Skyfire Quickstart Guide
Skyfire 0.8 Beta
For Windows Mobile Touch Screen Devices
Released: September 24, 2008
Table of Contents:
- What's new in Skyfire?
- The Skyfire Start page
- What do the toolbar buttons do?
- What can I do from the Menu button?
- How can I perform a web search?
- How can I get to specific web page?
- What is Home screen search?
- What is a thumbnail view?
- How can I zoom in on a web page?
- How can I move between web pages?
- How do i interact with content in Desktop View?
- How can I better fit text onto the screen? (SmartFit)
- How does inline text entry work?
- How do I download web content?
- How can I share web content?
- What is the Mobile Site Indicator?
- How do I add and remove bookmarks?
- How can I view my browsing history?
- Can I set Skyfire as my default browser?
- How can I share Skyfire?
- Where can I get help?
What's new in Skyfire?
The 0.8 release of the Skyfire mobile browser contains the following new features and enhancements:
- Contextual Zoom let's you simply and quickly get to exactly where you want to be on the page. Skyfire's zooming capability has been improved, and now the camera corners feature shows you a match with major screen elements within its view.
- Faster application launch means what it says - Skyfire launches much quicker so you get to your content quicker.
- We've improved both video and audio quality so you have a smoother playback experience.
- Skyfire will automatically reconnect, so you don't need to restart when your connection is disconnected.
- Now you can set Skyfire as your default browser.
- Enhanced inline text entry allows you to more easily complete web forms right within a page. You automatically move to the next form element (text field, list, radio button, or checkbox) after you have made an entry using the "OK" or "Enter" keys.
- Use our handy new SuperBar to perform a search or enter a URL from a single field and it's a great time and space saver. As always we provide you Google and Yahoo search results.
- Content download allows you to download images and other content from most web pages.
- Home screen integration allows you to add a Skyfire search and URL bar to your Windows Mobile Today screen, so you can enter what you are looking for right away without first starting Skyfire.
- You can now share web content by SMS. We even make the URL short enough that it will fit easily into a SMS text message. Especially useful for the really long URL's used by many sites. You can now also share Skyfire itself with friends by SMS or email.
- If a website also has a mobile version, Skyfire can optionally hint to you about the availability of a mobile alternative. With the new mobile site indicator, you'll get a quick link to access the mobile version and then you can decide if you want the mobile or full website.
- Bookmarks have been significantly enhanced giving you have much better control.
The Skyfire Start page
After you launch the Skyfire browser and the initial loading sequence is complete, you will land on the start page. From the start page, you can quickly perform a variety of tasks.
- SuperBar and a handy tool that lets you perform a web search or enter a URL.
- Easily access the start page, your bookmarks and browsing history.
- Useful widgets on the start page with up-to-date news stories and weather information.
What do the toolbar buttons do?
On web pages other than the Skyfire Start page, the following toolbar buttons appear at the top of your screen. You can tap in the search area of the toolbar to launch the SuperBar, from where you can perform a web search or access a web site.
| Collapse / Expand | Collapses the Skyfire toolbar if it is expanded. Expands the Skyfire toolbar if it is collapsed. | |
| Back | Returns to the last page or view you visited. | |
| Search | Starts a search for a URL or search term. | |
| Home | Goes to the start page. | |
| Zoom | Toggles the Minus and Plus shortkeys on and off. These shortkeys change the size of the camera corner box. |
What can I do from the Menu button?
You will notice a Menu button positioned in the lower right corner of your screen. This menu, when opened, contains a variety of browsing features and functions.
| Web Search or URL | Displays a combined address bar (we call it SuperBar) and search entry field. From here, you can enter a URL or perform a web search. |
| Bookmarks | Displays the Bookmarks tab on the Skyfire start page. |
| Go | Displays the Go sub-menu. You can return to the Skyfire start page, load browsing history, refresh the current page, or go forward. |
| Actions | Displays the Actions sub-menu. You can mute browser volume, add bookmarks, save images and turn the SmartFit feature ON/OFF. |
| Share | Displays the Share sub-menu, from where you can share a link to the current web page as well as the Skyfire browser via SMS. |
| Settings | Access Skyfire settings options, including Smartfit, home screen integration and privacy options. |
| Help | Allows you to access the Skyfire Quick Start Guide. |
| Exit Skyfire | Closes the Skyfire browser. |
| Upgrade Skyfire (when available) |
This menu appears only if a new upgrade to the latest version of Skyfire is available. We encourage you to use this option when available. |
How can I perform a web search?
You can search the web using the Skyfire SuperBar. The SuperBar is displayed by default on the Skyfire Start page. From any other web page, you can launch the SuperBar via the Toolbar or Menu key to enter a search term or web address. Simply tap in the toolbar search field or select Menu | Web Search or URL. You can also launch the SuperBar by pressing the "2" shortcut button on your device.
