Mozilla posts Firefox 9 for Android with new tablet UI
updated 10:25 pm EST, Wed December 21, 2011
Release follows Firefox 9 desktop editions
Just days after Firefox 9 arrived for Mac, Windows and Linux, Mozilla has released the equivalent edition for Android devices. The revamped browser brings significant changes to the user interface for tablets, placing each tab as a thumbnail on the left edge of the screen while the open window is still displayed in full on the right.
If users switch to portrait orientation, the browser places tabs in a menu on the top left that hides out of view when not in use.
The new 'Action Bar' menu provides access to preferences, add-ons, downloads, forward-back navigation and bookmarks, among other features. Users can also quickly add one-touch bookmarks to the Android home screen.
Aside from the UI tweaks, Mozilla has also expanded support for HTML5 standards. Developers can now build websites and web-based apps that take advantage of the tablet or smartphone camera to take pictures, scan barcodes or perform other actions without leaving the browser.
Firefox 9 is now available as a free download from the Android Market.



