From blocked videos to annoying ads, there are many things about YouTube we don't like. These restrictions and distractions only dampen the amazing experience that the video-sharing website is meant to provide. If you are a Firefox user, however, you won't have to worry about such things. Firefox offers a variety of add-ons that let you fix pretty much any annoyance that YouTube has. Furthermore, they also let you download videos right to your desktop so that you can watch them whenever you want, even without a connection.


So, without much ado, here are some of the best Firefox add-ons that help you have a better YouTube experience. 

1-Click YouTube Video Downloader

What makes this downloading app so special is purely its simplicity. Once installed, you'll find a small button below the video you are watching. This will let you choose the quality of the video you want to download, and then once you click it, the video starts downloading automatically. The add-on supports a wide variety of major formats like MP4, FLV, WebM, 3GP thus letting you watch the video later on any device you like. While it doesn't add any fancy functions to the mix, its simplicity is the only reason, which will probably make you start using it right away. 

 DOWNLOAD HERE

Ageless for YouTube

If you are over 18 but still find it annoying that you have to sign in to watch age-restricted videos, then this next add-on is just for you. Once installed, you won't have to sign in every time you watch an age-restricted video. This is great for people who don't have a YouTube account or don't want to sign up for one. 

CleanTube

If you are someone annoyed by some of the unwanted elements on the YouTube page then this extension will come in handy. By simply a single click you can hide the comments section, the sidebar, ads, and other parts of YouTube that you find annoying. What gives this add-on the upper edge is that it lets you customize the look of your YouTube page the way you want it to. If you prefer, you can customize it till the only thing you see is your video and nothing else. It is really a great tool for minimalists. 

Chrome has transformed itself from a mere browser to a full-fledged operating system. It now has apps, extensions, themes, and a complete ecosystem built around it. Developed by Google, this browser, which is based on an open-source project, has become one of the most popular products made by the search giant. In fact, combined with Android, Chrome has the potential to become a formidable force that might be able to completely unshackle users from the clutches of Microsoft.

Chrome OS on the other hand, isn't lagging behind either. Its popularity is growing in huge numbers and a more tangible proof of that is Evernote, a company that has created an app just for them. This ever-growing presence of Chrome coupled with the domination of Android is like a Google fanboy's dream come true.

Having said that, despite its soaring success, Chrome isn't as great as it used to be when it first started. What used to be a blazing fast alternative to the then-reigning Firefox has now become a bit bloated. Too many features and tracking that may drive privacy conscious people a tad crazy has pushed a few people to go back to the mighty fox. While we don't think a regular Chrome user would be able to move to another browser so easily (given the amount of services it's tied to) we think Firefox still deserves another chance. It's a browser that has stood the test of time and has matured despite the strong competition.

1. Customization: This is a big area where Firefox's new Australis revamp has managed to take the browser a couple of steps ahead of Chrome. With the new design, you can customize pretty much any area of Firefox thus making it look the way you want. Be it a download button on the toolbar or an address bar that sits alone just like you have on Chrome, Firefox lets you shape your browsing experience any way you want.

2. Privacy: Google's main revenue source is advertising. And needless to say, that worries a lot of people who are concerned about their privacy. With Google's tracking built-in, Chrome tracks your searches in the Omnibox along with the suggestions. Also, most people don't like having all their data in one place, and that's why ditching Chrome might be a good idea. Firefox, on the other hand, has a strict focus on maintaining its users' privacy and this might help soothe any frustrations you have about making the switch. 

3. Better Extensions: When it comes to extensions, Firefox still reigns supreme. What makes its extensions so good is that they fit in perfectly with the rest of the browsing experience. Also, they allow you to change or modify pretty much every aspect of your browsing experience, something you'd rarely find in Chrome. Overall, Firefox's add-ons, though many of them require a restart, are much more mature and stable as compared to those on Chrome.

4. More organized: Compared to Chrome, Firefox's browsing experience is much more organized. Firefox comes with Tab groups out of the box, which allow you to club various types of tabs together and thus reduce clutter. Think of it like virtual desktops for your browser. What's good about the feature is that it's easily accessible. Just press Ctrl+Shift+E and the browser zooms out allowing you to rearrange the tabs in groups. You can even search through your tabs in this zoomed out mode thus relieving some of the tab overload we face on a daily basis.

5. Completely open source: Last, but not the least, Firefox is completely open source. This means that you can trust on it more than any other type of software in the world. Chrome, on the other hand, is based on an open-source project called Chromium. As much as Google emphasizes the fact that it's "based on an open-source project," it's still not open-source, and many FOSS enthusiasts like us agree with the fact.

