only ones getting improved 3D graphics handling capabilities. As of September 18th, Firefox trunk builds include support for WebGL.

Developer Vladimir Vukićević refers to the project as "essentially a way of accessing OpenGL from within the browser, through the HTML5 canvas tag." Together with the recent leaps in Javascript performance, it's hoped that WebGL can a whole new - pardon the pun - dimension to our experience of 3D graphics on the web.

Progress is coming quickly, but there are still plenty of issues to address before WebGL support is ready for prime time. Vukićević cites security and portability issues with shaders, as well as the problem of what to do on platforms where OpenGL is not available. He also promises some simple demos that will arrive in the near future. If you've seen some already, we'd love to hear about them in the comments! Apart from the Webkit globes, cube, and teapot, that is.

The Minfield (currently Firefox 3.7) builds are available from the Mozilla FTP. To enable WebGL support, head to about:config and change the webgl.enabled_for_all_sites value from false to true (double-clicking the value will change it).

Tags: 3d, firefox, gaming, graphics, opengl, web-browsers, webgl

Filed under: Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Browsers

Three cross-platform tools to keep your web browser in sync

by Lee Mathews May 21st 2009

If you're running a multi-boot configuration or using multiple computers, it can be kind of a bother keeping all your preferences in sync - especially if you're using different operating systems. For me, the biggest source of frustration is my browser settings.

Fortunately, there are some simple (and free) tools available to minimize the hassle.

Opera Link
Opera doesn't get a lot of love on most software blogs, but it has some excellent features. Opera Link, for example, securely stores your bookmarks and other settings. Since Link support is built in to the browser, it's available anywhere you can run Opera - Windows, Linux, Mac, and even in Opera Mini.

Tags: cross-platform, sync, web-browsers

Filed under: Video, Google, Browsers

Google promotes Chrome web browser with 11 short videos

by Brad Linder Apr 30th 2009

Google has commissioned a series of 11 short films to promote the Google Chrome web browser. If you've ever doubted the power of advertising to make something mundane look pretty darn cool, click the play button above.

On the one hand, a browser is just a portal to the web, and so you'd think the last thing you would really need are a bunch of bells and whistles to make a browser look cool. And Google Chrome, with it stripped down interface doesn't really seem like it would have very much to highlight.

But you know what? A car is really just a vehicle for traversing the road. But most car commercials make the car itself look like the sexy thing, not the road. And the video above really does make Chrome look more exciting than the web pages you'll use it to visit in real life.

You can find the rest of the videos at the Google Chrome page on YouTube.

[via TechCrunch]

Tags: google-chrome, videos, web-browsers, youtube

Filed under: Beta, Browsers, Web

Futuremark gets into browser benchmarking with Peacekeeper

by Lee Mathews Apr 20th 2009

Futuremark's 3dMark has long been a favorite way of mine to perform near-crippling tests on freshly-built systems. One of their more recent projects is aimed at a slightly less intimidating foe than 3d gaming: web browser javascript benchmarking.

Called Peacekeeper, the new app makes a lot of sense for Futuremark. As one of the key brands in computer benchmarking, it's only logical that they would want in on comparative browser testing. In Internet Explorer, you'll be asked to install an ActiveX control - other browsers will run the test without any add-ins. Tests were patterned after real-world browsing using sites like YouTube, Facebook, GMail, and Meebo.

To see how your default browser scores, just point it to http://service.futuremark.com/peacekeeper/. Once the test completes, your score will be displayed. To test another browser, just click the button and you'll be given a link to copy and paste.

As with other Futuremark apps, you can also see how your results stack up to other system configurations - including the one currently owning the high score. The Intel Q9650-powered rig posted numbers about four times higher than those of my trusty notebook.

I sure wish Intel would make with the mobile quad cores already.

Tags: benchmarking, benchmarks, web-browsers

Filed under: Fun, Internet, Humor

If web browsers were The Super Friends...

by Lee Mathews Mar 30th 2009

There wasn't a whole lot remarkable about my Sunday this week. We're still thawing out here in the Great White North, so my son and I were relaxing and watching The Super Friends on TV. The longer we watched (and the more blown away I became with just how awesomely bad that cartoon really was), my mind started to wander.

"I must be reading too many blog posts," I said to myself, "because I'm starting to imagine the characters as web browsers." As the train of thought steamed ahead unimpeded, here's what I came up with.

Firefox as Batman
Like the Dark Knight, Firefox doesn't actually have super powers. What he does have is experience, a little kung fu, and a vast arsenal of tools he can clip to his belt before heading into battle. I don't know if any evildoer really killed Firefox's parents, but you sure don't hear much from Netscape anymore.

Unlike Batman, however, Firefox is actually good friends with The Penguin.

Tags: browsers, chrome, comic book, ComicBook, firefox, flock, ie8, internet, internet explorer, InternetExplorer, lunascape, opera, powers, safari, super heroes, SuperHeroes, web-browsers

Filed under: Internet, Security, Browsers

Safari hacked in a flash at Pwn2Own 2009, Firefox and IE8 follow

by Lee Mathews Mar 19th 2009

Security pro Charlie Miller came in to Pwn2Own 2009 with a plan, and things unfolded exactly the way he wanted them to. Within seconds of the competition's start, he had already gained control over the fully-patched MacBook running Apple's Safari web browser.

