Articles and Lifehacks
An iOS device is traditionally equipped with a good built-in Safari browser. However, not all users are happy with it, and therefore they often wonder how to choose a browser for iPhone.
What should you consider when choosing a particular browser? And how can you make the standard Safari browser work more efficiently? Let's try to understand this in more detail.
Safari browser: how to improve its performance
- It should be noted that, despite some functional shortcomings, Safari is still a full-fledged browser, optimally suited for iOS-based smartphones.
- With its help, a person will be able to open all the links he is interested in - from email, received messages, and so on. Let's try to figure out how to make using Safari more efficient.
- Let's start by deleting data about all visited sites and clearing history. To do this, go to settings and go to the tab called “Safari”.
- The smartphone display will display 2 options - to clear information about visited sites, as well as to clear history. All this can be removed.
- The owner of a device running iOS 6 and higher has the ability to save entire web pages. To remove them, he goes to the main settings and finds the "Safari" option in the statistics menu.
- Disabling the function of automatically filling in personal information (“Autofill” in the “Safari” item in the settings) will also help improve the performance of the browser.
- It is recommended to delete any account data as well.
It will be useful to learn how to share links through Gmail and open links in the background. - The Safari browser will also speed up quickly entering the site name into the address bar (that is, without www). In the “.com” zone it is allowed not even to add these three letters, that is, the domain.
- An excellent alternative to the standard browser on an Apple smartphone is Atomic Web Browser, which has a user-friendly interface and numerous customizable functions.
- Many people are also interested in the functional features of Opera Mini, as well as how compatible it is with iOS devices. If the user is used to working with the traditional Opera browser on his desktop computer, learning Opera Mini will be very easy.
For iPhone, this browser is convenient because it saves traffic, supports synchronization of bookmarks from the full version of Opera, and is universal. The licensed version can be downloaded completely free of charge.
- For anyone who watches a lot of flash videos, SkyFire is a good choice. However, you should know that it will not allow the smartphone owner to view individual sites. In addition, its licensed version is more expensive than that of the Atomic browser.
- Externally, iCab Mobile is similar to Safari. The browser has many additional features, but not a very large functional arsenal.
- The Mercury browser is a bit similar to Atomic. It also works quickly, is quite versatile, inexpensive and functional. An interesting feature is integration with Dropbox.
The question arises: which browser for iPhone from the AppStore is the best? We'll tell you about several quick and convenient options.
There is no doubt that Safari, provided by default to Apple technology users, is an excellent and fast browser, however, it is not without its shortcomings. For example, in playing Adobe Flash videos, the Safari browser is not an assistant: fans of the VKontakte and Odnoklassniki applications will have to try other options. Fortunately, there are many possible alternatives - some of them have unique features.
Price: 149 rub. +
According to many users, iCab Mobile is the best browser for iPhone because it includes everything that standard Safari lacks. Particularly pleased presence of real tabs, which remain familiar thanks to desktop browsers. iPhones of the 4th and 5th generations will hardly allow you to appreciate this advantage, but for 10-inch iPads this format is more convenient.
For those who think that tabs take up too much space on the screen, iCab Mobile has a second trump card - the ability to switch to full screen mode. The far right button in the bookmarks bar removes everything unnecessary from the screen.
Another plus - flexible setup. The user can activate modes such as Site Compression And Private Browsing: the first is necessary to save traffic, the second allows you to keep secret the pages that the user visited.
iCab Mobile also has a minus: it is a paid browser, and the price is steep - 149 rubles. There are many free alternatives, so users are hesitant to spend money.
Yandex.Browser
Price: Free
Yandex.Browser is a free program that offers the user no less features than iCab and Safari. When you first launch the browser for iPhone, the user sees a very convenient “Tableboard” menu, where you can place up to 15 stickers to quickly launch pages. Other benefits include:
- Traffic saving mode “Turbo”. The built-in Safari is one of the most power-hungry browsers. In this regard, Yandex.Browser is the best alternative: the activated “Turbo” mode allows you to save up to 40% of traffic.
- Smart search. The browser can predict the user's request and easily translates foreign words.
- Built-in protectionProtect warns that the site you are going to may contain malware.
