Fennec 4 beta 3
 

It seemed like it'd never happen but Fennec is now almost as fast as Microb. I don't know if others have already downloaded beta 3

http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.o.../binary-armel/

but it is awesome. It is much faster than any previous version Fennec. Without benchmarks to me the performance is definitely on par with MicroB.

Weird stuff still exists... docs.google.com crashes my tab, and it works great on MicroB. FB videos don't work, the maps are too big for the page and there is still no hover mode for FF.

Regardless, I am going to start using it as my main browser just for kicks because I can.. finally! :-)

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3 Finally usable
 

I use it as well for a week or so and indeed there are nice improvements!
I had some crash as well but still a beta! So maybe more to come ;)

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3 Finally usable
 

Really. Beta 3 has only been available since yesterday 10/4. Is the date wrong?

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3 Finally usable
 

Is it different from official FF4b2?
http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php...t=firefox+beta

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3 Finally usable
 

Fennec have rendered pages faster than MicroB and Opera since alpha 4.0. But it still takes time to start up. Just tried it and can't se much difference in startup time.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3 Finally usable
 

B2 while improved was unusable to me from a performance point of view. Like I said, beta 3 is almost as fast as microb

Edit:

Here's what the browser says:

Firefox/4.0b8pre Fennec/4.0b3pre

I have no idea the b3pre means but this is not b2. Maybe I accidentally pulled a nightly build. It's waay better IMHO. Beta 2 had the problem where the pages would render blank even though the thumbnail showed that it was rendering properly.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3 Finally usable
 

Really? When I used Beta 2, it was so sluggish and crashed so often it was not usable. I've used all of the betas since the beginning.

If the date is right, beta 3 was released on 10/4. If you thought beta 2 was fast, then you'll think beta 3 absolutely screams. To me it is on par with MicroB.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3 Finally usable
 

The only problem for me now is the reasource leakage it has. I would not be a minus if it started up faster too.. I think when it is ready will be the best browser functional wise.

The rendering is as before.. i guess you couldn't see it as you apparently downloaded bad builds. When it is not leaking and works good. The speed a page open is swift.

So 4.0b3 is not much difference than before. I like the improvement of the UI though ;)

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3 Finally usable
 

I think Firefox4b2, the one published on Mozilla blog yesterday, and Fennecb3 are different.
I downloaded the version from Mozilla blog, and must say it's fast, a lot faster than previous version, and starts in a reasonable time, a lot faster than b1 and 1.1.
Mine is Firefox/4.0b8pre Fennec/4.0b2

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3 Finally usable
 

yes, its really faster... but how to enable flash in this version?

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3 Finally usable
 

I tried to install beta 2 but app manager kept saying file not found so I did the direct ftp thinking that b3 was what was announced. Maybe I pulled a bad build of the previous version. Glad they keep iterating. :-)

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

I love using Fennec. I've just installed last beta. Honestly, I can't say it's as fast as MicroB. It seems to me responsiveness still needs a lot of work to do

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3 Finally usable
 

I had downloaded a version on http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.o.../binary-armel/ dated 27th October I believe (not kept it) and now I am using one dated 2 November.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3 Finally usable
 

Or maybe beta2 is finished and now they start a beta3 we are testing ;)

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

thanks for the info dude!

The very very first version on N810 and N900 were crap! It's much much better now!

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

I just got whtie screen when starter Fennec beta 3. It`s quite nice though, white and beautiful,

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

Allow me to use your quote - imo as long as they don't fix the user interface it will remain crap compared to MicroB.

A desktop rendering engine, OK I love that. Let the plug ins arrive!

But why th did they have to think "desktop" with regard to the interface.
A modern browser needs tabs? Tabs are way out of line here in Maemo.
They should be optional.

Intuitive 2 finger touch operation as with MicroB is not there!
The sliding move will always be more difficult.
What a crap interface!

:mad:

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

Ugh, just gave firefox a go - facebook decides it's on a mobile device and redirects to m.facebook.com....

(It didn't use to, I know because the tabs are a plus for me in facebook, basically i will go through notifications and ctrl click them all and them click through the tabs rather than going back and forth. it's the reason i've stopped properly using my n900 to check facebook...)

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

Hi guys.

This might be a stupid question, but here goes.

How do I check which Firefox version I'm running?

I can't really seem to find the definitive answer.

Thx in advance!

