Mozilla is excited to announce that Webmaker for Android emerges from beta today. You can download the new version of our free, open source app from Google Play at mzl.la/webmaker.
Mozilla built Webmaker to empower first-time smartphone users and mobile-first Web users as active participants on the Web. Too often, individuals around the world experience a “read-only” mobile Web, passively consuming content and unable to actively contribute. But when consumers become creators, they’re introduced to social and economic opportunity. And when everyone can contribute equally, the Web becomes a better place.
Webmaker is Mozilla’s way of addressing the lack of local content in mobile-first markets. Initially available in four languages (Bengali, Brazilian Portuguese, English and Indonesian) and with more coming soon, the app allows individuals across the globe to create original content in their language and relevant to their community. We built Webmaker after extensive research around the world, and it’s informed by hundreds of volunteers. Webmaker belongs as much to these communities as it does Mozilla.
Webmaker’s hallmark is simplicity: there’s no know-how required, no steep learning curve, and no complex toolbars. Users can create a range of content in minutes — from scrapbooks and art portfolios to games and memes. The intuitive design lets users iterate on the Web’s basic building blocks: text, images and links. With these three fundamentals, our community has already built wonderful creations: how-to manuals, photo albums, digital sketchbooks and wardrobes, exercise handbooks and more. Users are also free to remix and tinker with each other’s Webmaker projects in order to start slowly and steadily expand their creative potential.
How is this version different from the Webmaker beta we released in June? In addition to better performance and a more optimal user experience, shared projects can now be viewed on any platform (mobile or desktop), and users with poor connectivity will experience better performance while offline. Also, content discovery is now location-based — you can see what others in your community are creating and remixing.
Ready to discover, create and share local content, and learn the basics of the Web along the way? Download Webmaker today at mzl.la/webmaker. You can find ideas for your first project here.
We’re looking forward to seeing what you make! You can reach us anytime @Webmaker or at help-webmaker@mozilla.com.