Yandex.Browser also has disadvantages, but they are very minor: for example, users do not have the ability to search by text or export pages to PDF format. In general, Yandex.Browser is the most convenient and effective free program that can be found in the AppStore.
Dolphin
The Dolphin browser is more popular among Android users (the audience is more than 9 million users), however, it has recently been presented in the AppStore. This browser runs on the same engine as Safari (Webkit), but has a number of advantages over standard software:
- Gesture input. To activate this function, you need to click on the hand icon on the bottom line. Next, draw, say, the letter G on the screen with your finger and go to the Google search engine. The function is configured by the user.
- Sonar– voice control tool. Voice can be used not only to search the Internet, but also to control.
For domestic users, Dolphin is less convenient than, for example, Yandex Browser, because it does not support Cyrillic domains.
Conclusion
Domestic iPhone users do not consider Safari such a bad browser to pay for its replacement. However, the AppStore is regularly updated with many free alternatives that can provide the user with additional features. The most promising browser for iOS among those that can be downloaded for free seems to be Yandex.Browser: already now it is preferable and more convenient than most options - if Yandex takes care of eliminating a number of minor shortcomings through updates, this browser will be far ahead of the rest.
With the speed with which the number of iPad owners increases, the activity of software developers for them also increases, especially in terms of browsers. And how could it be otherwise, when the iPad itself is based on the function of providing convenient access to flash information posted on the pages of Internet sites. But each iPad user has his own priorities and interests, and therefore, his own requirements for the form of information provided. Therefore, the best browser is different for everyone - which one you choose.
It is immediately necessary to pay attention to the fact that most of them do not support the function of viewing flash information, but one of the supporting flash, the most common, will be described. The browser for the TOR project will also be analyzed, but more on that below.
UC Browser on iPad
The speed is achieved through the use of cloud traffic processing technology, which may be attractive for those who use their iPad to surf the web. Pages load significantly faster even compared to Safari, not to mention the Opera browser, so the flash player is “in its place” here.
It should be noted that traffic compression does not come at the expense of performance. The developers provide 4 GB for storing their files, this is in addition to the standard functions of downloading information.
One of the features worth paying attention to is creating your own bookmarks, since they and open tabs function only with the creation of your own account.
Coast by Opera
A new browser that, with its entire appearance, claims to be individual and even unique. This is especially noticeable in the fact that if in other browsers there are simply bookmarks, then in this one your favorite sites are displayed in the high-speed access panel, although only a few sites can be placed there. The issue of quick search has also been solved in an original way - based on the first characters of the input, the browser will guess the most frequently used search addresses.
The developers have tried to use the screen area with maximum efficiency. No unnecessary information, not even website addresses, only two functions, one of which opens the quick access panel, and the other – the last opened sites.
Fans of online shopping will be especially pleased with the function of checking the loyalty of online stores, which is calculated using at least three indicators.
InstaWeb
This one-page browser somehow simply fantastically clears web pages of all advertising fluff. You receive clean text without spam or advertising. At the same time, all the main graphics of the site are preserved. It looks similar to Google's. By its type it is a convertible browser, but it only works with pdf files, but it opens them with almost any program; its highlight is a good flash player.
The interface is clear even without Russification; all basic operations are performed in a couple of touches. In terms of functionality, speed and cost (in most cases, when you go to the InstaWeb corporate page, the program can be downloaded for free), this is one of the best browsers; it does not slow down, since the flash player is “in its place.”
Offline Pages
The Offline Pages application allows you to save information for offline viewing, which makes it stand out among others. This information can subsequently be viewed in both Safari and Chrome. At the same time, in prof. version has the ability to save multi-page sites and video information, but the cost of this version is high.
The function of switching to full-screen mode and sending the saved page to social networks is retained.
Yandex
Yandex search, which was unsuccessful in all respects, was almost recently replaced by a full-fledged Yandex browser. Not only the name has changed, but also the content. Although the main thing is not in the design, but in the smart search function, when a request takes you to exactly the sites you were looking for. At the same time, it is possible to view the list of issued links on the left side of the screen, and the contents of sites on the right, which is quite convenient.
Among the additional features, it is worth noting the ease of working with tabs. Several dozen selected addresses can be placed in the central display. Built-in voice dialing capability in several languages, including Russian.
