Wednesday, April 22, 2009

review @ whatsoniphone.com AND appBank.net [UPDATE x3]

hey there,

UPDATE 3:
my 2.5 update is now available in iTunes

NEW: fgBrowser gets a configuration panel under general settings with following settings:

  • enable / disable Scroll-To-Top feature (tap on the top scrolls to the top of the page)
  • enable / disable Scroll-To-Bottom feature (tap on the bottom scrolls to the bottom of the page)
  • force language of google search (Upon request from Hong Kong)
  • enable / disable "remember last orientation" --> this feature allows you to use fgBrowser as a landscape browser. With this option enabled fgBrowser remembers your last orientation and the autorotation state. After starting fgBrowser a short flashing lock/unlock icon informs you about the current autorotation state (enabled = open lock or disabled = closed lock). (Upon request from Japan. They like to browse always in landscape mode)
  • saving pictures -> double tap on the image to zoom in and press "sleep/wake button" and home button together. You will see a short white flashing of the screen, and your image will be saved under the camera roll (works in every fgBrowser version)
Bugfix: Javascript caused new window links will now also open.

a minor update making the history swipe gestures customize-able is in progress and the possibility to stop loading, by simply touching the loading indicator.
I'm also working on adBlock,Google and URL suggestions, a cache system

Thank you for supporting fgBrowser - the first multitouch fullscreen browser out there.
Spread the word :)
/UPDATE 3

UPDATE:
A new Japanese review: AppBank.net Thank you!

if you like to read another fgBrowser review, just look over to whatsoniphone.com ...

Quick Take

Value: High a the current price
Would I Buy Again: Absolutely
Learning Curve: Medium- visit the developer page and become fmailiar with the gestures before you start using it
Who Is It For: People who do a lot of browsing on the iPhone
What I Like: fullscreen, multitouch works well
What I Don’t: requires learning new approach to site navigation, need to be able to tap the screen with various numbers of fingers to browse- would not have been usable in the first months after my wrist surgery

Final Statement: I REALLY like this browser. It is the first 3rd Party browser I will actually use.



thanks for that great review, although you forgot to mention the fast 2 finger up swipe autorotation lock ;)

cya soon, with fresh updates :)

Sunday, April 19, 2009

fgBrowser 2.0 is approved

UPDATE
Apple has just approved my "fgBrowser - multitouch fullscreen web browser" 2.0. and
"fgB Private Room - a multitouch fullscreen web browser".
I hope you enjoy the new features and improved speed. I've changed the name so everybody knows that they do not have to shake their lovely iPhones for fullscreen browsing.

Some people asked for a "private" one, and why there are 2 versions of fgBrowser:

So let me explain:
It is hard to make a private browser and a "history" able browser in one app. Not because it would be hard to code. Noo! It is hard because you (as a user) can't really distinguish if you are now surfing private or not.
So if you wan't to surf to some adult sites, just start fgB Private. For all other sites just use your normal fgBrowser!

so long.... spread the word :-)
/UPDATE

Thank you for so many very good reviews. I wanna say thank you! You guys blown my mind away! There is also a review at a Swiss blog (in German language) : http://www.iphone-blog.ch

I hope you spread the word, about a really handy gesture fullscreen browser, which replaces now for so many people around the world, after only 2 weeks in AppStore, the old "default" Safari.

The fgBrowser's philosophy:
"make things as fast as possible to use in a very convenient and cool way..."

I've prepared the next update (2.5) already. It features a "scroll to top" function like everybody knows of safari and speed improvements as well (again ;-) ).

cu :-)

Sunday, April 12, 2009

first update

happy easter everyone!

I'm very happy to announce the first update for BOTH gesture based fullscreen browsers fgBrowser (the white one) and fgB Private (the red one).

NEW
- upon many many many requests: a better visible loading indicator
- editable titles for the bookmarks (url as well, if you have to tweak something...)

