CompetitiveWeeklyRoundup

« CompetitiveBrowserDevelopment
« CompetitiveTrackingFeeds

This weekly roundup page contains notes of some of the most important browser developments that come through the competitive tracking feeds. The same information is sent out in a weekly email to marketing-private.

Friday, August 3, 2007

• Windows Vienna and IE 8 features leaked
  • IE 8
    • Undo close tab (like Firefox)
    • Saving and restoring sessions (like Firefox)
  • Windows Vienna
    • Virtual desktops (like Linux)
    • Ability to rearrange items on the task bar
    • Customizable themes
    • Windows Core: the ability to separate GUI And console from each other as in Windows Server 2008
    • All applications not specifically written for Vienna or in .NET will be run on a separate virtual machine

• Breaking Down the Walls Of Phones' Web Gardens
  • Users are looking for a cell phone browser experience closer to that of their laptops
  • Browsers are limited by wireless carrier support
    • Ability to download music and video
    • Opera Mini can't be used on Verizon cellphones
  • Microsoft is working on a mobile browser called Deep Fish
  • Opera makes money on Opera Mini by licensing it to handset makers and wireless carriers, and sharing ad revenue
  • More users browse on cell phones than on computers in some developing countries

Friday, July 27, 2007

• Opera 9.5 to have screen reader support
  • On Windows:
    • Support for the Microsoft Accessibility API (MSAA).
    • Close cooperation with other screen reader vendors.
  • On Mac:
    • Support of the Mac API for Accessibility.
    • Support of VoiceOver.
• Flock Community Ambassador starts holding weekly "Office Hours"
  • To gather user feedback, Flock Community Ambassador Evan Hamilton is now holding Community "Office Hours" every Monday from 11a-12p PST
  • During this time, Evan focuses solely on communicating with the Flock community via irc, email, AIM, MSN, Google Talk, and Skype
• Introduction to Information Cards
  • An open standard for identity on the web
  • Information Cards can be considered to be a "heavier" protocol than the other technologies (LiveID, BBAuth, OpenID)
  • Provides password-less login, phishing-resistance, and consistent cross-platform UI

Friday, July 20, 2007

• Opera Watch asked its community for each person's Top 5 features desired for Opera. Here's a sample of what's been requested (more *'s means more requests):
  • Auto-update (like Firefox) *****
  • Developer tools (like Firefox's Firebug extension) *****
  • A better marketing campaign ****
  • Integrated inline spell check ***
  • More powerful RSS feeds reader **
    • RSS in a side panel of its own
    • Option to subscribe to other feed readers
  • Better widget integration **
  • Improved UI/user friendliness - special effects and a generally slicker interface **
  • Ability to add more “auto-complete” forms **
  • Ad blocker (like Firefox Ad Block extension)
  • A built-in feature that gets rid of duplicate bookmarks
  • A feature to archive webpages
  • userJS repository (like Firefox)
  • Opera Mini tied to GPS in people's phones
  • Delete multiple passwords from saved passwords list
  • Better CSS3 support
    • Easier way to specify site specific CSS files (to override designs)
    • RGBA
  • System update for skins and widgets (located @ Opera)
  • Ability for skins to modify menus as well (like Firefox)
  • A way to easily export/backup newsfeeds, mail, bookmarks, toolbars, menus etc. all together
  • Improved options on right click
  • Improved document type mixing
  • More Mac like interface (which is on the way)
  • Domain name completion, like Ctrl+Enter for .com
  • Integrated database of custom buttons like the ones on http://operawiki.info/CustomButtons
  • To be able to customize side-bar as address bar: drag buttons, etc.
  • For Opera Mini: A way to save webpages on memory phone.

• Opera 9.22 released on 7/19, which includes the following key features:
  • Security update
  • Improved BitTorrent download speeds
  • Support for the Microsoft Silverlight plug-in

• Flock 0.9 released on 7/10, which includes the following key features:
  • MyWorld: a dynamic home base for all your favorite sites, feeds, and media streams
  • Flock's Media MiniBar provides fast access to both photos and videos on Flickr, Photobucket, Youtube, and Truveo.
  • The new Accounts & Services sidebar offers easier configuration and enhanced discovery and activation logic
  • Improved Favorites with folders and support for Ma.gnolia and del.icio.us
  • Blogging: Improved UI, integrated Clipboard, support for all major Blog services including Blogger, Wordpress, Typepad and Livejournal
  • Security improvements
  • In-line spell check
  • Overall Theme upgrade