Hasta La Gadget!

Yesterday, Mozilla launched Firefox 16 to much fanfare. A little more than 24 hours later, it pulled the installer from its website, citing a security vulnerability that was identified. According to the notice published by Mozilla, the installer will be available again tomorrow, in addition to the automatic update that will fix the issue for those who have already instead it.

According to Mozilla, the vulnerability could potentially allow a malicious website to pinpoint the websites users have visited, and gain access to the URL or its parameters. Per the notice Mozilla published, the company has received “no indication that this vulnerability is currently being exploited in the wild.” Users who have already downloaded Firefox 16 are encouraged to either rollback to version 15.0.1, or to avoid using the browser until after the fix is released.

Firefox 16 offers several new features, most of which are aimed at developers. One such feature is the Developer Command Line, which provides keyboard control over the Developer Tools. Other features include CSS3 Animations, Image Values, IndexedDB, Transitions, and Transforms.

New features for the average consumer includes VoiceOver support for Mac OS X users and web app support for all three operating system versions of the browser. The Firefox app for Android will include a new reader mode, which allows users to hide browser elements for distraction-free reading. You can check out all the release notes here.

[via Mozilla]

Firefox 16 is temporarily suspended due to security vulnerability is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Mozilla knows how to keep on the fast track. Just weeks after the Firefox 16 beta first showed, the finished version is ready and waiting. Surprises are few if you were an early adopter, although the update still has some welcome changes for the right audiences. Mozilla is most keen to talk about preliminary web app support for the Mozilla Marketplace, but you’ll also find device-specific additions like a Reader Mode for the Android flock and VoiceOver support automatically switched on for Macs. More responsive JavaScript and on-by-default Opus audio playback give existing surfers extra reasons to upgrade. Firefox 16 is immediately available through all the usual channels, so hit the relevant source link if you’re ready to live on the not-quite-bleeding edge.

Filed under: Internet, Software

Firefox 16 final launches with Reader on Android, VoiceOver on Macs and web app support originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Firefox 15 is barely fresh off the vine, and we’re already looking at a beta version 16 for both desktop platforms and Android. Mozilla’s test release builds in the first support for web apps that play nicely with the Mozilla Marketplace; as long as titles have a slight amount of extra formatting, they can slot into Firefox without hiccups. More treats exist if you’re running certain platforms: the Android crowd receives a Safari-style Reader Mode that strips out the fluff from pages, while Mac users see the once test-only VoiceOver support flipped on by default to improve accessibility. Even developers get a little something special through a quick-access toolbar and more readily accessible CSS4 scripting. If any of this sounds tempting, there’s a pair of source links waiting for your attention.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software

Firefox 16 beta arrives with web app hooks, Reader Mode for Android and VoiceOver for Macs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 30 Aug 2012 17:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mozilla has been keeping to a tight schedule of having a completed Firefox release every five to six weeks, and it’s very much on track. The browser team’s Ehsan Akhgari has confirmed that a properly polished version of Firefox 15 should reach the download servers on August 29th. When it does arrive, the new release will primarily expand the silent updates that Windows users first saw in Firefox 12: future iterations on all platforms will install themselves in the background and should be truly ready to go the next time the browser starts. Beyond this deliberately subtle change, the finished version 15 upgrade should still support Opus audio as well as clamp down on out-of-control memory use from add-ons. We’re looking forward to not noticing the differences very shortly.

Update: Although it’s not on the front page yet, both Mozilla, reader Josh and this writer can confirm that Firefox 15 is rolling out sooner than expected — there’s no reason to wait.

Update 2: It’s now easier to get a stand-alone copy if you’re not updating, since Mozilla just updated the Firefox front page to reflect the new version. Android users are also getting an update through Google Play that brings earlier speed updates to tablets, a personalized start page and a whole host of extra fixes, some of which come directly from the desktop Firefox 15.

Filed under: Internet, Software

Firefox 15 to arrive in finished form on August 29th, promises truly stealthy updates for all (update 2: stand-alone, Android too) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Can’t bear to part with your favorite browser extensions, but can’t stand to see them devour your system memory? Maybe you should check out Firefox 15. According to Mozilla’s Hacks blog, the browser’s latest beta should patch up the majority of memory leaks gushing from Firefox add-ons. Also new, is the beta’s support for Opus, a free audio format partially supported by Mozilla. The firm hopes competing browsers will pick up the format as well, calling it “as good or better than basically all existing lossy codecs.” The blog makes quite a case for the format, citing tests and bitrate information, going as far as giving instructions on embedding Opus players in web pages. Check out the codec of tomorrow for yourself at the source links below.

Filed under: Internet, Software

Firefox 15 beta boasts support for Opus audio format, reduces add-on memory leaks originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Jul 2012 08:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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