A popular alternative to Pocket Internet Explorer (IE), Microsoft's bundled Windows Mobile Web browser, is Bitstream's ThunderHawk—one of the first mobile browsers to let you view a Web page in landscape mode as well as wrap text to reduce scrolling.

Unlike its desktop cousin, Pocket IE isn't about to put anyone out of business. The Windows Mobile community considers it a less than desirable option for surfing the Internet, even though it is free.

To these users the mobile version of IE doesn't strike the right balance between speed and correct formatting for small handheld displays—so as not to alter the meaning and feel of a Web page—like ThunderHawk, for example, does.

Windows Mobile aficionados will finally get their chance to use the most recent version of ThunderHawk, 2.0, on their Windows Smartphones soon; the day of its official launch at CTIA Wireless 2005 in New Orleans next week. BitSteam introduced a major upgrade to ThunderHawk for Pocket PCs last September.

BitStream promised to take mobile browsing to another level by giving users a more desktop-like experience on their handheld with the unveiling of ThunderHawk 2.0 for Pocket PC. It makes similar assertions with the Smartphone Edition, saying it will turn browsing the Web easier and faster than ever before on a Windows Smartphone.

The company says enhancements in 2.0 include effortless scrolling, fast and fluid Web page navigation, multiple viewing options (full or split screen) to make information easy to find, and seamless connectivity for re-establishing a connection—along with any data you previously entered—immediately after a disruption. There is also proxy authentication and 128-bit encryption to secures Web access, among other new features.