| Mobile Firefox seeks more UI feedback |
Feb. 22, 2008
 The Mozilla Foundation has released a new prototype user interface (UI) for its upcoming mobile version of Firefox, and is seeking comments. In addition, the code has now been ported to Windows Mobile, according to a blog post by Mozilla developer and project lead Doug Turner.
(Click here for a larger view of the mobile Firefox prototype)
On his blog, Turner says of the Windows Mobile web browser port that "we finally managed to get something interesting enough to take screenshots of." However, the prototype (seen above) is just for internal testing purposes, not intended as a way of evaluating the UI, he adds.
Instead, the Mozilla Foundation has been using a Wiki to post mockups of what the mobile version of Firefox -- as yet unnamed -- could look like. Last month, it provided initial images, featuring a hideable toolbar at the top of the screen, with reload button, a URL bar, and a bookmark button.
"We got a bunch of feedback," Turner says. "We just posted another mockup which incorporates some ideas around getting out of the user's way. After all, why would you want to look at our UI, when you really want to be looking at the web?"
The newly proposed main screen, pictured below left, features a thin title bar at the top. At its bottom left, an "embossed" back button allows allows quick access to the previous page. At its bottom right, it has an "embossed" Firefox logo that allows quick access to the most frequently used operations.
  
Prospective UIs for a mobile version of Firefox
(Click to enlarge)
The Wiki's authors say, "An important feature of this main screen is that users can visit a website, and visit different links on it (one at a time, returning to the main page after reading a link)." It is said to be possible to pan and scroll direction directly by dragging the screen.
Tapping on the Firefox logo causes toolbars to display at the bottom of the screen, as shown in the middle image above. Finally, tapping on a tab button brings up the tab screen (above right). Users would be able to tap on a thumbnail to switch to that tab, and drag the screen left, right, up, or down to display any additional tabs.
Background
The Foundation has previously said that the mobile version of Firefox -- which will run on Windows Mobile and Linux -- will use the same core Gecko 1.9 rendering engine as its desktop sibling, and be compatible with many Firefox extensions. It will ship after Firefox 3.0 for desktop computers, currently being beta-tested. As such, it will incorporate some of Firefox 3's new capabilities, including Places, a new system for storing bookmarks, history, and other information about pages.
When the Firefox-based browser makes its Windows Mobile debut, it will join a host of other browsing alternatives. These include IbisBrowserDX, Iris Browser, NetFront, Opera Mini, Opera Mobile, and Skyfire. All make a variety of claims for speed and browsing performance, but none can offer compatibility with Firefox extensions and themes. Additionally, the desktop Firefox browser software from which Mobile Firefox will be derived is arguably among the world's best-tested software applications, since it is used by many millions of people daily.
Further information
To read Doug Turner's posts, visit his blog, here. To find out more about the latest UI proposal for a mobile version of Firefox, visit the relevant Mozilla Wiki page, here.
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