Critical.
Authoritative.
Strategic.
Subscribe to CIO Magazine »

Speedy Firefox 9 beta versions take their place in line

The new Android version of the browser is optimized for tablets, Mozilla says.

Hard on the heels of the release earlier this week of Firefox 8, Mozilla on Thursday released the beta versions of the next Firefox in line.

The desktop beta version of Firefox 9, which is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, offers enhanced JavaScript performance and new developer tools that make browsing the Web much faster, Mozilla says.

The Android version, meanwhile, offers "a completely new experience optimized for tablets that makes mobile browsing more intuitive," in the project's own words.

Though not intended for production use, the new beta versions are now available for free download from the Future of Firefox site. Here's a look at some of the features you'll find.

On the Desktop

The debut of the new Type Inference feature in the SpiderMonkey Javascript engine is a big part of the boost in performance offered by the desktop beta version of Firefox 9. Resulting in the generation of more efficient code, Type Inference improves Firefox 9 speeds on benchmarks like Kraken and V8 by more than 30 percent, according to a Thursday blog post by Firefox Engineer Brian Bondy.

Particularly significant boosts are noticeable on JavaScript-heavy websites, Bondy added.

Also new in the desktop beta version of Firefox 9 is Mac OS X Lion support. With a look that matches the Mac OS X Lion application toolbar and icon styles, Firefox 9 beta supports the two-finger swipe for navigation and better accommodates users with multiple monitors.

New features for developers, meanwhile, aid in the creation of faster websites and Web apps as well as allowing developers to see when users have enabled Firefox's Do Not Track privacy feature.

The Android Version

On the mobile side, the Android beta version of Firefox 9--displayed below--is optimized for tablets with a raft of new features for users and developers.

The browser now leverages tablets' larger screen size, for example, allowing users to make use of the full screen when browsing, even while working in portrait mode.

Among the Firefox features now optimized for tablets are tabs and the Awesome Screen. Tabs, for instance, are displayed as thumbnails in the left panel of the browser, allowing users to switch among them easily while still viewing full websites on the right. By swiping to the left, tabs can be quickly hidden for a full-screen view.

A new Action Bar, meanwhile, gives users quick access to Firefox Preferences, Add-ons, downloads, and more, with back, forward, and bookmark buttons for easy access.

Finally, new features for developers in the Android version include an HTML5 input tag for camera access and support for the HTML5 Form Validation API.

Firefox 9 is due for final release on Dec. 20. Still in the works for future versions, of course, are a native interface for Firefox for Android and a significantly reduced memory footprint. In the meantime, though, these new betas could be fun to test out for an early taste of what's to come.

Join the CIO Australia group on LinkedIn. The group is open to CIOs, IT Directors, COOs, CTOs and senior IT managers.

More about: Inference, Linux, Mozilla
References show all

Comments

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Users posting comments agree to the CIO comments policy.
Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.
Related Coverage
Related Whitepapers
Latest Stories
Community Comments
Tags: applications, browsers, firefox, mozilla, services, software
Latest Blog Posts
Whitepapers
  • Rapid achievement of employee productivity gains in a modern workforce
    The last few years have seen explosive innovation in the ways that users interact with software applications, resulting in a huge surge in the adoption of tablet, smartphone, and web based social applications. Fortunately there are some simple incremental steps that any organisation can take to transition to a more people centric communications system, while lifting employee productivity. Read more.
    Learn more »
  • Enterprise Buyers Guide for Printers
    Every enterprise owns, and regularly replaces, printers, copiers, multifunctional products and fax machines. The problem most face is not too few choices, but too many. How do you even begin to select the right one? Here is the Computerworld guide to buying a printer for the enterprise.
    Learn more »
  • Advanced Malware Exposed - How advanced malware, zero-day and targeted APT attacks are evading today's network defences
    This handbook shines a light on the dark corners of advanced malware, both to educate as well as to spark renewed efforts against these stealthy and persistent threats. By understanding the tools being used by criminals, we can better defend our nations, our critical infrastructures and our citizens. It is certainly my hope that this book will provide readers with a new understanding of the rapidly developing cyber threat landscape and practical insights into how they can protect their data and computing infrastructures. - Robert F. Lentz, President and CEO, Cyber Security Strategies, LLC
    Learn more »
All whitepapers
rhs_login_lockGet exclusive access to Invitation only events CIO, reports & analysis.
Recent comments