Firefox 4.0 GUI Evolution

Firefox 4.0, the next major release of Mozilla’s open source browser, will bring to the table a major overhaul of its graphical user interface, one that would put the UI in line the Windows 7 Ribbon/Fluent style. Mozilla has already made public details on the revamping of the Firefox User interface for version 4.0, and various concepts and sketches have been already published. However, Firefox 4.0 developer Stephen Horlander has now offered two video demonstrations featuring Firefox 4.0’s new GUI available here and here. For the best viewing experience possible users should run Firefox 3.6 (download links available at the bottom of this article).

“In addition to the UI and appearance changes we have been exploring for Firefox, we have also been exploring how to better improve the user experience through animation,” Horlander stated. “One area that animation would be very beneficial is with tab interactions. Specifically moving/arranging tabs on the tab strip, closing/opening tabs and tearing off tabs into new windows. Presently the feedback here isn’t as good or as elegant as it could be.”

Both videos are extremely short and users will have to watch carefully in order to witness the advances in terms of animation and tab functionality that Mozilla is cooking for Firefox 4.0. In the first video, Horlander clicks on the New Tab button. Subsequently, it is the tab button itself that grows and “gives birth” to the new tab. The second video offered is designed to illustrate the changes introduced to standard Firefox tab behavior such as rearranging tabs. At the same time, users will be able to watch how Firefox 4.0 will react when a tab is torn-off.

“Some of the goals for animation are to make browsing feel faster, adding visual affordances that makes tasks more understandable and to make the browser more visually appealing. There is much more detail on the Wiki articles linked above. My goal was to quickly demo how this would actually look and feel because still images and wireframes can only convey so much,” Horlander added.

Most importantly, the videos both feature the new Firefox 4.0 GUI, which just as the Windows 7 Ribbon/Fluent user interface, no longer features the classical menu. Instead, Firefox 4.0 will offer the App Button which will open the way to the Menu items. As you can see, Firefox 4.0 will also feature a reduced Title Bar, and re-arranged tabs, to a new position, above the address bar.

 

www.softpedia.com

Google planning to launch application store for businesses

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal via CNET.com, Google is preparing an online store in which it will sell third-party business software to Google Apps customers.

Google's store could arrive as early as March with the works of third-party developers available as enhancements to Google's office productivity software suite, allowing Gmail and Google Docs users to purchase add-ons for features too specialized for the mainstream Google Apps product.

Google already has a similar solution in the form of the Google Solutions Marketplace (GSM). The difference is that GSM lists third-party software for both Google Apps and Enterprise Search, but it does not let the user buy the applications directly from Google.

Google was only able to issue this statement, "The Google Solutions Marketplace makes it easy for our customers to connect with an ecosystem of products and professional services. We're constantly working with our partners to deliver more solutions to businesses, but we have nothing to announce at this time."

The report also states that developers would share the revenue with Google. While a specific breakdown was not indicative, one can speculate that Google will employ a model similar to the Apple and Google mobile application stores (which would translate to about 70% of the revenue going to the developer).

 

www.neowin.net