Do you like Firefox so much on your Windows computer that you'd like to use it on your Windows Mobile phone? You're in luck. There's a new fox in town, named Fennec, and while it's still in the testing stages, it's already turning heads. Keep reading for a closer look at this mobile browser.
Contributed by KC Morgan Rating: / 4 June 18, 2009
Mozilla Firefox is one of the most popular Web browsers in the world. This online tool is widely used and well-liked for its user-friendly applications and multiple safety features. Firefox is used by many Internet surfers because it blocks annoying pop-up ads, offers plenty of user customization and provides a very clear view of many different online Web pages.
This straightforward, simple, and totally free browser has impressed even the most sophisticated of online Internet surfers. Though it was still an up-and-comer in the early part of the decade, today Mozilla Firefox is a force to be reckoned with. This well-liked online Web browser will soon be coming to Windows Mobile users, so you can enjoy it even when you’re on the go and out of the house.
The mobile version of Firefox, named Fennec, is still in its testing phases, but can be used even at this stage by some of the customers who’d like to check it out for themselves. Though still in development, this Windows Mobile version of Firefox is already creating waves in the cell phone world and can be downloaded by some who’d like to test it out for themselves. Find out what Fennec might soon have to offer for your phone or mobile device.
Mozilla Firefox and Fennec
Mozilla Firefox is one of the most popular free Web browsers on the Internet, a well-known name in the online world. Its user-friendly design has attracted many, but it’s the spam control features that keep many of those users coming back for more. In fact, Firefox is second only to Internet Explorer as the world’s most popular and widely-used Web browser. Now, Firefox is taking some of that Web-cruising power to mobile devices in the form of Fennec.
Made for support through Windows Mobile, Fennec uses the same Gecko HTML that has made Firefox such a success. The touch-screen interface and top toolbar is meant to give users quick browsing and ease of use. Optional add-ons allow users to add to Fennec with multiple applications that make the browser even more customizable. The trademark ad blocking that users expect from Firefox will also be in place with Fennec, offering the spam control that so many Internet surfers (whether they’re at home or on the run) seek.
Mozilla plans to make Fennec available on Windows mobile and Symbian smart phones by the end of 2009. As of the summer of 2009, licensing and/or technical issues are making it much harder to pin down a time frame for the availability of Fennec on BlackBerry, Android and iPhone mobile devices. For others, however, Fennec is in the works and will soon be up and running for those who could potentially benefit from this mobile Web browser. Fennec will be a full-service browser for the Web, but it’s designed to work for different types of mobile devices. This browser could potentially become available for all smart phones.
For those who currently own a Nokia N810, it’s possible to get a taste of Firefox’s Fennec right this moment, even though it hasn’t been widely released for public use. Currently in beta testing, Fennec is yours to try out if you like -- and, if you can figure out how to go about doing so. Start by sitting down with your Nokia phone, and go to the download page for this under-testing version of Firefox on the mobile Web.
The step by step instructions (found online with your regular Web browser at https://wiki.mozilla.org/Mobile/Fennec/Releases) can guide you through the process of placing this browser on your Nokia mobile device. Following these directions, you can actually download the software straight to your phone and start exploring everything Fennec can do right away.
First, go to your Settings menu and find the Application Manager option. Under Tools, choose the Application catalog option. You’ll have to add Fennec to the list of applications before you can begin to take advantage of this beta version. To do this, choose the New option you see near the bottom of the screen.
Enter the information exactly as you see it pictured above, and hit OK. The catalog name is Mozilla, the Web address is ftp://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mobile. Enter Chinook under Distribution and release next to Components. With everything entered into the phone, you can close the catalog now that all the data is in place. From the main Application Manager, select Browse installable applications to find the software. Now, you should see Fennec listed in your search results. Simply install the application and you’re ready to start cruising the mobile Web with Mozilla. You’ll find Fennec under the Extras menu on your phone.
It’s just that easy to test out this mobile Web browser for yourself (easy if you have the right phone, of course). But for those who want to wait for the full version -- or who have to wait for it -- you can still find out what Fennec’s got in store for you. Remember, this browser won’t be in the testing phase forever; soon, you’ll be able to try it out even if you don’t currently own a Nokia phone.
Offering a full-screen view, Fennec can be displayed in portrait or landscape sizes. For devices without touch screens, the browser will also provide a mouse pointer for alternate navigation. Zoom options allow users to adjust the height, width or overall size of what they’re viewing on their screens.
Though it’s made for the mobile Web, Fennec provides a lot of the options users have grown used to seeing with Mozilla Firefox. Secure browsing, multiple tab support and keyboard shortcuts help you navigate quickly and easily, even on several pages all at once. The virtual keyboard lets you browse however you please, entering information as necessary. You can even use Fennec to input passwords, set a start page and integrate devices with Javascript.
Fennec is a fully functional browser for the mobile Web, no restrictions, no limitations. The download manager, password manager and application manager have been put in place to give users a personalized browsing experience with customized features and usage. Just as you would with the standard Internet version of Firefox, Fennec allows you to create and organize bookmarks so you can browse back to your favorite locations on the Web.
Firefox for Your Mobile
Love Firefox on your desktop or laptop? Firefox for your mobile will offer a lot of familiar features, options and add-ons that can make you feel right at home even when you’re out of the house and using your favorite mobile device. Mozilla plans to release Fennec before 2009 is over, so this mobile browser should soon be widely available for all users who’d like to give Firefox on their smart phones a try.
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