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I've had to disable Hardware Acceleration because its still too flaky for me, especially on the Neowin Home Page :/

Me too. But it seems there is still something left (which actually accelerates too): about:config -> layers.accelerate-all - enabled by default (but this thing makes youtube pdf's a bit strange for me.. and it's not good to switch gpu while browsing too with this )

it seems that beta 5 was built on 31st august according to the date modified, is that true, surely bugs would have been found in the past week? No EN-GB version of 4b5 yet, seems to always take a long time for the British versions to hit the servers.

Firefox 3.6.9 isn't out yet:( thunderbird 3.1.3 is tho :)

P.S please change the topic title to Beta 5

How do I disable compatibility checking completely?

Not with the compatibility reporter add-on but in the about:config.

Cheers ;)

Type about:config in your browser address bar and agree to the warning message. Now right click inside the browser, choose New ?> Boolean, type the preference name as extensions.checkCompatibility.4.0b and set it to False.

Type about:config in your browser address bar and agree to the warning message. Now right click inside the browser, choose New ?> Boolean, type the preference name as extensions.checkCompatibility.4.0b and set it to False.

Thanx!

but I still have a warning message in add-ons manager which I didn't had before?

Below, I've tried to simulate the mockup as closely as possible using only Stylish hacks from various people, but no extensions. The mockup is loaded in a tab for reference:

<SNIP IMAGE>

These seem like somewhat basic changes, but they are taking an awfully long time to get into the UI.

I'm not saying I can do it, but I'm sure a dedicated CSS artist could make it look very close to the mockup using the current Gecko engine. Just make it look as close as possible, and if something is committed that messes up the layout, at least there is a layout and probably just a minor margin adjustment.

The question is, why hasn't this happened yet? Shouldn't there be just one bug filed on it called "Get SoapyHamHocks to make beta 4 look like the mockup" :p

Thank you for posting this comparison, I took your image and looked at it under zoom. Doing that, the border problems become obvious...

post-166635-12838792229002.jpg

In the mockup, you can see how the dark gray border around the tabs and toolbar goes down for the window contents, making it all look self contained and clean. In the real approximation the border is only around the toolbar, making the eye see it as uneven when viewed in actual size. I really hope this can be fixed in the final version, otherwise it will irk me to no end.

Also, they still need to add the curved connection where tab meets the toolbar.

*fingers crossed*

Firefox 4 Beta 5 Sunspider benchmark results:

Total:                  721.0ms +/- 1.8%
--------------------------------------------

  3d:                   126.8ms +/- 7.4%
    cube:                41.0ms +/- 7.1%
    morph:               27.6ms +/- 9.3%
    raytrace:            58.2ms +/- 20.2%

  access:               115.0ms +/- 5.5%
    binary-trees:        27.8ms +/- 12.4%
    fannkuch:            56.0ms +/- 5.2%
    nbody:               13.6ms +/- 17.8%
    nsieve:              17.6ms +/- 13.8%

  bitops:                32.6ms +/- 17.2%
    3bit-bits-in-byte:    1.4ms +/- 48.6%
    bits-in-byte:        10.8ms +/- 15.0%
    bitwise-and:          2.6ms +/- 42.8%
    nsieve-bits:         17.8ms +/- 33.3%

  controlflow:           12.2ms +/- 23.2%
    recursive:           12.2ms +/- 23.2%

  crypto:                47.8ms +/- 19.8%
    aes:                 25.6ms +/- 9.5%
    md5:                 15.4ms +/- 57.8%
    sha1:                 6.8ms +/- 45.5%

  date:                  83.4ms +/- 12.8%
    format-tofte:        50.8ms +/- 17.3%
    format-xparb:        32.6ms +/- 9.2%

  math:                  79.8ms +/- 18.6%
    cordic:              50.4ms +/- 30.7%
    partial-sums:        20.4ms +/- 21.8%
    spectral-norm:        9.0ms +/- 21.8%

  regexp:                50.6ms +/- 9.6%
    dna:                 50.6ms +/- 9.6%

  string:               172.8ms +/- 6.4%
    base64:              10.0ms +/- 30.5%
    fasta:               33.0ms +/- 13.3%
    tagcloud:            53.0ms +/- 9.2%
    unpack-code:         56.4ms +/- 10.1%
    validate-input:      20.4ms +/- 20.5%

Firefox 4 Beta 4 Sunspider benchmark results:

Total:                  826.8ms +/- 2.0%
--------------------------------------------

