Mozilla has announced a new project to formally explore the integration of its Firefox web browser with the computer desktop.

Weave is an experimental prototype from Mozilla Labs that integrates online services with Firefox that synchronizes your Firefox data (Bookmarks, preferences, customizations and passwords) between multiple devices (desktop, laptop, mobile).

Weave can enhance the Firefox user experience, increase user control over personal information, and provide new opportunities for developers to build innovative online experiences.

Currently, Weave only synchronizes your bookmarks and browser history with Mozilla’s servers. Soon the service should be extended to other kinds of data such as passwords, settings, extensions…

Weave will:

• provide a basic set of optional Mozilla-hosted online services
• ensure that it is easy for people to set up their own services with freely available open standards-based tools
• provide users with the ability to fully control and customize their online experience, including whether and how their data should be shared with their family, their friends, and third-parties
• respect individual privacy (e.g. client-side encryption by default with the ability to delegate access rights)
• leverage existing open standards and propose new ones as needed
• build a extensible architecture like Firefox

To use Weave, you need to:

1. Create a Weave account at https://services.mozilla.com, if you do not already have one.
2. Following the directions in the e-mail that is sent to you, to verify your account and download the initial prototype.
3. Download and install Weave. (Weave requires the latest beta release of Firefox 3 to run)
4. Once it is installed, restart Firefox and follow the directions on the first run page.

Weave 0.1 is now available for your testing. For more information on Weave, please read the announcement.