Conclusion: Firefox is not perfect. It still has some aspects wherein Chrome will beat it hands-on if there ever was a competition between the two. But if there were a war between all the browsers in the world, both Firefox and Chrome would come out on top making them the two best choices any Internet user could make.

Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

The Android vs. iOS battle is still on. With iOS 7 and its new UI, Apple surely got the upper hand in the design arena. Also, with features like fingerprint scanner, the iPhone line of products is getting stronger and stronger each year. Despite Android's soaring popularity, iOS still remains the first choice for many developers thanks to a huge user base that includes a lot of enterprise crowd. However, that doesn't mean that Android is the underdog. In fact, Android is battling iOS neck-to-neck in many arenas and it is just a matter of time when Android becomes the dominant phone OS.


That said, despite the continued dominance of Android and iOS in the smartphone market, new players are emerging that serve as credible threat to Google and Apple's legacy. One of the biggest threats, of course, is Windows Phone. With their recently unveiled Cortana, a Siri-like assistant, Windows 8 seems like an OS that is poised for success thanks to Microsoft's existing user base on the desktop. Other minor players are also emerging; however, the ones most people are watching out for are Ubuntu Phone OS and Mozilla Firefox OS. These two operating systems, which offer completely different approaches to mobile computing, are almost ready to cause a disruption in the mobile market. But which one is the better of the two? Well, let's find out. 


Features:

Ubuntu Phone OS brings the same features of the desktop to the mobile. This means that all your favorite scopes, lenses, and Dash are there on your phone. With fast search, rapid multitasking and a content-first approach, Ubuntu OS is nothing like what other traditional phone operating systems offer. Ubuntu desktop users would be happy to find their beloved Launcher on the left side of the screen. Also, what makes Ubuntu Phone OS more special is that it focuses heavily on search. This means that anything you want, whether it is a song or a contact, simply searching for it yields the right results.

Firefox OS, on the other hand, takes a different approach by focusing on bringing the web into your phone. Targeted at entry-level smartphones, Firefox OS is much suited for low-end configurations. Feature-wise, the open-source operating system is nowhere close to what Android and iOS offer. Or, for the matter of fact, it's not even close to what Ubuntu OS offers. What's common between Ubuntu and Firefox, though, is that search takes a heavy priority in both the cases. Mozilla's approach is more geared towards turning a website into an app so that users can get the best features of a smartphone without paying a hefty price for it.

Comparing the two, there's no doubt that Ubuntu Phone OS is a clear winner in this department. In every aspect, it has simply more to offer.

User Interface:

The sliding UI of Ubuntu Phone OS is simply fabulous. Basically you can slide from any edge of the mobile screen to use the needed functionality. Scopes, wallpapers, and other UI elements adhere more or less to the flat design trends making them look really gorgeous. In other words, even for die-hard iOS users, Ubuntu Phone OS is a treat to look at. 

Mozilla Firefox OS takes a different approach in terms of design. It's simple, easy to use, yet, nowhere near Ubuntu. Once again, UI is an area where Ubuntu has been dominating even biggies like Android and iOS so it's no wonder that Firefox OS will take the beating here. 

Applications:

Theoretically, Firefox OS is the winner here as it relies mostly on web applications. But most people who own smartphones want to experience native applications. And, that is exactly where Ubuntu Phone OS has the upper hand. Though Firefox OS does support native applications, many developers are already flocking towards Ubuntu due to its ability to allow users to run the same application across all devices. So, if you are someone who lives for the apps, stick to Android, or move to Ubuntu if it gets some moderate success. However, if you plan to go for Firefox OS be prepared to leave the app-lover in you slightly disappointed. 


Conclusion:

Though it's difficult to compare two operating systems that are targeted at different users, Mozilla's Firefox OS still feels half-baked compared to what Ubuntu offers. While Canonical is focused on making a full-fledged mobile OS that goes head-to-head against Android and iOS, Firefox's approach is towards making smartphones more affordable. Initial reviews of Firefox OS have been really underwhelming so it will take about a year for us to see both operating systems in the hands of its end users. Finally, it would be a great idea to wait till both operating systems get enough exposure and that would be somewhere around April 2015 where both Ubuntu and Firefox would have (hopefully) reached enough stability to be used on a broader scale.

