Wake3: WebKit for Windows Mobile
Starting in 2007, there were dozens of articles and blog post about Wake3, a Silicon Valley start-up, regarding their developing the next best thing for mobile users- a simple, effective browser on their handset to get the most out of the mobile web. In 2008, with great anticipation, we learned that Wake3 was finally planning to launch a beta version of their browser in just a few months. “WebKit for Windows Mobile really is, in essence, a kind of iPhone browsing for Windows Mobile,” said Daniel Zucker, CTO of Wake3.
Blogs gushed that the new one form Wake3 for Windows Mobile was expected to offer full web browsing experience to its customers, including AJAX support. However all that was available was an online video demonstration( see below), though the WebKit was expected to be released soon. SO we waited and waited.
I was excited about Webkit as the next mobile phone user. In fact it would come in handy for my job of pitching potential clients for janitorial supplies about the company I represented. If Webkit were successful I could demonstrate how easy it would be to order any of our products with their phone no matter where they were. Let's say the client needed to place an order for dish soap, specifically eco friendly detergents and the accompanying dispensers. With their iPhone, the person in the procurement division of the business would scroll through all our options and then just order. In reality, websites were not mobile phone friendly in 2007, as they are today. SO I suppose even if Webkit had been successful, there would have been some obvious limitations as what could be done on one's mobile iPhone.
Seven years later all this brouhaha seems quaint with the extraordinary smart phones that are available, but in 2007-2008 the paradigm shift brought on by the iPhone was enormous. Startups as well as the big boys in computers and phone devices were scrambling to deliver a single standard across all the world's phones. Wake3 said that their Webkit, an open source web browser engine would be that answer delivering a browser for Windows Mobile making mobile browsing and email possible without needing to buy an iPhone.
The Wake3 website's domain expired sometime after 2009. When I discovered that the domain had become available I bought it with the goal of rebuilding as much of the helpful information as was possible from it's archived pages. Sad to say I was only able to recover a few pages and no images. What Wake3 accomplished is impressive with WebKitas as an open source development experiment. They definitely wanted to contribute back to the community, which is why I believe this domain and its content should not disappear. You can consider this website in an historical context in regards to the technology that has brought us amazing smart phones that are used today performing many of the functions of a computer, typically having a touch screen interface, Internet access, and an operating system capable of running downloaded applications.
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Feb 14 2007
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Wake3: WebKit for Windows Mobile
WebKit is the world's best mobile web browser, used on Apple's iPhone, Nokia’s Series 60, and Google’s Android handsets. Now it runs on Windows Mobile--brought to you by Wake3.
Wake3 Beta Coming
We are sorry we have not been able to reply to each of you individually, but we have received so many emails and requests that it is just not possible. Thank you for your interest in Wake3. We are looking forward to bringing a great WebKit browsing experience to your Windows Mobile device.
We want to let you know that we have been hard at work coding and progress has been quite good. We are gearing up to launch our public Beta within the next few months. Please keep tuned to this station for further announcements. If you are a developer interested in helping us out after the Beta launch, please drop us an email.
Wake3 will be at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona
Wake3 will be at this year’s Mobile World Congress February, 2008 in Barcelona. If you want to meet up with us there and see a demo, please send us an email.
Wake3 News and Events
· InfoSpace says: Open source entering the mobile computing space
· Wake3’s CTO to speak at Open Source in Mobile San Francisco, 12 March, 2008
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Wake3 Dec 2 2007
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Wake3: WebKit for Windows Mobile
WebKit is the world's best mobile web browser, used on Apple's iPhone, Nokia’s Series 60, and Google’s Android handsets. Now it runs on Windows Mobile--brought to you by Wake3.
Wake3 Beta Coming
We are sorry we have not been able to reply to each of you individually, but we have received so many emails and requests that it is just not possible. Thank you for your interest in Wake3. We are looking forward to bringing a great WebKit browsing experience to your Windows Mobile device.
We want to let you know that we have been hard at work coding and progress has been quite good. We are gearing up to launch our public Beta within the next few months. Please keep tuned to this station for further announcements. If you are a developer interested in helping us out after the Beta launch, please drop us an email.
Wake3 will be at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona
Wake3 will be at this year’s Mobile World Congress February, 2008 in Barcelona. If you want to meet up with us there and see a demo, please send us an email.
Wake3 News and Events
- InfoSpace says: Open source entering the mobile computing space
- Wake3’s CTO to speak at Open Source in Mobile San Francisco, 12 March, 2008
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WebKit on Windows Mobile YouTube
Demonstration of the browser:
Uploaded on Oct 9, 2007
Wake3 Demo
More Background on Wake3.com
Wake3.com emerged in 2007 as an ambitious startup aiming to enhance mobile web browsing on Windows Mobile devices by leveraging WebKit, a highly regarded browser engine already powering browsers on Apple’s iPhone and Nokia’s Series 60 phones. WebKit was appreciated for its speed and ability to deliver a desktop-like browsing experience on mobile devices, and Wake3 aimed to bring this transformative technology to the underserved Windows Mobile market. The startup generated significant anticipation with its promise of offering an alternative to Pocket Internet Explorer, which had long dominated the Windows Mobile space but failed to evolve at the pace of its competitors.
