Ten best mobile browsers. The best internet browsers for Android

As Wikipedia tells us, a browser is software for viewing websites, displaying their content and moving from one page to another. Moreover, from experience working with computers, it is already known that “surfing” the Internet can be fast and convenient, or it can be slow and sad. Without going into details about the speed and quality of the connection to the global network (you can read about it here), otherwise it directly depends on a good browser. That’s why this article will be about the variety of mobile browsers for different platforms.

Mobile browsers for the platform

The top best browsers for Android, according to their popularity on, include Google Chrome,.

– mobile browser from Google.

Pros:

• Ability to synchronize your bookmarks, mail, and other important data from your Google account;
• A single navigation window that allows searching, supports automatic form completion and browsing history;
• Intuitive user-friendly interface;
• Support for many web technologies;
• Google officially supports Android OS.

Minuses:

• Poor Flash support;
• Not supported on earlier versions of Android;
• Lack of data compression system to speed up loading;
• Extensions are not available in mobile versions.

Built-in browser- has sufficient functionality, but slow page loading speed. It is a pre-installed browser in earlier versions of Android. Can work with Flash content (up to version 9), work with tabs and convenient scaling. High-quality work with Google services, with online documents Google Docs, work in mail, installation of programs and downloading - through an integrated downloader. Supports HTML5, plays video and audio content with built-in plugins.

Opera Mobile - The browser has good web browsing speed, and it is possible to synchronize bookmarks with the Opera desktop browser. Allows flexible control of the viewing area on the page, smooth scaling, and the ability to conveniently manage browser tabs and bookmarks. Opera Turbo technology is available, with which you can compress traffic up to 80%, which is very convenient for slow communication channels.

Pros:

• Opera Turbo helps you browse the web faster and increases loading speed;
• Availability of Flash support;
• Opera Link synchronizes data between your browsers;

Minuses:

• Requires a lot of memory;
• Minimum number of settings;
• Little functionality.

Opera Mini– the younger sister of Opera Mobile, a very popular browser on devices with weak computing capabilities, as it provides high content loading speed and has low requirements for device power. At the same time, it has a meager set of functionality, which is both a plus and a minus. The main advantage of the unique technology is to compress web pages up to 90%, which is ideal for slow connections. Does not work well with Flash and JavaScript technologies.

Dolphin Browser- according to many reviews, it is the best mobile browser for devices with a powerful processor. It has all the functions of a desktop browser and many other interesting features.

Pros:

• Ability to install a variety of plugins, themes, intuitive design;
• Support HTML5, Flash, JavaScript;
• Great functionality and capabilities;
• Gesture is a highly customizable gesture control technology.

Minuses:

• Average level of processor power requirements;
• There is no way to synchronize data.

Mozilla Firefox- the browser has good speed for browsing the Internet, but requires a lot of memory.

Pros:

• Support for third-party add-ons;
• Sync bookmarks, history, passwords, tabs and add-ons.

Minuses:

• Available only for Android devices;
• Requires a lot of memory;
• Sometimes it works unstably;

A young and rapidly developing mobile platform, programs for it are also constantly updated and improved. It is difficult to make a choice between the presented browsers, because quite recently Dolphin was first in the Google Play popularity ranking, then this initiative was taken over by Firefox, which is already ahead of Opera Mobile. So the choice is yours.

Mobile browsers for the Apple operating system (iOS)

Apple produces excellent mobile devices and software tailored for them, which out of the box can do everything quickly and correctly. But some web technologies, for reasons of this company, do not really need support, among them Flash, which the standard Safari browser does not really like. In addition, for a long time, Apple did not allow alternative web browsers on iOS, arguing that the functionality of its own applications should not be duplicated by third-party software. However, over time, the ban was lifted and alternatives to Safari appeared in the App Store. We will look at some of them.

Built-in browser for Apple devices.

Pros:

• Convenient turning, zooming pages with high-quality rendering of fonts;
• HTML5 technology support;
• High speed, low memory requirements.

Flaws:

• There is no traffic compression;
• No Flash support;
• There is no standard file upload system.

