16
Jan

Firefox 4.0 beta 10pre available

After the release of the final Firefox 4 beta 9 the new beta 10 pre (4.0b10pre) is available from the nightly downloads.

It looks like 10 or 11 will be the last beta, after that Mozilla will release from one to three release candidate (RC) versions. After RC versions follows the actual release of Firefox 4.0, which the Firefox public has been waiting for more than half a year. This gives add-on developers a little more time to update or upgrade their add-ons to work with FF4 branch as well.

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10
Jan

SunSpider JavaScript benchmark results in my browsers

Since I am testing Firefox4b9pre if it can replace my Firefox 3.6 as primary browser Ihave decided to make a series of benchmark tests on the latest versions of my installed browsers. I have done Acid3 test a month ago, now I’m doing SunSpider 0.9 and 0.9.1. Note that I am using latest version of the browser available with the exception of Internet Explorer, where I use an outdated version 6.

Here are the results of SunSpider 0.9 on my browsers:

  • Firefox 3.6.13: 1125.8ms +/- 2.0%
  • Firefox 4.0b9pre /Jan 7th, 2011): 393.0ms +/- 10.4%
  • Chrome 10.0.628.0 dev: 794.4ms +/- 17.8%
  • Internet Explorer 6.0.2900.5512.xpsp_sp3_qfe.100427-1650: 38636.2ms +/- 10.2%

And here are the results of SunSpider 0.9.1:

  • Firefox 3.6.13: 1652.7ms +/- 28.0%
  • Firefox 4.0b9pre /Jan 7th, 2011): 437.7ms +/- 10.9%
  • Chrome 10.0.628.0 dev: 428.0ms +/- 8.2%
  • Internet Explorer 6.0.2900.5512.xpsp_sp3_qfe.100427-1650: didn’t finish the test (error interpreting javascript)

I can interpret these results in the way that Firefox4 seems the fastest. In SunSpider 0.9.1, however, Chrome won the contest, which is interesting – it’s the only browser that needed less time to finish the new version of SunSpider than the older one.

It’s a great result that new browsers are so much better on these benchmarks as the older ones. I hope that the future brings even faster browser, but not only on the test – preferably in the real life use as well.


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4
Jan

Install paid apps from Android Market

Currently, there are only 32 countries in the world where Android users see (and can buy) applications from Android Market. All the rest of us can see only free applications – we don’t see paid apps and we can’t buy, download and install them. At least, not by default.

In order to get access to paid apps you have to trick your phone (or Google). The Market app knows from the SIM card which is your country. So if there was a way to falsificate this info, the Market wouldn’t tell you from a user from another country. Fortunately, there is a way – and a really easy one to perform.

All you have to do is download (yes, from the ‘free’ Market) an application named MarkerEnabler (with a big green ME icon). Install it, run it and first save your current settings. On the first tab, click on ‘Save current settings’ button. Then select the second tab (Setting list) and long click on any of the providers listed. A new selection should open, where select ‘fake this provider now’. And that’s it! Check the change by opening the first tab (Actual) again and you will see that the value of gsm.sim.operator.numeric has changed.

Open the Market, search for the application you’re missing, and find it! You will see that you are able to find it, click on it and even buy and install it. Buying is done through Google Checkout, so you might have to update your credit card details if you haven’t done so on your computer.

After you have installed the desired apps there is no reason to fake the provider. Open MarketEnabler again, this time click the ‘Restore settings’ button and your saved settings will be restored to what they were.


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