If social media is something you swear by everyday, you have to make sure that your browser is packed with add-ons that help you stay connected. Be it Twitter, Facebook, or any other social network, adding a few add-ons to Firefox will make your work easier as a social media junkie. That's why we have for you some of the best Firefox add-ons that will help you make your social media addiction a tad easier to deal with:

HootSuite Hootlet

HootSuite is the lifeline of many social media pros. Not only does the service allow you to share to multiple social networks at the same time, it also lets you schedule your posts. One of the best ways to make the most out of HootSuite is by installing the Hootlet. The Hootlet, once installed, enables you to share any page without leaving the current tab. Right from the same page, you can choose which networks you'll share the page with and when the post will be published. Another great companion add-on for HootSuite lovers is the Hootbar, which allows you to tweet from the address bar. 

Buffer

Buffer is one of the best applications as far as social media management is concerned. We have so many profiles, be it Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr, and it's often so hard to post to each and every network at the same time. Also, we come across so many new stuff that it is difficult to share all of it at once. Buffer is a popular service that solves that problem by letting you "buffer" your social media posts to be automatically posted later to all of your social media networks. This not only saves you a lot of time, it also avoids making you look like a social spammer. It’s definitely worth trying out. 

Facebook Photo Zoom

Facebook Photo Zoom is one of the most useful add-ons for Facebook fans. If you use Facebook a lot, you must know how annoying it is to click on each and every pic to zoom it and see it. The add-on automatically zooms an image every time you hover it. Simply place your mouse over a pic you spot on your newsfeed, it will automatically zoom. Once you leave the mouse, it will go away.

Twitter Address Bar Search

This official application by Twitter lets you integrate the social media site with Firefox. Once installed, you can search for people directly from your address bar. Furthermore, if you pin the Twitter tab on your tab bar, the Twitter icon will glow every time you receive new tweets. The integration is pretty straightforward and simple and it's a great way for a Twitter addict to use the site without bloating the browser with unnecessary add-ons. 

Yoono Sidebar

Yoono is a great Firefox sidebar for all IM as well as social media needs. Integrating perfectly with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, Yammer, AIM, and Yahoo IM, Yonoo lets you easily share links, images, and videos right from the page you're on. If you want to see the latest updates on your social media feeds, simply open the sidebar and you'll have all the information at your fingertips. Though a little old and clunky, Yonoo is a great choice if you want a fully integrated solution for all your social media needs.

Facebook Messenger for Firefox

Facebook Messenger for Firefox is the most perfect application for Facebook addicts. Not only does the blend of Firefox and Facebook work seamlessly, it also helps you get rid of your constant nagging habit of checking Facebook to see if there's any new notification. With support for notifications built into your browser, you won't have to worry about the latest things happening on your newsfeed. Just install the app and relax, as Facebook becomes a part of your browsing experience.

Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

Earlier, Firefox was the reigning champion of the web. With the unrelenting and selfless efforts of many developers and volunteers from around the world, Firefox was on track to become the best and most popular browser on the Internet. After all, the Internet needed something better than Internet Explorer, and Firefox was exactly that. In fact, despite Internet Explorer having a major market share, Firefox's popularity was soaring every day.

What's more, if you look up the definition of Internet Explorer on Urban Dictionary, you'll find this hilarious result: "A simple Windows XP tool which allows the user to browse to Mozilla.com and download Firefox, a web browser."

Undoubtedly, Firefox was all set to become the champion of the web. However, soon, things were about to change.

Enter 2008. Google releases its brand new browser. And boy, it takes the web by storm. Based on open-source technologies, this new software became ubiquitously known for its amazing speed. Yes, it was faster, more stable, and more feature-laden that Firefox. Soon, it took over Firefox to become the most popular browser for the Internet. According to Wikimedia statistics, 44.06% of its visitors are using Chrome, followed by 22.08% Internet Explorer users, and 18.17% Firefox users.

Integrate: One of the great things Firefox did was that it came up with an extension that completely integrated Facebook into the browser. Not only could you access your Facebook notifications from the toolbar, you could also chat with your friends no matter which site you're on thanks to the Messenger sidebar. Firefox can step things up a notch by integrating other popular services like Gmail and Google Plus into the browser. This is something that Chrome doesn't provide (yet) and could help the open-source giant draw in many users.

Not look like Chrome. Please don't: Tech sites are inundated with the news of the latest Australis update that will present a newly designed Firefox to its audience. Though looks good, in fact better than the previous version, this update does make it look like.. well.. uhmm.. Chrome. Now, I understand that Firefox is trying to keep up with the competition here, but, honestly, the designers could do much better than that. That said, I don't mean to imply that having a design that's inspired by Chrome is a bad thing. In fact, it's good that they took some of the major elements from Chrome. However, in that process, Firefox seems to be losing its real identity. After the update, it would be hard to distinguish between the two sparring browsers.

