Fennec Beta 5 for Maemo release notes (original) (raw)

This is the fifth beta release of Firefox for Maemo, for testing purposes only, intended to:

• gain wider feedback on our approach to the user experience
• engage Mozilla community teams, including localizers and testers
• get feedback from Web developers
• encourage add-on developers to port existing add-ons and invent new ones for mobile

The initial focus of Fennec development was on building a new user experience that reflects Firefox's design principles, adding touch screen support and other interactions appropriate for mobile phones and other handheld devices, while preserving leading features like the Smart URL Bar ("awesome bar") and support for add-ons.

For beta 5, we have focused on improving the user experience, bug fixes and performance.

To help out, visit the Mozilla mobile page to learn about our public weekly meetings, how to find our community on IRC, and more.

These Release Notes are intended to be a "quick guide," highlighting new features in this beta 5 version, download and installation instructions, known issues and frequently asked questions. Please read these notes and the bug filing instructions before reporting bugs to Bugzilla.

Quick start

This release is available for the Maemo OS2008 and Maemo 5 software platforms running on the Nokia N810 and N900 Internet Tablets. If you're viewing this on an N810 or N900, install Fennec.

Don't have an N810 or N900? Don't worry, you can still experiment with Fennec, provide feedback, write add-ons, and get involved by installing a version of Fennec for your desktop PC:

• Windows
• Mac OS X
• Linux

The idea behind releasing the package for PCs is to give people who don't have a Nokia Internet Tablet the ability to localize, experiment and build add-ons. Note: The desktop version of Fennec is not a supported product.

What's in this version?

New for Beta 5:

• Enabled official branding, with Firefox name and logo
• Support for localizations, currently including Spanish, German, French, Italian, Dutch, and Russian
• Enabled plugins
• Viewport meta tag support
• Fixed a number of sites that resize their content after the page is loaded
• Added a form assistant to make filling forms easier
• Improved panning performance and behavior
• Zooming doesn't jump around anymore
• Numerous other bugs and polish issues addressed

This builds upon the feature set of the previous releases:

Easy navigation to Web content:

• Smart URL bar ("awesome bar")
• Integrated Web search - built into the URL bar
• Easy access to multiple search engines

Interface Optimization:

• Touch-oriented UI
• Maximize content by auto-hiding controls and URL bar
• Zoom in and out
• Touch-enabled bookmarking, controls, tabs
• Tabbed browsing allows view of multiple thumbnails
• Ability to scroll iframes

Security:

• Instant Web site ID ("Larry")
• Password manager
• Popup blocker
• Clear recent history
• Customized security settings
• Automated Update

Customization:

• Add-ons, including ability to find and install add-ons directly to device
• Location-Aware browsing
• Install and manage search engines

Productivity:

• Offline browsing
• Download manager
• Preferences pane
• Spell checker

Performance:

• Memory management

Devices services integration:

• Click on a phone number to initiate a call
• JavaScript API to get device location

Installing Fennec

System requirements:

• Nokia N900
• Nokia N810 or N800 Internet Tablets running OS2008 ("chinook" or "diablo")

Installation:

• If you're viewing this on an N900, N810 or N800, click here to install Fennec
• Read here for step by step instructions

Install a version of Fennec for your desktop PC:

• Windows
• Mac OS X
• Linux

Tips and tricks

• swipe left to expose back/forward/bookmark and settings buttons; swipe right to dismiss them
• swipe right to expose tabs; swipe left to dismiss them
• stowed away URL bar full page viewing; URL bar reappears when you begin an action
• touch Settings button to adjust preferences; touch button again to go back

Known issues

• Flash is re-enabled in beta 5, but there are several known performance problems with it.
• Plugins may not always work properly in some of the desktop builds.
• Devices must have sufficient RAM (128 MB or higher) to run Fennec.

Give us feedback

• Comment in our newsgroup
• File bugs in Bugzilla. Read these instructions first.