View Full Version : N900 to run desktop class Firefox?
According to MobileMentalism who attended a PR event at the OneDotZero in London, the N900 will run the full desktop version of Firefox by the end of the year.
The revelation came out during a Q&A session with project manager, Jussi Makinen.
During an extensive Q&A, an open and honest Makinen revealed that the N900 will be the first mobile to feature Mozilla Firefox, which will be available on the device by the end of year. Nokia's Ovi is also coming soon to the N900, providing the same level of app support as Symbian-based smartphones such as the N97 currently enjoy.
That's why the N900 will feature Firefox soon, as it's got the operating system, the application memory and the processor power to run a desktop-based Web browser.
No cut-down mobile browser for the N900 - it's powerful enough to support the real thing!
http://mobilementalism.com/2009/09/13/10-cool-things-about-the-nokia-n900/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-cool-things-about-the-nokia-n900
javispedro
2009-09-13, 22:56
Probably wrong.
MicroB ("the Maemo Browser", available for a few years already) is "desktop Firefox", only with some interesting addons (like the zooming gestures).
texaslabrat
2009-09-13, 23:02
sounds like they're talking about Fennec
sounds like they're talking about Fennec
You would think so but Fennec isnt Firefox and why say 'by the end of the year'.
Maybe he meant Mozilla will make Fennec look like Firefox in future builds and Jussi was playing off that premise.
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Why would they do that? There's no way around the fact that N900 is mobile touch screen device and the UI needs to be modified to reflect that. Fennec is that modified version of Firefox.
Wasn't there already some news of Fennec having at least beta version ready soon, so a final version before end of year doesn't sound such a stretch.
kanishou
2009-09-14, 00:53
Yes, they must be talking about Fennec. In a way Fennec is Firefox ported to mobile devices, and "Firefox" is the label with the brand recognition (probably much more so than "Mozilla" these days).
The device is obviously powerful enough for desktop-like web rendering. You still want a UI that is optimised for finger usage though.
Fennec is the code name for Firefox mobile edition.
jandmdickerson
2009-09-14, 01:02
Why would they do that? There's no way around the fact that N900 is mobile touch screen device and the UI needs to be modified to reflect that. Fennec is that modified version of Firefox.
Wasn't there already some news of Fennec having at least beta version ready soon, so a final version before end of year doesn't sound such a stretch.
Apparently fennec will have add-ons, which as far as I know very rare for mobile browsers. Hence, they may be dubbing it a desktop in the sense of its utility.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fennec/collection/fennec-amo
https://wiki.mozilla.org/Mobile/Roadmap
The goal is to ship beta releases of Fennec on the Maemo platform and Windows Mobile 6 in late 2008, and release in 2009.
https://wiki.mozilla.org/fennec
"Fennec" is the code name of the effort to build a mobile version of Firefox.
Hmm, Fennec is not "desktop Firefox". So, I don't know why people seem to pointing to Fennec. How hard is it to run desktop Firefox on the n900? Just need to compile it for the ARM and mod it for the screen size (zooming/panning,etc), no? And wouldn't that be a real game changer? First mobile device with a full browser.
jandmdickerson
2009-09-14, 02:57
Hmm, Fennec is not "desktop Firefox". So, I don't know why people seem to pointing to Fennec. How hard is it to run desktop Firefox on the n900? Just need to compile it for the ARM and mod it for the screen size (zooming/panning,etc), no? And wouldn't that be a real game changer? First mobile device with a full browser.
Yes, you sound like you are up to speed on the matter so beside the size customization what is the difference (Fennec v. Firefox)?
BTW I know that Fennec is merely the project name, but it would be interesting to find out what the differences truly are.
Thesandlord
2009-09-14, 03:06
Hmm, Fennec is not "desktop Firefox". So, I don't know why people seem to pointing to Fennec. How hard is it to run desktop Firefox on the n900? Just need to compile it for the ARM and mod it for the screen size (zooming/panning,etc), no? And wouldn't that be a real game changer? First mobile device with a full browser.
Its already been done, there are various minefield builds for the tablets. It runs really well, but memory hungry and slowish. Very slow startup time.
I've already had "desktop Firefox" running on the current tablets with Easy Debian for quite a while. It looks like it is pretty straightforward to get Easy Debian working on the N900, so you can have desktop Firefox running on it almost immediately.
But seriously. With the small screen on the N900, you really do want to use Fennec instead of desktop Firefox, which is supposed to have all the power of desktop Firefox (eg MicroB can't do Firefox Addons, but Fennec can).
I'll release Fremantle Easy Debian, just so everyone can learn why we need user interfaces that are optimized for handheld devices....
Hmm, I guess with TV-out, people can use the desktop interfaces more easily... We'll have to wait and see...
I wonder how fast Easy Debian will be on n900. Have you tried Fennec? The last time I tried it I ran back to MicroB like a frightened schoolboy. Most of the add ons that I use with FF haven't been converted to Fennec anyway. So what's the point? In desktop FF all that is needed is to convert the UI to MicroB style, just a larger address bar, forward/back, etc. I don't use the zoom/panning anyway. All my web pages fit on the screen in MicroB (3.5" n900 screen is going to suck). If I can get desktop FF running on a 166mhz/160mb Windows machine, I don't see why this can't be done on a n900.
barry99705
2009-09-14, 11:23
Not a fan of Fennec on my winmobile phone. It's too clunky, if that's a proper term.
timsamoff
2009-09-14, 11:58
Not a fan of Fennec on my winmobile phone. It's too clunky, if that's a proper term.
Just wait until you try the latest version -- on Maemo, not WinMo. The hands-on demo (here (http://maemo.org/community/council/nokia_world-09_and_the_nokia_n900-part_1/), second pic) was pretty impressive.
Tim
barry99705
2009-09-14, 15:31
Just wait until you try the latest version -- on Maemo, not WinMo. The hands-on demo (here (http://maemo.org/community/council/nokia_world-09_and_the_nokia_n900-part_1/), second pic) was pretty impressive.
Tim
Some phone company will have to carry it in the US first..... Though I'm sure the extra 100Mhz and higher res screen will help.
Caballero
2010-05-21, 19:22
The deb. for desktop Firefox is here http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=52434 You can install some plugins and extensions that make it workable on the N800/N900. You can install the network tweaks and increase screen space, drag the screen addon. It buggy at times with flash but If we could fix this it would be my number 2 fav Browser.
Laughing Man
2010-05-21, 19:24
I'll release Fremantle Easy Debian, just so everyone can learn why we need user interfaces that are optimized for handheld devices....
Hmm, I guess with TV-out, people can use the desktop interfaces more easily... We'll have to wait and see...
And a mouse and a keyboard. But anyway, while I agree we do need user interfaces that are optimized for handheld devices from a usability POV, but at the same time I also think that not all software may be optimized for numerous reasons (time, expense, way too many number of options, etc..).
But that's why it's best to have a choice. :D
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