I've purchased an Asus Transformer to replace an iPad that I am trying to sell. There are certain things I like about the android system better, like having an actual filesystem where two distinct programs can work on one file. However, what has been bugging me lately is that I cannot seem to find a browser that handles webpages as gracefully as the iPad's Safari browser.
Examples:
lifehacker.com has a two pane set up and depending on where the mouse is when the scrollwheel is scrolled, that pane will scroll. In the iPad, this functionality is still preserved. In Android, this functionality is impossible. In fact, while scrolling down the main pane, the images get corrupted in the right pane.
verizonwireless.com, I was trying to buy accessories for my phone. On the iPad, choosing "filters" for the accessories such as "category, type, style, brand, color, price" is very responsive. On the android, it is dang near impossible.
I'd understand if these websites (the versions that are not optimized for tablets) didn't work on either android or iOS, but the iPad Safari browser is clearly superior in rendering these unoptimized websites.
I've tried numerous browsers, the stock, opera mobile and mini, dolphin mini, hd, and pad, skyfire. Each seems to have certain things they do well and other things they do poorly.
So, am I doing something wrong? What do you all think, especially if you've used the iPad Safari browser before? Will ICS bring any improvement?
Thanks
I think I read somewhere ICS has google chrome, so it should be awesome, try the maxthon browser, works pretty good for me, but I mostly use stock browser
Can't compare it with an ipad or the safari browser, but just tried verizonwireless and lifehacker and apart from the two-pane scrolling at lifehacker things seemed to work fine...
No corruption in images @ lifehacker and was also able to select filters at verizonwireless (this was with opera mobile, useragent windows/pc, and dolphin for pad, useragent ipad and windows/pc).
Indeed, the occasional page doesn't work properly or nicely on the transformer (or maybe pads in general) but it surely doesn't happen enough to bother me. ICS will probably improve browsing, dunno if the engine is changed that much though.
Have you tried Opera Mobile in DESKTOP mode, rather than the default TABLET mode?
It's works as good as a desktop browser.
Related
[Q] Better Web Browser
I'm looking for a web browser for my TF that views pages in actual web form, not as mobile pages.
I think with a screen this size it should be possible, right?
Anybody have any suggestions?
Thanks
Soopafly Incredible said:
I'm looking for a web browser for my TF that views pages in actual web form, not as mobile pages.
I think with a screen this size it should be possible, right?
Anybody have any suggestions?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Skyfire has a desktop mode.
~DC
I use Dolphin, can set user-agent to Desktop.
Some people have suggested Dolphin HD as good replacement for the stock browser. I'm just not clear about your problem? My stock browser displays the webpages as my PC browser would. You can check Settings|Advanced and User agent string.
Hope this helps,
rio
I'm using Dolphin HD and like it better than the stock one.
~DC
I guess maybe I'm missing some steps, or haven't tried a few of them that you've mentioned. Just noticed that in my firefox browser (and also the stock browser) all of the pages (MSN, Facebook) are showing up in their mobile forms.
I'll try a couple of those you mentioned and see if I can find them...Thanks!
try Firefox
rio911 said:
My stock browser displays the webpages as my PC browser would. You can check Settings|Advanced and User agent string.
Hope this helps,
rio
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do this to stop getting mobile versions!
rio911 said:
Some people have suggested Dolphin HD as good replacement for the stock browser. I'm just not clear about your problem? My stock browser displays the webpages as my PC browser would. You can check Settings|Advanced and User agent string.
Hope this helps,
rio
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now we just need hulu to acknowledge this!
Dolphin HD
This should be a poll
If you get ADW EX you can adjust the standard (useless) browser widget to 2 columns by 7 rows (looks a lot better), then when you first click on a thumbnail it asks you which browser you wish to use, click your preffered item then you have a custon full size browser of choice widget.
Lately I have been experimenting with different browsers because I am not happy with the stock browser on Honeycomb because it seems to have a lot of issues and slow performance when rendering. I know that a lot of people have been recommending Dolphin Browser HD, and I have tried that alongside Mozilla Firefox. Which browser is everyone else using on their Transformer and how do you like it?
