Skyfire - New Thunderhawk-Style Browser for Pocket PCs

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.skyfire.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.skyfire.com/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Skyfire is a free, downloadable mobile web browser that makes browsing on your phone exactly like browsing on your PC. Now, you can use the web from your mobile phone with unprecedented speed and simplicity. For the first time ever, you can watch any web video, listen to any web music, stay connected on any social network and browse whatever you want. Anything you can browse from your PC, you can now browse from your mobile phone. We’re talking about full-featured PC versions of your favorite web sites. Skyfire gives you speedy page loads, full audio, video, images, dynamic Flash content, advanced Ajax, Java and more – just like your PC."</i><br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4mWUoxiLZFc&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4mWUoxiLZFc&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />The consensus seems to be that SkyFire is a server-driven browser, i.e., their servers render the content and send it down to your WM device. This suggests that you'll need an unlimited data plan or WiFi. Given that, however, the video suggests that this may have a compelling featureset, perhaps somewhat newer and more extensive than <a href="http://www.bitstream.com/wireless/">Thunderhawk's</a>. The beta is sign-up only, but is free--if any of you give it a try and get in, let us know what you think!

[Jason Lee]

I signed up for this a week ago.. Still haven't heard anything other than thanks for signing up. We'll call you. ;)
Looks promising though. I don't use opera mini often but i have it on my device for those occasions where pocket ie or opera mobile just don't cut it.

Opera mobile is pretty good though.. if you can get over the bugs and the battery drain issues... :(

I am looking forward to testing this. The real question.. is it a java middlet or an actual windows mobile app so that i can actually click links in email messages and have it open.. And will it allow me to download files and images?

[Tye]

Skyfire say that they'll start contacting people next week via SMS. First come, first served--so sign up NOW.

It's definitely proxy based server (like Opera Mini) but I think the app is native WM and not Java (unlike Opera Mini).

I, for one, am really excited to see what they've come up with. I supported Thunderhawk for a long time until Opera Mini finally became usable and free.

[indiekiduk]

It might have a proxy to streamline the html, but its not rendered on the server, because it has flash so that would be impossible.

[Tye]

It might have a proxy to streamline the html, but its not rendered on the server, because it has flash so that would be impossible.
Yeah, I think they probably convert all the media (QT, RM, Flash, etc) to one type of standard format on-the-fly. Then they stream that "movie" to your PPC. If you click on a Flash movie, it then sends that click back to the server. This is all a guess, but I bet I'm close. Watch the demo and you'll see what I mean.

(love Dynamo, BTW).

[Menneisyys]

It might have a proxy to streamline the html, but its not rendered on the server, because it has flash so that would be impossible.

It IS rendered on the server - at least it seems to be impossible to provide FULL Flash 9 on the client. Not even Adobe has a full WM Adobe 9 implementation.

See my related remarks at http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=448935 if interested.

I really hope I'll have a chance of testing it at Barcelona at 3GSM - I already have an appointment with them.

[Menneisyys]

It might have a proxy to streamline the html, but its not rendered on the server, because it has flash so that would be impossible.
Yeah, I think they probably convert all the media (QT, RM, Flash, etc) to one type of standard format on-the-fly. Then they stream that "movie" to your PPC. If you click on a Flash movie, it then sends that click back to the server. This is all a guess, but I bet I'm close. Watch the demo and you'll see what I mean.

(love Dynamo, BTW).

It is. This is how, btw, Deepfish worked. Has both pros and cons. Time will tell whether it's usable.

With Thunderhawk's Java Applet emulation, certainly the lag was kinda a showstopper with many activities. But Thunderhawk only used image transfers like this for rendering applets, not the entire surface. I only hope this will be FAR faster than Deepfish was.

[Menneisyys]

Looks promising though. I don't use opera mini often but i have it on my device for those occasions where pocket ie or opera mobile just don't cut it.


BTW, what MIDlet Manager do you use? With Jbed, Opera Mini flies and, if you learn its tricks (for example, shortcuts), can become FAR more powerful than anything else. No wonder the majority of XDA-Devs users now use Opera Mini as their primary browser.

[Tye]

It is. This is how, btw, Deepfish worked. Has both pros and cons. Time will tell whether it's usable.
Deepfish was awful. Even knowing it was beta, I just couldn't use it. Ed over at Brighthand seems excited by Skyfire.
If Skyfire can play Settlers of Catan at games.asobrain.com, then I'll be a happy mobile user. :D

[Menneisyys]

It is. This is how, btw, Deepfish worked. Has both pros and cons. Time will tell whether it's usable.
Deepfish was awful. Even knowing it was beta, I just couldn't use it. Ed over at Brighthand seems excited by Skyfire.
If Skyfire can play Settlers of Catan at games.asobrain.com, then I'll be a happy mobile user. :D

Yup, Deepfish was just a conceptual "browser" -written using the slow Compact Framework. I only hope Skyfire will be better.

And I really hope the Skyfire folks bring a working protoype with them to Barcelona so that I can give it a very thorough try :)

[Menneisyys]

BTW, guys and gals, don't forget to check out http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=448935 ;)

[Jason Lee]

BTW, what MIDlet Manager do you use? With Jbed, Opera Mini flies and, if you learn its tricks (for example, shortcuts), can become FAR more powerful than anything else. No wonder the majority of XDA-Devs users now use Opera Mini as their primary browser.

I do use Jbed but just haven't taken the time or effort to make all the tweaks. I have a shortcut to jbed on the today screen that is fast enough for me. :)

I normally browse the web with images turned off. Much faster. However if there is a sight i want to see with all the images and don't want to wait for all those graphics to download i always use opera mini. :) It is very fast for general web browsing.

[aNiMeMaN14]

This looks mighty nice. Certainly won't be replacing my Opera Mini, but this will be a great way to round out my Windows Mobile phone as an all around solid internet device.

Where's my flippin BETA!