We've seen
the betas for quite some time now, but Shiira v2.0 - the feature-packed open source browser based on the same WebKit that powers Apple's Safari - has gone
official. As far as I can tell, the feature list hasn't changed wildly from beta into this full version, but check out some of the slick tricks Shiira has up its sleeve:
- Tab Exposé (yep: Exposé comes to browser tabs)
- Sharing bookmarks with Safari
- Side drawer showing bookmarks and history
- Search field with choice of search engine
- Cache control panel
- Window appearance switching (Aqua and Metal)
- Enable/disable favicon with bookmark
- Wheel button operation (open in new tab, and tab switching)
- Auto-tab for bookmark folder
- Displaying back-forward list on toolbar buttons
- Search text field for bookmark and history
The feature list is far from over, however, so check out Shiira's official
screenshot and features list for more details and even some movies of its features in action. Since Shiira is open source, it's available free from
Shiira.jp.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
paul said 7:51PM on 4-23-2007
Much like Opera, Shiira's extra features are a solution in search of a problem.
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Alex Suraci said 7:53PM on 4-23-2007
Eh, I think that feature list is out of date. Which is strange, that they stripped a bunch of 1.2's features from 2.0. I don't see a sidebar anywhere, as well as window appearance switching.
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Jordan said 8:18PM on 4-23-2007
It still can't import anything from anything else (like the bookmarks bar), it can't set a damn homepage, and it's ENTIRELY IN ENGRISH.
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Alex said 8:20PM on 4-23-2007
I have a sneaking suspicion that the developers just slapped the "Final" designation on the latest beta in order to qualify for the Apple Design Awards. There are a bunch of glaring UI bugs (especially in the Preferences window) that should have been fixed if this were truly a final release. Not impressed.
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Kuswanto said 8:29PM on 4-23-2007
I tried a test on the 2.0 release. It's looks like Shiira has bugs all over the place. It even crashed when i quitted the app.
One think bother me is, i can not put the Bookmarklets or Bookmark folder in the bookmark toolbar.
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DG said 8:38PM on 4-23-2007
Lots of bugs here too. It's not surprising that they still have 1.2.2 available for download. Pretty though.
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sladuuch said 8:46PM on 4-23-2007
Buggy buggy buggy. SOme of the most glaring ones I found in three minutes of poking around are: no way to return from the shelf once it's there, multiple PageDocks disappearing, and crashes on quit. If they released this to compete on the Apple design awards, they haven;t a prayer of a chance with the current buggy incarnation. Shame, too, because I loved Shiira 1.2.2--it was my primary browser for a few months. Shiira doesn't appear to offer anything really new at all; they just got rid of some cool things that differentiated them from other browsers and twiddled the UI.
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Eric said 9:52PM on 4-23-2007
@Jordan: But, Engrish is the funniest mutation of any language, ever! Just look here:
http://www.engrish.com/
And this is my favorite so far: http://www.engrish.com/detail.php?imagename=not-feel-well-get-drunk.jpg&category=Signs/Posters&date=2007-01-10
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Jay said 9:58PM on 4-23-2007
I can't resist...
Shiira is shiite.
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Phat said 10:09PM on 4-23-2007
I'll go with Jay on this one
If it's like Safari you better use Safari
Shiira is very buggy, could'nt transfert bookmark's, browser always quitting on me
This app is fit for the pit !
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John said 10:11PM on 4-23-2007
It last about 2 minutes on my system when I realized it wouldn't import my Safari bookmarks ( including toolbar folders ) and crash twice.
Not ready for primetime.
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Quix said 10:59PM on 4-23-2007
We need a keyboard shortcut (Cmd-L) for typing in a URL in full-screen browsing mode. Full-screen browsing is great, but it's a pain to have to mouse to the top of the screen in order to type in a URL.
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KShark28 said 1:25AM on 4-24-2007
I'm a little surprised by the intensely disparaging comments. Sure, it's a little rough around the edges, and they actually removed some good features from 1.2.2. However, it is open source, and it has some very useful innovations - although not perfectly implemented, full screen browsing is awesome. If anything, this can spur on the folks at Apple and Mozilla to further refine some the innovations here. PS, I haven't had any crashes, but I am working on a pretty new MacBook.
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Joseph said 1:36AM on 4-24-2007
unimpressive!
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Ahmad said 3:01AM on 4-24-2007
judging by the screen shots... it looks a lot like a safari clone to me.
but then again, I only use the shiira mini browser on my dashboard from time to time
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itsmeee said 3:08AM on 4-24-2007
I'm using it now on my 12" 1ghz ibook running 10.4.9.
It's considerably faster then Safari and looks better IMO. I do agree it is really really buggy. I'd love to use it as my main browser because I just love the features it has in addition to its speed for instance flash stuff works way better for me in Shiira then Safari.
I do have problems for instance, the search bar doesn't work and I can't seem to add browsers into the search section of the shelf. Safari bookmarks didn't import right, but with enough screwing around I was able to import them. Also sometimes +W doesn't close windows, sometimes it does. Oh then when you middle click a link it opens it in a new window but auto selects it even if you set it not to do that which is REALLY annoying.
If they can eventually fix those bugs I'll use it as my main browser. Hell for how well it runs, looks and the extra features I'd pay for it.
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sam said 3:57AM on 4-24-2007
The one, single reason I still use Firefox is because it has all my passwords saved to it.
And I don't like 1passwd.
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Hame.ish said 4:01AM on 4-24-2007
err.... has anyone tried browsing tuaw using the new shirra ?
I am trying it now. and it is doing cray things, with the banner and text ads. making them spawn in new tabs all over the place.
if anyone knows why, please let me know, as I am a fan of having more browsers than I can poke a stick at, then poking them all.
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yakov chodosh said 4:23AM on 4-24-2007
When will you full screen fans learn about MEGA ZOOMER and stop fawning over programs with full screen capability?
http://www.ianhenderson.org/megazoomer.html
(You need SIMBL to make it work... read the instructions)
Mega Zoomer gives Safari, TextEdit, Preview, and many other programs a full screen option.
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David said 4:42AM on 4-24-2007
@ Hame.ish
This windows spawning was a problem with previous ß releases when using the Smart Browse Mode (under the View Menu) should now be OK as it has only Single Window and Default modes now.
Check out the great 'View Page Source' - not quite a Webkit Inspector, but this will no doubt come with an upgrade in the webkit with a final release of Leopard.
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