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SkyFire 2.0 Beta released for Android phones

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jonnybryce

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The day Steve Jobs attacks Flash on mobile, Android gets a browser that allows...Flash on mobile (yeah, yeah, not true Flash, but hey, Flash video on Android is here with Skyfire!) Thought this was pretty big and exciting news to keep in the app thread.

http://www.skyfire.com/product/skyfire-2-0-for-android/

Experience the world’s hottest mobile browser with Skyfire 2.0 (BETA) for Android. Check out the all new SkyBar™ which features:

VIDEO: magically offers up videos that appear as broken links on all other mobile browsers, enabling Flash video to play quickly and smoothly.

EXPLORE: reads your mind and presents smart recommendations for related media content from sources such as YouTube, Twitter, Google, Digg and more.

SHARE: makes browsing social, with one-click share features to help you get the word out.
Click to expand...

skyfire-2-sb1.png



I've given it a test run and it's very fast. It has a cool share button, and recommendation button. The homescreen is nice with grids of recommended sites, and it pulls your Android bookmarks. I tried videos on Break, Youtube, vodpod and College Humor and they've all worked so far...and yes, it can be set to default browser. Really awesome stuff. On the sad side, the zoom control buttons are kinda low res. The other icons are, too. It does support pinch to zoom though and you can hide the zoom controls if you like. Also has a nice desktop/mobile switch button in the toolbar.

Give it a go:

android_qrcode.gif
 
giga said:
Does Hulu work?
Click to expand...
No it doesn't. In my experience, this browser is frickin terrible (even at mobile site viewing). Now I know why people don't want flash on phones (it sucks).

Sure, the novelty of flash is there but as a browser, it's BAD.
 
thewesker said:
No it doesn't. In my experience, this browser is frickin terrible (even at mobile site viewing). Now I know why people don't want flash on phones (it sucks).

Sure, the novelty of flash is there but as a browser, it's BAD.
Click to expand...
This isn’t Flash though, just H.264?
 
giga said:
This isn’t Flash though, just H.264?
Click to expand...
Says it's flash, but it might not as well not be. Anything that's not a video or music player still doesn't work. The only way you can view the video is by pushing the button at the bottom and it opens up in a separate, full screen app (like the way YouTube does right now).
 
thewesker said:
Says it's flash, but it might not as well not be. Anything that's not a video or music player still doesn't work. The only way you can view the video is by pushing the button at the bottom and it opens up in a separate, full screen app (like the way YouTube does right now).
Click to expand...
http://www.skyfire.com/skyfire-2-0-for-android-launches/

You may hear Skyfire described as “making Flash run” on mobile phones. Yet with Skyfire 2.0, we’re actually doing something distinct. We’re translating Flash videos (and soon others like Silverlight and WindowsMedia and Quicktime) into a format easier on your phone: html5 video.
 
giga said:
Does Hulu work?
Click to expand...

No, Hulu blocks everyone and everything.

thewesker said:
No it doesn't. In my experience, this browser is frickin terrible (even at mobile site viewing). Now I know why people don't want flash on phones (it sucks).

Sure, the novelty of flash is there but as a browser, it's BAD.
Click to expand...

Um so I can see things I see on my desktop when I'm not on my desktop?

Newsy.com, College Humor, etc...why do I want an app if the browser can just work?

Egadget is impressed with it so far, as a browser, it rocks.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/skyfire-2-0-beta-for-android-video-preview/
 
I love the fact that on an Android phone that at least give people the option to use Flash on the phone.

That video on Engadent shows that it's a great browser.
 
jonnybryce said:
No, Hulu blocks everyone and everything.



Um so I can see things I see on my desktop when I'm not on my desktop?

Newsy.com, College Humor, etc...why do I want an app if the browser can just work?

Egadget is impressed with it so far, as a browser, it rocks.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/29/skyfire-2-0-beta-for-android-video-preview/
Click to expand...

And the mobile browser wars begin!!
You hear me Mozilla? Get your shit together!! Pronto.

I just download it. Will give a go later in the day.
 
GhostRidah said:
so far its great but how do you close it? all I see is setting options and stuff and no close browser option.
Click to expand...

You hit the home button? That's how I close the stock browser. Is this thing running in the background?
nightman.jpg


:lol I just caught up to this episode not long ago.
 
SimleuqiR said:
You hit the home button? That's how I close the stock browser. Is this thing running in the background?
nightman.jpg


:lol I just caught up to this episode not long ago.
Click to expand...
Have to pay the toll to get in the boys hole :lol :lol


yea pressing home gets you to your home screen but the browser still runs in the background eating memory/battery life, guess ill need to close it with a app.
 
GhostRidah said:
Have to pay the toll to get in the boys hole :lol :lol


yea pressing home gets you to your home screen but the browser still runs in the background eating memory/battery life, guess ill need to close it with a app.
Click to expand...
It shouldn't be. I used my phone after closing it and it didn't slow it down any. Android doesn't need applications to quit, it closes them when it needs to.
 
GhostRidah said:
Have to pay the toll to get in the boys hole :lol :lol


yea pressing home gets you to your home screen but the browser still runs in the background eating memory/battery life, guess ill need to close it with a app.
Click to expand...

