8 Best Web Browsers for Android Devices

best android browser app

Android devices have their own default browser “Internet”, which is no doubt a good browser and many Android users use them for their regular surfing and downloading. But this default browser has some drawbacks like no turbo mode, no add-ons support and many more. These drawbacks resist us from using this “Internet” browser and inspire us to use any other third-party software. There are a lot of third-party web browsers available on Google Play Store, which provide us many amazing and advance features for better browsing and control on different configurations and downloading.

The developers of these browsers keep updating and adding new features in their browsers to attract more and more users. They target on providing best browsing experience to their users by making every possible positive change in their browsers. So there is no surprise that most of the android users use any third-party browsers instead of the default browser “Internet”. Below is the list I made of the “8 Best Web Browsers for Android Devices”.

1. Dolphin Browser:

Dolphin Browser, with over 80,000,000 downloads, is a lightning fast speed browser and makes the browsing very easy. You can browse the way you want with a personalized home screen, voice control, gesture control, customizable settings and sharing features.

Dolphin Browser

Features:

  • Customize Themes and Wallpapers
  • Dolphin’s own Web App Store
  • Customize Home Screen
  • One-Tap Share feature
  • Tabbed Browsing for fast switching between the web pages
  • Dolphin Connect for Sync
  • Voice Control
  • Gesture Control
  • Dolphin Add-Ons

Average Rating on Google Play Store:

The average rating of Dolphin Browser is 4.7 out of 5 with 981,202 “5-Star” ratings.

Download:

2. UC Browser:

UC browser is quite popular and is really fast and smooth. You can adjust the configurations the way you want under different network connections to decrease the data costs and for fast page loading. It has been downloaded over 400 millions time.

UC Browser

Features:

  • Add-Ons Support
  • Quick Reads for Offline Reading
  • Pre-load Pages to save time by having next page pre-loaded with intelligent analysis.
  • Background Downloading
  • Better Secure Browsing
  • Memory Optimization for low WAM devices
  • Different Themes and Wallpapers

Average Rating on Google Play Store:

The average rating of UC Browser on Google Play Store is 4.5 out of 5 with 153,549 “5-Star” ratings.

Download:

3. Firefox Browser:

This official Mozilla Firefox web browser is fast, smart, easy to use and customizable with better and latest security and privacy features. Quick start-up and less page loading time helps you to browse faster and you can customize it with various add-ons like password manager, ad-blocker etc.

Firefox Browser

Features:

  • Awesome Organized Screen
  • Add-Ons Support
  • Awesome Bar remembers your most visited sites and bookmarks, history etc.
  • HTML5 and Web APIs Support
  • Reader Mode for better article reading
  • Better Security
  • Sync Support

Average Rating on Google Play Store:

The average rating of Firefox Browser on Google Play Store is 4.4 out of with 297,606 “5-Star” ratings.

Download:

4. Opera Browser:

The very popular browser, Opera Browser, is a beautiful, fast and full of features. It provides better privacy and let you organize your personal news feed. It also provide better download management.

Opera Browser

Features:

  • Off-Read mode for better connection
  • Built-In Download Manager
  • Private Browsing
  • Speed Dial
  • Beautiful Designed User Interface
  • Smart Scroll Bars with automatic page sizing
  • Better Stability and Compatibility
  • Read Latest News and Magazine articles right in the browser

Average Rating on Google Play Store:

The average rating of Opera Browser is 4.3 out of 5 with 326,402 “5-Star” ratings.

Download:

5. Chrome Browser:

Chrome Browser is no doubt a fast browser with easy to use UI. It provides accelerated page loading, scrolling and zooming and also fast switching between various tabs. You can also Sync tabs, bookmarks etc. by signing in to the Chrome.

Chrome Browser

Features:

  • Sync Support
  • Private browsing under Incognito Tabs
  • Send Pages between your Chrome Desktop browser and Chrome Smartphone browser, even when offline.
  • Clean and easy-to-use User Interface
  • Fast Navigation
  • Open unlimited tabs

Average Rating on Google Play Store:

The average rating of Chrome Browser is 4.2. out of 5 with 372,932 “5-Star” ratings.

Download:

6. Maxthon Android Web Browser:

Maxthon, with over 600 million downloads web browser is a smart, fast and secure browser which is easy to use and provide very fast downloading speed.  The reason behind the fast speed of this browser is that it uses least amount of CPU resources. The developers claim that their Maxthon browser will not drain the mobile’s battery as fast as other browsers.

Maxthon browser

Features:

  • