It’s no secret that practically every subject “guglofona” hidden treasure trove of stereotypes, clearly manifested when selecting a software for the portable device. Some owners of Android devices is convenient to solve every day tasks unabashedly Developer Suite of preinstalled content themselves, others, of aesthetes, prefer only time-tested solutions, while still others whenever users are guided by recommendations of experienced mobile platform. Many are those who hold a permanent search of worthy to take a place in the memory of the Smartphone products already tired of experimenting with available in Android Market developments. We also do not have ventured to deny ourselves the pleasure of practical research in more than a dozen Internet browsers of alternative to the regular browser with Android OS. How worthy is us and tried to figure out during rapid testing software solutions for mobile Web surfing.
Before you go directly to the review, let alone make a small digression and to focus on two important in our view points. First, all of the following browsers have been derived solely from the Android Market store. This means that they can easily find any interested user. Secondly, for testing of products made of editorial apparatus Acer Stream operating platform Android 2.1, which lacks full support for Adobe Flash technology. It is for this reason we do focus on the ability of a browser handle Flash content. As a justification in your address can lead not only adephagia last, but the fact that over 40% of “guglofonov” still running good old Android versions of assemblies 1.5, 6 and 1.2.1. Doubt can refer to of relevant statistics and we get to meet you with heroes of today’s note.
1- Opera Mini
Creation of the Norwegian company Opera Software, first be the light in the second half of 2005 and mastered for almost six years presence in the market to win the trust of more than 90 million users from all over the world. This impressive figure stems not only from the rich functionality of the program, but also the underlying browser client-server technology frees mobile processing content from compression accelerates loading pages and not put high demands on computing platform for portable devices. According to the developers to use program compression technology reduces the amount of data downloaded from the Internet up to 90%, resulting in significant cost savings when traffic or while in roaming.
During its development mobile browser has matured greatly: it has tabs, quick bar, password manager, RSS reader, the bootstrapper files and other relevant stuff. Also the program includes useful helpers module SCM search, an advanced preset and not deprived of practical Opera Link, which provides tools to sync bookmarks, notes and content express-bar between PC and mobile phone. Overall the browser Opera Mini is almost perfect. Only features a smooth scaling pages through an interface named multitac, which still leaves much to be desired.
2- Opera Mobile
Outwardly, through a unified interface, twin brother product discussed above, but spitting with Opera Mini are very deceptively. The main difference lies in the Presto engine used in Opera desktop browsers. Unified technology platform provides mobile browser 100% passing the Acid3 test, which checks for conformity with modern Web standards, and in fact fully operational network resources. The application supports function pinch-to-zoom, allowing two fingers to manipulate the size of the website you’re viewing, and used Opera Turbo compression technology traffic and synchronize Opera Link.
The abundance of pros have enough Opera Mobile and shortcomings, the most important of which is middling support HTML5 and inability to find common language with the Flash Player, available for Android since version 2. Many owners of «guglofonov», experimented with browser in action, note the low speed and performance on some machines and incorrect sites. Developers themselves listed minuses to absorb beta-version of the product and are promised soon everything right. The exact date of final release browser not covert organizations, however, with the batter over the edge of the enthusiastic programmers, it is hoped that the celebrations happen very soon.
3- Firefox for Mobile
Another alternate browser is in beta testing and debugging, and so far runs on all Android devices . This is the first important point there are two: the application distribution package has impressive 14 MB (for comparison: the installation file fixed browser “weighs” only 8.5 Mb) and requires to install the free space in the memory of the Smartphone.
On the functional stuffing mobile fire Fox “(nee Fennec) is a desktop version of the product and is able to plug the waist competitors supporting HTML5 geolocation tools, extensions, and hardware accelerator cards, built-in file manager downloads, optimized JavaScript engine, which, according to representatives of Mozilla, handles command instructions faster standard Android browser, as well as Firefox Sync system to sync bookmarks, history Web wandering, passwords and other information with browsers Firefox on different devices. Equally interesting is the interface of the program, right-left to access the ruler tabs open and settings. In General, the development community promises to be interesting and attractive for networked audiences. In the meantime, judging by the comments and strong expressions of some users in the market, the beta build of an application is infested by various errors and deficiencies, denying the comfort stay online.
4-Skyfire
The development of American Diego had the company claiming the title “social browser”, as evidenced by the tight integration with Facebook and the SkyBar, providing quick access to popular content links from news feeds “Facebook” and others generated based on audience interest network services. A characteristic feature of the program is able to view video in Adobe Flash on devices, deprived of their support to flush. As developers, have explained previously multimedia data is converted into h.264 format, and then reproduced using HTML5. Sounds impressive, but testing has proven that Skyfire does not all Flash movies, and is openly proclaimed desire the ability to involve work with flush should be regarded as a loud PR campaign of the browser. As for the interface to the latter, he seemed unnecessarily overloaded controls and already modest vertical size screens of portable devices. In General, for an amateur.
