Mozilla launches mobile Firefox

Mozilla yesterday finally released the long awaited version of its popular Firefox web browser for mobiles.

Available initially for Nokia’s Maemo platform, version 1.0 of the browser, codenamed Fennec up until now, is engineered with key design principles in mind such as “minimal typing, seamless synchronisation with desktop Firefox and the ability to take your Firefox with you”, said Mozilla’s Erica Jostedt in a blog posting.

“Bringing Firefox to mobile devices is the next step toward fulfilling Mozilla’s mission of providing one Web that everyone can access, regardless of device or location,” she wrote. “Secure, powerful, and customizable, Firefox is the most modern mobile Web browser available and is optimized for a mobile experience.”

Available initially on the Nokia N900 smartphone, the new mobile browser features tabbed browsing, location aware browsing and the ‘awesome bar’ – a new feature which delivers “intelligent and personalised searching” to take the user to their favourite sites.

Also included is a weave sync feature which allows users to sync Firefox tabs, history, bookmarks and passwords between desktop and mobile devices, said Jostedt.

But probably the main feature which Firefox will be hoping gives it the upper hand in the mobile browsing space is its support for add-ons, which are designed to help users customise the browser by adding small incremental pieces of new functionality.

“Firefox is the first mobile Web browser to support add-ons,” wrote Jostedt.

“With add-ons, you can customise your Firefox by adding features that help make your browser your own. Add-ons like AdBlock Plus, URL Fixer, TwitterBar, language translators, and geo guides become especially handy when you’re out and about on your mobile device.”