The thing I miss most about the stock browser is the sync with your google chrome bookmarks, so if anyone can suggest how to get that to work with Dolphin Browser or Mozilla, I would appreciate it. Mozilla seems to have the best rendering speed out of the two, however, Dolphin seems to have more features and a better overall interface. Both Dolphin and the stock browser have problems rendering this forum, but Mozilla seems to do it with ease. However, it doesn't seem as though Mozilla is proportioned right for Tablet use yet.
I guess each of the has their positives and negatives, which is why I want to see what everyone else is using and their thoughts.
I use all of them because I don't like any of them. Every one has some problems. The best is probably the stock one, but it doesn't have adblock and when I turn on flash some pages turn into literally hell because of ads. Firefox on the other hand is fast but has very few options and scales images very poorly (this forum looks ugly on it for example). Opera is strange (especcialy the tabs are strange). Dolphin looks like a bloatware.
I hope to see full desktop browser on Android some time. With extensions and such (Firefox mobile extensions are laughable, even adblock doesn't have any options).
to me the stock browser seems more and more like chrome...is it just me?
All Android browsers are really inferior... Right now I go back and forth between stock and Firefox... Don't like either...
stock is as fluid as it gets
I tried Dolphin... but to be frank, it definitely does seem like bloatware. Its overall pretty awful. I keep it installed just because I use it for some websites that the stock one doesn't work properly. But thats rare. And I don't care for it.
People keep saying that Dolphin is "optimised for honeycomb" but I really don't think so. If it were, it'd run a crap ton better.
I use stock. It doesnt always work perfect, and it has its flaws for sure, but its pretty darn fluid, the tabs work great, and its just a clean looking browser.
Stock for browsing and firefox for downloading .zip files
would prefer opera as its my desktop browser of choice but its just terrible atm on android
re browser's
I,d really like to like the stock browser, or dolphin (my usual favourite), but the opera mobile seems currently the only one that has that ipad floaty feel to scrolling. Why cant the others do this?
Dolphin hd beta 5 is awesome
Firefox with adblock is sweet. For watching Flash websites, I use stock or dolphin hd. I like opera too. I guess I will be using all of them as I see fit. That's what I like about android.
So i have find he stock browser, skyfire, dolphin, and xscope all installed
and i cant find one that works really well for all pages, like a desktop browser.
what do you all use for your web browsing?
i use the dock, and the typing in web forums is pretty laggy i dont know if this is a browser, or dock issue though...
my default right now is dolphin, but skyfire seems to handle more complex pages better
Havd you tried firefox?
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App
I had the same problem.
The only browser that can load my university website and about a dozen other pages that I frequent is Opera Mobile.
The other ones all have big gaps in pages, won't download files and pages look messed up -- even Firefox.
I haven't tried Skyfire, but I tried all the others mentioned.
Have you tried changing the user agent to desktop in the stock browser (in settings)? Web pages always show up exactly as they should for me with this setting.
Lag in the browser is honeycomb specific ..happens on xoom and galaxy tab as well
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App
Maxthon works very well..
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Opera
Opera mobile have desktop like experience and overall very good browser
i have stock and maxthon installed and i use always the stock. Dispite the lag works pretty nice even for watching football transmissions.
I too don't really like any of the browsers, keep going back and forth when one does something that pisses me off I switch to another for awhile. I currently got Firefox, Dolphin HD, Opera, Maxthon installed and they all suck at different things. Overall the web browsing experience is pretty ****ty compared to ipad even without the flash, it's just so damn slow and laggy. Wish they'd bring out Atomic Web and Mercury browsers to Android, those both rock especially Mercury on the ipad.
anyone tried Dolphin for Pad? Its quite good! Replaced Opera with it!
I like Dolphin so far.
is this different than dolphin HD 6.0?
kodakeos said:
is this different than dolphin HD 6.0?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes and it's pretty ownage, I deleted Dolphin HD shortly after trying Dolphin for Tabs cause it ownz
Both Dolphin HD and Dolphin for Tabs work great. The stock browser is pretty good too. Just make sure you set the User Agent to Desktop.