The Vision: WebKit for Windows Mobile
Wake3’s core goal was to develop a browser that would rival the experience offered on Apple’s iPhones but for users of Windows Mobile. Their implementation of WebKit promised full support for advanced web technologies like AJAX, which would enable dynamic content and interactivity in mobile browsers—something rare at the time. This feature was particularly relevant for business users who wanted to perform tasks like checking emails or even placing orders for products directly from their mobile devices.
Daniel Zucker, the CTO of Wake3, emphasized that this browser would deliver a full web experience. He argued that Wake3’s version of WebKit for Windows Mobile could allow users to navigate the web as seamlessly as they would on a desktop, which was an exciting prospect given the limited capabilities of mobile devices in the mid-2000s.
Technology and Features
One of the standout features of Wake3’s browser was its reliance on WebKit, which was already celebrated for its speed and accuracy in rendering complex web pages. In addition to this, Wake3 promised support for AJAX, which allowed web applications to load data asynchronously, improving the speed and responsiveness of web pages.
However, the first beta versions of the browser lacked some features, such as zooming capabilities, which were standard in other WebKit-based browsers like Safari on the iPhone. This absence did not deter early interest, as Wake3’s product was still seen as a massive improvement over Pocket Internet Explorer.
Press Coverage and Reception
Wake3 garnered significant media attention in its early days. The announcement of its WebKit-based browser for Windows Mobile was covered by major tech outlets, including Boy Genius Report and IntoMobile. The overall tone of the coverage was optimistic, with tech journalists excited about the potential of bringing a full web experience to Windows Mobile users.
The beta version of Wake3’s browser was unveiled at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in 2008, where it generated interest among developers and early adopters alike. Wake3’s promise of open-source innovation within the mobile browsing space further contributed to its positive reception in tech circles, with developers praising its potential to change the mobile browsing landscape for Windows Mobile devices.
Challenges and Limitations
Despite the enthusiasm, Wake3 faced significant challenges. While WebKit was a strong foundation, the limitations of Windows Mobile devices, such as limited processing power and memory, meant that the browsing experience could not fully match that of iPhones or Android devices. Additionally, while the WebKit browser for Windows Mobile showed promise, it struggled to keep pace with rapidly evolving smartphone technologies.
Another challenge was the ecosystem itself. Windows Mobile, though popular in business circles, was beginning to lose ground to the growing dominance of iOS and Android. By 2009, it became clear that Microsoft’s platform was struggling to keep up, which limited the potential market for Wake3’s browser.
The Decline of Wake3
While Wake3 was highly anticipated, the company ultimately could not deliver on its lofty ambitions. Delays in the release of a fully functional product and the rapid evolution of mobile platforms like iOS and Android left Wake3’s offering feeling outdated even before its official launch. By 2009, Wake3’s website had disappeared, and its domain became inactive.
The founder of Wake3 attempted to preserve the history of the project by reviving the domain, but much of the content was lost. Today, Wake3’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the fast-moving nature of the tech industry and the difficulties faced by startups attempting to carve out a niche in a highly competitive market.
Audience and Known For
Wake3 primarily targeted early adopters and tech enthusiasts within the Windows Mobile community. These were individuals who were eager to experience full web browsing on their mobile devices without having to switch to the iPhone or an Android device. Wake3 was known for its ambitious vision of bringing WebKit’s powerful features to an underserved platform, and it earned a reputation among tech journalists and developers for its forward-thinking approach to mobile browsing.
Cultural and Social Significance
While Wake3 may not have achieved mainstream success, its efforts to bring WebKit to Windows Mobile were part of a broader movement towards open-source innovation in the mobile space. The company’s work on mobile AJAX and browser standardization contributed to ongoing discussions about how to make the mobile web more accessible and usable. Wake3’s ambitions also highlighted the importance of cross-platform compatibility, a goal that remains relevant in today’s tech landscape.
In many ways, Wake3’s vision was ahead of its time. The idea of delivering a full web experience on mobile devices has become a reality today, but in 2007, it was still a revolutionary concept. Wake3’s contribution to the open-source community, particularly its work on WebKit, laid the groundwork for future innovations in mobile web browsing.
Although Wake3 did not achieve lasting commercial success, its efforts to bring WebKit to Windows Mobile were significant in the context of early mobile web browsing. The company’s ambitious vision and its contributions to mobile AJAX and open-source browser development left an imprint on the tech world, even if its full potential was never realized. The story of Wake3 serves as a reminder of the rapid pace of technological innovation and the challenges faced by startups in a highly competitive market.