Google recently announced via the Google Mobile Blog that they’ve updated the Google search experience for BlackBerry 6.0 WebKit enabled devices. To make a short story shorter, Google has added a number of enhanced search features that make searching Google via the WebKit browser in BlackBerry 6 much faster.
New features include:
Enter searches faster: Save time by using autocomplete and search history queries that appear beneath the search box as you type.
Web search: Find what you’re searching for fast. Comprehensive results pages let you see relevant websites, images, videos, news, real-time results and more. Simply click on the arrow button ‘>>’ to the left of the top search box for more refinement options.
Image search: Swipe through image results quickly and easily on touch enabled devices. Start by selecting ‘Images’ at the top of www.google.com, then enter a search. From there, click on any image to view a larger size.
Local search: Find restaurants, shops and other popular business categories with a single tap. Start by selecting ‘Places’ at the top of www.google.com, then click on an icon from the Places homepage.
To use the new enhanced Google search features, just visit http://www.google.com via the WebKit browser via your BlackBerry 6 enabled device.
Unfortunately for most BlackBerry users, our devices don’t run BlackBerry 6 which means that we don’t have access to the new and usuable improved WebKit BlackBerry Browser. Browsing the web via older BlackBerry devices is still just as slow and abysmal as it has ever been. Fortunately for us, however, third party BlackBerry browsers have come out that actually do a pretty good job at allowing you to get around the web on an older BlackBerry, and, one of the best, Opera Mini, has been undated to Opera Mini 6 and is now available for the BlackBerry.
I just read a press release from web analytics company, StatCounter, and, believe it or not, the BlackBerry has overtaken the iPhone in mobile internet usage for the first time.
BlackBerry OS overtook Apple’s iOS for the first time in the US in November in terms of mobile internet usage according to web analytics company, StatCounter. The company’s research arm, StatCounter Global Stats finds that for the first time in the US BlackBerry OS at 34.3% overtook Apple’s iOS which recorded 33% in November.
I have to admit that this news was completely unexpected, especially now that the iPhone has overtaken the BlackBerry in U.S. smartphone market share. I would have to imagine that the WebKit BlackBerry browser in BlackBerry 6 has a lot to do with this trend. I wonder what the numbers will be like once a critical mass of BlackBerry users move over to BlackBerry 6? The Webkit BlackBerry Browser is currently only available to BlackBerry Torch 9800, BlackBerry Bold 9780, and BlackBerry Style 9670 users which are all fairly new to the market.
This isn’t an official video from Research in Motion, however, this video reveiw of the BlackBerry 9780 does show BlackBerry 6 and the WebKit BlackBerry Browser running on a device with a QWERTY keyboard and no touchscreen. I will say that, since this is the BlackBerry 9870, I am a bit concerned about how BlackBerry 6 will run on The Bold 9700 which only has half the memory, 256 Mb, compared to the 9870′s 512, however, the operating system and the WebKit browser, from what we can tell, appears to be the same experience as what we’ve seen on the 9800… Just less screen real estate…
Now, here is a video that we’ve been waiting to see… The WebKit BlackBerry Browser in action. Most of the BlackBerry 6 videos that we’ve seen thus fa were just of the OS itself, however, Driphter.com has posted a video of the new WebKit BlackBerry Browser in all its glory.
After watching this video of the upcoming WebKit BlackBerry Browser, I’ve got just four words… It does not suck! As a matter of fact, the WebKit BlackBerry Browser, even though still in an early pre-release version, is actually quite good. Driphter.com’s Willieboy6 says that the new WebKit BlackBerry Browser is just as good as any iPhone, including the iPhone 4, as well as any Droid device.
The first thing I thought when I first heard the rumor that Research in Motion may be interested in buying web browser maker Opera, was that something has gone horribly wrong with the upcoming WebKit BlackBerry Browser. It turns out, however, the RIM may be interested in acquiring Opera because of an acquisition that Opera itself has recently made.
Adobe has released a press release announcing the availability of Flash 10.1 to mobile platform partners. Although it’s speculated that Flash implementation won’t be available to BlackBerry users until the new Webkit browser is available in Blackberry 6, various companies will now be developing sites compatible with this much anticipated addition to the BlackBerry Browser.
There still remains concerns regarding the security risks involved with having Flash enabled mobile devices, but, like it or not, there coming. I personally think that RIM, with security being its number one priority, will somehow find a way to assuage these concerns while optimizing and revolutionizing the mobile browsing experience.
Say what you want about Research in Motion, but, you have to give them credit when it comes to providing users with options. In an iPhone world, Apple provides you with features and you either learn to like them or buy another product. That being said, I hope that Flash in the upcoming BlackBerry 6 browser will allow users to enable or disable the loading of Flash content. When I think of RIM’s focus on security as they design devices it would lead you to believe Flash will not only be an optional feature but off by default. I am not sure if this is a good thing for Adobe or end user experience but I can already see the reports, BlackBerry 6 Browser Sluggish Due to Flash. Essentially replay every article being written about Flash and Android today.
TheCellularGuru.com was able to get their hands on live shots of the BlackBerry Bold 9800 Slider running the new WebKit based BlackBerry Browser. If BlackBerry 6 has any legs at all, this device will be a big hit. [More pics after the jump]
