Next Firefox can detect computer orientation

The upcoming version 3.6 of Firefox will be able to tell if you're listing to starboard--and pass that information along to applications running in the browser.

That's because the browser will be able to detect the orientation of laptops and mobile devices equipped with accelerometers that can tell which way is down. The reason for the work: Web applications running in the browser will be able to use the information, useful for labyrinth-type games with virtual marbles rolling around boards, and any number of other gaming situations.

A demonstration application that shows Firefox adjusting a Web page graphic according to how a MacBook is tilted.

(Credit: Screenshot by Stephen Shankland/CNET)

Mozilla evangelist Christopher Blizzard announced Firefox's coming orientation interface Monday.

"One new feature that we're including as part of Firefox 3.6 is support for web pages to access machine orientation information if it's available," Blizzard wrote. "Many modern MacBooks and ThinkPads contain devices and drivers that expose this information. We've added support for Linux, Macs and some ThinkPads where drivers and devices are available."

Mozilla is working on the technology for mobile devices, too, where orientation-aware games are a big deal.

The move is one of many by browser makers eager to transform their software from passive receptacles for showing Web sites to an active foundation for interactive applications. Firefox 3.6 is scheduled for beta testing shortly and final release later this year.

Yahoo has worked on browser-based orientation technology through its BrowserPlus software.

[karpenterskids]

While slightly frivolous, this is still AWESOME!<br />I really look forward to being able to use this technology.

[ddhboy]

I have to say this is the most pointless feature I've ever head of in terms of a web browser, unless your talking about a device like the iPhone which probably had programs and keyboards that were designed to do this sort of thing on its own anyway. Why the hell would I want to put my macbook pro at a 30 degree angle? What kind of web application would actually need this data, and more importantly, what idiot thinks that shaking around their laptop as though it was a cellphone wouldn't result in anything but a voided warranty? Whatever the case, even if they were putting this feature in for fennic, I don't think that there are much developers willing to develop for a Nokia exclusive browser, of which the vast majority of phones using the browser probably wouldn't have an accelerometer built into it. Rather until fennic lands on Android, I'd say its a feature that's dead in the water, and even then You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who'll care to develop a web app if the largest segment of the market, the iPhone and iPod Touch users, wouldn't be able to jump on board.

[Yelonde]

"more importantly, what idiot thinks that shaking around their laptop as though it was a cellphone wouldn't result in anything but a voided warranty?"<br /><br />One of the funniest comments I've read all day XD

[atish505]

"the largest segment of the market, the iPhone and iPod Touch users", Sorry the largest segment of mobile users are still Nokia and Symbian (49% of the world smart phone market, not iPhone).<br /><br />Nokia Symbian, BlackBerry continue to be the largest segments for mobile browsers and Android catching up soon.

[ddhboy]

Of the smartphone market atish505, of the smartphone market. And even so how many of those Nokia phones that you get for free from cell phone carriers has an accelerator built into them. Yeah Nokia has better phones, but most of their cell phone sales are their most basic "just a a phone" models, and how many users of these phones really care about fennic? Not to much I believe.

[solitare_pax]

I have to agree that it would look odd for someone going around shaking their laptop, just to play a web-app game - I can see some use for it, say, reading a web page while on, say, a roller coaster. <br /> <br />The iPods do use this sort of tech for a number of games - even the new nanos can do it. But they're small, and use solid state memory, so the only way they can really be damaged is if the game is so intense you wind up hucking the thing through a window - just like the Wii controllers...

[freemarket--2008]

How about a tablet which you can easily rotate to portrait mode for e-book reading? Sounds good to me.

[Seaspray0]

I keep thinking... bumpy airplane flight.

[Renegade Knight]

Sharp corner in a car...

[Lennron]

Rumbling fart while it's on your lap... that'll shake browser so much it'll give you motion sickness.

[louciano9]

I use firefox as my main browser and think the guys at mozilla put out a great product. But this is by far one of the more useless features I have heard about in an application.. Right up there with Black Berry chat bar code thing.

[Renegade Knight]

I can't say useless, but I do think they should work on stability. My entire family has to keep going back to IE because FireFox crashes, or can't run key web apps.

[Mr. Dee]

Sounds like they are prepping for the Apple iTablet.

[theboyr]

This.

[mbenedict]

Nothing new in the PC world... many PC tablets have had accelerometers for years.<br /><br />E.g. the Toshiba M-tablet series starting with the M200 from circa 2004. Microsoft even had a game called Marble Maze you could play by tilting your tablet.<br /><br />But we all know Apple invented this stuff for the iPhone in 2007, right?

[transporter2000]

That IS the only reason for this. Very astute

[CA1900]

mbenedict, the Apple laptops have had accelerometers for years as well. They introduced laptops with them in 2005.

[mbenedict]

@CA1900:<br /><br />Um, we're all talking about *tablets* with accelerometers here, not laptops.

[Yelonde]

Macbooks have accelerometers? How strange, such a useless feature for a laptop. In any case, it is an interesting feature that I guess, could have some use...somehow.