To perform a web search:
- If the SuperBar is not visible, tap in the toolbar search field to launch it. Using your device keyboard, enter a search term in the SuperBar.
To begin searching, use the Enter button on your keyboard, the "OK" center button on your keypad, or the right soft-key button ("GO"). - A auto-complete list features the most used search terms. It greatly reduces the need for typing.
- Your search results are displayed on the search results page. The search results page is optimized to allow you to go quickly to different results relating to your search term.
- Different search verticals are immediately accessible, including Web, Images, Videos and Maps. Results of the main search engines are featured.
How can I get to specific web page?
Say you are on the Skyfire homepage and you want to go to the CNN website.
Here's how you browse to a specific website:
- Launch the SuperBar by tapping the search field on the toolbar with your stylus, or by selecting Menu | Web Search or URL, or by pressing the "2" shortcut button on your device.
- Using your device keypad, enter the address of the website you want to view.
- Select the right soft-key ("Go"), the Enter key on your keyboard, or the "OK" center button.
Skyfire will determine whether a URL or a search query is being performed and will direct you to the right page.
What is Home screen search?
Home screen search allows you to add a Skyfire search and URL entry bar to your Windows Mobile Today screen. From here, you can initiate a search by entering a search term or go directly to a web page by entering the URL. Either way, your search results or target web page will be displayed in the Skyfire browser. You can add Home Screen Search to the Windows Mobile Today screen from the Windows Start menu or from Skyfire settings.
To add Home Screen Search to Windows Mobile from the Windows Start menu:
- On Windows Mobile, select Start | Settings | Personal | Today | Items.
- Select Skyfire in the list of items to appear on the Today screen.
- Click OK.
- To add Home Screen Search to Windows Mobile from Skyfire:
On Skyfire, select Menu | Settings.
Select Search Bar on Home Screen, then select the Done button.
What is a thumbnail view?
When you go to a website, you first see a thumbnail style overview of the page. The thumbnail is a snapshot of the web page as it would appear on a desktop or laptop. From here you can move around the page and zoom in on an area that interests you.Camera corners are displayed when you navigate with your device's navigation keys or tap on a screen area. You can move around the thumbnail view using your device's navigation controls. As you move around, the camera corners will show areas of interest automatically sized to match page columns. For example, it might cover the width of a picture or text column. This gives you a contextual view of the screen area you will zoom in on if you press your device's center select button at that point.
- Use your device's navigation controls (or tap once with your stylus) to move to the area of the page you want to zoom in on.
- While the camera corners are visible, press your device's center select button to expand the content it is covering.
- You can return to thumbnail view by selecting the Zoom - left soft-key.
How can I zoom in on a web page?
You can zoom in on specific elements within a web page. You can also zoom back out to get an overall view of a page and see a specific area within the context of the full page.
- Use the zoom option from the thumbnail view (as described on the previous page). Or simply double-tap with your Stylus.
- To finetune the zoom level, you can tap the custom zoom buttons.
Alternatively, you can press 3 on your keyboard to zoom in and press 1 to zoom back out. - You can return to thumbnail view by selecting Back on the left soft-key.
How can I move between web pages?
Skyfire allows you to navigate back and forward through web pages that you have already opened in the current session.To move back and forward between web pages:
- Select the Back button to return to the previous state.
For example, a previous state might be a thumbnail view or a normal view of a Web page that you had zoomed in on. - Select Menu | Go | Forward to move forward through pages you have viewed in this session.
How do I interact with content in Desktop view?
Dragging the stylus around the device screen drags the display to another part of the web page. If Drag Controls have been turned on, when you drag the stylus across the page, two icons appear briefly in the upper-right corner of the screen. You can use these icons to interact with web page content and to display other parts of the web page.To interact with content in Desktop View:
- To turn on drag controls, tap Menu | Settings and select the Show Page Drag Controls option.
Now, when you drag the stylus across the page, two icons appear briefly in the upper-right corner of the screen. - To drag the display to another part of the page, tap the hand icon.
- To interact with page content, tap the arrow icon, and then tap links or tabs, or enter text in a text box.
How can I better fit text onto the screen? (SmartFit)
You can use the SmartFit feature to adapt the column width of text heavy areas on a page to automatically fit your device screen. SmartFit is turned on by default.To resize the text column width to fit your screen:
- Display the text column you want to view.
- Select Menu | Actions | SmartFit.
The text column resizes to fit your screen.
To turn SmartFit off, select Menu | Settings, uncheck the SmartFit option and select Done.
How does inline text entry work?
Completing web forms is easy with Skyfire.To use inline text entry:
- Select the first form field by double-tapping on the field. You can also enter a field by using your device's navigation keys and pressing the center select button.
Enter text using your device's keyboard. - Press your device's center select button to automatically move to the next field in the form.