5- Dolphin Browser
Another pretty good in our hit parade Web browser key attributes which are tight integration with Google services, management mechanism to install various gestures, themes and support for extensions, additional software modules that add some functionality to the browser. «Dolphin» implements multilingual interface with changeable themes design layout which largely duplicates the mobile Firefox. Extends Dolphin Browser in two editions — HD and Mini. The first is designed for powerful devices based on Android 2.0 and more recent versions, one for low-bandwidth devices running Android 1.6.
6- Miren Browser
Fruit of the labors of Chinese guru kodinga, translated into many languages, including Russian. Product favorably differs from other software solutions thoughtful interface and intelligently implemented controls. Typically, programmers are copying other people’s experiences of the celestial, but Miren Browser — a pleasant exception to this rule, as evidenced by not only qualitative realization of the program, but also lots of positive feedback in the Android Market. Easy navigation to open pages via tabs, high operation speed, availability widget for quick access to frequently visited resources, an abundance of settings and the ability to adapt to competitors by modifying the User-Agent variable, it all appears in the browser with the label “made in China”. A module for reading RSS feeds, that too is a useful bonus.
7- UC Browser
Another browser of Asian descent. Curious how additional tools, including file manager system switching display in day and night modes, automatic module reloading pages at regular intervals and other cakes and ability to work in three modes — Adaptive, Zoom Mode and Zoom Mode Compressed. When you activate the first browser automatically arranges text and pictures in raw with vertical scrolling, making reading and comprehension of information as comfortable as possible; the inclusion of the second causes the browser to function normally with the scaling enabled by pizzicato “;” a setting in the settings of the third parameter redirects traffic routed through optimizing HTML code and performs the compression data server, like Opera Mini. Practical use of the latest options revealed very low productivity of the mediation server that validates content without regard for modern Web standards. If you turn on Zoom Mode Compressed program with banging ruins all tests HTML5 and Acid3 that certainly doesn’t hold water.
8- Maxthon Mobile
Third, the representative of the software product marked Made in China, testifying to the obvious successes of Chinese in the IT industry and programming. Judge: gesture control, support for RSS feeds, download manager with the function of the adjourned downloads, ability to view thumbnails of pages when switching between tabs, synchronization system settings, bookmarks and history navigation between different device with installed Maxthon — here’s a partial list of the characteristics of “Chinese”, calling it a cut above any other browsers, if not tiny Adriano, is a taste of the barrel of honey lack simplify page scaling mechanism pinch-to-zoom.
9- xScope
Stylized under Google Chrome software solution, distributed by developers in two assemblies is free (for Android 1.6) and commercial (for v2.0 and above), diverse functional fillings. The paid version of the application are developed management tools through multitouch interface, file manager, machinery importing bookmarks from Google Bookmarks and other tools to color interface customization tools. In General, the browser makes a good impression, but is it worth it to give him three dollars if there are similar free products – question open.
10- Life NetFront Browser
When you look at this product of the Japanese company Access first striking an unusual interface designed with the claim to the third dimension. Startup window vertically divided into two parts, one being displayed effectively scrollable left-right open pages, while the second shows the bookmarks, history views and saved screenshots, which you can do with the built-in browser tools, enabling a quick create notes with phone numbers, addresses, and other common on sites with useful information. NetFront is integrated with the Evernote service, intended for the creation, synchronization, search your notes, and hardwired in the search engine Yahoo! is not a particularly popular among local connoisseurs of the Internet. Moot point is also implementing features, fixing by accelerometer changes the position of the phone in space and displays the most viewed sites not only in portrait and landscape modes, but at an angle. Nicely of course, but absurdly.
11- Coco Browser
Developers openly admit this browser created their software solution is the simplest add-in over the standard Internet browser Android (as you might have guessed on humble size distribution). Add-in that adds a ruler tabs with vague direction most important “feature” of the browser is smooth zoom pictures thumbs. Why was programmers put a vegetable garden, complicating the lives of users, we have not understood. However, we are not questioned the utility of the browser: in a formed market place ranking Coco Browser appears on the latest position — and share!
12- Boat Browser
The browser in which clearly are borrowed from mobile Safari interface solutions. You can argue a lot, good or bad — best practices in “Android”, but it must be pointed out that the imitation of competitor has gone Boat Browser benefits and this browser is much more comfortable than inline. Who has interest or simply at the beginning the products Apple, so definitely worth a peek into the application.
Well, it’s time to take stock. Since express testing was overly impressive, we decided to put together all of the valuable information about the tested browsers. For the sake of completeness, it was decided to add to existing data results of complex tests, Acid3 and HTML5 against browsers modern Web standards. All results are given in the table.
So, which browser to choose? Options abound, but if you look closely, you will notice that almost all of them are built on the same WebKit engine as the default browser on Android. What actually explains how identity testing results of these products. Original development, whatever you might say — time-two and fingers of one hand. Promising and noteworthy software solutions select Opera Mini and Opera Mobile, as well as Dolphin and a beta of Firefox. Assets listed browsers provides everything required for the progressive Web surfing and has huge potential that, undoubtedly, will play a key role in upcoming browser battles on the market for portable devices. History has a habit of repeating itself, and today we are witnessing the beginning of the next round of “arms race”, which this time will take place in a mobile format.