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Skyfire beta updated, one step closer to the real, real web on mobiles

Glados   on 24 November 2008 - 08:38 · 5 comments & 3485 views

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Skyfire pitches its like-named mobile browser beta with the tag line, "The PC web. On your phone. Real fast." Simple yet poignant. Many companies make similar claims yet fail to deliver.

Apple, for example, had a long commercial run highlighting the iPhone's ability to display real web pages. That's nice and all, but try to download a file or listen to / watch some embedded media and you're reminded pretty quickly that you're not, in fact, dealing with the real web. S60's browser on the other hand, while a whole lot less visually pleasing, does take things one step further. Users can download and upload files or even watch an embedded video or two courtesy of Flash Lite integration - sometimes without crashing.

With the newly updated Skyfire browser however, things just got a whole lot more interesting. Skyfire claims users of its browser which recently entered open beta can "watch any video" and "listen to any music". While the word "any" takes those statements slightly outside the realm of reality, the fact is the Skyfire browser is pretty remarkable in terms of speed and multimedia capability. Forget about YouTube videos, we're talking full-on Hulu.com, TV network sites and more for video, and music sites that had been previously unaccessible as well.

If you're packing an S60 handset and you're in a region where Skyfire is available (US, Canada, and UK), definitely do yourself a favor and hit get.skyfire.com from your lame current mobile browser.

Screenshot: Click here
Link: Mobile Link
News source: Boy Genius Report

Post a comment · Send to friend Comments · There are 5 additional comments
(1 reply) #1 spr33 on 24 Nov 2008 - 16:16
It's a shame it doesn't support VGA/WVGA.

Here's to hoping.
#1.1 freeza on 24 Nov 2008 - 19:15
It does support VGA, however, it's "stretched", not true vga compliant. I'm running it on my Touch Pro just fine.
#2 thealexweb on 24 Nov 2008 - 17:53
This article really under values what other browsers can bring us.
#3 QuarterSwede on 27 Nov 2008 - 03:42
So this is just about Flash?
#4 Majesticmerc on 30 Nov 2008 - 03:03
From the EULA:

... When you use the browser, SkyFire has access to, and in many cases will, monitor your browser usage...
... By installing and/or using the browser or services, you agree that Skyfire may monitor, edit or disclose your personal information


... I think I'll pass on this one.

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