Mozilla has just announced that they’ve released a mobile version of their Firefox web browser. The good news is that we can get a mobile phone-based browser that we’re all (or at least those of us who use Firefox) familiar with. The bad news is that the first version of Firefox Mobile will be for Maemo-based mobiles only, so unless you own a Nokia N810 or N900 (Nokia’s “mobile computer”), you’re going to have to wait for another version.
…you might want to think things through. Yes, it’s an awesome feat of technology in its own right (we covered some of the highlights here) but it does have a lot of limitations. By far the largest limitation is that it runs on an iPhone platform—not an open operating system like you’d normally have on a cheaper standard netbook. As such, the iPad’s platform ties pretty much everything you want to run on it to Apple’s own services.
After months of endless rumors and speculation, Apple finally lifted the veil and officially released their tablet-slash-oversized-iPod touch device. We all thought it would be the “iSlate,” but they turned the tables on everyone and gave it the most obvious name that everyone thought of, but never considered: the iPad. So what exactly is it? Apparently, the rumors were true: the iPad will run on a souped-up version of the iPhone operating system (iPhone OS 3.2), a new Apple-developed processor called the A4 chip, it looks like an oversized iPhone and features just about every function you can pack into a net-connected touchscreen tablet.
Sony’s Dash is another “tablet”, but of a different sort. While it has a 7-inch touchscreen and a touch-based interface, it won’t be like the Windows-based device like HP’s Slate (or Apple’s rumored “iSlate,” which will run on an Apple-designed OS). Described as a “personal internet viewer,” the Dash looks more like a souped-up digital photo frame more than a full-on tablet.
