back to article Mozilla debuts Firefox 4 for Android

Mozilla has officially released its Android incarnation of Firefox 4. And for those of you who still care about such things, the open source outfit has also released a version for Maemo. The Androidian browser is available from Google's Android Market, while the Maemo version can be downloaded from Mozilla. Firefox 4 for …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Grenade

    Not for ARMv6

    Not that they mention it unless you go digging, but it won't work with the majority of android handsets.

    https://wiki.mozilla.org/Mobile/Platforms/Android#System_Requirements

  2. dssf

    I'm downloading it... Flash?

    One user complained that there is no Flash support in this. I haven't tested it yet. But, I hope there is a way to DISABLE flash at will or for specified sites. I just want the damned text and static pics or clickable pic, not whirlies, twirlies, and crap "art" that drains my battery.

    1. handle

      Flashblock

      It supports add-ons, so just use Flashblock - although it doesn't seem to support Flash at all.

  3. Anomalous Cowturd
    Thumb Down

    Re: Not for ARMv6

    Thanks for that useful piece of info. Have a thumbs up. ;o)

    Mozilla, you can have a thumbs down, and I will carry on with Opera Mobile and Mini on my San Francisco / Blade.

  4. JB
    WTF?

    Where is it??

    Not sure if I'm being thick, but I can't seem to find it on the Market. I've searched for Firefox, Mozilla, Mozilla Firefox for Android, and aprt from a load of bookmark managers, etc, nothing comes up. Any ideas?

    I do use Opera Mobile on my HTC Aria, very nice, though the built-in WebKit browser is just fine (if a bit slow sometimes). Just interested to see what FF on Android is like.

    1. Steve Evans

      Re: Where is it??

      It might be down to your region, give it a day or two. I'm in the UK and the mozilla.com/m link just redirects me to the market.

      Searching for Firefox in the market also finds it.

      1. JB
        Unhappy

        Thanks

        I've since discovered it is not supported on the HTC Aria. Bloody AT&T!

  5. Greg J Preece
    Flame

    Maemo users: installation

    OK, so I was on the beta repository, and the RC and final version are obviously somewhere else. Soooo, here we go.

    1) Head over to http://www.mozilla.com/m. Press the big shiny button on the right. This will fire up the app manager to install Firefox.

    2) Get annoyed as the app manager tells you that Fennec is already installed, you beta testing scum.

    3) Delete the beta and final repositories in your app manager.

    4) Go back to the mobile site and try again.

    5) The app manager will again tell you Fennec is already installed.

    6) Decide to run the bloody update yourself. Drop to a root console and run apt-get update.

    7) Read the GPG key error for moff.mozilla.org.

    8) Go looking for the missing GPG key. Realise that it isn't on the Mozilla website.

    9) Smash your head repeatedly off the nearest desk.

    10) Run these commands to get the key from pgp.net:

    gpg --keyserver subkeys.pgp.net --recv-keys FF445C24

    gpg --armor --export FF445C24 | apt-key add -

    11) Run apt-get update again. Read the error message about conflicting distributions.

    12) Slit your wrists.

    Nice upgrade path, Mozzy! Here's me hoping that since beta 13 you've actually made the browser move faster than a glacier, and I can't upgrade to see it! What's annoying is that Fennec is really, really good. Been using it as my primary browser on Android for ages.

    Rant over, one quick laugh from the article.

    "Mozilla claims that the browser's startup time is about three times faster than Android's native WebKit-based browser."

    Errrr....no. Just no. Unless you're counting the system's boot time, in which case yes, but what's your point?

    1. Neil Hoskins
      Linux

      Here's what I did...

      1) Head over to http://www.mozilla.com/m. Press the big shiny button on the right. This will fire up the app manager to install Firefox.

      2) Get annoyed as the app manager tells you that Fennec is already installed, you beta testing scum.

      3) Uninstall the beta and the beta repository, but keep the one that's just been added called "Mozilla Multi Catalog".

      4) Repeat 1) This has given me "Firefox 1.1" which I presume is the full version. It also seems to have remembered all my add-ons and settings from the beta.

      I'm intrigued by the add-on that claims to fetch the low-resolution version of Flash video, because this might enable me to finally use BBC iPlayer. However, without an actual Flash add-on, I'm not sure what this achieves.

  6. James 51

    Typing this on my N900.

    Just for the record I care about the maemo release. All I have to do is wait for the bomb scare to be over so I can go home and download it.

  7. Simon_E

    It's definitely there

    Try this link - https://market.android.com/details?id=org.mozilla.firefox

  8. Steve Coburn

    Faster than the built in browser?

    It seems to take ages to launch on my HTC Desire. Not convinced about the way favourites are handled and why has it no widgets?

    1. handle

      Faster to render, not faster to load!

      see title

  9. Steve Evans

    It's in the market, just search for Firefox...

    And you failed to mention the most important thing....

    ADBLOCK! YAY! \o/

    1. dssf

      AdBlock Plus

      Yeh, I only noticed Adblock Plus after sitting down for lunch and following in the browser what CNN was saying on the inautible flat screen tv.

      I was THRILLED to see that. I don't mind a FEW ads, but I am sick of being bomBARDED by too many. Mainly, I have a deep disdain for overly active, whirly, twirly adverts the drag one eye away from reading. The brain has to compensate when the left eye is fixated on reading text.

  10. Steve Coburn
    Unhappy

    No flash support

    see title.

  11. mrmond

    only Arm7 ?

    Just like Flash, Google earth etc, unless you have an ARM7 processor (the hugely popular ZTE Blade/Orange San Francisco are ARM6) then it won't work.

    This is why it isn't in the app market if you don't have an Arm7 device.

    There is an unstable arm6 Fennec available but isn't working and they tell you that it's basically not even a good idea to try.

    Nice one Mozilla.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So far found rendering pretty poor.

    Comparing Firefox rendering of Google Reader/Gmail to Xscope's or even the native browser and Firefox is very poor.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    Thanks but no thanks.

    No flash

    No ARMv6

    Crappy speed

    Crapp rendering

    I'll stick to the very awesome Opera Mobile 11 (and Opera Mini 6 for when i'm abroad on a pay by the MB plan).

  14. reguser900

    Proud N900 user

    Also for the record, I also care about the Firefox release for Maemo. Free OSS FTW!

    Now if only I could get my N900 to install the final, not the beta that it keeps trying to install.

  15. This post has been deleted by its author

  16. Ku...

    If I can'rt see it in the App Store

    I presume that means its a no-go on my device?

    1. Dave Lawton

      If I can'rt see it in the App Store ...

      Not necessarily, provided your device is is an ARMv7, go here

      http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/mobile/releases/4.0/android-r7/multi/fennec-4.0.multi.eabi-arm.apk

      HTH

      1. dssf

        Heheheh.... "App Store"

        Actually, Apple should just call their stores Apple Stores and give up on "App Store" altogether...

  17. paul 97
    Thumb Up

    Competition

    Is good.

    Its nice having a choice.

  18. DutchP

    Posted from my N900 - FF 4

    but I had to go here:

    http://moff.mozilla.com/latest/maemo/multi/dists/fremantle/release/binary-armel/

    and install the .deb directly. Somthing's definitely wrong with all the automatic redirection that happens if you follow the official link

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