Aim for speed: Chrome is still speedier than Firefox. I'm not talking about speed as in the speed with which the browser loads pages. I'm talking about the speed with which you can do any task in the browser. This is my personal experience that in Chrome it just takes a lot less time to search for something than in Firefox. Firefox has two different elements: one is the address bar and one is the search bar (also known as the awesome bar). And, it is due to this that people find it slower to search in Firefox than that in Chrome. Maybe Firefox should think of combining the address bar and the search bar. If reports are to be believed, the Australis update does just that. Let's hope that they go with it.

Focus on Apps: “Maybe we shouldn’t even call it a browser anymore,” said Mozilla’s VP of Firefox engineering Jonathan Nightingale. And he's right. It's not a browser, it's almost an operating system. Most of the tasks that are used to be done by operating systems before are now done by browsers. In fact, Google created an OS based on a browser that’s simply called Chrome OS. Firefox, I think, should realize this as early as possible. If they want to succeed in the browser race, they'll have to come up with applications that are better than what we have on Chrome. In fact, they should aim for applications that are cross-platform, easily installable, and are perfectly integrated with the desktop. Apart from a chosen few applications, even Chrome's app space isn't that luring. Firefox could tap that opportunity and evolve into something that is more than just a browser.

Written by: Abhishek, a regular TechSource contributor and a long-time FOSS advocate.

Though Android and iOS are currently ruling the roost as far as mobile operating systems are concerned, new players are emerging and disappearing each month in a feeble attempt to overthrow the giants. Being a third wheel to these top contenders is Microsoft's own Windows Phone OS with an elegantly designed Metro interface. Such is the strength of iOS and Android though some people say that Windows Phone OS is better than Android feature-wise and performance-wise. That said, the market share that this new OS garnered leaves a lot to be desired and serves as a testimony to the fact that both Google and Apple are behemoths of the mobile world.

In such a tough and competitive market, two new players have set their eyes on the promise land. With BlackBerry revamping itself and Microsoft pushing hard for a new phone OS, chances of these new entrants seem slimmer than ever. Having said that, what separates these smartphone neophytes from Windows, BlackBerry, or even iOS, for that matter, is that they are both open-source and are being developed by two biggest giants in the FOSS world.

Ubuntu Phone OS from Canonical and Firefox OS from Mozilla are both trying to reach a market that is ruled by another open-source biggie, that is Android. Both will try to target different segments of the mobile market with Ubuntu aiming chiefly for the enterprise customers while Firefox OS will aim mainly at low-end devices. But overall, you'll see them being compared head-to-head, as there are people who are looking for alternatives to the staple Android and iOS offering. As to who will win the race is a tough question, but for now, we'll make do with a few comparisons and predictions.

Where Firefox OS Wins

* Targets the huge low-end market

Ubuntu Phone OS will require a smartphone equipped with a dual-core processor. Though in 2014, this will become a commonality, one would still find many customers using single core or more low-end devices. This is where Firefox OS has a chance to win the market over. With its swift HTML5 apps and a lightweight interface, it has the potential to reach a lot of low-end markets especially in third world countries. If implemented correctly, Firefox OS will give many people who couldn't afford a smartphone a chance to buy one.

* It brings the web to your mobile

Most of us use our smartphones chiefly for checking news, status updates, and uploading photos. What Firefox OS does is that it seamlessly bridges the gap between smartphones and the World Wide Web.

To look at it from another angle, Firefox OS is like a Chrome OS for smartphones. 

Where Ubuntu Phone OS Wins

* Targets the enterprise and high-end market.

The enterprise market is in need of a good Linux-based phone. Also, many customers who are tired of Android and iOS but want a high performing smartphone will give Ubuntu phones a try.

* Has an amazing interface

Another big advantage of Ubuntu Phone OS is that it has an appealing and intuitive interface that is much better than what Android or iOS offers at this moment. Even if you compare it to the more swipe-like interface that BlackBerry offers, Ubuntu OS still looks fresher and more intuitive. 

Where Ubuntu Phone OS Loses

* Lack of good apps

Ubuntu OS, if it wants to target high-end customers, it has to have a good collection of apps to boast of. Even if 1000 apps are developed by the end of next year, it won't be a match for what Android, iOS, or even Windows devices offer.

* Dual-core requirement

The dual core requirement for Ubuntu Phones makes it inaccessible for low-end devices. For example, I won't be able to run this OS on my single-core Nexus S even though it is not a very low-end smartphone.


Where Firefox OS Loses 

* Too web-oriented

For many people who love to have a native experience, this might just disappoint. Written chiefly in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, the operating system is too web-oriented. A lot of people who love native apps might not choose this operating system. Moreover, if you own a high-end smartphone, you'll always be wanting for something more feature-laden like Android.


