Mozilla has released a massive upgrade for the Android flavor of its Firefox browser. Firefox for Android now boasts a number of new feature such as NFC sharing, support for Web RTC, and simplified social media sharing from within the browser.
The new version of Firefox for Android will allow you to share open tabs via NFC. While Chrome already can do this with Android Beam, but it’s nice to see Firefox getting this feature. Simply bump your NFC enabled device with another and you can send your Firefox tab and the site it has open to any other device.
Firefox for Android will also support the Web RTC standard that allows it to communicate directly with your device’s hardware. Since your browser communicates directly, there’s no need for a separate browser plugin when running high-end services like video conferencing, voice chat, and gaming.
Another small but cool new feature is Night Mode. It optimizes the display of the websites for low light situations. This offers a much better reading experience while reading in the dark.
Firefox’s new Quick Share feature will also allow for easier social media sharing. We are used to being able to easily share everything on Google apps, but that hasn’t been the case for Firefox. Quick Share now allows you to share websites straight from Firefox’s menu.
Check out the description from Google Play:
Firefox for Android is the free web browser that puts the power of the open web in your hands. The official Mozilla Firefox android browser is fast, easy to use, & customizable, with the latest security and privacy features to help you stay safe on the internet.
Fast— Access, browse, and search the web at blazing speeds
Smart— Keep your favorite sites and mobile videos at your fingertips with smart searching, easy-to-use tabs, and desktop-to-mobile Sync features
Safe— Make sure your Android web browser stays safe & private with extensive security settings, add-ons, and features like Do Not Track
In the Press:
“For many Android users, Mozilla’s updated Firefox app could quickly become their favorite mobile browser… I’ve found it to be the best mobile browsing experience I’ve had yet.” – VentureBeat“The first thing you’ll notice about the new version of Firefox for Android is how fast it really is…Firefox stands out for quick page loads and really smooth panning and zooming around web sites. “ – Lifehacker
“On my Samsung Galaxy S II, the new Firefox glides smoothly through any web page, whether it’s optimized for mobile browsing or not.” – TIME
“Firefox for Android is a lot snappier now. It starts up quicker and loads Web pages faster… What that means for the user is a much better browsing experience” – Information week
Features:
* Add-ons: Customize your web browser just the way you like it with add-ons including ad-blocker, password manager, and more
* Awesome Screen: Firefox’s Android browser keeps everything organized so you don’t have to. The Awesome Screen automatically sorts your favorite sites onto one, easy-to-read page
* Awesome Bar: Firefox learns from you as you browse, so you never have to waste time looking for a website. Search your Top Sites, Bookmarks, and History, and Firefox will help you find the site that you are looking for—with little to no typing.
* Fast: Get to the internet faster, with quick start-up and page load times
* HTML5: Experience the unlimited possibilities of the mobile internet with support for HTML5 and Web APIs
* Mobile Video: Firefox’s Android browser is perfect for mobile video, and has mobile video support for a wide range of video formats including h.264
* Reader Mode: Automatically transform cluttered articles and stories into beautiful, easy-to-read pages right in your browser
* Security: Keep your browsing safe & private. Control your privacy, security and how much data you share on the web.
* Sync: Sync your Firefox Desktop tabs, history, bookmarks, and passwords to all your devices and streamline your browsingFor a complete list of features, check out mzl.la/FXFeatures
Learn More about Firefox for Android:
* We’d love to hear any suggestions you have so we can keep making browsing better for you. Share it at mzl.la/FXinput
* Have questions or need help? Visit http://support.mozilla.org/mobile
* Read about Firefox Permissions: http://mzl.la/Permissions
* Learn more about what’s up at Mozilla: mzl.la/Blog
* Like Firefox on Facebook: mzl.la/FXFacebook
* Follow Firefox on Twitter: mzl.la/FXTwitter
Curious about add-ons? Check out add-ons for:
* Browsing: Adblock Plus, AutoPager, Full Screen mobile, and more
* Security: LastPass Password Manager, NoScript, Dr. Web LinkChecker, and more
* Reading: AutoPager, Readability, X-Notifier lite, and more
* Watching: Low Quality Flash, TubeStop, and more
* Social Networks: Hootbar, Shareaholic, Foursquare, and moreABOUT MOZILLA
Mozilla is a proudly non-profit organization dedicated to keeping the power of the Web in people’s hands. We’re a global community of users, contributors and developers working to innovate on your behalf. When you use Firefox, you become a part of that community, helping us build a brighter future for the Web. Learn more at mozilla.org.
[Via: Google Play]