"It took a couple of seconds. They clicked on the link and I took control of the machine," said Miller. It's safe to say that when Apple proclaimed Safari "the fastest browser on the planet," that they weren't referring to how soon it would fail at the competition.

None of the three browsers on display made it out unscathed: a competitor known only as Nils was the next to overcome Safari, and he later took down Firefox and Internet Explorer 8. It's an important reminder to all of us that - regardless of what browser we're using - someone out there is hard at working looking for an exploit that could put us at risk, too.
[via ZDnet]

Tags: exploit, firefox, hacking, internet-explorer, safari, security, web-browsers

Filed under: Windows, Browsers

Xenocode lets you run Safari, Chrome, Internet Explorer from a flash drive

by Brad Linder Mar 3rd 2009

There have been portable versions of web browsers including Firefox, Google Chrome, and Opera that you can run from a USB flash drive for a while. Basically these apps let you store your data to the flash drive allowing you to run these apps on Windows without installing anything or writing any data to the Windows registry.

Xenocode takes a different approach. And it works with other applications including Safari, Internet Explorer, and other desktop and web-based apps like Google Talk, Gimp, and Adobe Reader. That's because Xenocode employs virtualization techniques that detache an app from the operating system it normally runs on. Xenocode apps can be run from a web browser if they're deployed online. Or you can download a single executable file for some apps and run them from your hard drive or a USB flash drive.

Some of the web browsers are a bit on the old side. The version of Google Chrome available for download is out of date, and Xencode offers an executable version of Safari 3.2.1, not the newer and much cooler Safari 4 beta. But if you're looking for a way to try out a browser or another app without installing it first, Xenocode is worth checking out.

[via Digital Inspiration]

Tags: google-chrome, internet-explorer, portable-applications, portable-apps, safari, web-browsers, xenocode

Filed under: News, Microsoft, Browsers

European regulators could force Microsoft to unbundle Internet Explorer

by Brad Linder Jan 19th 2009

Sometimes it may seem like there are only two or three web browsers that matter. Most computer users surf the web with Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Safari. But there are a ton of other options, including Opera, Google Chrome, and Sleipnir. Still, most people continue to use Internet Explorer, and one of the main reasons for that is because it's the web browser that comes bundled with Windows, the operating system installed on around 90% of all consumer oriented computers.

A while back, the folks behind the Opera browser decided to do something about this, and filed a complaint against Microsoft with the European Commission. And last week, the Commission ruled that Microsoft is violating EC antitrust rules by bundling its browser with its operating system.

It's not clear what the next step is yet. It's possible that the EC could impose a stiff fine against Microsoft, or it could require Microsoft to offer a version of Windows without Internet Explorer in Europe (which would still be available as a free download from Microsoft's web site). That's the approach European regulators took a few years back with Microsoft's bundling of Windows Media Player. But even if Microsoft is ordered to unbundle Internet Explorer, Microsoft may retain the right to sell two versions of Windows, one with IE, and one without.

What do you think, is it anti-competitive to include a web browser with your operating system, or is it just common sense since most people expect to be able to surf the web immediately after plugging in their new computer? If Microsoft is told to unbundle Internet Explorer from Windows, would it lead to surge in popularity of alternative applications like Firefox or Opera?

Tags: antitrust, europe, european-commission, internet-explorer, microsoft, web-browsers

Filed under: Apple, iPhone, Browsers

Apple loosens restrictions on alt web browsers for the iPhone

by Brad Linder Jan 14th 2009

The iPhone App Store may be filled with games, productivity apps, and umm... other utilities. But up until recently there was one thing that you couldn't find in the App Store: web browsers that would compete with the Safari browser that comes with the phone.

But over hte past day, at least four alternative web browsers have shown up with prices ranging from free to about $2. The browsers add features like a full screen mode with no toolbars to an algorithm that compensates for your shaky hand.

All the browsers are still based on WebKit, which is Safari's rendering engine. So it doesn't look like we'll be seeing Opera or Firefox for the iPhone just yet. But it's a start.

[via Engadget / image via Gizmodo]

Tags: app-store, apple, iphone, ipod-touch, web-browsers

Filed under: Windows, Google, Beta, Browsers

Google Chrome coming out of beta

by Brad Linder Dec 10th 2008

Google is preparing to take the beta label off of a product in what must be record time. Google's Marissa Mayer tells TechCrunch's Mike Arrington that the Google Chrome web browser will come out of beta soon, just three months after the product was first released as a public beta. By contrast, Gmail, which was launched more than 4 years ago is still in beta.

So what's behind the move? Does it mean that Google Chrome is a highly polished product that has been extensively tested? Well kind of. But the same is true of Gmail. No, the decision is apparently based on the fact that a number of hardware manufactures would like to preload the web browser on their systems and they don't want to do that with a beta product.

In other words, the change is more about semantics than anything else. Google will continue releasing updates and improvements to Chrome after the first official relase. But you also might find the browser preinstalled on your next computer.

There's still no word on when a version of Google Chrome will be available for Mac or Linux.

Tags: google-chrome, web-browsers

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

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