When we dropped word of the Bolt Browser Private Beta on the CrackBerry blogs a couple weeks (remember my 2am video?) it was met with quite the reaction from the CrackBerry community. I think pretty much everybody who got it up and running was blown away by the speed and saw the "potential" in this 3rd party web browser.
Just this morning BitStream has followed up on realizing more of the potential in the Bolt Browser, as they have released version .83 which includes some BlackBerry-optimized updates:
1. APN configuration automated for BlackBerry devices. BOLT now auto-detects network details. This will eliminate the "internet not available" error messages, and manual APN configuration requirements, some BlackBerry users were experiencing.
2. BlackBerry dedicated back key support. Also supported on some SE devices.
3. BlackBerry scrolling enhancements. Scrolling on track ball BlackBerry devices is now faster and smoother.
4. BlackBerry-specific enhancements to match BlackBerry system short cuts such as "." when space is pressed in URL mode.
5. System fonts will be utilized instead of Bitstream fonts for lists and options, resulting in increased usability.
6. Improved server support, resulting in a more stable browsing experience.
7. Automatic reconnect after client/server disconnect
8. Usability enhancements for URL, Favorites and History entry and management.
9. Instant switching between landscape and portrait modes (this formerly required a server round trip). This should also enhance user experience on accelerometer powered devices such as the BlackBerry Storm.
10. Auto-Update. When a new release is available, BOLT will prompt users to download and install the new release directly from BOLT.
11. Blackberry Specific Scrolling/navigation enhancements including space to page down one screen and space+shift to page up one screen, 't' to jump to top of page, 'b' to jump to bottom.
12. Double tap/double click as a shortcut to toggle between zoom out split screen mode, and full screen mode.
To Upgrade: If you already have Bolt installed your device, just open up the browser and visit a web page (go to Google). You will be prompted that a new version is available and from there can download and install (you'll have to reboot).
Get Bolt Browser: Bolt Browser is still in Private Beta mode which means its availability is limited. Good news though, you can still get it thanks to our CrackBerry referall code! Go to BoltBrowser.com and click over to Download. Enter 'CrackBerry' into the referral field on the form and you're in!!
Reporting: Be sure to drop your comments and feedback on this blog post and in our Bolt forum thread. ALSO, You can help BitStream make the Bolt Browser better by reporting any technical issues to to them via this form. And if you have something good to say about Bolt, send an email into pr4beta@boltbrowser.com.
OK, enough chit chat. I've just finished upgrading and have some Bolt Browsing to do! I know some people have been loving Bolt while others have been slower to warm up to it. I've been a big fan. The fact my Curve 8900 loads websites over Edge using Bolt faster than my iPhone 3G can load them up in Safari (over both 3G and I've even beat it on WiFi) makes me happy.
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This browser is running really slow on my BlackBerry 8320!!!
Works phenomenally on my Bold, RIM could learn a thing or two from BitStream.
The only suggestion I have would be to speed up the cursor acceleration a bit more.
Yes the scroll speed is a bit up setting, I felt like I was scrolling for ever just to get to the bottom of the screen, there’s room for improvement plus it’s a Beta so I know the deal.....
slow also on the curve 8330, i guess it wasn't made for the curve :(
It is slow on my Verizon 8330 as well.
It's crankin on my VZW 8330! Much more usable now too. Scrolling up/down seems much better, left/right is still slow. Any chance we could get a "zoom out all the way" view? Oh, and a HUGE THANKS for letting the escape button work as a back button. That was keeping me from using this browser.
Seems to work pretty good on my Storm. I'm going to have to decide between the Blackberry Browser, Opera Mini, and Bolt now. I would be interested to see a chart comparing the three. Maybe I can dig something up in the forums.
good stuff, i liked the older version...guess im gonna realy like this one
It is still nice but still slow on the scroll. Maybe in the future it will get better.
I'm still trying to get the install to work. It all appeared good until I couldn't locate the icon in my menu. I emailed support already. I'm using a Telus 8330.
Just when I was about to toss this browser this drops.
Infinitely better than the previous iteration. Cursor no longer lags.
T=Top, B=Bottom, the space bar works for scrolling. I am so
loving this, cant wait to see what is next.
Does anyone else have this? I can use the Dual-Signed Version, but not the BB one.
Not too sure about the whole text inputing thing. Somewhat like Opera Mini. But I love the display for surfing web pages. I'm actually on the non wap of CrackBerry.com which is a PIA with any mobile browser including Opera mini. I went on CNN.com for a moment it loked great too. Though I could not for the life of me log in to www.crackberry.com had some issues with trying to input the field. But for a look and see browser... I'm diggin the BOLT an m'BOLD.
i just downloaded bolt this morning. WOW! this browswer rocks compared to my storm's standard browser or even opera mini.
Bolt is yet another browser that doens't have a good user interface. I just downloaded and tried .83 today and it is still quite clunky and hard to use. Not quite as bad as Opera Mini, but not much better either.
The only thing going for these 3rd party browsers is the additional speed in page loads. But its like getting a race car and not know how to drive it: its worthless unless you can control the thing properly.
I am sticking with the built in browser even though it's dog slow.
I think it's more a matter of learning how to use it. Once you spend some time with it you adjust. I find it just as easy to use now, if not easier than the BB Browser.
I think it's more a matter of learning how to use it. Once you spend some time with it you adjust. I find it just as easy to use now, if not easier than the BB Browser.
Bunch of whiney bitches, seriously! People expect things to run perfect out of the gate or its crap. With that said, they will go back to the original browser, even though its crap and they admit that and not give things a chance beyond 1 minute.