Despite all its awards and praise, this product must be approached with sober assessments. After all, what the user is always interested in is the speed of loading information (a powerful flash player) and how quickly he can find it. The creators of the Chrome browser tried to combine these two qualities as much as possible.
The interface takes some getting used to. Particularly unusual is the lack of bookmarks, and the quick access panel is not universal. However, this is compensated by high performance, which, however, can sometimes fail when the screen is quickly enlarged. Voice input also wants better functionality, sometimes it's easier to enter text into the search bar.
Dolphin Browser HD
Most iPad users agree that it is better than others, although it is far from perfect. However, it contains all the functions familiar to us, which is why people are in a hurry to download it. There are bookmarks, a quick access panel, tabs, and its own feature. This is where we will focus our attention.
In the upper right corner there is a conventional “Signs” icon. When you click on it, a black board appears, just like in school. On this board, you can use your finger to draw a symbol installed by the browser, or created by you, which immediately displays the required page to which the drawn symbol corresponds.
Puffin - flash for iPad
Unlike the Skyfire browser, which only partially solves the problem with flash playback, Puffin solves this problem in full. True, the price for this was rather weak functionality.
One of the features worth noting is the ability to download flash videos as needed, and not constantly, which speeds up its work a little.
Tor Browser Bundle
This software product allows you to quickly and without unnecessary knowledge start using the anonymous network of the TOR project. It includes the tor itself and the Vidalia graphical shell, together with the portable version of Firefox.
Using the tor product allows you to hide not only your presence on the network as much as possible, but also encrypt all your traffic, both transmitted and received.
As you can see, there are different browsers, and you can download whichever one you like best to work with. This could be tor or Puffin, in which the flash player loads quickly, give preference to Yandex or any other.
Today's article is dedicated to reviewing popular mobile browsers for the iOS platform, ready to become an alternative to Apple's built-in Safari.
Google Chrome
Year of issue: 2012
Developer: Google
iPhone, iPad: Free download]
The history of the first browser from the search giant Google began back in September 2008. After much doubt from the head of Google about the release of a separate software product that allows you to browse Internet pages, it was decided to use the engine as the basis of the browser WebKit. Before mobile platforms Chrome I got there four years later: in February 2012, a version for the Android platform was released, and in June for iOS.
Today, the browser is used by more than 300 million people, and its market share is 45,8% .
The Chrome browser has been translated into 53 languages, and its strong point is considered to be a high level of security, speed of operation and page rendering.
- synchronization of desktop and mobile versions;
- voice search;
- page translation;
- many tabs.
Advantages:
- typical interface;
- lack of “reading” mode;
- no full screen mode;
- questionable stability;
- lack of support for archaic versions of iOS.
Flaws:
Verdict: a good browser, provided that its version is listed as “beta”. Frequent crashes and unstable operation with a very ascetic design.
Dolphin
Year of issue: 2009
Developer: MoboTap
iPhone, iPad: Free download]
Includes in-app purchases
The first version of the browser of an American company MoboTap was released back in 2009. The priority direction was chosen to be software development for the Android and iOS mobile platforms.
Among a fairly wide range of possibilities, the main “trick” Dolphin Gesture support is considered. For frequently used sites, it is possible to bind a specific gesture, after entering which the required page will be instantly opened. Optional package Sonar(59 rubles) allows you to expand your search capabilities by shaking the device and voice commands.
In addition to a high level of security and the presence of a private mode (all browsers in question are equipped with “Incognito” tabs), Dolphin allows you to set different color themes and provides the ability to display pages in the “Night” and “No Images” modes.
Advantages:
- Gesture support;
- many page display modes;
- ability to block unwanted windows;
- availability of topics;
- high performance;
- lack of plugins and Read mode;
- periodic crashes.
Flaws:
Verdict: a good alternative to standard Safari with advanced functionality.
Maxthon
Year of issue: 2012
Developer: Maxthon Tech
iPhone, iPad: Free download]
The brainchild of a Chinese software developer Maxthon on the browser market for more than ten years. From being a ponderous version of Internet Explorer in 2004, it has evolved into a worthy alternative to mobile browsers on Android and iOS platforms. In July 2012, the company announced the release of the first mobile version of the Maxthon cloud browser for iOS.
