Iris Browser for Windows Mobile

[phones]

The Iris Browser is a new, Webkit-based web browser for Windows Mobile devices running versions 5 or 6. It is now available for download on Windows Mobile while remaining fast and resource efficient.It will be competing against the other juggernauts that already crowd the WM landscape. Version 1.1.8 provides for faster networking and loading of local files with improved graphics performance. It looks promising and may possibly live up to being one of the better browsers on the WM platform.

The browser looks like a rather nice solution, and it might prove to be able to deliver a nice experience to those that will choose to use it. It offers a number of enhancements, including big performance gains, support for the Flash Lite ActiveX control, reduced memory usage, preliminary RSS and SVG support, the highest Acid3 score of any shipping mobile browser, and HTC accelerometer support.One more thing that should be added is that the company recommends the Iris Browser to be used on devices that feature a 400MHz CPU or higher, coupled with at least 128MB of RAM.

It seems that 200MHz processors coupled with 64MB of RAM are also able to handle the software solution.Most notably to end users, the refreshed browser now provides Flash support by way of a plugin that converts the Flash Lite ActiveX control into an Iris Browser plugin. The end result is that when you browse to Flash-enabled pages, you will see a black image with a play button which you can click to optionally see the Flash content.

[Pugsly]

The Iris Browser is an iPhone like browser and has the revolutionary technology that allows you to access the full Web on resource-constrained devices and get the same functionality as you would on a PC.It is highly compliant, too, scoring a 100/100 on Acid3 with only a couple of minor rendering glitches. Those glitches are related to fonts, where they deliberately cut some corners for better performance.

Iris is also highly compatible with iPhone websites, the company reports.It uses the WebKit rendering engine, and offers Advanced HTML and CSS support.The browser has been tested on a variety of Windows Mobile 5 and 6 devices, including Classic and Professional (Smartphone, PocketPC) editions, and we recommend 400MHz CPU and 128MB of RAM at this time, though it is known to work well on 200MHz processors and 64MB devices.

You can download this browser from the company's official site that is torchmobile.com where you need to fill up a simple registration form before downloading.

[Gonzo]

Even devices with less memory are capable of browsing much larger pages now, and our use of memory on these pages is reduced in almost every case. Iris has some great features like:-

• Advanced security features
• Pop-Up blockers
• Fast, Powerful WebKit JavaScript(R) and HTML Rendering Engine
• Touch Screen Key or Mouse Cursor Control with Zoom Functionality
• Multiple Windows and Tabs
• Global Language Support
• Customizable Interface with Unique Personalized Special Effects Abilities
• RSS, SVG, XML, and Plugin Support including Flash Lite(TM)
• Advanced Security Features including SSL and Authenticated Proxy Support
• WML and XHTML Mobile Profile Support
• Zoom and Tap page navigation
• Multiple windows and tabs
• Software mouse cursor