While you are completing a Web form, if the next form field is outside the current screen view, Skyfire will automatically move that page area into view.
You can use your device's up and down navigation buttons to move between text fields. The right and left navigation keys help you to move back and forth within a line of text.
Note: This is also true for multi-line text entry fields - up and down will move you out of the text entry field, while left and right will help you to move within the text entry field. Pressing OK or Enter will insert a new line into the text entry field.
How do I download web content?
Skyfire lets you download images and other downloadable content to your device, or to a storage card attached to your device.Download will work for most sites. At this time, Skyfire is not enabled to download content that is password protected or behind a firewall.
To download an image on a web page to your device:
- Zoom in on the image you want to download.
- Tap and hold with your stylus over the image, then tap Save Image As, or select Menu | Actions | Save Image.
- The Download to... Windows Mobile screen is displayed.
- Enter the name of the image in the Name field.
- Select the location, either Main Memory or Storage Card, from the Location drop-down list.
- Select Save.
Skyfire will download the file. You cannot move to another page without interrupting the download.
How can I share web content?
You can share web content by sending a link to your current web page via SMS (e.g. text messaging).To send a link to a web page:
- Browse to the web page you want to share.
Select Menu | Share. - Select Share Page via SMS.
The SMS application is launched, with a new email ready to be sent. The ody of the new message contains a shortened version of the URL of the web page you are sharing.
You can add or change text in the message if you wish. Enter the address of the person you want to share with and send the SMS.
Note that as this feature uses your phone's built-in SMS function, data charges may apply.
What is the Mobile Site Indicator?
If a website also has a mobile version, Skyfire will let you know that there is a mobile alternative. To do this, Skyfire displays a subtle link at the top left of the web page. You can click on this link to access the mobile version of the page.The Mobile Site Support Indicator is turned on by default. You can turn it off in the Skyfire Settings.
To use Mobile Site Indicator:
- Browse to a web site that has a mobile version. Skyfire displays a Mobile Version link at the top of the page.
- Select Mobile Version to go to the mobile version of the site.
- To turn off Mobile Site Indicator, select Menu | Settings | Privacy and Advanced Options. Uncheck the Hint for Mobile Version of Pages option and select "Done.
How do I add and remove bookmarks?
Skyfire allows you to add, edit and remove bookmarks to your favorite websites.To work with bookmarks:
- Open the web page you want to bookmark and select Menu | Actions | Add Bookmark. Alternatively you can use the "4" key on your phone as a
shortcut.
The selected page has now been bookmarked. - To view and open your bookmarks, select Menu | Bookmarks.
This brings you to the Bookmarks tab on the Skyfire start page. Your new bookmarks are automatically added to the "Unsorted" category. - To remove a bookmark, on the Bookmarks tab, select Edit, select the bookmark you want to delete, and select Delete.
- To edit a bookmark, on the Bookmarks tab, select Edit, select the bookmark you want to edit, and select Edit at the end of the current bookmark title.
- Make changes to the bookmark title in the Edit Title text box.
- Edit the bookmark URL in the Edit URL field, or
- Select the Skyfire Bookmark tab on which you want to display the bookmark from the Edit Tab list.
Select Save.
How can I view my browsing history?
You can see links to websites you have recently visited in your browsing history.To view your browsing history:
- Select Menu | Go | History.
This brings you to the History tab on the Skyfire start page. - You can select any link on the History tab to revisit a recently viewed web page.
- You can clear your browser history by selecting Clear History.
Alternatively, you can clear your history through Menu | Settings | Privacy and Advanced Settings.
Can I set Skyfire as my default browser?
Yes, you can set Skyfire as your default browser. As a default browser, Skyfire will launch whenever you open a web link from an SMS message or email.To set Skyfire as your default browser:
- Select Menu | Settings.
- Select Set Skyfire as Default Browser.
- Select Done.
How can I share Skyfire?
You can easily share Skyfire with friends, family, or co-workers by SMS or email. Note that Skyfire is currently available only to individuals using US cell phone networks.To share Skyfire:
- Select Menu | Share.
- Select either Share Skyfire via SMS or Share Skyfire via Email.
- The SMS or email application is launched, with a new message or email ready to be sent. The body of the new message contains the short form URL which allows the recipient to get Skyfire.
Enter the address of the person you want to share with and send the SMS or email.
Note that as this feature uses your phone's in-built SMS or email function data charges may apply.
Where can I get help?
Online help is available on the Skyfire browser.To access Skyfire help:
- Select Menu | Help | Quickstart Guide.
- You can access a variety of help resources by clicking on the on-device help tabs and Toolbar, Navigation and Manage.
- Visit our website at www.skyfire.com/users for more help resources.
Also, please join our User Forum, where a vibrant Skyfire community is sharing tips, tricks and feedback. We"re anxious to hear your feedback and suggestions.