Skyfire: Mobile Web Browsing For Your Cell Phone

I've become fairly dependent on using my iPhone to browse the web for directions, weather reports, restaurant look-ups, random web browsing, etc. The only thing that I find a little frustrating about browsing on the iPhone is the lack of Java support which will change this summer. Sun Microsystems has said they will release a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) for the iPhone OS, based on the Java Platform, Micro Edition.

What if you can't afford an iPhone, don't want one, are locked into a long term cellular contract, don't have AT&T Cellular service available in your area, etc, etc? You're pretty much stuck browsing the web using a mobile browser that's not very user friendly. A product called Skyfire should change that.

SkyfireLabs is a Mountain View, CA start-up (April 2006) that - according to their website - is creating a free, downloadable mobile web browser that makes browsing on your phone exactly like browsing on your PC. Now, you can use the web from your mobile phone with unprecedented speed and simplicity.

The Skyfire browser supports full audio, video, images, dynamic Flash content, advanced Ajax, Java...... pretty much everything you can access from you PC..... on a Windows Mobile 5 or 6 phone as long as you are in the U.S. Here's a short video demonstrating the browser.


Availability for the second round is pending - according to the company blog:

At this point, we do not have a firm date for the launch of Beta 2. However, we know it will be sometime in Summer 2008. We can tell you with certainty that it will be worth the wait as we have many exciting new features in the works. For those of you in Beta 2, you will be notified by email as soon as we launch Beta 2. You will be invited to download Skyfire on a first signed up, first invited basis starting with sign-ups on March 2.

You can sign up for the second private round (Beta 2) of Skyfire here. If you do not have a Windows Mobile phone or live outside the U.S., you can still sign up and the company will let you know when there is a version for your phone or country.

Mike Q's Podcast Interview: One Week with the iPhone

Listen to our latest podcast where we take a look at the iPhone from a users perspective after 1 week. Find it at www.nctt.org/podcast and also find it on iTunes by going into the Music Store, going to the Podcast section and searching on "Snyder" or "Qaissaunee".

You can also listen directly to the stream by turning up your speakers, following http://gsnyder.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=232754 and clicking on the little grey POD icon. The interview is a little over 34 minutes long.

Some Initial Thoughts on the iPhone

Yesterday afternoon, while driving home, Mike Q called me - he was in line at an Apple store waiting to pick up an iPhone when the store opened. He's blogged a bit about his experience already and has made some really interesting observations that I won't mention here because he is doing/will be doing so. I have not purchased one yet but will soon - I'm dealing with a current contract that expires in October and am in the process of trying to negotiate my way out of it.

I've been impressed with just about everything I've read, heard and seen so far. There are a few things that some are complaining/concerned about - here's my list:

- No Java or Flash support is no big deal for me - there likely will be soon.
- AT&T's (Cingular) EDGE network - it's 2.5G quad-band GSM based technology - a concern for some but I can deal with that. Most places I go now I find WiFi available. Steve Jobs has said 3G was not an option at this time due to battery consumption.
- Small storage capacity - 4G ($499) or 8G ($599) without an SD card slot. This could be an issue when watching video offline (iPod like).
- Lack of a keyboard - I think people will quickly adjust to multitouch and we'll see Bluetooth keyboards soon.
- Apple's Safari browser and no Firefox - how long do you think it will be before we see Firefox?

The fact that the iPhone is running Apples operating system OS X is key. The applications we're going to see will be impressive and we will see many.

Here's a list of some random questions running around in my head:

Microsoft - so far they are saying they will not respond with a similar product but the company really has to. Microsoft came from behind nicely with the XBox and will have to do the same with the Zune. It's going to be tricky - the Zune would have competed very nicely with the first generation iPod released in 2001. Unfortunately for Microsoft we're half way through 2007. Can Microsoft catch up? My opinion is definitely yes if they want to. Will Microsoft want to? I think they'll have to.

Other Smartphone manufacturers - Nokia, Motorola, Nokia, etc..... These companies also will have their work cut out for them and you can bet they all got them and have spent the last day taking them apart. If you want to see a gutted iPhone there is an interesting iPhone disection (with lots of pictures) link here.

When will Apple come out with a second generation product? Following the iPod cycle we will likely see something in the next 6-12 months.

Do I still want one? YES!!