Opera Mini– has all the advantages described for Android in terms of saving traffic and all the disadvantages.

– the leading browser for viewing Flash. This application opens up new opportunities for users of Apple mobile devices to watch online movies. Work with flash content is perfectly implemented here. You can install the program only through Cydia. Overall, it's worth installing, but it's not suitable as a primary browser.

– a paid browser ($1.99), which is considered by most to be the best replacement for Safari .

Pros:

• Full screen mode;
• Private mode (without saving cookies, history, etc.);
• Page compression (via Google Mobilizer);
• Advertising filters;
• Auto substitution from saved forms;
• A backup copy of data that can be stored on a computer;
• Upload any files that can be viewed on your phone;
• Plugin support;
• And many other useful things that are not in Safari.

The standard iOS browser is good in many ways, but in order for us to be truly comfortable, we will have to pay a little or choose a free analogue that will satisfy your needs.

Browsers for mobile phones without OS

Not only with the help of a smartphone can you visit the global network and select different browsers, this is also possible on regular phones without an OS, using the built-in java emulator.

Opera Mini– the most popular of mobile browsers, a convenient and intuitive interface, fast loading capabilities, zooming and panning pages, a built-in password manager, and a convenient bookmarking system. To quickly load pages, it uses a client-server mechanism, which significantly expands the capabilities of the program and allows you to save money due to data compression. This application is as close as possible to the desktop version of browsers.

BOLT Browser 2.X- Declared functions for viewing streaming video, cursor support, full output of a web page is possible. Uses an intermediate proxy server that compresses traffic to increase page loading speed and reduce costs. There is a browser version with reduced Bolt Lite functionality for phones with low memory.

UCWEB- Chinese Internet browser for viewing WEB pages on a mobile phone. When working, it uses an intermediate server that compresses traffic (but less efficiently than the Opera Mini server), however, it also causes problems with the language on some sites. It has an RSS reader, a file downloader, a built-in MSN client (in version 4), support for Cookies and JavaScript, as well as many settings.

Apart from these main ones, there are many other small browsers, but it is very difficult for them to compete with such a giant as Opera Mini, which has already received many awards in the mobile application market.

Mobile Internet browser for your phone. If you use standard Opera when working on a computer, then you can use Opera Mini for your phone.

Mobile phones have long ceased to be devices only for communication. Their multimedia capabilities are increasingly expanding, multi-megapixel cameras are being added and, of course, they cannot do without Internet support.

True, the problem is that not all browsers built into phones are capable of providing full-fledged web surfing. But this is not a problem if your phone has JAVA support, because you can install the best mobile browser on it today Opera Mini.

Installing Opera Mini

You can install the program in the following ways:

Through the Internet: at the end of the article there will be links to jad files, which you will need to enter into your phone's default browser to automatically download and install the program from the Internet. This method, unlike the next one, always works, but requires financial costs for transferring files.

From local computer: To do this, you will need to download the archive with the program to your computer, unpack it and transfer the jar and jad files to one of the folders on the phone (preferably to the “Others” folder on the memory card) using a USB cable, Bluetooth, IR port and etc.

Once the files have been transferred, you will need to run one of them to install the application. Try running the jar file first (if it works, you don’t have to download the jad file in the future), and if you get a refusal, then run jad.

Interface

After installation, launch Opera Mini and wait a bit while it is configured. After a short wait we will see the working program window:

Or a message about incorrect Internet settings:

If you receive an error, I advise you not to follow the specified link, but to the website of your GSM provider and find the correct Internet settings there.

Now let's return to the program window. It consists of the following components (from top to bottom): address bar, search bar, bookmarks, speed dial bar, history and synchronization with Opera. The left navigation key in this case calls up the program menu, which we will enter. We are most interested in settings now. You will find them in the “Tools” section (item “Options”):

Here, among other possibilities, the main thing is to correctly configure the method of connecting to the Internet. By default this is Socket. However, if your phone does not support this protocol, then you will have to switch to HTTP for normal operation. At the same time, be prepared for additional financial losses associated with the need to download more information.

