Firefox 29 moves into beta with overhauled UI and new customization features

[Justin Kahn]

Mozilla has now moved Firefox 29 into beta with a new update. The move will allow the company to iron out any final issues before the overhauled browser hits public release. It is said to be Mozilla's biggest redesign of its multi-platform browser since 2011.

The new Firefox boasts a brand new interface with a strong focus on user customization. The aesthetic overhaul will spread across both the desktop and mobile versions, as the updated UI has a much more touch-friendly design approach to it. The interface tweaks are centered around the new customization mode (seen above) which provides a universal menu where all browser controls, features, tools and add-ons reside. From there a simple drag and drop system allows for particular placement of the various icons and quick links.

Mozilla has also upgraded Firefox Sync and is requiring all current users to sign up for another account in order to take advantage of the new system. Mozilla said the "new Firefox Sync makes it even easier to setup and add multiple devices while delivering end-to-end encryption." The new sync feature is currently available for Windows, Mac, Linux and/or Android.

Mozilla also said the new version's tabs are a more "fluid and streamlined shape," sit up higher on the page to offer more real estate for your web content, and when not in use are visually de-emphasized for convenience.

As others suggest, there doesn't appear to be many major changes between the Aurora developer build in the beta release meaning this is likely a good look at what we will see in the final product when it is expected to release in around 6 weeks time. Those interested can download Firefox 29 beta for Windows, Mac and Linux now.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/56084-firefox-29-moves-into-beta-with-overhauled-ui-and-new-customization-features.html

 

[maxijax]

Already loving the new UI, looks pretty cool,

 

[Guest]

Firefox, so far, has always sucked.

 

[Guest]

Firefox, so far, has always sucked.

For the love of God. Stop patronizing Internet Explorer.

 

[Guest]

Firefox, so far, has always sucked.

You better be trolling.

 

[noname]

Classic Theme Restorer Add-on
https://addons.mozilla.org/addon/classicthemerestorer

 

[Gaara]

Firefox, so far, has always sucked.

For the love of God. Stop patronizing Internet Explorer.

Internet Explores is suck big time.

 

[Guest]

Contrary to what Mozilla (and the sites quoting them) says, customization has been severely crippled, if anyone wants to now about it in full details, it can be read here. Here are some:

• tabs on bottom removed
• add-on bar removed
• small buttons option removed
• custom toolbars removed
• many buttons and elements became unmoveable

 

[Guest]

Faster than IE11. Like the new UI.

 

[Mike Steele]

Looks awesome, hope it still supports my few add-ons

 

[Bl00dyMinded]

Google Chrome is still faster and better period.... Firefox was the best a few years ago, not any longer.

 

[Guest17]

Both Chrome and IE11 (on W8) have incorporated Flash into the browser itself. Why can't Mozilla do the same? Why does that garbage player have to be installed with its endless and pernicious update cycles? So long as Firefox requires downloading the Flash junk player, it will remain a nothing more than secondary browser.

 

[je29836]

Why the f are the window borders so wide lol

 

[FLWrd]

New design, who cares? I'm using Firefox because it isn't Chrome! If I want Chrome, I can get it easily. As said above, Chrome beats Firefox in performance. Firefox' UI is slightly clunky, so someone might have changed that, but the new UI is just an attempt to force badly thought through tablet aesthetics onto the desktop. We don't need wide borders, huge buttons and icon menus, because we're using a mouse. Instead, we like to perform as few clicks as possible, as close together as convenient. It looks as if the programmers were no match for some alpha-design type.

 

[Mbloof]

Both Chrome and IE11 (on W8) have incorporated Flash into the browser itself. Why can't Mozilla do the same? Why does that garbage player have to be installed with its endless and pernicious update cycles? So long as Firefox requires downloading the Flash junk player, it will remain a nothing more than secondary browser.

I don't know about you but personally I'd rather not have the buggy FLASH code embedded in my browser and have the CHOICE to be able to have it installed or not. What world do you live in where a embedded 'snapshot' of code is somehow less buggy, does not require updates and gets revised quicker than the native source?

About 1/2 my boxes don't have Flash or Java installed and the ones that do have both BLOCKED or turned off so I can switch them on a as needed/wanted basis.

 

[cliffordcooley]

In other words their rapid version acceleration from version 4, is now officially a joke. They could have done this way back then!

 

[sergeybelsky2]

I fail to understand why would anyone use anything else if there is Chrome?

 

[NTAPRO]

I fail to understand why would anyone use anything else if there is Chrome?

Free will isn't too hard of a concept to understand

 

[cliffordcooley]

I fail to understand why would anyone use anything else if there is Chrome?

That makes as much sense as the following question.

I fail to understand why would anyone use anything else if there is IE?

 

[FLWrd]

That makes as much sense as the following question.

I fail to understand why would anyone use anything else if there is IE?

That one's simple: Mac and Linux. And safety. But I'm not really trusting Google, and still fear that they're only developing Chrome to get some kind of vendor lock-in on Google docs, GMail, etc.

 

[cliffordcooley]

That one's simple: Mac and Linux.

In that case there is not IE, so that is irrelevant.