  3d:                   138.4ms +/- 8.2%
    cube:                43.2ms +/- 9.4%
    morph:               38.4ms +/- 11.4%
    raytrace:            56.8ms +/- 12.9%

  access:               139.8ms +/- 10.7%
    binary-trees:        38.2ms +/- 12.0%
    fannkuch:            62.6ms +/- 8.7%
    nbody:               16.6ms +/- 34.2%
    nsieve:              22.4ms +/- 11.5%

  bitops:                48.8ms +/- 30.9%
    3bit-bits-in-byte:    1.8ms +/- 30.9%
    bits-in-byte:        19.8ms +/- 30.9%
    bitwise-and:          5.0ms +/- 17.6%
    nsieve-bits:         22.2ms +/- 38.1%

  controlflow:           16.8ms +/- 42.3%
    recursive:           16.8ms +/- 42.3%

  crypto:                50.6ms +/- 13.1%
    aes:                 24.6ms +/- 16.2%
    md5:                 14.8ms +/- 31.1%
    sha1:                11.2ms +/- 29.8%

  date:                 108.4ms +/- 3.1%
    format-tofte:        64.4ms +/- 5.9%
    format-xparb:        44.0ms +/- 8.5%

  math:                  87.0ms +/- 14.8%
    cordic:              45.6ms +/- 14.8%
    partial-sums:        27.0ms +/- 29.5%
    spectral-norm:       14.4ms +/- 30.9%

  regexp:                48.8ms +/- 10.9%
    dna:                 48.8ms +/- 10.9%

  string:               188.2ms +/- 7.7%
    base64:              11.6ms +/- 36.0%
    fasta:               35.8ms +/- 17.6%
    tagcloud:            58.6ms +/- 17.3%
    unpack-code:         52.8ms +/- 3.9%
    validate-input:      29.4ms +/- 16.0%

Over 100ms faster:) This was with a core2 2.0ghz laptop cpu, 3gb ram and nvidia 9200M GE on Win 7 x64 Ultimate.

The whole program seems much more responsive in the latest nightlies. Tab candy performance still leaves a lot to be desired though (but its improved a lot). The animations are jerky. Also the tab open/close animation don't seem as smooth as opera and chrome, and sometimes they will lag if you are loading multiple pages in the background while opening a new tab.

I just wish you could make tab candy persistent, sort of like speeddial in opera. That would be so awesome, would be way better than opera's speeddial and chromes new tab page if I could make tab groups in tab candy and have them be saved and appear next time I start the browser, and have the ability to set tab candy as the home page. Right now I just don't find it very useful unless you leave your browser open 24/7. You can make all these nice organized tab groups, but bye bye once you close the browser. Seems to defeat the purpose.

The whole program seems much more responsive in the latest nightlies. Tab candy performance still leaves a lot to be desired though (but its improved a lot). The animations are jerky. Also the tab open/close animation don't seem as smooth as opera and chrome, and sometimes they will lag if you are loading multiple pages in the background while opening a new tab.

I just wish you could make tab candy persistent, sort of like speeddial in opera. That would be so awesome, would be way better than opera's speeddial and chromes new tab page if I could make tab groups in tab candy and have them be saved and appear next time I start the browser, and have the ability to set tab candy as the home page. Right now I just don't find it very useful unless you leave your browser open 24/7. You can make all these nice organized tab groups, but bye bye once you close the browser. Seems to defeat the purpose.

Couldn't agree more.

Seems a much better build, still got a damn annoying issue of having to click twice in the post reply box to be able to type, and clicking on a reply to PM email, takes me to the PM, and then immediately to a new screen with only an Advert on it, and have to click back, this happens a few times before it will stay on the PM

