Bitstream, developers of the BOLT mobile browser have announced that they are set to unveil mobile Web apps, also known as widgets, and a host of new features for the acclaimed Mobile Browser at Mobile World Congress coming up this month. This will be part of the features on the upcoming version 1.7 of BOLT.
Here is the full press release from Bitstream:
MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – February 3, 2010 – Bitstream Inc. (NASDAQ: BITS) today announced that the forthcoming version of its BOLT™ mobile browser will include the ability to run Web applications, commonly referred to as “widgets.” Since BOLT is a Web browser that works on mobile phones of all types, the addition of Web apps will give BOLT users increased functionality on their mobile phones. The new BOLT Widgets capability will be introduced in beta as part of the forthcoming 1.7 version of BOLT, to be released to the public at Mobile World Congress on February 15, 2010.
Although BOLT already runs website-based applications written in Ajax, Javascript and other Web programming languages, such as the popular Facebook game Mafia Wars and Google Docs, the new Web apps will be installed directly within BOLT and thus will load and execute even faster. BOLT users will be able to discover, select and install specific applications through the BOLT Widget Gallery. BOLT will display an iconic list of all installed apps, allowing users to quickly find and use them directly within BOLT.
“As many of the recent mobile and wireless trade shows have demonstrated, mobile applications are part of the mainstream mobile experience,” said Sampo Kaasila, vice president of research and development at Bitstream. “However, the vast majority of phones in use today are ‘feature phones’ not smartphones. Unfortunately for the users of these billions of feature phones, it isn’t easy to find, install and run mobile applications. By adding Web apps to BOLT, Bitstream is not only improving the usability of our mobile browser, we are also making it possible for literally billions of people to partake in the mobile apps revolution.”
BOLT is a server-assisted browser that has been shown to have the most accurate page rendering of any mobile browser in its class, receiving a perfect 100 percent in the Acid3 page rendering test. Using this same cloud computing technology to support Web applications allows BOLT to offer increased functionality to the broad spectrum of devices BOLT already runs on, even the most basic mobile phones.
At its launch, Bitstream will have an initial set of sample applications available in its Beta Widget Gallery. BOLT Web applications are written as standard W3C widgets (www.w3.org/TR/widgets/), a standard with broad industry support.
Bitstream will be showcasing its new version of BOLT to OEMs and Carriers at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from February 15 to February 18 in booth number 1A70.
About BOLT
The acclaimed BOLT mobile browser has the most faithful rendering of Web pages of any browser in its class. This fast mobile browser quickly and accurately displays Web pages on mobile phones just as they would appear on desktop computers. BOLT is the only browser for mobile phones of all types to support streaming video from popular media sharing sites such as YouTube and MySpace. Based on the same WebKit rendering engine used by the iPhone’s Safari and Android’s Chrome browsers, BOLT is compatible with the majority of the world’s 4 billion mobile phones. BOLT features a patented split-screen viewing mode, intuitive keystroke shortcuts and copy/paste functionality, and offers a user-friendly, feature-rich mobile browsing experience for even entry-level mobile phones. Download BOLT for free at http://boltbrowser.com – the mobile Internet has never looked this good on your phone.About Bitstream
Bitstream Inc. develops software technologies and applications for the graphic art and mobile communications industries. Bitstream’s award-winning fonts and font technologies enable device manufacturers and application developers to render the highest quality text in any language, on any device, at any resolution. The company’s MyFonts brand is the world’s leading provider of fonts to consumers. Bitstream’s Pageflex brand enables marketers to easily produce customized communications in print, email, and online. The company’s latest offering is the BOLT mobile browser, which has been installed by millions of users worldwide since its release in February 2009. For more information visit www.bitstream.com.
BOLT mobile web browser just got better. And you heard it first from MobilityNigeria.
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February 3rd, 2010 at 12:47 pm Browsing with
Always on target, and on time too, all the time. Alireta!
Having tried so many Symbian based web browsers, I find myself going back to Opera Mini. It is when Opera Mini fails to open a particular webpage (/correctly) that I try other browsers (first UcWeb 7, then Bolt 1.62).
The reason for this attachment to Opera Mini is simply because Opera Mini excels (based on what my eyes tell me) in rendering more aesthetically pleasing web pages (in mobile view).
Wheras Bolt is yet to disappoint me as regards rendering ANY site correctly, the fact that its fonts are not as big/legible/attractive as Opera Mini’s puts it in a mere supportive / alternative rõle on my phone. Opera seems to have mastered rendering fonts beautifully.
The font quality is also the major reason why I also prefer Opera Mini to UCWeb. Bolt also lacks easy of use generally (compared to UcWeb & Opera) and some noncritical but useful features.
If Bolt can work on its user interface (specifically font size, onscreen_text_copy, better download management, more seamless multi_tab management), the Opera folks may just have one more web browser (in addition to UcWeb) to sweat about…
Let us wait and see if the new widget (plugin) technology (on mobile browser) will catch fire (and independent developers will begin to write those addins – as they do for desktop browser – for Bolt..
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February 3rd, 2010 at 2:22 pm Browsing with
I’m still waiting for that mobile browser that will match opera mini in all ways. No one can question the fact that opera mini is the best mobile browser in world and with our local networks here in naija blocking access to OM. the release of a worthy alternative would be a good development.
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February 3rd, 2010 at 3:48 pm Browsing with
So far, Opera mini remains my top-notch browser. Bolt tends to have problems in navigating backwards, having to reload the page from the net instead of from cache memory. Opera is also more user-friendly. Maybe these widgets will take the juice from opera mini. Let’s wait n c
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February 3rd, 2010 at 3:56 pm Browsing with
@Kay123, Bolt is good, but has some way to go in terms of usability and features. Let us hope this coming version 1.7 will get its acts together.
With UCWeb versions using English servers (and thus allowing access to sites normally prohibited by China), and if the frequency of UCWeb server outages can be MINIMISED, it can be a good alternative to the blocked Opera Mini.
Blocking Opera Mini solves nothing. There are modified versions of Bolt & UCWeb browsers too. ANY thirdparty java browser application can be modified for free browsing if you know how. Will the networks block ALL third party browsers just to stop free browsing?
The irony is, blocking Opera Mini ONLY affects its legitimate use(/users). The free browsing still continues.
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February 3rd, 2010 at 9:11 pm Browsing with
Bolt renders pages really poorly. Opera is better by far, though MTN and co are unfriendly to it. We may have to keep our fingers crossed for the widgets. I do hope they do something about its looks. To be honest its darn ugly! If widgets come through looking like BOLT itself, it may be a disaster.
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February 4th, 2010 at 3:33 am Browsing with
archie,
bolt ugly? If I hadnt used it before I would have swallowed that. Bolt works fine for me. i am posting this using Bolt, and it all looks good.
i am looking forward to version 1.7
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February 4th, 2010 at 6:57 pm Browsing with
@Dayann
Beauty, they say, is in the eye of the beholder. To be honest one can say function should follow form. If its ugly but does the job… so what? Yea thats true. But i love a bit of eye candy while I surf. I want to burn my money in style you know. I think Tea Shark looks better. I am not sure about the tech specs but Tea Shark is just as fast. Google it and give it a try. I do hope BOLT 1.7 looks better than what I am used to.
PS
it appears BOLT saves you more money than Tea Shark as per the way it renders pages
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February 8th, 2010 at 8:49 pm Browsing with
Oper mini still wins hands down. Lets see what magic can be perfomed by Bolt. At present, bolt still hangs during usage in my phone, i dont know if it does same in other ppls phones.
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