The new version of the BOLT mobile browser will include the ability to run Web
applications, commonly referred to as "widgets" or web apps. BOLT was named one of our top BlackBerry Storm and BlackBerry Tour apps, because the browsers is PC-like on all phones including BlackBerry smartphones. For Verizon customers who hate the default Bing search on their BlackBerry smartphones BOLT is a good solution. BOLT is also one of top apps for the LG Vu and Shine.
Since BOLT is a Web
browser that works on mobile phones of all types, the addition of Web
apps will give BOLT users increased functionality on their mobile
phones.
The new BOLT Widgets capability will be introduced in beta as
part of the forthcoming 1.7 version of BOLT, to be released to the
public at Mobile World Congress on February 15, 2010.
Although
BOLT already runs website-based applications written in Ajax,
Javascript and other Web programming languages, such as the popular
Facebook game Mafia Wars and Google Docs, the new Web apps will be
installed directly within BOLT and thus will load and execute even
faster. BOLT users will be able to discover, select and install
specific applications through the BOLT Widget Gallery. BOLT will
display an iconic list of all installed apps, allowing users to quickly
find and use them directly within BOLT.
BOLT is a server-assisted browser
that has been shown to have the most accurate page rendering of any
mobile browser in its class, receiving a perfect 100 percent in the
Acid3 page rendering test. Using this same cloud computing technology
to support Web applications allows BOLT to offer increased
functionality to the broad spectrum of devices BOLT already runs on,
even the most basic mobile phones.
"As many
of the recent mobile and wireless trade shows have demonstrated, mobile
applications are part of the mainstream mobile experience," said Sampo
Kaasila, vice president of research and development at Bitstream.
"However, the vast majority of phones in use today are 'feature phones'
not smartphones. Unfortunately for the users of these billions of
feature phones, it isn't easy to find, install and run mobile
applications. By adding Web apps to BOLT, Bitstream is not only
improving the usability of our mobile browser, we are also making it
possible for literally billions of people to partake in the mobile apps
revolution."
At its launch, Bitstream will have an initial set of sample
applications available in its Beta Widget Gallery. BOLT Web
applications are written as standard W3C widgets (www.w3.org/TR/widgets/), a standard with broad industry support.
Bitstream
will be showcasing its new version of BOLT to OEMs and Carriers at
Mobile World Congress in Barcelona from February 15 to February 18 in
booth number 1A70.
About BOLT:
BOLT
is compatible with the majority of the world's 4 billion mobile phones
and is built on a WebKit architecture that offers the most accurate
desktop-style page rendering of any mobile browser. BOLT's PC-level
Web support, patented split-screen viewing mode, intuitive keystroke
shortcuts and copy/paste functionality offer a user-friendly,
feature-rich mobile browsing experience on even entry-level mobile
phones