2D acceleration makes text fuzzy too

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    • DWARF mini review: the world's smallest smart telescope for night and day sky captures by Steven Parker DWARFLAB reached out to me asking if I was interested in checking out the DWARF mini, which is a portable astronomy telescope designed for amateur astronomers. Why do I say it's for amateurs? Well, for starters, it's not what you'd call "high end"; it's more of a professional-grade starting point for amateurs serious about capturing what's up there in our night and day skies. A typical amateur astronomer is most likely thousands of dollars deep into the hobby, and I will make no claims that this DWARF mini (at a fraction of the cost) could replace it all, okay? Well, if you read on, it will be clearer what I am trying to convey. Disclosure: DWARFLAB provided a free sample without any editorial input or review pre-approval. I have always been interested in looking up and observing the night sky. I see satellites crossing the sky above my garden most nights, and I am always looking at the moon. Yeah, I have a 200MP camera on my phone, but at 200X zoom, AI takes over and makes the pretty moon pictures that I snap, the DWARF mini does not, you get an actual true picture of what you can barely see with the naked eye. Before we start, let's share the highlights of the DWARF mini in bite-sized format: Pocket-Sized & Ultra-Lightweight Weighing just 1.85 lbs (840g), the DWARF mini easily fits into a backpack or large pocket. Its all-in-one, compact design makes it the ultimate grab-and-go digital telescope for hiking, camping, or traveling to dark-sky locations. Intuitive App Control & Built-in Sky Atlas Go from unboxing to your first shot in just 3 minutes! The DWARFLAB App provides a seamless experience with an interactive star map. Simply select your target and start exploring without the steep learning curve of traditional setups. Auto GOTO & 360° Pivot Freedom Enjoy pinpoint automated tracking with full 360° rotation. Powered by a high-sensitivity Sony IMX662 sensor (1/2.8-inch, 2.9μm pixels), it captures amazing, low-noise astro details, bringing faint nebulas and star clusters to life with stunning clarity. Pro-Level EQ Mode & Long Exposure Unlock advanced deep-space imaging with Equatorial (EQ) Mode. Supporting impressive single-frame exposures up to 90 seconds and featuring built-in light pollution filters, it easily cuts through city glow to reveal intricate celestial structures. Smart Cloud Processing & All-Ages Fun Effortlessly enhance your raw data with integrated cloud processing for professional-grade results. Perfect for beginners, kids, and adults, this telescope makes exploring and sharing the wonders of the universe an exciting, family-friendly adventure. The packaging is a pretty minimal affair with the outer box opening like a flap to reveal the plastic mould of the DWARF mini sitting in it. Below, the Sun filter, charging cable, cleaning cloth, and documentation can be found. DWARFLAB also provided a Mini Hydraulic Tripod ($89.99), and I highly recommend getting it if you plan on purchasing the DWARF mini, as it fully supports the motorized tracking feature of the telescope; plus, at 840g, the weight of the telescope, you will need a tripod that supports more than the weight of a smartphone anyway. What's in the box DWARF Mini Smart Telescope × 1 Sun Filter x 1 Type-C to Type-C Cord x 1 Cleaning Cloth x 1 User Guide With that out of the way, here are the full specs: DWARF mini Dimensions (DWH): 60.70 mm x 100.38 × 183.61 (2.39" x 3.95" x 7.23") Weight: 840g (1.85lbs) Aperture diameter: 30 mm (telephoto), 3.4 mm (wide angle) Image Sensor: SONY IMX662 1/2.8" (Telephoto) OmniVision OS02K10 1/2.8" (Wide-angle) Focal length: 150 mm (telephoto), 6.7 mm (wide-angle) Equivalent focal length: 1016 mm (telephoto), 45 mm (wide-angle) Shutter Speed: Tele - 1/10000-90s, Wide - 1/10000-30s Maximum exposure time: 90s (telephoto & wide-angle), Both in EQ mode Rotation range: Lens: 225°, Base: 360° Effective Pixels: 2.07M Maximum Resolution: 1920 × 1080 (Telephoto & Wide-angle) Built-in filters: Astro, Dark, Duo-Band (Telephoto), Astro (Wide-angle) Output: JPG, FITS, TIFF, MP4 Shooting Mode: Photos, Videos, Astronomy, Burst Shooting, Time-lapse Photography Storage: 64 GB Battery: Built-in 7000 mAh, supports external USB charging Charging Port: Type-C NPU: 1 TOPS Features: WiFi, NFC NFC One-Touch Connection Astronomy Post-Processing/Appointment Shooting/Astronomy Mosaic Wi-Fi Transmission Range: 15m (open environment) Color: Black Compatibility: iOS & Android smartphones/tablets Warranty: 2-years (24-months) MSRP: $399 Design Charge port On/off button Lens On the DWARF mini itself, it is a pretty minimal affair. On one side, there is a Type-C USB port to charge the non-removable 7000 mAh battery, and on the other side, a large button to power on or off the telescope. The button is flanked by an LED that is green when connected via the DWARFLAB app, or lights up red when being powered off. Below the button, there are four LEDs that indicate battery power. The DWARF mini does not have any sharp edges as all sides are rounded off; it has a good heft to it, but the weight of it feels quite balanced in the hand, so it isn't top or bottom-heavy. On the front there is the DWARFLAB logo which is quite small and there are no other markings on it. The tripod offers full 360° rotation of the motorized base, which allows for tracking for the time-lapse mode, but