Another useful feature is to reorient the screen to landscape view. Just check the corresponding box and thus increase the viewing area:

Only in the latter case, keep in mind that the menu will be called not by the left, but by the right function key :).

Possibilities

Now let's look at some of the features of Opera Mini.

With the address bar, I think everything is clear. You can’t enter anything there except the address :). We’ll talk about the search bar a little later, but now I’d like to focus on the “Bookmarks” item. In this menu you will see your bookmarks, and you will also be able to manage links in the express panel and synchronize notes via Opera Link with your Opera on your computer (available only in version 10 and higher).

You can add a new bookmark by selecting “Add” from the “Manage” menu and filling out a form consisting of the name of the link and the address itself. If you want to change an existing link (for example, on the shortcut panel), then you should select the desired bookmark by clicking on the “Select” menu and go to the “Edit” item:

Here, as in the case of adding a new bookmark, you should fill in the “Title” and “Address” fields with the necessary information, and then do not forget to click the “Save” button:

Now let's visit one of the sites suggested in the express panel. For example, I decided to visit mail.ru to check my mail :). This is what a non-adapted website looks like in Opera Mini:

It won't be enough, of course :). But it doesn't matter. Pay attention to the "Scale" button. If you press the center of the joystick, you will see the area under the cursor:

That's better this way :). By pressing the right soft key, you can return to the previous overview option, which is sometimes convenient to use to quickly find the necessary information on a page. For example, this is how the site will look on your phone (everything is clear in the palm of your hand):

With Opera Mini you can perform a full search on the Internet. The default search engine is Yandex, although you can choose another (more on that below). To start the search, select the search line and press the center of the joystick:

In a new window you will find a choice of search engine (Yandex, Amazon and Wikipedia are available). After selecting one of them, a text field will open in which you can enter any query of interest. To start the search, click “Ok”:

After a couple of seconds (depending on the speed of your connection) you will see the search result:

There are only three search engines in the basic version, however, if you are used to using another one that is not on the list, you can easily add it. We return to the window with the choice of search engine and in the “Management” (“Select”) menu, click the “Add” button.

In the window that opens, add a search engine, just like a regular bookmark (see above). Here you can only enter the address, and we will get the title if we click on the “Upload title and icon” button (the latter is not always loaded). After the header is received (this may mean that you entered the correct address), click the “Save” button.

After saving, the new search engine is added to the list, and we can fully use it:

conclusions

The version of Opera Mini 4.2 described above exists only as an application for the MIDP 2.0 platform. If your phone works with MIDP 1.0, you can use the older version - 3.1.

This version is not as colorful as the 4th, but in terms of functionality it is not that much inferior (there is no express panel, full page preview and the ability to change the search engine). So if you decide to use your phone for web surfing, then you cannot do without a good browser, which is Opera Mini;).

P.S. Permission is granted to freely copy and quote this article, provided that an open active link to the source is indicated and the authorship of Ruslan Tertyshny is preserved.

P.P.S. If you want to install this program on your phone, but you are not able to transfer the downloaded files from your computer, you can use the following direct link. To download, enter the link address into your phone browser.

Mobile browsers

With the boom in mobile computing, people are looking for more and more efficient solutions for surfing the Internet. While the default browsers that come with Android and iOS devices (Chrome and Safari) are already pretty good, there are plenty of other browsers that offer different features for the most discerning users. Want to get more out of your touchscreen? Try Dolphin. Want to get the most out of your limited network traffic? Try Opera Mini. Compatibility, add-ons and other features, you will find out all this here. Here are the top ten mobile browsers.

Google's flagship browser, Chrome (iOS, Android), entered the mobile browser fray last year, providing users with the impressive performance and familiar minimalist style of the desktop version. Chrome entered the mobile market with a combined search box and address bar (Omnibox), Incognito mode for private web browsing, and convenient smartphone features, including voice search. If you're a Chrome user on PC, you're in luck because the mobile version of Chrome offers one of the best bookmark synchronizers, allowing you to seamlessly transition from your desktop to your mobile device.