So, which one will succeed?

It's hard to tell at this moment, but there are chances of Ubuntu Phone OS outshining the Mozilla phone simply because of its sheer amount of features and its simplicity. If, however, Ubuntu doesn't appeal to high-end seeking customers, we might see Mozilla's Firefox OS stealing the show.

Mozilla, the organization behind one of the most popular browsers in the world, is busy developing a new mobile operating system of its own. Competing head-on with biggies like Android and iOS, the fledgling smartphone OS attempts to create its own niche by seamlessly blending the power of the web and the mobility of smartphones together. Codenamed Boot to Gecko (or B2G), the open-source project will include applications that will be written in HTML5. These apps can then use the device's API to run natively with the help of JavaScript.

Though many people have already written-off Firefox OS as yet another late-entrant that's doomed to fail, the open-source project is, in fact, targeting an entirely different market that is not yet touched by Android or iOS. Firefox OS, according to the project's director, will help "pursue the goal of building a complete, standalone operating system for the open web" in order to "find the gaps that keep web developers from being able to build apps that are --- in every way --- the equals of native apps built for the iPhone, Android, and WP7.

Also, Firefox OS targets the low-end market making it easily accessible to the developing world. In fact, the project, if implemented correctly, will bring the whole web to your palm in the most affordable way possible. So, if you're curious to know what's in store for Firefox fanboys and everyone else, here's a look at few of the features and expectations from this upcoming endeavor.

Mozilla Firefox OS is perhaps the simplest operating system developed for the mobile phone. It consists of three main software layers:

1. Gonk: Gonk consists of the Linux kernel and the userspace Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL). It is a simple Linux distribution that developers can easily hook their applications to.

2. Gecko: Gecko is a software layer that implements the open standards for HTML, CSS, and JS.

3. Gaia: Gaia is the user-interface of the OS that includes implementations for lock-screen, tablet support, dialer, homescreen text, and more.

Firefox OS, though looks a tad similar to Android, in fact, functions quite differently. Built using JavaScript, all of its applications are web-based and run on 'open web' technologies. This dramatically reduces the device's cost and thus puts it in the hands of every user. So, since every application is running JavaScript, that too without any middleman, all the apps can thus run in their full glory even on the most low-end hardware.

If you're tired with all the patent wars, the corporate hunger and the incessant struggle for mobile market dominance, Firefox OS is something you should be waiting for. Firefox OS, by relying almost completely on the openness of the worldwide web, evades the patent traps that Android smartphones fall in to. So, you won't find a copied feature and a billion-dollar lawsuit awaiting Mozilla Corporation.

If you're happy having an Android device that you can hack away at any time of the day, you'll be screaming with joy once you see Firefox OS. Since the operating system is written in nothing but HTML, JavaScript and CSS, any web developer can create his or her own Firefox OS experience. Also, even if you're not a web developer, just by reading and following a few tutorials on the web, you can drastically alter the look and feel of your phone. Moreover, being open-source, you can create your own custom Firefox OS and distribute it among your peers.

So, what can we expect from this new entrant in the mobile OS market? Well, first of all, we shouldn't consider Firefox OS as a competitor to Android, iOS, or Windows Phone 7. It is not, and it was not meant to be. However, what we need to see is its adoption in developing countries. With the right manufacturers, the open-source mobile operating system could bring the best features of premium Android and iOS smartphones to the not-so-rich.

Secondly, we'd love to see all the popular Android apps ported to this OS. This will bring in more consumers and might even get Android enthusiasts to think about making a switch.

Thirdly, the whole Firefox OS experience has to be as buttery smooth as possible. If I'm planning to ditch a low-end Android Gingerbread smartphone for this one, it better be good.

We are still waiting for the finished version of Firefox OS to come out, and at this time, it's hard to say whether it will succeed or not. However, one thing we know for sure is that it will create a new market for itself. Whether that market will thrive or not, that's the million-dollar question.

If you’re a Firefox fan and an Android tablet user, there’s some great news for you. Mozilla will be releasing a Honeycomb version of their open source browser very soon. The record-breaking browser facing heavy competition from the likes of Chrome and Opera, has already stepped up their game by speeding up their release cycles. While that decision might not have been such a great success with users, the prospect of using a familiar and open source browser on an Android tablet already seems exciting.

Here’s what we can expect from the tablet version of our beloved Firefox.

The UI: Well, the tablet version is quite different from the desktop or mobile version. In other words, it’s made specifically for tablets rather than clumsily fitting a desktop or mobile UI into a bigger form factor. The UI has been designed keeping in mind the utility and limitations of the tablets. Hence, you’ll find that the browser takes up a lot less space and makes full use of the small screen space.

