Firefox OS Smartphones Launching, But Will Anyone Buy One? 127
Nerval's Lobster writes "Mozilla and its hardware partners have begun launching the first Firefox OS smartphones, starting with Spain's Telefonica releasing the ZTE Open later this week. A lightweight mobile OS based on HTML5, Firefox OS (once known as 'Boot to Gecko') offers a user interface instantly familiar to anyone who's used Google Android or Apple iOS: in addition to home-screens of individual apps arranged on a grid, features include messaging, email, built-in social-networking, maps, and the Firefox Web browser. There's also Firefox Marketplace, an online storefront of HTML5 apps; early apps include Twitter, Facebook, AccuWeather, and a handful of games. But can Firefox OS make any headway in a mobile-device crowded with options? At this February's Mobile World Congress, Mozilla claimed that some 17 operators around the world have committed to the Firefox OS initiative, including China Unicom, Sprint, MegaFon, and the Telecom Italia Group. But many of those operators released rather ambiguous statements about whether they would launch an actual Firefox OS smartphone. Tony Cripps, principal device analyst at Ovum, wrote in a research note earlier this year that 'the real acid test for Firefox OS and its long-term prospects is the quality of the software itself and the user and developer experiences that it fosters.' In other words, Mozilla and its partners need to produce some quality devices, paired with a variety of spectacular apps. Some early reviews of the ZTE Open weren't good, to put it mildly, with The Verge citing: 'unremarkable hardware' and a 'laggy' OS. But that doesn't mean future phones can't go toe-to-toe against anything else on the market, provided Mozilla and its partners provide solid support and marketing."
NSA? (Score:3, Funny)
Does the NSA app come pre-installed, or do I have to download it?
Introducing the new Slashdot Phone! (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:Oh thank ${DIETY} (Score:5, Funny)
${DIETY} - Use of an undefined higher being found at line 0. Did you forget to feed it?
Fartfox (Score:2, Funny)
Re:NSA? (Score:2, Funny)
Does the NSA app come pre-installed, or do I have to download it?
It's the only app available at this time. More to come soon!
Re:Introducing the new Slashdot Phone! (Score:5, Funny)
Bug report: On my Slashdot phone, I will often receive a duplicate phone call a couple days after I receive the first one.