Mozilla's Boot to Gecko on a Nexus S [pics]

By Syanide
in Hardware Hangout

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Grand Master

Syanide

Posted
Posted

Just saw this on reddit:

nSLjxh.jpg

vAdSfh.jpg

HLXKQh.jpg

CkGV3h.jpg

v9hMQh.jpg

More pics: click!

Source: reddit

Did Mozilla just deliver? I mean, wow, that actually looks pretty good. Plus they already have an army of developers since this uses only standard web technologies. Not seeing this as a threat to anyone, but I think they might actually find an audience for this type of OS.

Collaborator

nw2001

Posted
Posted

I'm not the creator but theres a post on XDA on how to get it on the NS4g, and there is one for the SGS2 I think. You'll have to look around.

installing it on the NS is pretty easy from what I hear too. Havnt seen a post for it though, just blogs.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1562153

Grand Master

firey

Posted
Posted

Heres guide for installing on Nexus S: http://www.bluishcoder.co.nz/2012/03/20/building-and-running-b2g-on-nexus-s.html

And here is guide for SGS2 : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1518467

Grand Master

Syanide

Posted
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Posted

I think those are glorified bookmarks. Not 100% sure though.

To be fair, the whole system is a glorified bookmark, but that's exactly what they're going for. Also, to answer remixedcat's post, this early in development I doubt anything's set in stone, but I don't see why they wouldn't at least add support for badges/counters, could be useful,

Grand Master

Japlabot

Posted
Posted

It looks nice, but they are filling a need which doesnt exist. Apps might be in a fairly ubiquitous programming language but they will still need to be targeted for the platform than already available and working seamlessly. If there were any useful Web apps, it is only a web browser away on existing platforms (which also have their own apps to offer which B2G won't have). They would be far better off keeping this as a concept only and concentrate on integrating the technology on existing platforms.

Grand Master

torrentthief

Posted
Posted

this DOES fulfill a need:

  • it is very clear that android/ios spy on you.
  • b2g is an html o.s so anyone with html coding skills can easily create apps, this will allow a lot of apps and will mean that website functionality can be ported to apps very easily
  • android is too complex for many users.
  • android cannot scale the U.I, if you have a 360x480 3" screen it is VERY difficult to read for those with poor eyesight, there are some apps that can reduce this problem but you can't change all fonts in the o.s and if you try changing some the interface messes up. Ios is much better at scaling font but still isn't perfect, this is html so should be very simple to change those sorts of things.
  • another reason is that firefox is the default browser, most people use the built-in browser on android/ios therefore mozilla loses money from ad revenue.
  • you can just download the O.S instead of having to wait for network operators to allow you to download a newer version of android, some manufacturers don't give you any updates, mozilla will likely support phones for years.

i am all in favour of this O.S, if they can add similar functionality to android then i'd be happy to switch from android!

  • remixedcat and Site Lab
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Grand Master

remixedcat

Posted
Posted

To be fair, the whole system is a glorified bookmark, but that's exactly what they're going for. Also, to answer remixedcat's post, this early in development I doubt anything's set in stone, but I don't see why they wouldn't at least add support for badges/counters, could be useful,

This would work like the IPB mobile skin for this forum does (when you click the 4 squares in the top right.. grid of icons and the number can be put on the corner of each icon for how many "notifications" whatever "app" had.

Mentor

DeadEndAccount

Posted
Posted
this DOES fulfill a need:
  • it is very clear that android/ios spy on you.
  • b2g is an html o.s so anyone with html coding skills can easily create apps, this will allow a lot of apps and will mean that website functionality can be ported to apps very easily
  • android is too complex for many users.
  • android cannot scale the U.I, if you have a 360x480 3" screen it is VERY difficult to read for those with poor eyesight, there are some apps that can reduce this problem but you can't change all fonts in the o.s and if you try changing some the interface messes up. Ios is much better at scaling font but still isn't perfect, this is html so should be very simple to change those sorts of things.
  • another reason is that firefox is the default browser, most people use the built-in browser on android/ios therefore mozilla loses money from ad revenue.
  • you can just download the O.S instead of having to wait for network operators to allow you to download a newer version of android, some manufacturers don't give you any updates, mozilla will likely support phones for years.

i am all in favour of this O.S, if they can add similar functionality to android then i'd be happy to switch from android!

The icing on the cake will be if it is 100% top to bottom open source which will mean that end users will no longer at the mercy of carriers or handset vendors for software updates.

Grand Master

Japlabot

Posted
Posted

this DOES fulfill a need:

  • it is very clear that android/ios spy on you.
  • b2g is an html o.s so anyone with html coding skills can easily create apps, this will allow a lot of apps and will mean that website functionality can be ported to apps very easily
  • android is too complex for many users.
  • android cannot scale the U.I, if you have a 360x480 3" screen it is VERY difficult to read for those with poor eyesight, there are some apps that can reduce this problem but you can't change all fonts in the o.s and if you try changing some the interface messes up. Ios is much better at scaling font but still isn't perfect, this is html so should be very simple to change those sorts of things.
  • another reason is that firefox is the default browser, most people use the built-in browser on android/ios therefore mozilla loses money from ad revenue.
  • you can just download the O.S instead of having to wait for network operators to allow you to download a newer version of android, some manufacturers don't give you any updates, mozilla will likely support phones for years.

i am all in favour of this O.S, if they can add similar functionality to android then i'd be happy to switch from android!

The icing on the cake will be if it is 100% top to bottom open source which will mean that end users will no longer at the mercy of carriers or handset vendors for software updates.

I agree that this featureset is nice and would have something going for it if you are right, but I have not seen these features as been advertised anywhere. Basically I think that this is just wishful thinking, the same wishful thinking that Android would offer all of this because it also is open source. Open Source and Open Platforms does not guarantee anything.

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