Access will ship a new version of its web browser for devices this spring. NetFront Browser v3.4 is described as a “versatile service platform,” on which multiple applications can seemlessly combine online and offline content. It targets Linux-based phones, set-top boxes, and mobile devices.

Access says NetFront v3.4 moves beyond Internet browsing toward “rich content rendering,” with support for AJAX (asynchronous JavaScript + XML), the core technology of next generation Web applications, as defined by the somewhat vague term Web 2.0. The browser also supports the latest W3C SMIL2.1 specification, released last December, including both the Mobile Profile and Extended Mobile Profile, as well as SVG Tiny 1.2.

NetFront Browser v3.4 can be configured via plugins to support Adobe PDF, office documents, Macromedia Flash, and video. Extensions to the browser APIs enable development of messaging clients, RSS news readers, and other dynamic menu applications, according to Access.

The NetFront browser also boasts “Rapid-Render” incremental rendering technology aimed at speeding up web page presentation, and “Smart-Fit Rendering” aimed at minimizing horizontal scrolling on small screens.

Availability

NetFront Browser v3.4 is expected to ship at the end of March, in the form of an SDK that lets device developers create custom browsers, or browser-based interfaces for embedded devices.

Access competitor Opera also offers AJAX support in its browser, a feature enabling it to be used as an interface platform for set-top boxes and other devices.

 
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