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

@MOC type in the URL bar "about:config".
At the bottom of the page you'll see version details.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

Thanks for the reply. I must admit that I don't have any version details at your suggested location though. Since my last post, I updated my Firefox using the ftp link in the first post of the thread, that might be why.

I've found it by going to options -> about Firefox instead. It did that before also, but the version just didn't make any sense then.

Earlier today I downloaded Firefox Beta from firefox.com/m/beta and I didn't really see anything new. After installing from the ftp link: Wow!

Now my version details also makes sense again.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

That's a known bug which I'm sure will be resolved before they finalize it. The work-around is to simply scroll down to reveal the URL bar. I'll find the bug and post it later.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

Here're some screenshot of the b2 (official) version.
This is the standard home:
Attachment 15315
The new bookmark pane:
Attachment 15316
The preference pane:
Attachment 15317
Add on:
Attachment 15318
Version info:
Attachment 15319

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

And the browser in action, both vertical and horizontal:
Attachment 15320 Attachment 15321

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

I meant it was really really slow and laggy before, now the operations is smoother.

Plus I think the interface is better than microb:

1) Side tabs/options is better because I you need to switch to window mode to get to options so its much quicker in fennec.

2) The tabs are a good idea - have 3 or more tabs open in microb just means lots of windows open. I prefer tabs to be honest.

Whats 2 finger scrolling? :confused:

At least we have a choice now! If there was no fennec you wouldn't be complaining!

Three browsers in total (Opera, Microb and fennec), is plenty.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

agreed beta 3 is much quicker.

I really like how fast microb is but hate having multiple browser windows open. I really like fennecs approach and hope they keep making speed improvements.

2d

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

OMG!!!

There's a Save as PDF function!!! Saving webpages in no time!!!!!!

Thats a killer feature!!!!!

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

There's more than 3. Don't forget Chromium, Tear, Digiaatweb, Midori, lynx... and Iceweasel in Easy Debian :)

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

I knew someone was going to say that!

Only these three browsers are usable as everyday browsing, others are just too slow.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

Those aren't really optimised for small touch-screen devices, though. Sure, they CAN be used, but I personally wouldn't. Too slow and too much of a hassle.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

I must say this release is indeed *MUCH* faster.

Impressive. Keep up the good work mozilla!

Regards

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

I've found the nightly builds to be stable since near the end of October and a huge step forward from fennec 1.1

A tip: disable all of your addons in fennec 1.1 before installing the nightly build and then you can safely use the button to force addons to be loaded and enable them 1 by 1 without risk of (e.g AutoPager) one of them crashing the beta. If one does crash the beta you can use the command line to run fennec --safe-mode (from memory, may be wrong!) to allow you to fix it.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

I tested Qt4 flavor, this is very fast then normal version... both 11/05/2010 dated!
http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.o...0853_armel.deb

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

Ok now I got even more confused , so there are two version of beta 3 ? one made with Qt and one without? which is better/faster:confused::confused:

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

Am I the only one who thinks that the way MicroB handles multiple windows is so much better suited to a mobile device? I use Exposé on Mac a lot so I guess it's familiarity but it just seems slicker and a better fit to a screen the size of the N900s.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

Curious as well.
I have at least one of them and I think it's awesome. Much improved over beta2 and now the UI is very useful and quite nice looking.
Also, two thumbs up for tabs. MicroB is nice but jeez, the multiple windows are terrible IMO. I much prefer tabs.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

Hi, I'm a member of the mobile Firefox development team. Thanks for all the good feedback here!

Just to clear up the version numbers:

Firefox 4.0b1 for Maemo was released on October 7.

Firefox 4.0b2 for Maemo was released yesterday (November 4).

Firefox 4.0b3 will be released in around a month or two. Nightly builds are now versioned "4.0b3pre." Right now they are mostly the same as beta 2, because not much has changed yet. Each day there will be a new build with more changes as we work toward beta 3.

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

How is everyone here getting hold of the new beta? I have the moff.mozilla.com/latest-beta/maemo/en-US/ catalogue enabled but no updates as of yet. Is it being released on a different channel?

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

Download the deb file from here - http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.o...mo5-gtk/en-US/

and install using "dpkg -i <file name>"

Re: Fennec 4 beta 3
 

Latest nightly, b3pre

Qt
http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.o...ral-maemo5-qt/
GTK
http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.o...al-maemo5-gtk/