Your Android phone didn't ship with the best Web browser. That isn't to say that Google hasn't bundled a good all-around browser. The stock browser supports multiple windows, bookmarks, and a host of sharing options. Add to this JavaScript, and, if you're running Android 2.2 or later, Adobe Flash, and what you see on your phone looks a lot like what you see on your desktop. But that doesn't change the fact that a mobile browser can be so much more. That's why we've reviewed and rounded up the most talked about alternatives.
Android Means Choice
There's a flurry of activity in the mobile browsing market. Cult-favorite Dolphin continues to lap the competition with rapid-fire updates to their Mini and HD browsers. Mozilla recently released Firefox 4 for Android alongside the desktop release. And, in the same week, Opera revved their Mobile browser to version 11 and refreshed their massively popular Mini browser. Now is the time to consider out the fruits of the competition.
Regular or Mini?
For this roundup, I've explored five alternatives to Android's stock browser: Dolphin Browser HD 4.5, Dolphin Browser Mini 2.1, Firefox 4, Opera Mobile 11, and Opera Mini 6. The easiest way to sort these browsers is by cleaving them into two categories: traditional, full-featured mobile browsers—Dolphin Browser HD 4.5, Firefox 4, and Opera Mobile 11—and smaller, data-frugal Mini browsers—Dolphin Browser Mini 2.1 and Opera Mini 6. Mobile browsers tend to deliver a more desktop-complete mobile experience with advanced feature sets and support for embedded video, whereas Mini browsers tend to prize performance and backward compatibility.
However, boundaries prove porous with closer examination. For example, while Firefox 4 isn't classified as a mini browser, Mozilla disabled support for embedded video in order to improve performance. Dolphin Browser Mini 2.1 wears the mini moniker but supports Flash, and, in my testing, failed to miniaturize load times.
Browsers Benchmarked
I've benchmarked these browsers wherever possible, and in the case of the mini browsers—not suited to JavaScript tests—I've performed real-world testing. Take a look at the reviews, performance charts, and slideshows. What you think you want may change, but, no matter what, you ought to find an exciting alternative to that dusty old stock browser.
Dolphin Browser HD 4.5 (for Android)
Free
Dolphin Browser HD 4.5 is a veritable trickster of a mobile browser. You can change this Android app's look and feel through custom themes, add capability with Add-ons, or even navigate by gesture. When you encounter a pesky mobile site, you can don a disguise—for example, an iPad's veneer—to unlock the un-cropped page. Flummoxed by Flash? No more, so long as you're running Dolphin and Android 2.2. While I eagerly await a Dolphin-specific syncing service—such as Opera Link or Mozilla Sync—for the moment, the browser's support for Google Bookmarks suffices. If you're fishing for the UI sensibilities of Firefox 4 Mobile and the multimedia aptitude of Opera Mobile 11, reel in Editors' Choice pick, Dolphin Browser HD 4.5.
Dolphin Browser Mini 2.1 (for Android)
Free
Despite bearing the moniker of Mini, Dolphin Browser Mini 2.1 does little to shrink the experience of Dolphin HD. As with its high-def sibling, you can navigate by gestures, set up Speed Dials, or auto-translate pages written in anything from Galician to Greek. When you encounter a pesky mobile site, you can don a disguise—for example, an iPad's veneer—to unlock the un-cropped page. It will even play Adobe Flash content, so long as you're running Android 2.2 or higher. The catch: this browser is as sluggish as it is feature-rich. If you want to feel the wind behind your sails, set your sights on Opera Mini 6; however, you're running an older Android phone and you want it all, reel in Dolphin Browser Mini 2.1.
Firefox 4 (for Android)
Free
Firefox 4 for Android may eventually torch the stock Android browser. It's fast, dons a trimmer interface, and tucks new tricks up its e-sleeve, notably smart taps and single-click bookmarks. Yet unlike its full-grown sibling, Mozilla's mobile contender conceals an Achilles heel: mobile video. Firefox doesn't support embedded mobile video, an omission made all the more glaring by the fact that websites identify its user agent as a desktop and serve full-size, media-rich content. While Add-Ons—for customizing the browser's look and feel (and functionality)—and Firefox Sync—for synchronizing bookmarks, history, passwords, and preferences—may give Mozilla mavens reason to bookmark this browser, those seeking multimedia dexterity ought to consider alternatives.
Opera Mobile 11 (for Android)
Free
Fifteen years and eleven iterations strong, the Opera Web browser has endured the rise and fall of Netscape, flight from Firebird to Firefox, and gradual ebb of IE hegemony. In spite of its niche desktop presence, the Oslo-based software company has found warmer reception in the mobile market, where Opera Mobile 11 performs for an audience of tens of millions. The browser's appeal is not unlike that of opera itself: refinement. The browser, at least, also happens to be quick and capable. Opera patrons will appreciate be able to take their bookmarks, Speed Dials, and search engines to go, with Opera Link. Everyone will applaud the browser's silky smooth scrolling. When it comes to customization, Opera doesn't match Add-on-ready alternatives Dolphin Browser HD 4.5 or Firefox 4 Mobile; however, users seeking a svelte web browser with full-throated multimedia support will want to take a seat with Opera Mobile 11.
Opera Mini 6 (for Android)
Free
With over a 100 million monthly users, Opera's Mini browser is its most successful and fastest growing product—and with good reason. While Opera Mobile 11 is ideal for newer smart phones running Android 2.0 or later, Mini is available on far more devices—from the iPhone to Verizon-based feature phones to any device running Android v1.6 or higher—and uses considerably less data to load webpages, making it the model browser for slower or data-miserly cellular networks. For the most part, the recently updated Mini also keeps pace with its big brother: the two share the same refined interface, smart features—including Speed Dials and text wrapping—and data syncing, thanks to Opera Link. Because of the server-side compression technology used to accelerate page viewing, Opera Mini isn't ideal for multimedia-hungry users, but if you're looking for blistering fast real-world browsing, Opera Mini 6 silences the competition.
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