Holiday Gift Guide »

Bolt Browser Updated to 2.1 With Facebook Chat, HTML5 and Flash Video

Categories: Applications, Mobile Web
By: , IntoMobile
Monday, May 24th, 2010 at 10:31 AM

The Bolt browser, which launched a beta back at CTIA with tabs, has had yet another beefy update over the weekend, implementing tighter integration with Facebook, like using the chat function. Wow, even RIM’s own Facebook client doesn’t support chat yet. Additionally, Bolt can now stream Flash video from a bunch of new sites, including MTV and BBC’s.

Bolt is second only to Opera Mini as an alternative browser for BlackBerry, and uses similar server-side compression technology and Webkit foundation. What sets the Bolt browserapart is that they have a widget platform kind of like Firefox, that allows developers to plug right into the native browser. Right now the gallery is pretty slim pickings, but Wikipedia and Dictionary.com widgets are a good start. A few extra tweaks, like updating Facebook and Twitter right through the browser make Bolt a competitive and interesting option.

Although the Bolt browser works with any J2ME phone, it seems to be targeting BlackBerry rather specifically. After visiting a YouTube link on my native BlackBerry browser the other day, I was welcomed with the message “Your browser is outdated, why don’t you download one of these modern ones?”. This nicely illustrates why browsers like Bolt and Opera Mini are needed for BlackBerry, at very least until RIM’s new Webkit browser is ready to go, and even then, we have yet to really put it through the paces. Speed has been the main concern (currently bogged down by poor JavaScript handling), and tab support will go a long way, but I’m curious to see how well RIM implements Flash in their next browser, or if there will still be a sufficient gap for third party apps to fill.

To download the Bolt browser 2.1, visit boltbrowser.com in your existing mobile browser, or through App World at the link below.

– Download Bolt for BlackBerry (Free) [App World Link]

SPONSORED MESSAGE
Get free domestic and international calls and texts to anyone with the Vonage Mobile app available as an iPhone calling app or Android calling app.

About The Author

Simon Sage

Simon Sage’s education largely surrounded writing, technology and online community, leading him to begin his blogging career at www.BlackBerryCool.com and to quickly discover a vibrant and active community surrounding BlackBerry and mobile technology. In exploring RIM’s platform, he has learned what enterprises are looking for in mobility as well as what makes the innocuous BlackBerry so appealing to them. Recently Simon’s been covering RIM’s gradual move into an already-crowded consumer market, and the impact of burgeoning challengers, such as the iPhone, as well as long-time leaders, like Nokia, on BlackBerry’s advancement. With plenty of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on while still using BlackBerry as a barometer. At IntoMobile, you can count on his posts being even-handed, well-informed and thought-out.

  • hankie

    Meh.

  • psalmsons

    hi
    i use a HTC fone
    does it work with my HTC P3300 fone?
    thanx
    cheers

  • pogi

    unngoy k

  • somiran mondal

    good browser to eork on pc and cell both in terms of speed and integrity.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LJ5JGAXYVJUMKOP2NMEAHAC5B4 Vijay

    hi

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LJ5JGAXYVJUMKOP2NMEAHAC5B4 Vijay

    hi