12-22-2002, 07:52 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Bitstream's Thunderhawk Browser & Service Reviewed
Josh over at PDAJunkie.net has written a brief review on Bitstream's browser and proxy service:
"If you use have ever tried to use a Pocket PC to browse the internet, you have probably realize the hard truth that the Internet Explorer which ships with all Pocket PCs is no more then a barebones browser which does nothing to increase the friendliness of browsing the web. Sure, it has favorite places, and a nice GUI to change options and such, but when it comes down to actually browsing the web, Pocket IE just cannot do the job adequately. After getting a Toshiba e740 and a WIFI access point, I just had to find a way to browse the web adequately. After searching a little, I found Bitstream's Thunderhawk. How does it stack up? Read on..."
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12-22-2002, 08:40 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,023
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Dang it... why does it have to be subscription software? It looks so good too. :cry:
All I want is the browser, I have no use at all for the proxy service.
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12-22-2002, 09:11 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Rirath, the proxy is required as the reformatting and image resizing is done server-side. The browser in-and-of-itself is only a small-font renderer. 
--janak
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12-22-2002, 09:15 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 57
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Thunderhawk
I have been using Thunderhawk since about July and have found it quite useful for browsing the web, etc. on my Jornada 568. The downside is, of course, the cost associated with this method. Not only do you have to pay Thunderhawk $50.00US a year, but you would also need to find a dial-up ISP to do your surfing with when you are on the road, unless you have a wireless connection, which again, is quite pricey.
I have found that Thunderhawk is really good at rendering web pages as they should be seen and they are quite readable on the Pocket PC screen without too much scrolling. Many times I dial in using my cell phone on CDMA to synchronize with AvantGo and to browse a few pages of the web. Connection speed is 14400 kbps, but Thunderhawk still works fine.
It really is too bad though, that Microsoft hasn't provided the right tools for the Pocket PC to browse the web properly with Pocket IE and don't get me started on Word and Excel! Maybe these will change with the CE.net software due for release next year? Maybe they can include Access for the PDA as well. For me, that would be very handy.
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12-22-2002, 09:40 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 145
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Jason, thank you SO much for posting this news article! If you don't mind answering, how did you find out about that article anyway? I didn't submit a news item on it 8O . Anyway....
My 2 cents on ThunderHawk is obviously expressed in the review, but I did not realize the extreme convenience of this browser until yesterday. I am on vacation at a relatives house in Jamaica, and I have the new Belkin keyboard for my Toshiba e740 and also a CF modem which I planned to use to connect to the internet. Using this combo, not only can I retrieve and reply to email, as well as IM people and update AvantGO, but I can post on Pocket PC Forums (like these!) very easily. It truly is amazing how they were able to make the fonts readable when compressing everything on the display. I highly reccomend this browser!
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12-22-2002, 10:52 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,023
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Quote:
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Rirath, the proxy is required as the reformatting and image resizing is done server-side. The browser in-and-of-itself is only a small-font renderer.
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And it looks like a great service for some. Personally what I'd like to see though is an actual browser with many of the listed featues. Landscape, 640x480/800x600, advanced font rendering, and etc. Doesn't seem to me it'd be impossible to do. Now, if they sold that, I'd be very interested. (And sure, it can be done through 3rd party software, but not as well it would seem.)
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12-22-2002, 11:01 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,329
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ANY type of subscription = bad. IMHO.
I just can't see why they couldn't offer 2 options.
1. The method they are using now. Bitstream hosts the proxy for some money.
2. You purchase a bundle package that contains proxy software and browser. The proxy runs off of your desktop. When your PPC is connected to the �net� it links back to your desktop which renders and formats the web page you are going after.
Would this not be possible? Always on. High speed internet access it very common now a days. This should be do-able shouldn�t it? :?:
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12-22-2002, 11:04 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jonathan1
2. You purchase a bundle package that contains proxy software and browser. The proxy runs off of your desktop. When your PPC is connected to the �net� to links back to your desktop which renders and formats the web page you are going after.
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They do offer something like this, but it's aimed towards corporates, e.g., not cheap. http://www.bitstream.com/wireless/server/info.html has the details.
Since the technology is pretty cutting-edge, this is unsurprising. They probably have several proprietary technologies embedded in the proxy.
--janak
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12-22-2002, 11:19 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jonathan1
You purchase a bundle package that contains proxy software and browser. The proxy runs off of your desktop. When your PPC is connected to the �net� it links back to your desktop which renders and formats the web page you are going after.
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Sounds feasable, but many high-speed ISPs are very sensitive to servers being run from computers on their network. Around here, our local cable modem ISP does port scans looking for servers - they don't want people dominating their bandwidth.
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12-23-2002, 12:33 AM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 194
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THUNDERHAWK
What about NetFront 3.0 by Access?
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Linear Mode
