Firefox is all about some Google this week. Mozilla announced that it has renewed its deal with Google so that Google will be the default search provider for Firefox for the next 3 years.
Now, they have announced a new version of Firefox for Android, optimized for tablets.
The new Firefox for Android also comes with some bells and whistles for dvelopers to enable them to create interactive mobile web experiences.
Mozilla says it aims to be very visual and “magazine-like” with this version. It integrates Firefox sync so you always have access to your browsing history, open tabs, bookmarks, saved passwords, etc.
Tabs appear as thumbnails, and the browser is optimized for portrait and widescreen modes.
“With the new Action Bar menu (next to the Awesome Bar), you can access Firefox Preferences, Add-ons, downloads and more. The Action Bar adds the back, forward and bookmark buttons for easy access,” Mozilla says. “One-touch bookmarks enable you to add an icon to your Android home screen for your favorite websites and Web apps, making Web apps as easy to use as native apps.”
“Developers will enjoy new HTML5 tools in Firefox that make it easier to create fun and interactive mobile Web experiences for phones and tablets,” says Mozilla. “The HTML5 Input Tag for Camera Access enables developers to make websites and Web apps more powerful and interactive. Developers can build mobile websites and Web apps that allow you to use the camera on an Android phone or tablet to take pictures, scan bar codes and more without leaving Firefox.
A demo of this is available here.
This version of Firefox also supports the HTML5 Form Validation API.
