Picsel Technologies has announced that its Picsel Browser was licensed for use in forthcoming and currently shipping Motorola smartphones, including those based on embedded Linux. Picsel says its browser can display and edit a wide variety of popular file formats, through unique file format conversion technology.

(Click for larger screenshot of Picsel browser rendering Google homepage)

Picsel's browser includes its “ePage” technology that translates Microsoft Office, Flash, PDF, and HTML files, as well as common graphics file formats, to an internal “eFIF” format. Translation into a common format enables a single application frontend — the Picsel browser — to display and edit many kinds of files, without requiring native application support for the original file format.

The Picsel browser renders large documents coherently on small displays, Picsel claims. It offers landscape and portrait modes (screenshot), unlimited zooming and panning tools (screenshot), patented 'one handed' user interface elements, and a unique 'Link Navigator' jumplist view. It offers browsing preferences (screenshot), and bookmarks (screenshot) as well, and can be used as a local file browser (screenshot).

Picsel's product line includes a browser, file viewer, and messenger client. Its products run on a variety of operating systems and processor architectures. Picsel technology has been licensed previously by Sony for its Clie device, as well as by Panasonic, BenQ, and NTT DoCoMo.

Picsel's browser is currently shipping with Motorola's Linux-based A768 mobile smartphone. It is also planned for inclusion in pending Symbian- and Windows Mobile-based phones from Motorola. Later versions on Motorola phones will add support for video file formats, Picsel says.

 
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