First Look: New mobile web browser – Deepfish!

Posted By: Larry Larsen | Mar 28th, 2007 @ 9:18 PM
Sorry to quash the irrational exuberance of suspected Zune and Halo 3 announcements, but this one is still big and you're getting it early. There’s a new web browser in town for Windows Mobile fans that goes by the name Deepfish. It runs technology borrowed from Sea Dragon, the imaging engine behind Photosynth.

It’s free and you won’t have to wait for an update to be pushed out through your cellular carrier to get it, you can download it now.

A bit about me and my phone: I’m a former diehard Sidekick user. I see a lot of people speculating about this phone and that phone, whether it will have map integration, GPS, games, MP3/video player, still/video camera, a nice graphics frontend, a good web browsing experience, and an open development platform. While they dream and speculate, I’m enjoying all of that right now.

I’ve got an HTC 8525 (w/ 2GB memory). Seamlessly syncing with my desktop Outlook, it’s the last thing I look at before going to bed (to see my schedule the next day), and the first thing I look at in the morning (as an alarm and to check email.) I can use a Bluetooth GPS to find my way around, and I have a similar Virtual Earth experience that I enjoy on my computer. I even see dynamic overlays of traffic, which is important if you live in a big city. I have a great interface when I turn it on, and now with Deepfish I have a great web experience with it too.

Because Windows Mobile is an open platform, I have Voice Control, VoIP, RSS reader, fullscreen touch keyboard, FTP client, my choice of instant messengers, and I can choose from thousands of other applications to fit any need I might have (or you could write your own, but that's for those Channel 9 guys.) I can stream all my videos, music and pictures from my home computer to my phone on the road. There are more games than I’ll ever have a chance to try, including a great MahJong game and a pixel perfect port of my favorite game of all time – X-Com. Soon, you'll even be able to use Windows Sidebar Gadgets on your phone.

One little switch opens the battery compartment. I have 3 spares (including a monster wart battery for long flights) and a charger at my desk to rotate them through so I can go days without even thinking about power. In a pinch, I can just plug in a standard old USB cable to charge my phone from any powered USB port.

But this is the best; when I’m on the road I can plug this cellphone up to my laptop to get mobile broadband.

So yes, I'm a Windows Mobile (and Deepfish) fan.
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#Mar 28th, 2007 @ 9:53 PM
sportsunit
sportsunit
wow... just downloaded this and it's amazing.  MS needes to get this photosynth/sea dragon technology into all of their products, including xbox 360 and Zune.  It's an amazing innovation that could quiet a lot of the anti-MS naysayers.  Anyway, thanks for putting me on to a fabolous new way of browsing on my Moto Q. 
#Mar 28th, 2007 @ 10:06 PM
yousuck
yousuck

Wow.... on10.net YOU SUCK..

WAY TO HYPE TWO OF THE GAYEST ANNOUNCEMENTS EVER>

Xbox Elite - No S hi T ... we've known for months weeeetards.

Browser on cellphones - WOOOOOOOOOOOOO nerds rejoice.

#Mar 28th, 2007 @ 10:09 PM
yousuck
yousuck

Wow...

way to hype the two ga yest announcements in the history of everything...

Xbox Elite - no sh it weve known for like 3 months ... ty for the SUPRISE?

Browser on phones...... -- WOOOO nerds Rejoice! Wait they don't even care.

#Mar 28th, 2007 @ 10:15 PM
Edge of Blade
Edge of Blade
Sorry to be a kill-joy, but if you can plug your phone into your laptop to get broadband, why not just open your laptop?  That's like using the phone on one side of my hip to forward a call through the phone on the other side of my hip.
#Mar 28th, 2007 @ 10:27 PM
Kirby
Kirby
I think you just hurt the sites reputation worse than if you hadnt said anything, just hyping to get more visits or soemthing,...
#Mar 28th, 2007 @ 10:45 PM
paulstorm
paulstorm

welp!  I certainly care.  Smiley  I let out an 'oooh' when I saw this post and quickly went to the download page.  Internet Explorer on WM 5 is just 'ok'.    Sadly...it appears it was so popular the beta quotient was filled and I wasn't able to download the new browser.  Sad

Bummer.

Glad to see some fresh new technology coming out of Microsoft's Live Labs group!

#Mar 28th, 2007 @ 11:08 PM
Larry
Larry
I'm checking on when the beta will be expanded. Will let you know ASAP.
#Mar 28th, 2007 @ 11:22 PM
Einchy
Einchy
Wow, I just had to sing up to say that this is total BS.  I can't fathom why you would hype both things and then it being such a waist of time and space.  An Xbox that we knew was real for months now?  And now this phone that no one cares about?  After seing that Tina Wood and Laura Foy were worked here I was stoked scense I loved to watch them on G4.  But after this total Bull * you call "coolest Microsoft annoucements since CES" just makes me want to kill all of you.  Stick this *ing news up your ass you *ing hyping mother *ers.