Posted 10/06/09 at 08:01:38 PM by Ryan Whitwam

Perhaps after seeing the lackluster selection in Blackberry App World, RIM decided to change it up a bit. The Blackberry maker has announced a new web-based Software Development Kit (SKD). The Widget SDK will utilize the Blackberry browser engine to render apps using HTML, CSS, and Javascript languages.

Existing web content can be brought to the surface easily in the form of an always-on widget. The widgets will have full access to the operating system via the Widget API. Apps would be able to take advantage of the email system to display messages, location-based services, and the Blackberry’s push notifications system, just to name a few.

The new Blackberry Widgets will be distributed via the Blackberry App World interface. Unfortunately, all the live widget running goodness will only be available on Blackberry OS 5.0 or greater. When official, 5.0 will include an enhanced browser (finally), and support for both SQlite and the Widget API.

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Posted 09/11/08 at 03:49:17 AM by Pulkit Chandna

Opera Software has been formally initiated into the Symbian Foundation, the body that now oversees the development of the Symbian platform. Opera isn’t the only new initiate as some other companies including Sharp have also joined the Symbian Forum. Nokia decided to turn Symbian into an open-source platform, governed by a consortium, after it bought the remaining shares in UK-based Symbian earlier this year. More than 40 companies have joined the consortium since its inception in June, 2008. Opera Software, for its part, has emerged as a major player in the world of mobile web browsers. It will be an important cog in the Symbian wheel.

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Posted 09/10/08 at 06:49:03 PM by Pulkit Chandna

Nvidia and Opera have teamed up to provide a rich web browsing experience on mobile platforms. Nvidia will now provide “an optimized Opera 9.5 browser in its suite of pre-integrated, in-house and third-party software for the NVIDIA Tegra family of computer-on-chip Windows Mobile and Windows CE solutions.”

The alliance will provide a highly fulfilling browsing experience for the user’s delectation. As Nvidia’s Tegra chip has media acceleration and integrated GPU, the Opera 9.5 browser running on it will be able to support accelerated vector graphics and video content. The browser will also support JavaScript.

The web browsing experience currently available on most smartphones leaves a lot to be desired. But browsing on mobile devices is destined for a considerable leap in the near future as success of mobile devices is beginning to rest heavily on the browsing experience they offer.

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Posted 06/30/08 at 04:11:19 PM by Pulkit Chandna

“The wait is (almost) over,” offers the official Opera Mobile blog excitedly. Opera Mobile 9.5 is finally coming to Windows Mobile phones. But most users still remain skeptical of Opera’s fresh release claim as the browser’s release has been procrastinated on several occasions already. Anyways, Opera Mobile 9.5 for Windows Mobile is currently going through a release testing phase and the first beta version of the browser will be available on July 15th.

The Opera Mobile 9.5 browser runs on the same browser engine as the desktop version of the browser and this, according to Opera Software, is the reason for the delay in its release. Surprisingly, there is still no word of the Symbian version.

Not everyone, of course, has had to endure the excruciatingly long wait for the browser as some have got their hands on the Opera Mobile 9.5-bearing HTC Touch Diamond or a version ripped from the cellphone.

We leave you with this comment from an anonymous, incredulous user on the official Opera blog: “And why would anyone believe this date after what they pulled with that last blog entry? July 15th may mean November 15th from previous experience. And we won't hear back from them until September.”

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