Access has announced a new version of its NetFront web browser for Windows Mobile devices. NetFront version 3.5 adds widgets, better XHTML (Extensible Hypertext Markup Language) compatibility, faster performance, and the capability to scroll up and down pages under the guidance of a device's camera.
Hot on the heels of Opera Mobile 9.5 -- which, like NetFront version 3.5, has been released to carriers but not yet to the public -- NetFront becomes the second Windows Mobile browser to support widgets. These are small applications that use a browser's rendering engine to run, but not its standard border, menus, and other "chrome." As such, widgets can appear on part of a device's screen or take it over temporarily.
For the end user, widgets have the advantage of providing easy access to content such as updated weather information, news headlines, local maps, and photo feeds. For carriers and software developers, however, their significance is even greater. Widgets can easily be used to create branded user interfaces on a device, without the complicated process of modifying its ROM or compiled software applications.
Like Google's similar "gadget" technology, widgets are designed using web standards such as Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), JavaScript, Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), and Document Object Model (DOM). However, minor changes are apparently required in order to "port" widgets between their NetFront, Opera, and Google implementations.
Performance and User Interface enhancements
Access touts a bevy of performance and UI enhancements for NetFront version 3.5. For example, pages load faster initially, while the time taken to zoom in or zoom out has been "dramatically improved." The browser also switches more quickly into and out of "Smart Fit" mode, which adjusts a web page so it can fit on a device's display.
NetFront version 3.5 (click to play; video has no sound) Source: Access
Version 3.5 also includes Bytemobile's embedded browser optimization (EBO) technology, in which NetFront communicates with Bytemobile's carrier-based "Optimization Services Nodes" (OSNs). When these are available, compression and other techniques allow page downloads to happen up to four times faster, NetFront says.
Other performance enhancements are said to include smoother scrolling, panning, and zooming, plus the ability to zoom in and out on animated content. As for new UI features, "Smart Swing Navi" continuously looks at the image being captured by a device's camera, then uses relative motion to scroll or zoom automatically as the device is moved.
NetFront's Visual Bookmarks
NetFront also includes "Visual Bookmarks" (shown at right), capable of graphically displaying thumbnail previews, page titles, and URLs for bookmarked sites. Finally, "Smart Slider Menu" is a new shortcut bar that "enables users to select functions easily and quickly.
For developers ...
Access notes that in addition to the widgets technology mentioned earlier, version 3.5 of its browser is now more compliant with web standards. This includes support for: XHTML (Extensible Hypertext Markup Language) MP (Mobile Profile) 1.2; CSS (Cascading Style Sheets 2.1 and 3 (partial); and the CANVAS HTML tag, which can be used to draw vector-based graphics using scripting.
As in previous versions, NetFront has a "highly modular and scalable software architecture [that] enables developers to pick and choose only needed components for their target devices," the company says. The two components that allow this portability are the SLIM interface (seen in the third row below), which encapsulates all dependencies on the target platform, and the Plate Windows System (PWS), a windowing API that generalizes and settles the differences in window manipulations from the underlying operating system.
The NetFront architecture (Click to enlarge)
Access says its browser can also incorporate low-level libraries including Wave, the company's own windowing system. This means that NetFront Browser "can run on the barest of operating systems." On operating systems that do provide window systems, such as those found on mobile handhelds, these libraries are simply stripped out so no unnecessary code is deployed.
In addition to Windows Mobile, NetFront runs on Linux, QT Embedded, Symbian, Garnet OS, and other operating systems. It has shipped in over 1,349 PDAs, smartphones, and other devices, representing some 500 million deployments. Access says. Most recently, Access supplied a Linux version of NetFront to Amazon for its Linux-based Kindle eBook reader.
Access plans to make a "concept version" of NetFront version 3.5 for Windows Mobile available on Monday, Feb. 11, from the company's website, here. Listed system requirements are an ARM-compatible or PXA2xx CPU, Windows Mobile 5.0, about 5.8MB for data storage, and about 6MB for program execution.
7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.
4 Legal Reasons to Control Internet Access
The Internet is obviously a valuable resource for many organizations. However, many are exposed to legal liability concerns because they fail to control Internet access. Learn if you're safe in this white paper.
Rapidly Resolve J2EE Application Problems
Whether you are in the process of building J2EE applications or have J2EE applications already running in production, you must ensure that they deliver the expected ROI. Learn how in this white paper.
Load Testing 2.0 for Web 2.0
There are many unknowns in stress testing Web 2.0 applications. Find out how to test the performance of Web 2.0 in this white paper.
Build Better Games Online
For the game infrastructure providers, life is complex. Making money from games has become more complicated. Why? Find out in this white paper.
Building a Virtual Infrastructure from Servers to Storage
This white paper discusses the virtual storage solutions that reduce cost, increase storage utilization, and address the challenges of backing up and restoring Server environments.
Gaining Faster Wireless Connections with WiMAX
Welcome to what is quickly becoming the hyperconnected world where anything that would benefit from being connected to the network will be connected. Learn more in this white paper.
Is Your Desktop a Security Threat?
The new wave of sophisticated crimeware not only targets specific companies, but also targets desktops and laptops as backdoor entryways into those business’ operations and resources. Learn how to stay safe in this white paper.
Increasing SAN Reliability by 100 Percent
Storage area networks (SAN) are a strong part of storage plans. Learn how to increase your reliability and uptime by 100 percent in this case study.
Use of this site is governed by our Terms of
Service and Privacy Policy.
Except where otherwise specified, the contents of this site are copyright © 1999-2008
Ziff Davis Enterprise Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis Enterprise is
prohibited. Windows is a trademark or registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries and is used by WindowsForDevices under license from owner. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. WindowsForDevices is an independent publication not affiliated with Microsoft Corporation.
Access has announced a new version of its NetFront web browser for Windows Mobile devices. NetFront version 3.5 adds widgets, better XHTML (Extensible Hypertext Markup Language) compatibility, faster performance, and the capability to scroll up and down pages under the guidance of a device's camera.
news feed