Does no one elses dolphin have a weird graphical glitch when you tap in the address bar?
Sent from my ThunderBolt using XDA Premium App
Since today I've upgraded from Dolphin HD browser to Dolphin for Pad. This new version was released yesterday and I like it very much! Since I already was a Dolphin user, this browser is even better dan the old one.
What's different in Dolphin for Pad?
It seems to work ok but I dont seem to have the "button" for gestures.....or am I missing something. Also how do you get quickly to the history without going through settings ?
kodakeos said:
what do you all use for your web browsing?
i use the dock, and the typing in web forums is pretty laggy i dont know if this is a browser, or dock issue though...
my default right now is dolphin, but skyfire seems to handle more complex pages better
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In my opinion there is no a definite browser at this moment.
- No one has ad block but firefox.
- No one is able to upload files but Opera.
- No one has a private mode but stock browser.
- Opera is slow when showing pages already loaded in cache and it does not render pages until fully loaded.
- Firefox has an horrible square patron when scrolling. I don't understand why. And image scaling is quite bad. And don't support flash.
- Stock browser and Dolphin render quite fast as pages are loaded and perhaps are more balanced...
So at the end of the day I use firefox for regular browsing (due to adblock and a better tabs management in my opinion), opera when I have to upload something, for example torrent files to my transmission server, and stock one if I have to use private mode (specially if I have to access hacking and or scene blogs)...
steftymo said:
It seems to work ok but I dont seem to have the "button" for gestures.....or am I missing something. Also how do you get quickly to the history without going through settings ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tap the arrow, top right side than do your gesture. I had to ask too and another member showed me.
Can you Nexies recommend me your favorite, the best performing browser for Nexus S.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
I think most people would recommend opera or dolphin hd, firefox nightlies are a bit hit and miss
there is only two browsers, Opera and Stock... the others is just the stock with some things changed, but they render pages just like stock, lag in the same pages, freeze to load extacly same things and has almost same bugs...
Opera, in other hand, seems to be hardware accelerated, it is completely different, and for me, it is really better... loads every pages faster and so smooth as it should be in stock one... but, it has two bad things: 1) it is really annoying to see "Opera Mobile" every single time you open it and 2) doesn't render Google's pages like it should, like gmail or search page. In stock browser it is shown like a web app, but in Opera you see generic mobile pages...
personally, i use both, Opera for default and stock for those things that Opera can't handle well! =oP
I keep trying other browsers and always end up back with the stock. Opera is my backup browser. Its fast, but like all 3rd party browsers, has quirks
Stock & Opera as wingman
Of course Opera...
thiagodark said:
there is only two browsers, Opera and Stock... the others is just the stock with some things changed, but they render pages just like stock, lag in the same pages, freeze to load extacly same things and has almost same bugs...
Opera, in other hand, seems to be hardware accelerated, it is completely different, and for me, it is really better... loads every pages faster and so smooth as it should be in stock one... but, it has two bad things: 1) it is really annoying to see "Opera Mobile" every single time you open it and 2) doesn't render Google's pages like it should, like gmail or search page. In stock browser it is shown like a web app, but in Opera you see generic mobile pages...
personally, i use both, Opera for default and stock for those things that Opera can't handle well! =oP
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree. For more examples, anandtech.com is horribly slow in stock, but ESPN's baseball recap pages do not display correctly in Opera. I'm trying out the latest Firefox, which seems like a compromise: not as fast as Opera, but more accurate rendering.
Honestly, when HTC and Samsung branded phones have stock browsers with superior scrolling and pinch-to-zoom, I don't quite understand what's supposed to be so great about the "pure Google" experience. This phone has been out for almost a year and its browser is still terrible. So we get updates direct from Google, but if none of them improve the browser, who cares? It would be great if this improves with ICS, but I still haven't seen any official word on that.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk
dwielunski said:
Honestly, when HTC and Samsung branded phones have stock browsers with superior scrolling and pinch-to-zoom, I don't quite understand what's supposed to be so great about the "pure Google" experience. This phone has been out for almost a year and its browser is still terrible. So we get updates direct from Google, but if none of them improve the browser, who cares? It would be great if this improves with ICS, but I still haven't seen any official word on that.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that is a thing i REALLY miss in my old HTC devices, browser experience is far far far better. I like Android and all, but ICS is the last chance for Google to me, there is always a tiny thing is not great as it should, in all android handsets i owned! Nexus is amazing, but this browser sucks, i can't understand why google made it that way, just can't. They are mostly a internet company, for god sake, and Chrome is great for Desktop....