Fits like a glove: The new user interface adapts nicely to the Honeycomb theme on Android 3.0. Firefox for tablets won’t be something that would look out of place on your tablet. In fact, it will look as if it’s meant for your Honeycomb tablet and nothing else. The buttons on the UI are rounded and look very much modern as compared to other browsers. Though it will look quite different from its mobile and desktop counterparts, Firefox will be sticking with the traditional back/forward buttons that always make it stand apart.

Ah, the very familiar AwesomeBar!: The Firefox you’ll see on Honeycomb will come with the popular AwesomeBar. For the uninitiated, the AwesomeBar is Firefox’s default address bar. It’s called AwesomeBar because of its intelligent prediction of webpages, which is done by indexing history and bookmarks. So, whenever you start typing something in Firefox’s address bar, you start seeing relevant suggestions from your history and bookmarks. For example, typing ‘t’ will recommend you twitter.com if you’ve visited it before or saved it in your bookmarks. The AwesomeBar is especially important for mobile devices, as here you have to minimize the user’s typing.

Better Tabs: Tabbing on Firefox for tablets works quite differently from how it works on mobiles or desktops. In landscape mode, the tabs appear as a persistent bar on the left hand side (much like the Unity launcher). You’ll also see a preview of the tabs so that you can get a better idea of the tabs that are active in the background. Many users might disagree with the new UI. However, the left bar makes it easy to switch between tabs using the left thumb while the right thumb can be used for scrolling or clicking links. In portrait mode, the tabs can be selected from a simple drop down menu thus saving a lot of screen space. Overall, the User Interface is simple and something most new users would love. Also, Firefox doesn’t try to do anything extraordinary here; it’s just focusing on keeping things simple, as it always has.

Firefox Sync: This is a feature that has been around for a quite a while. Yet, for some weird reasons, many folks haven’t even heard of it. Firefox Sync allows users to sync their browsing data seamlessly across various platforms and devices. So, if you’ve opened 5 tabs on your laptop, and say your battery runs out, then you can access the same tabs from your other devices which have Firefox on them. This is as an incredibly powerful feature that makes Firefox a heavyweight as far as the browser wars are considered. Having syncing capabilities on tablets will ensure that Firefox loyalists on the desktop and mobile won’t use anything other than Firefox for all their browsing needs.

Ok, the mockups look very impressive, but will Firefox really be able to deliver on this platform? Here are some things that might not work in favor of the open source browser.

Dolphin and other competitors: The browser scene on tablets and mobiles may not be quite as competitive as on the desktop, but there are some quality applications that might make things tough for Firefox. Most of the users usually stick to the default browser in Android as it pretty much has all the features most users need. If they want an alternative Android web browser, then, Dolphin is something they can always download. Dolphin already has features that make it the best browser for Android, and to beat such a heavyweight will not be an easy task. Let’s hope that Mozilla will be able to convince enough users to move from this veteran browser.

Firefox Mobile is Mozilla’s chance to make up for the market it lost to Chrome. Firefox for tablets will give it a necessary shot in the arm by increasing its adoption across other platforms too. Let’s hope they make it big.

Firefox 4 was another milestone for the Mozilla team. Of course, with the growing popularity of Chrome, Firefox’s admiration seems to have taken a downward trend. However, the record-holding browser isn’t going to back down. In its next version, that is Firefox 5, the veteran browser promises to bring along features that will put Firefox at par with Google Chrome.

Here are 9 such features that will make you reconsider if you’re planning to switch to Chrome. Or, if you’re a Chrome user already, who knows, you might as well go turn back to the fox.

If you love the little menu that sits on the top left corner of your Firefox 4 window, then, you have even more reasons to be excited. Firefox is planning to implement a new feature that will make a website behave more like an app. What this means is, when you create an app tab for a website -- let’s say Twitter -- the site, now an app, will have its very own dedicated menu. So, on the top left corner of your window you’ll be able to see not one but two drop down menus -- one for Twitter and other for Firefox. The Twitter menu will include quick shortcuts to the website like New Tweet, Replies and so on. Similar mock-ups have surfaced demonstrating the feature on various web sites like IMDB, CNN and others. For a quick sneak peek on how it looks like, visit this site.

Firefox 5 will mostly come bundled with F1, Mozilla’s new social sharing extension. The feature will allow a user to share any web page with their friends on Twitter, Facebook and other social networks. As of now, the extension works flawlessly and it is continuously improving. Having this feature in Firefox will definitely give it an edge over Chrome, which doesn’t have any such feature.

