Skyfire mobile browser 0.8 reaches public beta, still rocks

by Sean Cooper, posted Sep 24th 2008 at 9:22PM

We love Skyfire's mobile browser, it does what it's meant to do and more importantly, it adds to your mobile web world with all the dynamic content you're used to on your desktop. Skyfire gets all this done by doing all the grunt work on their servers, then passing only the joy down the pipe to you -- so no Flash is no problem. This release piles new features in compared to the first we peeked at, and they've opened the doors wide in a public beta for all to enjoy for the Windows Mobile version -- well, if your phone number starts with a 1 -- this time. Features like contextual zoom, which figures out what part of the page you want to zoom in on when scrolling past it -- which worked really well with Viddler videos for example -- faster launch times, able to be set as default browser, search from your home screen, content download, and the list just goes on. But don't take our word for it, the price is still $free and what's to lose but a bit of time.

Filed under: Handsets, Software

Tags: mobile browser, MobileBrowser, skyfire

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

RoBBold @ Sep 24th 2008 10:56PM

Is it a universal Browser?

will it work on My Blackberry Curve? what about regular phones?

Neutral

Fernando @ Sep 24th 2008 10:58PM

winmo and s60 only

Neutral

Fernando @ Sep 24th 2008 10:57PM

Crashed a lot on my N95-1. Plus it broke Quake :( (installed a different version of PIPS)

Neutral

jd @ Sep 24th 2008 11:28PM

still no support for browsing using a proxy huh? If only they would include that this browser would really rock.

Neutral

slamEVIL @ Sep 24th 2008 11:36PM

always made my tilt run hot. now that i've loaded 6.1, i'm thinking of passing up skyfire...

Neutral

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread) @ Sep 25th 2008 11:08AM

same with my Q9c. it would also drain a full battery in like a half hour. i like what it can do but i fear for what it could do to my hardware.

Neutral

Joe @ Sep 24th 2008 11:52PM

Still no tab supports? Boo!

Neutral

zyborg @ Sep 25th 2008 5:07AM

Maybe you should mention in your article that it's only for US users so far... :(

Neutral

SRS Rep @ Sep 25th 2008 9:10AM

The forum mentioned this version is only for users "well, if your phone number starts with a 1," meaning US carriers only.

Neutral

DssTrainer @ Sep 25th 2008 9:42AM

From what I remember you have the option to confirm the signup via email OR sms. So just use a fake USA number to sign up with and just confirm it via email.. see if that works.

Neutral

Ryan @ Sep 25th 2008 6:00AM

I have it on my htc 8125 winmo 5, and it works great. I have had the 0.6 beta version and have had no problems at all. I love it even more now that i have put 0.8 on the phone. It loads pages faster then any of the other browsers i have tried. I cant wait to see how they make it better

Neutral

enrique @ Sep 25th 2008 10:59AM

how did you get 0.8? i still only see 0.6

Neutral

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread) @ Sep 25th 2008 11:10AM

yea im in the beta and when i loaded up, it still says 0.6. cant find an update button but it looks like its different since i last loaded it anyway.

Neutral

DssTrainer @ Sep 25th 2008 9:41AM

Nice, but not quite there yet:
Needs:
- SmartFit feature doesn't work (at least nothing noticeable on sites like gizmodo.com)
- Needs kinetic scrolling
- Needs a more granular zoom function. Both Opera and Skyfire seem to suffer on this one. Try the HTC Album zoom method on the diamond. Clockwise finger circles on the screen zoom in, counter-clockwise finger circles zoom out. Make it smooth and realtime as you are making the circles and you will have a winner!
- When zooming in, skyfire should really shift the text into the window like Opera does. Maybe thats what the SmartFit feature is supposed to do when it works.

Nice job otherwise! Its speedier than Opera in most cases.

Neutral

divertito @ Sep 25th 2008 10:53AM

If you have .6, how do you upgrade to .8? I logged in and requested an SMS, but the URL sent opens a page to download and install .6 not .8. Any insight would be appreciated.

Neutral

Hey Ya @ Sep 25th 2008 11:13AM

.8 is WM only. If you're running Series 60, you're going to have to wait.

Neutral

Mr_Armageddon @ Sep 25th 2008 12:37PM

I have been using Skyfire Beta 0.6 on my ATT 8125 with a WM6.1 ROM.
I just had Skyfire send me a link via SMS to download the new beta. The link takes you to the 0.6 Beta download. File name: Skyfire_6843_PPC50.CAB
When downloading to the PC it is the same file. Where is the 0.8 Beta located. Can someone post a link?

Neutral

Mr_Armageddon @ Sep 25th 2008 1:05PM

False Alarm. The flie: Skyfire_6843_PPC50.CAB
is in fact the 0.8 Beta. The _6 part made me think it was was the 0.6. All is well. It works great. I also like the search / web address bar that you can choose to install on your home screen.

Neutral

reisse @ Sep 25th 2008 2:30PM

love the updates can finely use skyfire to download stuff the update seems to run better than the old one on my mogul the new web bar is awesome ant the improved text entry is great

Neutral

Taylor @ Sep 25th 2008 7:50PM

Hasn't this browser been "about to come out" for like a year now? I remember being stoked about it coming out when i first got my ATT Tilt last october, if i remember correctly. By the time this damn browser comes out it will be obsolete... It's a shame too because every good browser for windows mobile seems to never actually come out. I remember how long i waited for the new opera mobile (which is finally out, but it took FOREVER). I got so sick of waiting for a good browser to hit windows mobile i finally gave up and got an iphone in like march. It has lots of issues and i'll probably jump ship to Android as soon as some more phones are avaliable, but mobile safari still beats anything my windows mobile friends have shown me.
This beta might finally be alright but how damn long has it been? And its still hard to find phones with a good capacitive screen, resistive blows even if you manage to find a good browser.
-Taylor

Neutral

Me @ Sep 26th 2008 10:47AM

It really bothers me that to download this software your required to give both you email and your mobile phone number. If they are trying to gain market share why not give it out to anyone who asks? I will not give out my contact information until I have tried and enjoyed a product. (I really hope the skyfire programmers read this)

Neutral