For me, Nokia + WP7 or ICS will be a 'watershed'... =o\
The best one I've found is Miren Browser.
I personally enjoy Firefox mobile (it is on market). Though I use the nightly build (https://wiki.mozilla.org/Mobile/Platforms/Android#Download_Nightly)
It does not do flash sadly however I love the sync since I also use it as my desktop
I was thinking about this earlier myself; but, seeing as I tried most of them I knew the answer. To me at least.
I currently just use the stock browser. As much as it bugs me. They need a serious overhaul on this thing. I want Chrome FOR phone. I fee like that team could do a better job at building a browser. Not sure why they haven't.
Anyways. I use stock because it's stock; and, if I'm not 100% happy with another browser I don't keep it because I hate having 2 apps installed that do the same thing. Just the way I am.
Dolphin is my favorite UI. Gestures are cool. The tab interface is better, etc. But, like mentioned above it's really just like the stock browser skinned. However, you don't have to type in about:debug to change to desktop rendering for sites without links on the bottom. Button built it.
Skyfire: I wasn't thrilled with the UI but did like how the Desktop/Android rendering button was right there on top. Again, just like the stock browser though.
Firefox is atrocious.
Opera is by far THE best alternative as far as web experience goes. However, I despise how it doesn't render certain websites "correctly". For example Google and Facebook. It has that "old" look to it. Basic if you will. However, it does load desktop pages a lot faster than the stock browser. So it's not bad if you don't mind waiting a LITTLE loger for the desktop site. In comparison it will load a desktop site ALMOST as fast as the stock browser loads a mobile site. Depending on what;s going on - on the site. But it's very fast and snappy. The way the stock browser should be.
So bottom line if your going to chose a browser other than Opera (if your happy the way it renders) the only advantage the other browsers have are features, plug-ins, ui, etc. The web experience will be the same.
Edit: I was messing with Opera again after reading this. I love how when you click on something (we'll use a link here) that's close to another item: it will highlight both to indicate you pressed both of them and it wasn't sure which one your big finger hit, lol. Instead of "guessing" like the other browsers.
What's your preference between Opera and Opera Mini?
irishrally said:
What's your preference between Opera and Opera Mini?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I always go for the "bigger one" mini is always a lighter app. Smaller. Missing features from the "Regular" one. Correct me if I'm wrong; but, doesn't Opera mini not support flash where the regular one does?
irishrally said:
What's your preference between Opera and Opera Mini?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you check "Turbo" in Opera Mobile it will use the server compression stuff just like Opera mini. Then if something doesn't look right you can long press on it to "load image in full quality" or something like that. Basically Mobile gives you all the capabilities of Mini + more, since space is not really an issue with this phone you should just use Mobile.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk
i would recommend for opera..
but one thing i dont like is while you using opera, and switch to another app or just back to home sceen, the internet connection then lost.. so you must loading or refresh it again..
how about soon to be Google Chrome
http://androidandme.com/2011/10/news/google-chrome-is-finally-coming-to-an-android-device-near-you/
wait for chrome. it's coming in october
Drzfr3shboialex said:
how about soon to be Google Chrome
http://androidandme.com/2011/10/news/google-chrome-is-finally-coming-to-an-android-device-near-you/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, that is a great great news...
Cant wait for it..
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Careful using Dolphin or other browsers that may have a user string that looks like a desktop.
If you have grandfathered unlimited data on AT&T, this string will flag you for tethering and you will get a nasty text warning that you need to change your plan (thus losing unlimited data). I personally just use the stock Android browser 100% of the time due to concern that I'll lose my grandfathered data. Especially since AT&T will yank your data even though you aren't really tethering...and it's gone forever.