Syncing on Chrome is bit more obscure when contrasted with how it is on Firefox. Firefox 5 will further ramp up this feature so that you’ll be able to sync all your passwords, bookmarks, open tabs and more across desktop as well as mobile.

Hate opening a different browser just to login to your second account on a particular site? Thankfully, Mozilla has come up with a nifty solution to that problem. In Firefox 5, Mozilla will possibly include a new feature called identity manager. This will help users log into multiple accounts at once without logging out from either of them.

Details about this feature are sketchy but Firefox is planning to introduce an all new ‘New Tab’ page. We still don’t know how it will look like but it will definitely be better-looking than the one on Chrome.

Firefox 5 will include a small tweak, which will enable users to track the status of the file they’re uploading to a particular website. This is a huge gift for users who always want to know what’s going on behind the scenes.

Firefox 5 may include a built-in PDF viewer and Mp3 player. Chrome already has a native PDF reader, but having that feature in Firefox 5 will definitely make the competition tougher between the two browsers.

Keeping track of addons in Firefox 5 as well as updating them will become a lot easier. The latest version of Firefox will feature an all-new add-on selector, which will allow users to keep track of their installed extensions and plugins. Updating them will no longer be an ordeal as Mozilla aims to make this process easy and non-intrusive for all the users.

Firefox 5 will feature all new color-coded search boxes that will help users identify which search engine they’re currently using. For example, if Google is active, a little green bar saying ‘Google’ will be displayed adjacent to the search box. Similarly, there will be color codes for Bing (yellow) and Yahoo (aubergine) making search easier than ever.

With Firefox 5, Mozilla plans to bring back the users it has lost to Chrome and Chromium. This, of course, is no easy task, as Chrome is developing and growing at a breakneck speed. Also, that coupled with the release of Chromebooks, will give Chrome a major boost in the market share. Mozilla having ramped up its development cycle hopes to catch up with Chrome and more importantly, to retain its no 1 spot amongst the various browsers out there. By releasing Firefox 5, Mozilla may quickly reach this goal.

A few weeks ago, we did an in-depth review of Ubuntu 11.04 when compared with Fedora 15. One of the interesting little features we missed was Quicklists in Unity. Quicklists allow users to access common menus, or perform common tasks within a program by right-clicking the launcher icon. The feature is very much similar to Jump Lists in Windows 7, which could be accessed by right-clicking the Windows task bar. Applications, like Browsers and Media Players use these Jump Lists to let the user access documents and tasks associated with the current application. Unity on the other hand being freshly baked from the oven, there aren't many applications that take advantage of the Quicklist features. Here's a quick tip that will let you enable Quicklists for both Google Chrome and Firefox.

Google Chrome and Chromium don't support Quicklists by default; however, with a little tweaking the feature can be enabled to support incognito mode. Here's the whole process in 2 easy steps.

Step 1: Backup - Open the terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and type in the following code:

Step 2: Then, type the following line in the terminal:

Step 3: Now that the file is opened, paste the following code at the end of the file. When done, press Ctrl+S and close the window.

Using Firefox:

Anyways, enough talk, here's how to get it in 4 easy steps:

Step 1: Backup the file..

sudo cp /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop.backup

sudo gedit /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop

Step 3: Apparently, Firefox already supports the New Window quick list item. So, find the code that begins with a line that looks like this:

X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=NewWindow;

This line will be followed by some code. Now, delete the line and the lines below it.

Step 4: Add following code to the file, press Ctrl+S and exit.

X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=NewWindow;PrivateToggle;ProfileMgr;Safe-Mode;

[NewWindow Shortcut Group]

Name=Open a New Window

Name[ast]=Abrir una ventana nueva

Name[bn]=Abrir una ventana nueva

Name[ca]=Obre una finestra nova

Name[da]=Åbn et nyt vindue

Name[de]=Ein neues Fenster öffnen

Name[es]=Abrir una ventana nueva

Name[fi]=Avaa uusi ikkuna

Name[fr]=Ouvrir une nouvelle fenêtre

Name[gl]=Abrir unha nova xanela

Name[he]=פתיחת חלון חדש

Name[hr]=Otvori novi prozor

Name[hu]=Új ablak nyitása

Name[it]=Apri una nuova finestra

Name[ja]=新しいウィンドウを開く

Name[ku]=Paceyeke nû veke

Name[lt]=Atverti naują langą

Name[nl]=Nieuw venster openen

Name[ro]=Deschide o fereastră nouă

Name[ru]=Открыть новое окно

Name[sv]=Öppna ett nytt fönster

Name[ug]=يېڭى كۆزنەك ئېچىش

Name[uk]=Відкрити нове вікно

Name[zh_CN]=新建窗口

Name[zh_TW]=開啟新視窗

Exec=firefox -new-window about:blank

TargetEnvironment=Unity

[Safe-Mode Shortcut Group]