IMPROVEMENTS
- browsing should be a bit faster (hard to measure - I know)
- bookmark scrolling way faster
- readability of bookmarks improved
- little bug fixes
- smaller memory footprint (internal stuff)

If you got any problems, please don't hesitate to write a comment or drop a mail. I really do care about your best mobile browsing satisfaction, so let me just know!


the update will be available as soon as apple approves it. (Usually about a week)

again happy easter :-)

PS: this ist the last update for iPhone OS 2.0.
The next one will require at least iPhone OS 2.2. Because there are internal improvements of 2.2 which I'm going to use, to make surfing even more fun & fast :-)

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

fgB Private - private room web browser


This is the first PRIVATE FULLSCREEN and GESTURE based browser exclusively for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The whole internet just a flick with your finger away. LAUNCH - PROMO!

Stay always private. Just press the home button. All traces are wiped out immediately!!!!
You have the ability to set bookmarks with those cute little icons (FAVICON), a default homepage and much more!

fgBrowser supports many different kind of gestures to give you the control over your browser. To get started touch your screen with 3 fingers at once... This brings your bookmark and search and url screen up immediately...

Don't waste the space. Use every inch of your display and gain about 40% more visible space of your website.

One of the BEST things about fgBrowser is: No need to shake your device to get to the functions.
Just use the built in GESTURES or touch with 3 fingers simultaneously!

To perform a 2 finger swipe you don't have to be fast or super kind... You only have to perform a swipe for about an half inch with 2 fingers. (see screenshot)
Important: Move your fingers this half inch parallel. Because otherwise it will be interpreted as "pinch zoom"! If you have any further question, go and visit my blog: matthiasgasser.blogspot.com feel free to post any inquiry there in the comments.

Features:

- fullscreen and snappier -> fast)
- no long time history, really private browsing with bookmarks
- several gestures with visual feedback
-> 2 finger swipe left: session history back
-> 2 finger swipe right: session history forward
-> 2 finger swipe up: disable/enable accelerometer (for your convenience in bed ;) )
-> 2 finger swipe down: bring up a menu with several options (add/remove bookmark, send link via email, open in safari, set as homepage)
- session history -> use gestures to navigate back and forward
- you may add bookmarks
- view them by date
- or view them by hit count
- fast edit mode
- displays favicons beside bookmark for to give you a stunning bookmark feeling
- real Google MOBILE Search. You see the results probably formatted for your iPhone.
- opens automatically your homepage (set via 2 finger swipe down gesture)
- email current page
- for your convenience: open in safari
- statusbar visible in bookmark view (for eg. time, batterie info, wireless status)
- styled program icon ;)
- no need for shaking your iPhone / iPod

- much more to come ...

INSTRUCTIONS:

Touch with 3 fingers anywhere at the screen to open the bookmark screen. There you may enter a url, start a google search. Or just tap on a site your favorite site. To add a bookmark use the 2 finger swipe down gesture and select "add to favs". If you like to remove a bookmark you may do so by using the swipe gesture again, or hit the edit button in the bookmark view.

Your bookmarks a sorted 2 different ways:

Hit - Count: Every time you visit a bookmark the hit-counter increases by one -> Ordered by hit-count -> Higher hit-counter on top
Date: Your bookmarks ordered by last access date/time.

For every visit the bookmark gets a higher rank in the "Hit Count" view.
You may view your visited pages historically by visit date. So you use the "Date" view.
I've you like certain websites you may add it to your "Favs" view either by using the "2-finger-swipe-down" gesture or you switch in the "Edit" mode and just tap on each page you like.

The date under the page title shows your very last visit date of the particular page. The number in the bracelets represents the hit-count
GESTURES:

3 finger down: open bookmark and url / google screen
2 finger swipe left: go one page back
2 finger swipe right: go one page forward
2 finger swipe up: de- or activate the accelerometer (if you use the browser in a horizontal position)
2 finger swipe down: bring a action menu for the current page up (add to favs, email this page, open in safari, set as homepage)

fgBrowser - multitouch fullscreen webbrowser

It features a very fast user interface supported by several multitouch gestures.