Just a thought.
Thanks all for that healthy, fruitful discussion.
I have tried both Stock and Miren.
Initially Stock was acting good but then it started hanging. Miren also left unimpressed.
Now I am on Dolphin, it seems to be good. Let us see!
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
I normally use the Desktop setting as the User Agent in the Dolphin browser but it still is not as good as using the Chrome browser on a laptop or desktop machine. It is particularly bad when doing a Google search where the options are limited. So I thought I would try the iPad option as the User Agent and what a difference that made. It makes browsing as good and possibly better than Google Chrome on a laptop. It has transformed my browsing experience. What do you think?
Nice tip !!!
Nice tip Gaugerer
I did find this tip helpful.
Thanks
Huh...never even thought of that, will give it a try.......
I will give a try too
You won't have flash then.
I tried this method, but I didn't find any performance difference.
By the way, even I set the agent to IPAD, the flash is still could be dispalyed.
interesting
I did it, and find a difference:
while the dolphin is still loading pages and pics, scrolling down will no longer lag as before.
Interessting, should it have the same effect on other browsers i.e. firefox?
How is the web browsing after the last update?
I know the stock browser I hear is poop.
Dolphin/Chrome, etc., just how is the browsing is it smooth?
For some reason, anything based on stock (ICS browser+, dolphin, maxthon) all start to heat up my tablet like crazy. Chrome is deliciously smooth but you can't fast scroll like you can on the stock. Firefox is crazy great too except due to the crap fancy motion blur animations, the browser stutters when you scroll too fast. Opera mobile isn't optimized for both our resolution and our processor so it lags and stutters like crazy. The browser scene is generally a clusterf*ck. I can't even install scriptish on firefox ;_;.
It is pretty smooth, but +1 on scrolling, different windowsmgr.max_events_per_sec in build.prop doesn't seem to change this one.
I'm using Chrome mostly and it's ok, apart from scrolling(!), it's just too slow. But apart from the aforementioned, try Boat Browser.
I'm using the stock browser, chrome and dolphin and just change whatever browser I'm using based on how well it's handling a given website. Some sites like chrome, some dolphin and some stock. I think this approach works best as there's no one perfect browser for all sites (for now).
Just be aware or be prepared with Dolphin: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1319529
d14b0ll0s said:
Just be aware or be prepared with Dolphin: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1319529
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He, I have a fellow crusader.
I'm using Opera Mobile, mostly. It does do fancy things with especially the font size -- it's tiny. I do like Boat, but it has a limited number of speed dials (i.e., insufficient to me ) whereas Opera allows an unlimited number. I guess I should try Chrome, but doesn't that lack Flash support? (I know Flash is meant to die anyway, but lots of sites still use it extensively.)
[OT]
MartyHulskemper said:
He, I have a fellow crusader.
I'm using Opera Mobile, mostly. It does do fancy things with especially the font size -- it's tiny. I do like Boat, but it has a limited number of speed dials (i.e., insufficient to me ) whereas Opera allows an unlimited number. I guess I should try Chrome, but doesn't that lack Flash support? (I know Flash is meant to die anyway, but lots of sites still use it extensively.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does it make us the Templars?
I like Chrome and I find myself needing flash quite rarely these days, especially for the websites I'm visiting on the tablet. Hopefully it can stay this way, but I'd really like the scrolling bar from the stock browser! Scrolling in Chrome is just painfully slow, I can't seem to find a way to solve this.
And, talking of privacy issues, I actually do hope Google in fact doesn't store our passwords to the sync of bookmarks etc. Probably NSA doesn't need them to, as a simple brute force attack would suffice? Wonder what encryption they're using.
I've tested and adopted Maxthon HD... Even though it sometimes bugs a bit, I really like it : it's almost as good as a desktop browser :good:
It supports flash, uses Webkit as well as Chrome but scrolling is ok.
Regarding the firmware update, i get less ANR but no other changes, it's not more fluid than it used to be...