Safari (iOS)

While early versions of Safari on the iPad remained average, lacking tabs and a number of features, Apple's browser steadily improved and became even better with firmware 7, which added a hidden omnibar, customizable forward and back button functionality, as well as card viewing of tabs, which facilitates the work of users who operate a large number of tabs at the same time. A password generator and parental controls are just a few of the browser's many features that allow Safari to make its debut as the best offering on iOS.

Another PC browser that has made a fantastic transition to the mobile platform, Firefox for Android doesn't disgrace its big brother, continuing its triumphant march on Android. The streamlined "Awesome Bar" combines search and an address bar, plus bookmarks and a tab bar, and Firefox for Android also includes support for additional features like LastPass and Adblock Plus (the selection continues to grow over time). Bookmark synchronization, history, bookmark customization and many other functions ensure a consistent transition from the desktop version to the mobile version.

A lightweight web-surfing machine, Opera Mini (iOS, Android) sacrifices the technical and multimedia aspects in exchange for fast browsing and highly efficient data compression via Opera Turbo, which compresses photos and videos through Opera's servers to deliver lightweight content to smartphones. This means that you can save a significant portion of your traffic and get faster surfing. Speed ​​typing, a visually friendly tab interface, and bookmark syncing are just a few of the many features of this energetic, albeit small, browser.

Opera (Android)

Opera released a major overhaul of its mobile browser earlier this year, replacing the old Presto engine with one from Chrome. While the internals may have undergone changes, advanced features like the Speed ​​Dial and visual tab management remain in place. "Off-Road" mode puts the Internet communications system to work with Opera's proxy servers, with media content through Opera's servers being compressed, reducing bandwidth and reducing the amount of traffic (though visual quality also suffers as a result).

Dolphin (Android, iOS)
version: 1.3.1 Rus (downloads: 287)

Dolphin (Android, iOS) is a browser that brings a new solution to the mobile browser scene. Crushing features? Perhaps he can create custom gestures that allow you to automate bookmarks or the navigation interface. For example, you could draw a "G" and automatically navigate to Google with that gesture, or "A" for Amazon. Custom gestures offer the browser an amazing, intuitive experience while efficiently using the entire screen real estate. Additionally, the feature-rich browser includes voice search, tabbed browsing, and many other features.

Atomic Web Browser ($1.99) (iOS)

Atomic Web Browser is pretty much the antithesis of Apple's design and style. You won't be able to call it simple or clean as the interface is a mess with tons of features, utilities and settings. The highly customizable settings, tabs, download manager, ad blocking features and other features are great for users interested in getting more than just the Safari experience. It's been a year since the last update, but the browser is still showing some age.

Coast (iPad)

The new browser from the developers of Opera, Coast, pulls the ground out from under the feet of most mobile browsers. With a stripped-down interface, Coast offers users a search box and a grid of speed dial tiles for their favorite sites. Coast bypasses the traditional address bar and forward/back buttons, offering users a full-screen browsing experience. Page navigation is based on gestures; swipe forward or back, swipe down to refresh the page. The recent pages tab allows you to view a gallery of open pages in icons, and the home button allows you to return to the selection screen. All this makes a major difference to the browser's interface, which works surprisingly well on a touchscreen.

iCab ($1.99) (iOS)

A feature-rich browser, iCab trades elegance for power in a somewhat clunky, PC-like interface. iCab includes tabbed browsing, a custom URL-based filter to block ads, full-screen browsing, a download manager, private browsing, and more. It can be accused of being feature overload, but if there's a feature you're looking for in a browser, iCab probably has it.

Puffin Browser ($2.99) (Android, iOS)
version: 3.5.11554 (downloads: 103)

Besides being very fast, Puffin Browser (Android, iOS) offers a lot of interesting features in the field of mobile browsers. First of all, it offers full support for Adobe Flash, allowing you to use all Flash applications and games common on most websites. Virtual gamepads and trackpads offer a variety of controls, and a mouse-style pointer offers familiar website navigation. Another useful feature is the ability to download files directly from the cloud service of your choice, saving further bandwidth.