There are many
alternative browsers to choose from in the Android Market, but Skyfire has remained one of the most popular choices (over two million users) for its ability to view movies on phones that don’t support Flash Player. I expect a lot more people will download it today, thanks to the new social features that are being rolled out in Skyfire version 3.0.
Now with only a single click, users can quickly check their Facebook Page, “Like” or share any Internet content, see the most popular content on any site recommended by their friends (or the general Facebook community), and view videos and other Facebook links posted by friends.
I’ve been playing around with a pre-release version and most of the features work as advertised. The Fireplace feed reader allows me to easily view content that my friends post on Facebook, Popular Content allows me to see what others “liked” on any given website, and there is a Facebook Like button built into the browser so I can quickly share any page.
My only complaint with the latest version is that Skyfire is still using the old Facebook Connect to login when the new
Single Sign-On is now available for Android. Hopefully this comes in a future version to make signing into Facebook a little bit easier.
“Skyfire 3.0 with Facebook Connect makes mobile browsing social,” said Jeff Glueck, CEO of Skyfire. “This is just the latest innovation made possible by Skyfire’s Rocket Platform and illustrates why Skyfire, as the first browser ever powered by a cloud service, is a must-have for smartphone users.”
Users should be able to download the new Skyfire 3.0 from the Android Market at any minute, but at the time of this posting it has not gone live. Please check it out later today and let us know what you think of the new version. Do the social features make this your new favorite alternative browser? What else would you like to see the Skyfire team add next?
New Features in Skyfire 3.0 with Facebook Connect Include:
- Popular Content – You just finished reading a story on one of your favorite web sites and want to quickly decide what to read next. Click on the Popular button on the Skybar and instantly see what content on the site is most popular within the 500+ million user Facebook community. Recommendations from friends are prioritized and show up at the top of the list.
- Fireplace Feed Reader – A simple but addictive tool that provides a filtered list of your Facebook feed that only includes links to browsable web pages, images, and videos posted by your Facebook friends.
- Facebook Portal Integration – With a single touch you have access to your Facebook feed, profile and fast-growing location service Places.
- Facebook Like Button – Skyfire 3.0 puts the Facebook Like Button on EVERY PAGE of the Internet. No scrolling around searching for the button on the page, simply click on the Skybar Like Button to easily “like” or “unlike” the page you are viewing or to share the page with your friends via Facebook, Twitter, or email.
- Skyfire OneTouch Search – Users enter a single search term and can choose to search Google, Facebook, VideoSurf, Digg, Twitter, or Amazon with a single touch and without having to navigate to separate sites.
Skyfire Launches First Mobile Browser for the Social Networking Generation
Skyfire 3.0 Browser for Android Mobile Phones layers the Facebook Social Graph over the entire mobile browsing experience
Mountain View, Calif. – November 23, 2010 – Today Skyfire, maker of the award-winning browser for mobile devices, announces the launch of Skyfire 3.0 with Facebook Connect for Android 2.0 and higher devices. With this new version of the popular Android application, the company ushers in an entirely new way to experience the mobile Internet, geared to the needs of the social networking generation.
The world’s smartest mobile browser is now the world’s most social browser. Skyfire brings the true power of Facebook to your Android device with easy streaming of videos shared from friends, quick news feed access, an easy way to see the most popular ‘liked’ articles on any site, and more.
Skyfire for Android is one of the most popular third-party apps on the platform with almost two million users. Earlier versions of Skyfire launched the SkyBar, a cloud-powered toolbar that allows users to watch video, view related content, and easily share content with friends. With Skyfire 3.0, the browser takes social integration to the next level, by integrating Facebook directly into the SkyBar.
Skyfire 3.0 with Facebook Connect seamlessly integrates Facebook’s Social Graph and Like Button onto every page of the Internet. With a single click, users can quickly check their Facebook Page, “Like” or share any Internet content, see the most “liked” content on any site recommended by their friends (or the general Facebook community), and seamlessly view videos and other Facebook links posted by friends.
“Skyfire 3.0 with Facebook Connect makes mobile browsing social,” said Jeff Glueck, CEO of Skyfire. “This is just the latest innovation made possible by Skyfire’s Rocket PlatformTM and illustrates why Skyfire, as the first browser ever powered by a cloud service, is a must-have for smartphone users.”
Skyfire 3.0 with Facebook Connect for Android is now available for free for a limited time only in the Android Market.
Note: Facebook and the Like Button are registered trademarks owned by Facebook Inc in the United States and/or other countries. Skyfire 3.0 with Facebook Connect is not affiliated with Facebook ™ but is authorized by Facebook to use the Facebook Connect trademark.Adobe and Flash are registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.
About Skyfire:
Skyfire is dedicated to using cloud computing to improve multimedia experiences on mobile phones, and has created the first “Compression as a Service” (CAAS) offering for wireless carriers and device makers. Skyfire’s technology has been visible to consumers through the Skyfire browser app, which has enabled Skyfire to refine its technology with millions of users. The app was named the #2 App of All-Time for Android by TechCrunch, and was the top pick in a
PC World September 2010 comparison of all Android browsers. Skyfire won the Best Mobile Application-People’s Voice at the 2009 Webby Awards and was named a Top App of 2009 by the
New York Times’ Gadgetwise. Skyfire’s iPhone browser, launched in November 2010, quickly reached the top selling app rank on the Apple App Store
SM, as the first way for iOS users to access videos designed for the Adobe Flash Player
TM. Skyfire is based in Mountain View, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley. For more information, visit
www.skyfire.com, or follow Skyfire on Twitter at
twitter.com/skyfire.
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