Name=Safe-Mode

Exec=firefox -safe-mode

TargetEnvironment=Unity

[PrivateToggle Shortcut Group]

Name=Enable/Disabe Private Mode

Exec=firefox -private-toggle

TargetEnvironment=Unity

[ProfileMgr Shortcut Group]

Name=Start Profile Manager

Exec=firefox -ProfileManager

TargetEnvironment=Unity

Finally, if all goes well, the menu will look like this:

Menu doesn't show up:

If the menu doesn't show up, remove the launcher from the Unity bar by right-clicking and unchecking the option titled “Keep in Launcher”. Then search for the program and drag it to the Unity bar again. The Quicklist should be visible by now.

If something goes wrong, type the following commands. These commands will restore the original ‘.desktop’ files and delete the modified ones, taking things back to normal.

For Google Chrome:

sudo rm -rf /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop

sudo mv /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop.backup /usr/share/applications/google-chrome.desktop

For Firefox:

sudo rm -rf /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop

sudo mv /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop.backup /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop

Are you excited about Firefox 4? Or, have you already switched to Google Chrome and would never look back?

Flock, a web browser that mainly caters to social networking needs, just made a surprising move by using Google Chrome codebase for their latest Beta release instead of sticking with Mozilla Firefox, the browser that it was initially based on. This means that the next major version of Flock (Flock 3) will be entirely built on top of the Chrome platform.

I was once a Flock user and even urged some of you to flock with me. That was more than a year ago, when Flock was still in its infancy and was beginning to get noticed. To date, Flock web browser has already been downloaded 7 million times and it has raised around $30 million in venture funding.

The Beta version of Flock 3 now has that trademark Chrome look with tabs located at the top portion of the address bar. Its main feature is still its integration of social networking, mail, and other media services that includes Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, MySpace, Flickr, Blogger, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, etc.

Though Flock is embracing Google Chrome, it is not leaving Firefox completely just yet. In a statement made by Flock CEO Shawn Hardin at TechCrunch, he said that they haven't stopped their development efforts on the Mozilla platform and that their upcoming release of Flock 2.1 is still built on it. "The browser space is heating up, and we’ve seen a variety of exciting technologies emerge over the last several months that are appealing", he added.

It is now pretty clear that Google Chrome's exciting technologies are very appealing to Flock developers. I think their only problem is that majority of Flock web browser users have grown to like or love Firefox. So I wonder how will these users accept this major change.

Here are some of the things that I did that helps make Firefox somewhat faster than Chrome:

That's about it. You should be able to notice the speed improvement immediately after applying the above tweaks.

Disabling Firefox addons that you don't use often, blocking flash content, and using a lightweight theme will also help speed up Firefox.

The mobile version of Firefox web browser has been finally released. But don't get too excited because as of the moment, it is only available for Nokia's Maemo5 platform. This means that the owners of Nokia N900 smartphone are the lucky few who can download, install, and experience Firefox for Mobile in action.

Firefox for mobile is loaded with great features like:

* Awesome Bar – access your favorite sites in just a couple of keystrokes with intelligent and personalized searching
* Weave Sync – sync your Firefox tabs, history, bookmarks and passwords between your desktop and mobile device for a seamless browsing experience
* Add-ons – customize your Firefox by adding small pieces of functionality, like games and news readers, that help make the mobile Web browser your own
* Location-Aware Browsing – get maps and information relevant to your location
* Tabbed browsing – view open tabs as thumbnails to easily identify and select the Web page you’d like to go to next
* Safe Browsing – get an Instant Web Site ID and easily access and edit security settings
* Available in more than 30 languages and counting

In addition to those features, Firefox also supports add-ons, making it the first mobile web browser to do so. Add-ons like AdBlock Plus, URL Fixer, TwitterBar, language translators, and more can be installed directly from the mobile device or in this case the Nokia N900. As of this time, there are more 40 than Firefox for mobile add-ons. See them all HERE.

Web developers can take advantage of Firefox for mobile in creating rich applications as they can use the latest Web technologies like HTML5, CSS and JavaScript to improve, modify and customize the browser.

Here is a video of Nokia N900 running Firefox for Mobile:



Expect to see a lot more mobile devices that will run Firefox this year. So I guess we are getting really close to seeing iPhone and Android phones running Firefox for Mobile.