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Firefox Updated With New Sleek Design

By - Source: Mozilla | B 44 comments
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Firefox is starting to look like Chrome.

Mozilla announced the launch of Firefox 29 on Tuesday, reporting that the company has re-imagined and re-designed Firefox to reflect how web surfers use the Internet today. The browser now has a new user interface, customization mode and an enhanced Firefox Sync service powered by Firefox Accounts.

"The first thing you'll notice in Firefox is the beautiful new design that makes it easy to focus on your Web content," reads the company blog. "The tabs are sleek and smooth to help you navigate the Web faster. It's easy to see what tab you're currently visiting and the other tabs fade into the background to be less of a distraction when you're not using them."

Mozilla ripped out the old menu system and placed a re-designed interface in the right corner of the toolbar, using the same three-bar icon found in Google's Chrome. This new menu includes a "customize" tool that allows users to add or move any feature, service or add-on. Other settings in the re-designed menu include New Window, New Private Windows, Save Page, Print, History and more.

The company also updated the Firefox Sync service that provides access to Awesome Bar browsing history, saved passwords, bookmarks, open tabs and form data across the user's computers and mobile Android devices. This feature is powered by Firefox Accounts to simplify the setup and device syncing process.

"We looked at every piece of Firefox and made everything more enjoyable and easier to use – even bookmarks. You can create bookmarks with a single click and manage them from the same place," states the blog.

For those who haven't used Firefox for a while, now may be a good time to test run Mozilla's browser. Save for the text, tabs seemingly disappear when not in use, providing a more streamlined look. The menu itself is extremely easy, providing an app menu-like environment with drag-and-drop capability. The big seller will likely be the customization aspect, allowing users to fine-tune the browser to their own needs, not the needs of the many.

To download Firefox, head here. The list of changes in Firefox 29 can be found here.

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  • 2 Hide
    nizxmo , April 30, 2014 12:13 PM
    A little late on the news.
  • 3 Hide
    Snipergod87 , April 30, 2014 12:20 PM
    To much like Chrome.
  • 5 Hide
    Xivilain , April 30, 2014 12:22 PM
    I use Firefox because its NOT like Chrome...
    Now Firefox is becoming like Chrome? Looks like I'll have to hang on to my old Firefox exe files.
  • Display all 44 comments.
  • 0 Hide
    Jake Hall , April 30, 2014 12:24 PM
    I want TABS ON BOTTOM! Give it back! or put the bars on bottom!
  • 1 Hide
    gergguy , April 30, 2014 12:27 PM
    It's a good thing Apple doesn't own Chrome. Mozilla would have been sued for using a three-bar icon for the menu.
  • 0 Hide
    Shin-san , April 30, 2014 12:36 PM
    I learned that Mozilla pretty much knows the problems with Flash and Firefox.
  • 0 Hide
    s3anister , April 30, 2014 12:50 PM
    I've been using this interface in Firefox Aurora for a few weeks now and I have to say while sleek and futuristic it is; the simplification of the user interface has made some things even more elaborate to get to whereas the old UI was a click or two and you were there.
  • 1 Hide
    qlum , April 30, 2014 1:37 PM
    Just like with windows 8 getting the good stuff back is as easy as installing an addon, you can also still use much of the old interface in the settings but with classic theme restorer you can do more then you could before even: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/classicthemerestorer/?src=userprofile

    still even without that you can get rid of most of the new stuff and getting a menu bar back is still a standard option, you can even put it in the same bar as the window buttons. So you can still do more then just restore the damage. sadly tabs on bottom do require an addon now (I think)
  • 1 Hide
    10hellfire01 , April 30, 2014 1:58 PM
    Quote:
    To much like Chrome.

    But since Firefox is open-source, the addons, themes, etc. will arrive in abundance soon, if not already.

    Quote:
    A little late on the news.

    That's why I find myself never really coming to Tom's anymore. Ars, Techspot, and the others report it days sooner, and do more original articles too.
  • -1 Hide
    rwinches , April 30, 2014 2:01 PM
    So it's still the slowest to load pics making you wait until they all load before you can access the page and if the pics refresh you have to wait until they all refresh before you can continue. Where? try Huffington Post main page.
  • 0 Hide
    Joseph DeGarmo , April 30, 2014 2:10 PM
    Very nice! Perfect timing, too, since I just switched from IE 11 to Firefox due to the major IE security bug. I like the low system memory usage. For those who have not switched to Firefox yet, now's the time to do so.
  • 1 Hide
    tntom , April 30, 2014 3:01 PM
    I will have to try it... but I do prefer the layout of FF28 over Chrome's labyrinth menu structure. Not that the deeper parts of FF's settings is any better.
  • 1 Hide
    iknowhowtofixit , April 30, 2014 3:08 PM
    I've always hated the way Chrome handles tons of tabs. I haven't updated to the new FF yet, but if it is as terrible as Chrome, I will be very sad.
  • 2 Hide
    catswold , April 30, 2014 3:16 PM
    I guess people never learned the old adage "Don't fix what isn't broken."

    Yahoo has gone through several iterations, each worse than the prior. Windows replace the wonderful Windows 7 with the miserable 8. Now Mozilla.

    I really hate change for change's sake.
  • 1 Hide
    knowom , April 30, 2014 3:30 PM
    I don't like the fact that can't seem to move the reload button where I want and the forward button isn't always present and hides or disappears from sight.

    I don't really care for the eye candy flashiness personally I just want minimalism, functionality, and security.
  • 0 Hide
    TL2 , April 30, 2014 3:54 PM
    Quote:
    I want TABS ON BOTTOM! Give it back! or put the bars on bottom!


    You can, it just takes a bit of know how.
    1) in your Firefox address bar type in ' about:config ' It will give you a warning, but we know what we're doing.
    2) find the entry ' browser.tabs.onTop ' and double click or right click and select toggle to set this entry to False.
    enjoy having your tabs on the bottom again.
  • 1 Hide
    kimmaryelizabeth , April 30, 2014 3:55 PM
    Is there anyone else for whom Lazarus Form Recovery doesn't work in Firefox 29?
  • 3 Hide
    Ken Creppin , April 30, 2014 5:01 PM
    I detest this new version. Looks like after many years, the search for a new browser begins anew....
  • 1 Hide
    Blazer1985 , April 30, 2014 6:10 PM
    A failed attempt in being minimal thst results cheesy and cumbersome. I'd rather be hacked with ie than use this.
  • 2 Hide
    Tony Casagrande , April 30, 2014 7:18 PM
    Installed update, hated it, switched to pale moon aka Firefox without the BS.
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