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View Full Version : Finally A Tabbed Browser!


T3_slider
10-21-2006, 01:13 PM
Well, dreams do come true. Sort of.

I noticed over at PalmAddicts that there is now a TABBED browser available called Minuet available at PalmGear. See here: http://www.palmgear.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=software.showsoftware&PartnerREF=&siteid=1&catid=0&area=software.newupdated&searchtitle=Search%20Results&searchterm=&step=1&orderby=modificationdate&direction=asc&userid=0&prodid=126634

I reinstalled the JavaVM (after uninstalling it because of the disappointing browsing experience from Opera Mini) and, after a little difficulty, installed Minuet (I think you're supposed to install the Minuet prc, which I did, but for some reason it would display "Searching for Cookies" or something like that and then exited every time. So I used the WebSphere JavaVM to install the jad like the Minuet User Guide shows -- using the first link http://www.triprince.com/minuetpda.jad -- and it worked, launching it from the WebSphere environment OR from the main launcher. For some reason the original prc didn't like me enough to work, but did when I installed the .jad file.).

Well, I can truly say it IS tabbed (multiple pages can download in the background while opening or viewing another page), and the tabbed part actually worked quite well (although images took a while to download). Unfortunately though, many pages just wouldn't be displayed. Without even making an effort to download the pages, Minuet would simply say it couldn't connect (This happened with 1src and TamsPalm -- didn't do an extensive test). Simpler pages downloaded nicely, although it is so reformatted that it looks like crap (and the images look TERRIBLE, whether viewed in their native size or not).

It reminds me of an Opera-like browsing experience, only worse. Also, sometimes tapping (or double-tapping I guess) didn't work and I had to use the 5-way nav select button to launch pages. Also, JavaScript is absent from this release. And for some reason I could minimize the DIA for a while and the program would resize perfectly, but after a while it just maximized again and wouldn't go down.

All-in-all, I would say this is a step in the right direction because of tabbed browsing. However, I am probably going to uninstall this program in an hour or so because to me it is unuseable (as was Opera). Maybe other browsers that actually render pages well could use this implementation of tabbed browsing as an example -- then we might finally have a good browser.

Happy browsing!

dkirker
10-22-2006, 03:21 AM
There will also be another tabbed browser on the market shortly...

billegal
10-22-2006, 05:40 AM
How about some details? Is it the Picsel Browser or something else? When do you think it will be released? Who is making it?

Church Punk
10-22-2006, 06:48 AM
it DOESNT work on my TX well

holvoetn
10-22-2006, 03:05 PM
T3_slider, I am having troubles running this on my T3.
Exactly what did you install for the Java VM part ?

FWIW I have Opera running fine so I am a bit surprised Minuet does not ...

Edit: forget it. I see you had the same problem I have. Installing the jad version solved it for you ? Will try that ...

holvoetn
10-22-2006, 03:09 PM
There will also be another tabbed browser on the market shortly...Which one ? I am curious to know ...

dkirker
10-22-2006, 03:54 PM
Details:
*I make it
*Does not require Java (so, technically, it will be the first *real* PalmOS web browser with tabbed support)
*Has some cool features (and some will be added shortly after release)
*Beta details to appear in a few days.

If all goes well, beta should last a week, followed by a good release.

I won't say that it is the perfect when it comes to page rendering (yet, since it does not support css), but, I think it handles sites better than Minuet.

T3_slider
10-22-2006, 04:13 PM
Details:
*I make it
*Does not require Java (so, technically, it will be the first *real* PalmOS web browser with tabbed support)
*Has some cool features (and some will be added shortly after release)
*Beta details to appear in a few days.
Ah yes, I forgot about your browser (you mentioned it in another thread). Sounds good...can't wait.

ptmin
10-22-2006, 04:15 PM
pm me for beta testing if you will
P

bh77a
10-22-2006, 04:25 PM
dkirker,

Sounds very interesting. Definitely looking forward to seeing it. If you need a beta tester with a TX, let me know.

dkirker
10-22-2006, 09:53 PM
Details are available at http://www.wapuniverse.com/. Also at the site are details for beta testing.

Thanks and Enjoy!

