![]() This means that Horus can use a third party browser, such as Opera Mobile, instead of the built Web application (see third screenshot below). The browser that is opened depends on what you have configured as your default browser in the phone's settings. ![]() As previously noted, Horus will launch a browser and open up the specified URL for an item when you tap the globe button in the top right of the screen. The second is the way Horus integrates with the browser. Tapping this will kick off a download (via the Web application) and start playing back the media file (see second screenshot below). Horus will automatically recognise when an enclosure is available and adds a playback button at the top of the screen (see first screenshot below). For example, in a podcast feed, an enclosure contains a link to the MP3 file of the podcast. The first of these is an ability to handle audio and video enclosures in RSS feeds. While Horus has some clever layout tricks and smooth performance, what really makes it stand out are two platform integration features. These allow you to delete unwanted feeds, change the order in which they appear (third screenshot below), rename the titles and customise their background colour. Settings are accessed through the button next to the exit one, on the top right hand side of the home screen. By default, Horus ships with a number of feeds pre-loaded, including All About Symbian, which surely demonstrates the good taste of the developer!įeeds are automatically refreshed when you start the application, but you can also force a manual refresh by tapping the button at the top of the home screen. The search term method is easier, especially for novices, but doesn't always find the right feed. ![]() Typing in a full URL is a fiddly process, but it is a one time action. Feeds can be added by typing in the URL of a feed directly or by typing in a search term and then choosing which feed you want to add. You add feeds by tapping the plus button in the top left hand corner of the screen. The source URL for an item can be opened in the browser application by tapping the globe button in the top right hand corner of the screen (see second screenshot below). If the description includes images and hyperlinks, these will be rendered (and re-sized in the case of images). Tapping on a feed item opens it up in a new view, with the headline and full text description of the item displayed. It's a neat system, which manages to pack a surprisingly large amount of information on the screen at one time, while avoiding the simple list design pattern (see first screenshot below). Feed items are arranged in boxes within these containers, with a text headline and (where available) a thumbnail image shown for each feed item. Three feeds, each with three items, are shown on screen at any one time additional feeds are accessed by scrolling vertically and additional items (within a feed) are accessed by scrolling a feed container horizontally. In Horus, each feed is presented in its own container, with a customisable colour background. Every feed contains a number of items, each representing a certain story or page (URL). Many websites provide RSS feeds so that people can view new content (often providing just a summary), without having to visit the website in question. RSS feeds are a way of syndicating (showing) items, such as a news story or review, from a website, in a standard way. Horus is a stand-alone RSS feed reading application.
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