X

Photos: A look at the mobile version of Firefox

ZDNet UK examines Mozilla's Firefox on Nokia's Maemo-equipped N900 handset
By David Meyer, Contributor
firefoxmobile1.jpg
1 of 8 David Meyer/ZDNET

ZDNet UK recently had the chance to play with the first mobile version of Mozilla's Firefox browser.

Mozilla has only rolled the browser out to one handset so far — Nokia's Maemo-based N900, pictured here running the application — but it plans to create versions for the Android and Windows Mobile platforms.

The company is touting the application as the only mobile browser to use add-ons, the functionality plug-ins that are familiar to desktop users of many browsers, including Firefox.

firefoxmobile2.jpg
2 of 8 David Meyer/ZDNET

The mobile version of Firefox has a lot of the same functionality as its desktop equivalent, such as Mozilla's Awesome Bar. The Awesome Bar allows the address bar to double as a search entry field.

The browser can also synchronise with the desktop Firefox through a function called Weave Sync.

firefoxmobile3.jpg
3 of 8 David Meyer/ZDNET

Pre-installed add-ons that come with mobile Firefox include Google, Amazon, Wikipedia and Twitter.

firefoxmobile4.jpg
4 of 8 David Meyer/ZDNET

As with the desktop Firefox, users can search for new add-ons, such as the popular AdBlock Plus. Another example is TwitterBar, which adds tweeting functionality to the already multi-talented Awesome Bar.

firefoxmobile5.jpg
5 of 8 David Meyer/ZDNET

The mobile Firefox renders sites well, providing the user with a zoom level that fits the width of the page to the device's screen.

firefoxmobile7.jpg
6 of 8 David Meyer/ZDNET

Tapping on the screen allows the user to zoom in.

The mobile version of Firefox does not support multitouch pinch-and-zoom functionality. This could be due to the N900's resistive touchscreen, as multitouch generally requires capacitive screens.

firefoxmobile6.jpg
7 of 8 David Meyer/ZDNET

The mobile Firefox allows tabbed browsing, so the user can have multiple pages open at once. This functionality is also available on some other mobile browsers, such as Opera Mini.

firefoxmobile8.jpg
8 of 8 David Meyer/ZDNET

One piece of functionality lacking in the mobile version of Firefox is Flash playback. Very few mobile browsers offer this. Those that do include Skyfire and the Android browser.

Related Galleries

Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes
Holiday lights in Central Park background

Related Galleries

Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes

21 Photos
Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting
Wooden lodge in pine forest with heavy snow reflection on Lake O'hara at Yoho national park

Related Galleries

Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting

21 Photos
Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes
3D Rendering Christmas interior

Related Galleries

Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes

21 Photos
Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza
img-8825

Related Galleries

Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza

26 Photos
A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex
img-9792-2

Related Galleries

A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex

22 Photos
Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup
shutterstock-1024665187.jpg

Related Galleries

Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup

8 Photos
Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'
Full of promises!

Related Galleries

Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'

8 Photos