also for the 90-second captures of nearer objects in the sky, such as the Sun or the moon. Usage To get started, simply power on the DWARF mini and open the DWARFLAB app, tap on Connect, and it will scan for the DWARF mini over the Wi-Fi network. The device supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, as well as Bluetooth for discovery, so connection issues were minimal in my experience with it. As previously noted in the specs, the DWARF mini will stay connected with a phone or tablet up to 15 meters in an open environment, such as a backyard. Lighting status Powering on: The green circular light will rotate and breathe in turn Powering off: The red circular light is gradually extinguished Connecting: Green light strip rotating Connected: Green light strip solid/always on 4 lights 1= 0-25%, 2= 25-50%, 3= 50-75%, 4= 75-100% battery power To view the full lighting status, such as tracking mode and connection failure, you can check the user guide on the official DWARFLAB page. DWARFLAB app Above, you can see the steps undertaken to connect the DWARFLAB app to my Galaxy S26 Ultra. Weirdly, I got an alert that a firmware update failed to get uploaded to the DWARF mini the first time, but upon retrying, it worked. Then place the DWARF mini outside, make sure your smartphone or tablet is connected to it, and then head back inside, because you can manage it from the comfort of your home. Simply enter the Atlas tab in the app and search for what you want to capture, and then tap on the camera icon; the DWARF mini will then attempt to track the object and give you a live view right on your connected device. Results I've had the DWARF mini since April, but even though my garden is south-facing, I had a lot of trouble trying to capture a good image of the moon. In the end, it was possible after I took it with me on a trip to my parents in Southend, UK, at the end of May. Here is a capture of the moon, resulting from 20 stacked images over a 90-second exposure. What you are seeing here is not AI-assisted. A good example of what I mean is the latest flagships with their 200MP cameras claiming to capture things like closeups of the moon, and while they are not as good as the above example on the DWARF mini, the resulting image on smartphones is actually AI-assisted above 30X zoom. Here is an example of a similar shot at the moon at 200X zoom using an HONOR Magic8 Pro. The difference is clear. Next, here we have a shot of the daytime moon. Here is a shot of Arcturus, the red giant star, which is the fourth brightest in the night sky. As previously mentioned, it could be a bit clearer, but clouds passing in front of it muddied the shot a bit. The Sun The DWARF mini also ships with a sun filter, meaning you can take great shots of the sun as well. Tracking Sun Resulting (stacked) shot Live zoom The pictures themselves are limited to Full HD, and some of the examples actually came out in HD (1280x720), but this is because the standard telescopic result is in 720p while "Wide" is in 1080p. Above you can see how in the app the Sun is tracked, the resulting capture, and Live zoom. I have only scratched the surface of what is possible with this telescope; I found several examples online of shots of the Milky Way, among others, such as nebulae and galaxies. All of this requires patience and knowledge, although if you know what you are looking for, simply enter it in the Atlas tab in the DWARFLAB app, tap the camera icon, and the telescope will attempt to track it. Conclusion The good The DWARF mini definitely places itself in a price point that makes astrology accessible to anyone looking to get started in the hobby. Say you want to have a closer look at the moon, simply enter it in the Atlas, and the Live view also lets you zoom in and snap pictures. The bad Some issues I came across while operating the DWARF mini were that it sometimes failed to connect unless I held my smartphone right next to it, and finding and tracking sometimes took several attempts to get it calibrated. I discovered that it helped if I sort of positioned and pointed the telescope in the general area it was supposed to detect, but this obviously wouldn't work with objects you can't see with the naked eye; more testing is required for that. Another bit of advice is to ensure that the lens is clean. While making the examples of live zooming on the sun, I discovered that the telescope lens and sun filter were not completely clean, and only after cleaning with a microfiber cloth was I able to get a decent shot of the sun. Where to buy and a coupon Okay, $399 is not cheap for a side hobby, but nor is a $1,500 smartphone flagship that you'll most likely have for a couple of years. This is a one-time entrance into astrology, and it won't become obsolete in one year like a smartphone. It's a thumbs up from me. The DWARF mini is available to buy right now in the U.S. and U.K. at the links below. DWARF mini for $399 on the official site DWARF mini for $399 on Amazon U.S. Use the NEOWIN5OFF coupon code for an additional 5% off at checkout (expires June 21) As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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    • The name, you mean? If so, it's actually the objects common name. There's another one called NGC 7293 which is also known as Helix Nebula (because we're looking at a helix structure top down) but other times also known as the Eye of God. You'll understand when you see it
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