TeaShark - a Webkit based competitor to Opera Mini


A few hours ago, the first beta version of the TeaShark browser has been made available.

TeaShark is a mobile web browser written in Java (requires Java MIDP 2.0 on the phone to work - almost all newer phones have it, smart or 'normal'). It works similarly to Opera Mini, the pages you want to view first go through a TeaShark server which lowers their size, to cut data costs.



The interesting thing is that this browser is based on the Webkit core that Apple's Safari browser and the S60 Browser (as seen in S60v3 Feature Pack 1 devices) also employ. There is no support for Flash yet (but then again, Opera Mini doesn't have that either).


Features


Tabbed browsing with page thumbnails for easy switching between tabs



Jump-to-content and Page Up, Down, Left and Right shortcuts



Color-coded bookmarks and online bookmark management (you can manage your bookmarks on the computer - similar to Opera Link, works with all browsers)



Click and search: freely select text on a webpage (as you would on a computer, by holding the left mouse button). This can only be used for two things as of now: automatically creating a search with the words you select as the search string; and calling a phone number, if that's what you select. This is the most interesting feature in my opinion, and if it will be further developed (read: if you'll be able to do more with what you select) it might prove to be TeaShark's main advantage over the competition.



Other features:
  • it remembers your last session and when you start it up again, your browsing and tab history is there as you left it the last time
  • find text
  • permanent history
  • in-line editing (enter text, for example, in a form without launching the phone's default editor)
  • dynamic shortcut keys (check what they are at any time by pressing #)
  • Auto-complete (for URLs as well as forms).
I will post a review of TeaShark soon.

Download Teashark (120 KB) either by going to wap.teashark.com on your phone's browser or from this download page to get the installation file on your computer.
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