So fast. Love the BB specific enhancements. I think adding the "." with the spacebar is new. Scrolling around in a page is a bit slow. I wish they would add a feature where if you held the alt or shift while scrolling it did page scrolling so we could work a bit faster. You can use the space to go down a bit and shift space to go up a bit but they should increase that. Still a bit too little.
Sites look soooooo much better. Now surfing around on it.
http://www.gavincampbellonline.com
LOVE the fact that it doesnt reload anymore when you change between landscape/portrait with the storm.
what's the deal with "wi-fi" in the options menu???
First time Bolt User so not much to compare it to. I'm a Storm user 9530... Interesting web browser. Don't like that I have to enable suretype every time....is there a setting i can make this the default? Also my storm became a touch screen using this browser rather than a click screen. Meaning I can just touch the screen to direct it rather than fully clicking it.... Interesting I've only played it with it for like 10 minutes so....
This browser is super fast even faster on wifi. After being a windows mobile user and using skyfire this is the closest browser I have seen yet that comes close to bringing a full web browsing experience to blackberrys. Although it cannot play a lot of the media content that skyfire could it does support youtube which is a plus. Cnn or some of the other sites of its kind would be great to to be able to get media content but other then that its super easy to navigate and the learning curve is fast. Hope to be able to get it when I get my 8900 next week!
Current device : pearl flip 8220
I agree, love the way it doesnt reload when changing direction, as far as being harder to use, the only problem i am having is placing the curser in the right spot or it will download a wrong page, guess my fingers are to big...Ha!
I have a Storm 9530. Should we still be downloading the unsigned version?
Anybody else with this issue?
Installation was fast and the first-time loading was quicker than I tought it would be. Pretty decent, especially for a Beta version. Looking forward taking it "around the track" after work.
Pearl Flip 8220
OS 4.6.0.180
T-Mobile
Download the version that says For Blackberry Users
Very Very quick, I don't think it has any adjustments from the trackball. But before some pages wouldn't load or would get a network error. Perfect! Can't wait for the official release
I still can't get this to work on my 8120 without WiFi. I still get the "internet not available" message. I'm T-Mobile. Anyone else with simmilar issues?
The one about WiFi it might help if not I have no idea what the problem could be..
I was busy when I got the option to upgrade, so I clicked cancel. Now I'm ready for it but the option doesn't pop up any more. Any ideas on how to get it back?
downloaded on tmobile curve, works great. navigation seems to have improved, pages look a lot better.
the only wish i have for this browser is to give capability to select/copy text from web-pages...... and play embedded videos too.
I would resend for the original beta. That's what they say you should do if you accidentally download the wrong upgrade.
Keep getting an error saying download failed. It says I am not authorized to download. I even re-submitted to private beta testing, got the email and still got same error.
I was getting that too. I had to delete my original version to download the new one.
Deleted old version and re-installed. New version is loading much faster for me and the escape button works!
I Just tried on my BB Flip and this is what happens with the WiFi on the bolt browser, so correct me if im wrong anybody. The WiFi option I believe connects The browser to your phones WiFi. Reasoning for this is that I have tried having my phones WiFi enabled and the Bolt WiFi enabled and it works fine. Pulls up the pages really quick.. I have also had the WiFi on my phone enabled and not on the Browser and its still pretty fast. But when I have the WiFi on the Browser enalbed and no WiFi on my phone it doesnt do anything. On the previous version it would give me a "cannot connect to the server" error. I found this out because I had WiFi connected on my phone and the browser which was connected to my home router and then when I left the house and was out of range it reverted back to edge speeds and I tried to connect and it wouldnt let me pull it up until I disabled the WiFi on Bolt. Hope this helps.
One annoying thing is every time you open the browser and go to a site, you get the "Would you allow.." access question. Wish that was a one time question and the answer was stored somewhere...or not asked at all.
Other than that...definite improvements from original beta. Keep improving!
I think that you will be save if you download the unsigned version.. at least when I upgraded when it gave me the option when I loaded the new version of the browser it had one for blackberry specifically, was the first link, although it was still and unsigned version when it downloaded.. So i guess take it as you will.. Unsigned just means that its unverified but it still comes from bolt, but I believe its for the blackberries that have certificates for security purposes because of blackberry BES. make sense?
This version is even better than the original one! I'm amazed! They even found a way to play flash videos! That is fantastic!
I have Bolt installed on my 8700 and it's the best thing ever! Congratulations to these guys!
What does it take for these RIM and Bolt boneheads understand that space + shift to page up sucks? Do they ever really USE these browsers they are making? The navigation on the Pearl is a lot better. These are cell phones, dammit.
i upgraded and lost all my favourites. Did that happen to everyone?
For all the speed in the world the program still isn't right for the storm. It doesn't allow you to highlight before selecting through a screen push so essentially treating it like a iphone touch screen and moving the cursor isn't an option. Also the going to menu to magnify gets rid of another option to select the right icon. So in summation great product for non-storm blackberry's.
lost all my favorites also but i love the bolt on my storm
got in on the beta! hope it's worthwhile.
thanks for the tip!
Using the trackball is still painful. Once they get it working like the built in browser or opera I will be happy.
With this update it's still really bad for the Curve 8330. Maybe it's just because I'm not driving a Bold/Storm/8900, but it's really jumpy/jerky, and hard to control. The trackball is about as sensitive as a chafed cl!t. Ouch.
Is it just me? Or have others with a regular old curve experienced the same thing?
Yeah, i am having problems on my T-Mobile Curve 8320 too. It runs horribly slow and the cursor lags so bad I have a hard time getting it to go where I want it to.
When I first downloaded the browser it worked great but now when enter a web address, it acts like its going to load and than does nothing. Does anyone know how to fix this?