Unlike other fullscreen browsers you DO NOT HAVE TO SHAKE your iPhone! (this is very convenient especially at public places or in bed beside your partner)

ON SALE!!

The whole user interface is optimized for a very fast and convenient browsing experience. It got innovative bookmark and history screens. The built in google search uses the mobile google search, unlike the safari which fires the desktop google site up.

USER OPINIONS

"I tested all of the fullscreen browser, and I thought this one was the best. Simple Interface, fast operation, and responsive developer. I'm sticking with this one."

"Truly a groundbreaking browser! Great features"

"This has everything I've been looking for in a fullscreen browser! TRULY FULLSCREEN!! No stupid icon to click on to bring up the URL field. Very intuitive gesture commands, Accelerometer disable option!"

Thank you guys!

FEATURES

- saving pictures -> double tap on the image to zoom in and press "sleep/wake button" and home button together. You will see a short white flashing of the screen, and your image will be saved under the camera roll - snappier fullscreen browsing
- built in gestures
- 3 finger down: open up the URL, bookmark, history, Google screen
- 2 finger swipe left: history back (session history)
- 2 finger swipe right: history forward (session history)
- 2 finger swipe up: un/lock in the current orientation and enable/disable autorotation
- 2 finger swipe down: bring up a menu with:
-> add/remove bookmark, email this page, open in safari, reload

- scroll to top / bottom -> just tap on the top or the bottom of your screen
- force language of google search
- option to use as permanent landscape browser (just customize under the general settings)
- easy to view history, ordered by last visit date
- easy to view history, ordered by hit count
- easy to view bookmarks, ordered by hit count
- loading indicator in the lower right corner
- all entries EDITABLE
- all entries with that cute little FAVICONS (little icons most website have)
- built in "Mobile Google" search
- opens automatically your last site after reopening
- statusbar visible in bookmark view (for time, battery info, network status)
- memory saving browser, perfect companion for gaming
- Setting Pane (look under general settings, and below)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Touch with 3 fingers anywhere at the screen to open the bookmark screen. There you may enter a url, start a google search. Or just tap on a site your favorite site. There is no need to add a bookmark manually. Every page you surf to, shows automatically up.

For every visit the bookmark gets a higher rank in the "Hit Count" view.
You may view your visited pages historically by visit date. So you use the "Date" view. I've you like certain websites you may add it to your "Favs" view either by using the "2-finger-swipe-down" gesture or you switch in the "Edit" mode and just tap on each page you like. Fav-pages are shown bold in every view.

The date under the page title shows your very last visit date of the particular page.

CUSTOMIZE

you may enable the scroll to top / bottom feature, set a custom google search language, or enable / disable "remember last orientation" --> this feature allows you to use fgBrowser as a landscape browser. As it remembers your last orientation and autorotation state.
A short flashing lock / unlock icon informs you about the current setting (with the remember last orientation feature ON)



ready :-)

tonight (at least for europeans) my app status changed to "ready for sale"....and is now ready to download directly on every iPhone or iPod Touch.... At least for the cool ones ;-)

So what is it all about:

I've got 2 Versions of my fullscreen gesture based browser:

First one: fgBrowser - free room ( full featured + history)
Private one: fgB Private - private room (also full featured but without history)

Monday, April 6, 2009

still waiting

so... I'm still waiting to get approved into the AppStore... As soon as it's online, I'm going to post an online help, how you get a more sophisticated iPhone browsing experience...
You will get a history of your last visited pages, a list of your favourite pages and also a list with your most visited pages at all. On top - there is the availability of browsing completely anonymously... Just press the home button and nobody (unless you) will know where you have been before...

There are some really cool gestures to give you full control without wasting any space at all.

bye bye