The key features of Maxthon lie in its interaction with remote storage– “cloud”, into which individual links, fragments of text and images, as well as files of various formats can be added. Supports Maxthon and tab synchronization between different browser versions (OS X and iOS).
- "reading" mode;
- flexible interface settings;
- tab synchronization;
- availability of a “stationary” version;
- good integration with the cloud;
- work in full screen mode;
Advantages:
- periodic departures;
- Unstable operation with a large number of open tabs;
Flaws:
Verdict: a productive browser with good Web page rendering speed and tight integration with its own cloud.
Mercury
Year of issue: 2012
Developer: iLegentSoft
iPhone, iPad: Free download]
Includes in-app purchases
Receiving a strict “5 stars” rating in the App Store is truly a success and recognition from users. This is exactly what the browser can boast of Mercury. The Mercury seems to have virtually no downsides. It provides the ability to change custom themes, synchronize tabs with third-party browsers such as Firefox and Chrome, and integrate with cloud services Dropbox, OneDrive, GoogleDrive, Box(built-in cloud client).
The list of available functionality does not end there thanks to the ability to install extensions (due to the nature of the iOS platform, this is a relative rarity among third-party applications) and Internet filters. In addition, Mercury also implements gesture support for even faster surfing. An extended paid version of the browser is provided Mercury Browser Pro, costing 69 rubles.
- Gesture support;
- saving pages;
- file manager;
- full screen mode;
- support for cloud services;
Advantages:
- not quite perfect Russian localization;
- periodic flights.
Flaws:
Verdict: Mercury can easily be called one of the best browsers for the iOS platform.
Opera mini
Year of issue: 2009
Developer: Opera Software
iPhone, iPad: Free download]
The popularity of the mobile version of the browser Opera owes it to countries where fast internet for phones remained a myth for a long time. However, the bet placed on well-thought-out algorithms for compressing Web pages in order to save traffic is not the only merit of Opera. The first version of the browser was released back in 1994, and by mid-2014 it confidently took fifth place in popularity.
Despite the fact that today most countries have reliable 3G coverage, in 2014 Opera again managed to attract attention by releasing a browser with a video optimization function. According to the developer, installing Opera mini will permanently solve issues with “slow” video and stream freezes.
Alas, traffic optimization, it seems that it remains the main advantage of Opera mini. If you need to view text news, the browser will come in handy. Working with media content and loading “heavy” pages often results in the application crashing. A separate product of the company is a young browser Opera Coast.
- the best browser for traffic compression;
- video stream optimization function;
- nice interface;
- saving pages;
Advantages:
- traffic compression sometimes becomes a counterweight to speed;
- limited functionality;
- minimum settings;
- lack of “reading” mode.
Flaws:
Verdict: a specific browser for those who are tormented by a feeling of nostalgia for the 2000s.
Puffin
Year of issue: 2011
Developer: CloudMosa
iPhone, iPad: Free download]
Includes in-app purchases
According to numerous synthetic tests, it is the browser Puffin In terms of page loading speed, it is ahead of all its competitors. Speed is the main advantage of the browser, and the improved engine JavaScript shows truly impressive results.
Puffin supports the latest version Flash(in the cloud, with the ability to adjust the degree of compression), and thanks to an improved encryption algorithm, makes it safe to browse Web pages even when using public Wi-Fi access points.
Among the features of the Puffin browser, it is worth noting the presence of a virtual joystick and a touchpad that imitates a computer mouse.
- Flash support;
- high page loading speed;
- many additional settings;
- reliable data encryption algorithms;
Advantages:
- Flash work sometimes affects browser performance;
- Difficulties with streaming video.
Flaws:
Verdict: The fastest browser for surfing, but we strongly recommend trying the free version before purchasing.
Tor
Year of issue: 2013
Developer: Ronen
iPhone, iPad: Free download]
Anonymity on the World Wide Web is an issue that plagues many users. The inaccessibility of certain sites and the imposition of government filters very often makes it impossible to surf the really necessary sites. Browser Tor can be called a pill that is recommended to be taken at a time when you need to hide your real IP address or gain access to closed resources.
Alas, Tor cannot be called multifunctional. He pursues one single goal - anonymity. Within a few seconds after launch, you will receive a new IP address, after which you can safely set off on an anonymous voyage. Tor has no settings, bookmarks, additional plugins, or even an interface as such.
