Browsersphere

I’ve been using Firefox 3 Beta 2 at work, and today I received notification that the next beta, Firefox 3 Beta 3, was available as an automatic update.  After the single-click update process, I launched the new version and noticed something strange:

The browser started up at that exact size.  Bizarre.

Anyhow, if you’ve been using the previous beta, the theme changes, which I’ve covered here previously, are likely to jump out at you.  If you’ve been using the Minefield builds, then probably not.

For more information on this new beta release, head on over to the Release Notes, or if you want to download the release and give it a try for yourself, you can do that too.

Tags: Beta, Firefox, Releases, Themes and Skins

Anyone who has downloaded Firefox nightly builds is likely familiar with the Minefield moniker that replaces “Firefox” wherever that application title is used in a typical Firefox build.

I have been testing the latest Minefield builds the past couple of nights, and tonight I was notified of an update and subsequently downloaded it.  In the new version, which is identified by the following user agent string:

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9b3pre) Gecko/2008012804 Minefield/3.0b3pre

…the new Firefox theme icons have started to appear.  These changes were recently alluded to in a post by Alex Faaborg.  As of the latest build, the reload, stop and home icons have been updated.  The back and forward navigation buttons have yet to change, presumably because work is still being done on the new Keyhole design and functionality.

The icons that have changed look exactly as presented at Alex’s blog.  Unfortunately, I have to say that I’m not a fan of the change.  Perhaps once the Keyhole changes are in place things will flow a little better, but the new icons have a bit of a “childish” feel to them that I just don’t like.  However, having once been a Firefox theme developer, I know all too well that everyone has their own, often very strong, opinions one way or another about the various Firefox themes.

Given that, what do you think of the change?  Furthermore, what do you think of the new Keyhole approach?  If you haven’t had a chance to see them in action, give one of the latest nightly builds a try.  Minefield is stablizing at the moment since Mozilla is getting close to releasing a third beta of Firefox 3.

Tags: Beta, Development, Firefox, Mozilla, Previews, Themes and Skins

In case you didn’t catch it already, the first beta release of Firefox 3 is now available to download.  Head on over to the beta releases page to get your copy, but remember that even beta builds aren’t recommended for those with weak stomachs

Tags: Beta, Development, Firefox, Previews, Releases