[dwinks]

Useless? I guess having the hard drive park its heads when a fall is detected to avoid data loss is useless? You can drop a thinkpad from 10 feet and be quite reasonably assured the data will be intact, thanks to the accelerometers. Sure, the laptop will not even remotely survive such a fall, but most of the time data &gt; laptop in terms of value.

[Hunnter2k3]

@dwinks<br />So true.<br />Nothing is more valuable than the data a device contains.

[ikramerica--2008]

The problem with these kinds of features is that then everyone uses them, forcing you to move your computer around. The iPhone is the same way. So many games suck because you have no choice but to use the motion control. It's also why so many people sell their Wii after a while. They get sick of all the gimmicks.

[adasha76]

"The problem with these kinds of features is that then everyone uses them, forcing you to move your computer around."<br /><br />What?

[KingWilly105]

What!?!<br /><br />What the heck are you talking about!?!

[cherku]

This is a great feature for those who use their computers for browsing while on a Roller Coaster.. It's nice to see the author was right on reporting this.. Sarcasm ? May be

[sek-oz]

Calling something like this "useless" just means you're stuck in the box they are trying to break out of. Don't think about it in terms of how you currently use your browser, think about things it could enable.<br /><br />For example, on a tablet device (think kindle?) this could easily adjust page orientation on the fly depending on how you are holding the device. It may seem like a pittance but if you had such a device and it *didn't* do that, you'd complain that it didn't do it....

[shinji257]

I agree here. I am looking at where it is useful. Also useful for if the browser gets ported to other mobile devices that have those functions. Another type of machine where this may be useful is the laptop/tablet hybrid units.

[saintckk]

I think Firefox team should concentrate on making it lighter and faster like chrome, which I pretty impressed! Adding such features is like they cannot find anything to improve on anymore, I hope it will not ended up IE

[Shankland]

There is a specific Firefox effort to make the browser faster to launch and otherwise be more competitive with Chrome, so stay tuned.

[AICAP Group]

If only Firefox could recognize WHAT LANGUAGE the user's computer is using I would be more impressed. I travel to other countries and in all versions of stupid pos FireFox, if you enter a search phrase the program changes to that language, not just the search results but everything.....this program has been and remains a piece of stupid human tricks trash in my view....I use it only to access those few sites that do not work with safari....changing the language? why can't it understand the user interface language and keep that? CoolIris has the same problem.

[freemarket--2008]

So because of one obscure problem, the program is a POS? Nice thinking. Have you tried submitting a bug fix request?

[gefitz]

Apple user: What is a "bug fix request?"

[reese23]

So let me get this straight: I haven't been able to run Firefox since 3.0 without it going into seizures every few seconds... but they're introducing an orientation feature.<br /><br />Well, next time the browser wigs out on another AJAX or Flash site, I guess I'll pick up my computer and shake it.<br /><br />Chrome cannot get extensions soon enough, for me.

[Goodbye Helicopter]

so what, it accesses the accellerometor.

Detect the orientation of my laptop? Mine is definitely straight.

[SX10 IS]

Seriously...<br /><br />I really like Firefox, but this?<br /><br />Uh-uh.

[Nataku4ca]

here comes the next gimick of the day... i seriously can not think of a use for it on a laptop... at least one that won't make u look retarded lol <br /> <br />(voice: what happens if they try to shove it on a desktop...?)

[tradderjohn]

another gimmick like natau4ca. just like the awesome bar

[SX10 IS]

I like the Awesome Bar

[morlamweb2]

Great. Just how many development cycle are getting shift from FF stability fixes, optimization improvements, or Web Standards support to add accelerometer integration? I love the idea of integrating the devices into laptops and even desktops, but using acceleration data in the browser? Come on. That would be very low on my priority list. I also haven't seen the rampant stability issues that I've heard about on CNet, but reports of those problems seem common enough that FF product managers should take them seriously.

[maniopas]

Well, I have given some thought to it and find orientation in laptops no good use at all. Maybe the guys in Mozila have grasped some future potentiality I have not. <br />I find that this feature can be useful only for illegal sites to erase all tracks on the computer if it is dropped down, so as for the Cyber Crime law enforcement teams not to be able to get their criminals, even if they round them up effectively. And even this situation is quite a far-fetched one, as I doubt anything like this had been the intention of the developers. <br />Well, I only believe it expresses some future plan for Firefox to go "mini" (just like Mini Opera for "normal" mobile phones), in which case it would be really cool.

[Greg465]

Chrome is better

[123__walker]

This could be a really good feature say you are reading a particular page and want to automatically scroll down the page. you could set the incline of the laptop which is fairly easily done, and tell it to scroll at speeds in accordance to the angle you are pitching the laptop. it could be a netbook which are easily picked up to change the tabs you could tilt the side of the laptop until you get to your. desired tab. this is just in the browser then you can play games such as a maze. <br /><br />It could work or it could be a real disaster.