- anonymity;
- change of IP address;
Advantages:
- complete lack of additional functionality;
- poor design.
Flaws:
Verdict: if you need anonymity, Tor is the best free alternative. If anonymity is not your top priority, choose a different browser.
At the end of February, we talked about alternative browsers for the Android platform. The publication aroused some interest among the 3DNews readership, so we decided to once again focus on software solutions for mobile web surfing and talk about relevant developments for portable devices running Apple iOS.
There is no particular need to explain why the choice fell on the operating system of the Apple corporation. Firstly, according to Canalys analysts, Apple software is installed on approximately 16% of smartphones worldwide, and the company itself is one of the three leaders in the mobile platform market, second only to Google (32.9%) and Nokia with its solutions based on Symbian OS (30.6%). Secondly, the App Store online store currently offers over 350 thousand applications for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad owners from 90 countries around the world. Such an impressive figure once again demonstrates that software products for iOS should not be overlooked. And if so, then we will consider the ceremonial part closed and move directly to the review of Internet browsers claiming to be the “best” in various categories.
⇡ The most economical
When it comes to saving network traffic and computing resources on a portable device, the first thing that comes to mind is the free browser Opera Mini, whose client-server architecture easily solves the mentioned problems. According to the developers, the page processing technology used on Opera Software servers makes it possible to compress traffic up to 90% of the original volume before downloading content to a cell phone, which leads to a significant reduction in costs when paying per megabyte for mobile Internet. Subsequently, the experience of the Norwegian company was adopted by many developers of alternative web browsers, which, however, does not prevent the “mini-opera” from remaining the number one player in its market segment.
We have repeatedly talked about the browser itself and the functionality included in it on the pages of the Software section, so we will not repeat it again. Let's just say that soon the Norwegians are going to present the Opera Mini assembly for the iPad tablet, announced at the Mobile World Congress 2011 exhibition. Once the product is approved by Apple and appears on the App Store, tablet owners will be able to enjoy features such as pinch-to-zoom support, page search, and background tabs.
Our emphasis on the market is not accidental. The fact is that every application placed in the catalog undergoes strict testing to ensure compliance with the rules for third-party iOS developers, and being featured in the App Store is not as easy as it seems at first glance. According to what was published on the Internet, consisting of almost two hundred points, Cupertino’s veto covers beta versions of software solutions, products that duplicate the functionality of those already present in the online application store, devoid of practical development value, and so on and so forth. The most important limitation appears in paragraph 2.17, which states that applications with web browser functionality must use the iOS WebKit framework and the Javascript engine built into WebKit. It is for this reason that the App Store, which is loved by many mobile device owners, does not have the Opera Mobile browser, which uses the Presto engine. As for the Opera Mini browser, the page handler involved in it is not installed on the phone, but functions on a remote server. Who would have thought this! - does not contradict Apple policy.
⇡ The most sophisticated
This title rightfully belongs to the German browser iCab Mobile, whose rich functionality is capable of winning the hearts of the most hardened web surfers who conquer the network using iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The program includes: an interface similar to the desktop version of Safari, which provides effective management of open tabs, a built-in download manager, a customizable network content filtering mechanism that allows you to filter out banners and other advertising fluff, integration with the Dropbox cloud storage, a system for filling out web forms on pages, as well as support for extensions - additional software modules that add particular functionality to the browser. Among the useful little things, we can note the ability of iCab Mobile to save traffic using the Google Mobilizer service and adapt to competitors by modifying the User-Agent variable, the presence of a private browser mode, developed tools for exporting/importing user data and a file caching mechanism that allows viewing previously downloaded pages without Internet connection. Offline mode can also be useful for saving traffic when using expensive and still slow mobile networks. Finally, another feature of the “German” is the Russified interface, which includes help documentation translated into Russian. Agree, an impressive set of distinctive qualities, which you can become the owner of for just two dollars.