-Donald

holvoetn
10-23-2006, 03:10 PM
T3_slider, can you give me the exact installation sequence for Minuet ? I just can not get it to work ... it always reverts to the launcher after a minute or so, even when having installed the .jad version ...

I think I'll have to wait for Universe before I can review something ;)

MetaView
10-23-2006, 03:59 PM
Donald, I'm glad to see it coming to my Palm :-)

T3_slider
10-23-2006, 06:52 PM
T3_slider, can you give me the exact installation sequence for Minuet ? I just can not get it to work ... it always reverts to the launcher after a minute or so, even when having installed the .jad version ...
Here goes. :-)

First, install the IBM JVM (I assume you have already done so since you said you have Opera running fine). One key thing (this may be causing the problem): Make sure you install "j9secpol.prc" (provided with Minuet) -- this is some sort of add-on to the IBM JVM which allows Minuet to work. This MUST be installed. Also, make sure you have installed "fileconnect.prc" that came with the IBM JVM (it should be called fileconn if you look at your Palm RAM contents using a file browser). As far as I know, these two files cannot be installed from an SD card (they won't work properly -- the JVM files didn't install properly from an SD card when I tried Opera so long ago). You can HotSync or use PilotInstall or Palm File Browser or something similar (I've tried the three listed and it all worked).

Now that the JVM is completely installed (including the extra files), install "Minuet Browser.prc". Go ahead and try to launch it -- it will probably freeze your Palm or exit to the launcher or something similar (if it freezes, soft reset). If it works, great. If it doesn't, go to the IBM WebSphere program and click the Install button. Enter the following URL: http://www.triprince.com/minuetpda.jad and install it (if it errors and says it was expecting one file size and got another, exit and try installing again).

I used custom settings for Minuet in the IBM JVM Prefs entry. I left "Use high resolution coordinates" UNCHECKED and I also left "Use Double Buffering" UNCHECKED. I experienced a crash with both checked, so I was just lazy and instead of experimenting I simply unchecked both of them. I also set the "Memory Maximum" and the "Maximum Java Thread Stack Size" to the highest values (This is probably important since the program has tabs and is supposedly multi-tasking).

I then launched the program from the IBM WebSphere program and got it running. I then exited and tried the PRC file and it magically worked.

Hope that helps -- if it doesn't I can try and figure something else out.

It seems like a heck of an install sequence for a crappy program, but I suppose everyone should try it out since it's a landmark program. I will mention that it is uninstalled from my device (as I said it would be), and I think $19.99 US is a ridiculous price for its limited functionality (although I complement the programmer(s) for actually releasing a Palm version and incorporating tabbed viewing). But to each his/her own I guess.

Antoine
10-23-2006, 10:36 PM
Intereting in these two browsers. While I am not a fan of the java implementation on the PalmOS, it seems one of the few ways that some of the mewere browser-based programs will see the light of day on the PalmOS. Minuet is supposed to be a pretty good browser alternative for the BB set, so it chould be interesting.

As for Universe, the fact that it is a native PalmOS app appeals to me. Even if it were nearly buggy, I would probably do what I could to ditch Blazer in order to use Universe. Besides the technologies that it supports as being on point for what any mobile browser should support, it should at least give a few of us 650 users a reason to hold on (a bit) long to our devices. Faster wireless connections would make that browser shine very easily. As a designer/developer, I just cannot wait to be actually be able to test the sites that I write on my device with a fully capable browser (and then Blazer does do well with its optimized mode a bit better than some).

All in all, this is neat for the PalmOS, I cannot wait to see what comes of these.

alegra
10-25-2006, 05:35 AM
Details:
*Does not require Java (so, technically, it will be the first *real* PalmOS web browser with tabbed support)


Well, there is PalmSource's Web Browser 3.0 for Cobalt, but I don't know if we should call it "real". :)

dkirker
10-25-2006, 09:33 AM
While PalmSource's Web Browser 3 was the true first, it was released on a platform that crashed before it took off, so it was never publicly available beyond developer simulator use.

So, my quote could be changed to:
*Does not require Java (so, technically, it will be the first *real* publicly available PalmOS web browser with tabbed support)

If you wanted to get technical, but now the quote has too many words in it :)