While not as known as Opera. Netfront was at one point the preferred browser by many back when Palm still dominated. right now netfront is also developing its own modern mobile web browser to compete with Opera mobile 9.5 but it is not only competing with the browser but also its own mobile widget engine.
Netfront Widget engine is enabled thanks to their Widget Player that calls up and serves to manage all your widgets. it is very reminiscent of what the Yahoo Widget Engine does in the desktop. but netfront widgets are better done and executed at this point than Yahoo or Opera mobile widgets.
They are widgetized mobile applications that are run by a application manager. the way netfront has taken care of the user experience is what at this moment give them a edge. also because they are good looking and even give the illusion of being integrated with the phone almost like what samsung has done with the TouchWIZ Widget desktop.
Right now all the widgets are developed by Netfront but they are aiming to offer it as a widget platform for everyone but starting with mobile providers and carriers as a easy way to bundle apps or get better results with carrier provided apps in the form of netfront widgets.
The current widgets also serve as a display of what can be done with netfront engine and while most of them are so-so they do got some jewels to show off how well the mobile widgets can look and work
The clearest example of that is their Twitter Widget that if seen in a full screen windows mobile phone like the mentioned omnia or the HTC diamond it would look just as good as any iPhone average app.
All in all i think that the Netfront Browser Widget platform for Windows Mobile is a winner. the execution is right, the look is right. it is only left to see if it can catch on any traction. something that depends not only with the SDK they offer but how easy it is to use.
The only bad thing they got against them right now is Opera. but this could change fast if Google and Yahoo step in.
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- Confirmed: Emblaze Edelweiss Will Run Access Linux Platform + Mobile Netfront Widget Engine
- Skyfire Browser Beta 0.8 For Windows Mobile Now Open For All In The U.S.A
- Yahoo GO 3.0 Beta: Now also for Windows Mobile Pro devices
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