That's reason enough for me to uninstall it!! FUUUUUUUCK!
 
GhostRidah said:
yea pressing home gets you to your home screen but the browser still runs in the background eating memory/battery life, guess ill need to close it with a app.
Click to expand...
Exactly. In fact, to close most apps, you have to use the back key, but browsers use that key for navigation, so they should have a separate Exit menu item (or long-press back-key).
 
GhostRidah said:
Have to pay the toll to get in the boys hole :lol :lol


yea pressing home gets you to your home screen but the browser still runs in the background eating memory/battery life, guess ill need to close it with a app.
Click to expand...

???

Android is not the os for you.
 
GhostRidah said:
Have to pay the toll to get in the boys hole :lol :lol


yea pressing home gets you to your home screen but the browser still runs in the background eating memory/battery life, guess ill need to close it with a app.
Click to expand...


just grab advanced task killer
 
i think HULU/Crackle etc don't work because they use a different streaming protocol for the videos. Desktop apps like tversity and playon and others are able to connect directly to hulu, download video, transcode and stream to a device of your choice (I do this for my xbox), so I think it's just a matter of time. It is still in beta, after all...
 
CrayzeeCarl said:
Exactly. In fact, to close most apps, you have to use the back key, but browsers use that key for navigation, so they should have a separate Exit menu item (or long-press back-key).
Click to expand...

Hmmmm after an intensive session my Android I always task kill everything but Facebook, 3G monitor and two or three others anyway.

Just installed. Tried BBC News - video played fine. :D Will play around a bit more. Steve Job's flash attack and now this...Adobe must be getting quite ill. Time to play your ultimate card Adobe, scrap CS5 for Mac! :P
 
CrayzeeCarl said:
Exactly. In fact, to close most apps, you have to use the back key, but browsers use that key for navigation, so they should have a separate Exit menu item (or long-press back-key).
Click to expand...

When I press the home button the stock browser closes. I just checked the running services, and no browser running. This should work with any other browser.
 
I know this sound stupid since everyone seem to be getting it but what is with the picture instead of a link? I ve seen it in the android thread as well,i must be missing something obvious.
 
Vlodril said:
I know this sound stupid since everyone seem to be getting it but what is with the picture instead of a link? I ve seen it in the android thread as well,i must be missing something obvious.
Click to expand...

Use the barcode scanner on your Android phone to scan the image (or download one). This allows you to go to the download link without typing it up.
 
GhostRidah said:
need some help? because im pretty sure most people know what im talking about...
Click to expand...

my understanding is that the OS will take resources away from things in the background as necessary. I used a task killer for about a week and haven't used it since (many months).
 
Use the barcode scanner on your Android phone to scan the image (or download one). This allows you to go to the download link without typing it up.
Click to expand...

Hm the phone is new (HTC Touch) but i havent seen anything like a scanner anywhere. Is it default on all android phones or you need to install it from market or something?
 
Vlodril said:
Hm the phone is new (HTC Touch) but i havent seen anything like a scanner anywhere. Is it default on all android phones or you need to install it from market or something?
Click to expand...

market: google goggles, barcode scanner and others work fine.

EDIT: I think goggles comes stock on new phones...
 
thespot84 said:
my understanding is that the OS will take resources away from things in the background as necessary. I used a task killer for about a week and haven't used it since (many months).
Click to expand...
Exactly it. Apps do not need to have quit buttons for this exact reason.
 
Vlodril said:
Hm the phone is new (HTC Touch) but i havent seen anything like a scanner anywhere. Is it default on all android phones or you need to install it from market or something?
Click to expand...

Installed from marketplace. I believe the ability to scan barcodes is part of the OS, just needs an app to use the camera for that purpose. Shopper, ShopSavy, and Barcode Scanner should all work.
 
sableholic said:
http://android-developers.blogspot.com/2010/04/multitasking-android-way.html

for anyone confused on how multitasking on android works

also instead of just putting up qr codes I'm not sure why people don't also put a link to the market:

market://search?q=pname:com.skyfire.browser

if you view this page on you phone you can simply click it to go to the page in the marketplace.
Click to expand...

Scanning ftw, links have to be visited by the mobile browser. what do you think is faster?
 
Negaiido said:
Scanning ftw, links have to be visited by the mobile browser. what do you think is faster?
Click to expand...
... if I'm browsing with my phone the link is much faster. No need to switch apps. Like I said I see the point to the qr codes, but they are useless from the mobile browser. The qr code you need something else to display the qr code on so you can scan it on your phone.
 
I got the Daily Show's site to work, so I guess it's just some sites that don't work. Anyone here know why that is? I know a bunch of people around here probably do.
 
thewesker said:
20100429-82s1krtn1b7xua4ss4ij5t7e3t.jpg

It closes everything.
Click to expand...

Well, technically it doesn't...

It just takes you to the homescreen while the app you were just using is still running in the background.

Completely backing out of an app 'officially' closes it, unless the particular app is kind enough to provide a 'exit' option. But yeah, the OS is good about trimming the fact on it's own. :D
 
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