⇡ The safest
The favorite in this category is the Smart Surfing browser developed by specialists from the antivirus company Trend Micro, distributed free of charge and adapted for both the iPhone and iPod touch, as well as the iPad. The highlight of the program is a protection module operating in tandem with the Trend Micro Smart Protection Network cloud infrastructure, which uses reputation assessment technologies and “on the fly” blocks access to web pages with malicious content, as well as phishing resources. The latter feature makes the browser an ideal tool for working with online banking systems and other resources that require increased attention to security. For user convenience, Smart Surfing provides settings for the level of protection provided and keys for quickly switching between tabs open in the browser. The Trend Micro product does not offer any frills such as support for add-ons, advanced management tools and advanced web tools - all the efforts of the developers were concentrated exclusively on implementing a system for filtering malicious sites. Safety comes first.
⇡ The most social
In terms of close integration with social services and media resources that are widely in demand today, the American Skyfire is a confident leader, presented in the App Store in two editions, one of which was created with an eye to the widescreen iPad. The browser is characterized by the ability to find a common language with Facebook, Twitter, Delicious, Google Reader and dozens of other popular services among online audiences, as well as close “friendship” with mechanisms for quickly exchanging information and searching for interesting content, taking into account the preferences of the user and the Internet community. The second distinctive feature of the program, which puts it a step above the rest, is the ability to view Flash videos due to the preliminary conversion of multimedia data into a format supported by the iOS operating system (using the computing power of Skyfire servers) and subsequent playback of videos using HTML5. The pleasure of keeping your finger on the pulse of the latest achievements of scientific and technological progress is inexpensive: for an assembly for Apple smartphones, developers ask three dollars, the version for a tablet PC costs a little more - five evergreen monetary units.
⇡ The most stylish
Finally, the most stunning in terms of beauty and color is the mobile browser 360 Browser, the color design of which can be varied through plug-in graphic themes. This is the first distinctive attribute of the software solution, there is also a second one - an impressive radial menu that allows you to deftly manipulate browser parameters with one swipe of your finger. Actually, the presence of such an unusual control element determines the no less intricate name of the product, behind the bright wrapper of which lies a serious filling, including a convenient tab bar, support for extensions, a file download manager, an ad blocker, a content compression module using Google Mobilizer, as well as the Firefox Sync mechanism , which allows you to synchronize bookmarks, web history, passwords and other information with Firefox browsers on different devices. 360 Browser also has a lot of other interesting functionality, the number of which is almost as good as the aforementioned iCab Mobile. As for the financial side of the issue, the 360-degree observer costs only one dollar. An updated build of the browser is on the way with support for the AirPrint wireless printing function, the Dropbox service and, most importantly, adapted for the iPad. In general, we recommend it.
This is the Top 5 browsers we have compiled for the Apple iOS mobile platform, the review of which, in our opinion, would be logical to complete with some observations made during a brief acquaintance with the software products presented on the shelves of the App Store.
The first point is the commercial component. Unlike Android, the vast majority of alternative browsers for portable devices from the Apple giant are distributed on a paid basis, and the quality and practical value of such products often leaves much to be desired. Vivid examples of this kind of creations are Life Web Browser and Bolt HD. The first one, in our case, charged $3 for registration in the editorial iPad and with enviable consistency crashed when entering a URL in the browser address bar, and Bolt HD, for the two dollars transferred to the developer’s pocket, was able to show off only the ability to adjust the User-Agent field.
The second important aspect is friendliness to the Russian user, who prefers to deal, albeit with overseas, but at least with Russified products. For some reason, there are only one or two such Internet browsers in the vaunted Apple market. Either the harsh and sometimes devoid of sound logic rules of the App Store scare away domestic coding gurus, or Apple itself is of little interest to the Russian audience, or something else is not going well, but the fact remains: out of a good dozen reviewers we tested, only two - Opera Mini and iCab Mobile - were trained in Russian literacy.
And the third factor, which smoothly follows from the second, which few people pay attention to, is support for Cyrillic domains. If the Safari browser that comes standard with the iOS operating system easily recognizes 3dnews.rf and president.rf typed in the address bar, then alternative solutions in the process of processing unusual URLs often fail and refuse to open resources presented in the Cyrillic layout, despite a single code base , which is the basis of every third-party solution (with the exception of Opera Mini).
The listed criteria once again indicate that when choosing mobile browsers you should always keep in mind the folk wisdom “Measure twice, cut once”, the relevance of which is dictated by various factors, the most important of which are ease of use and customizability in accordance with the needs of the user and, of course, information security.
