Jig Browser for Willcom

Jig (Japanese site only) is a browser originally developed for Japanese mobile phones. Japanese phones usually come with one lightwieght browser for viewing Compact HTML and similar lightweight sites. Some sites also come with other 'full' browsers for viewing regular internet sites, but the carriers ensure that the flat rate packet plans do not apply when using these browsers (with the exception of AU who added a flat rate plan for full browsers for an additional fee starting in May).

Jig - a small startp company - cleverly got round this restriction by developing a Java/BREW appli browser that could take advantage of the flat rate plans. I was very impressed with the browsing experience on a regular mobile phone 2" or smaller screen. The browser came packed with all the configuration options you'd expect from a PC browser, tabbed browsing, RSS reader and more cool features. There are five different view options as shown in the graphic above. Scrolling and panning around a web site felt very natural (similar to the browser on the Nokia E61 and another Nokia phone I was shown. The latter I believe was an open source browser for Symbian). The real downside was that keeping the appli running really ate up the batteries which really made it difficult to use it regularly. The pricing was also a monthly subscription at a US$5 (630 yen) a month - which does make most users think twice before signing up and forgetting about it.

Until recently the browser was nt comptabile with Willcom's Windows Mobile phones. Now it is. Although Opera Mobile offers a great browsing experience, the Jig browser may be beneficial when attempting one handed browsing. It may also offer an even more competitive browsing experience when used on devices with 2.8" or smaller screens due to the different view options available. Finally, if Jig can find some way to get flat rate browsing on the Windows Mobile devices being offered by DoCoMo (and Softbank if they decide not to offer flat rate themselves) they'd be doing a great service to the mobile community.

The Jig site offers other interesting, potentially disruptive (for the walled garden of the Japanese mobile internet) tools such as email and scheduling applications for mobile phones. The company is definitely worth keeping an eye on.