Adobe opens browser-comparison site

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 4 Jun 2009 at 10:51

Adobe is previewing a new service which allows web developers to see how their sites look on different browsers.

Dubbed BrowserLab, the service allows developers to select either Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari, and the operating system it is running on. Once done it creates a virtual environment, giving developers a chance to see how their site displays on a variety of platforms.

Developers can also select a side-by-side view, or an "onion skin" mode where the site is shown running on multiple browsers overlaid on top of each other. BrowserLab requires Flash 10.

"Cross-browser testing has been one of the biggest challenges for web designers because it is such an arduous and time-intensive task," says Adobe.

"Now with Adobe BrowserLab, designers have a simple solution that enables comprehensive browser compatibility testing in just a matter of minutes, leaving web designers with more time to be creative and deliver the high-impact sites customers are demanding."

Adobe says the tool will be free for the duration of the preview as its gauges customer feedback. It plans to start charging once testing is complete, though it has not announced timing or prices.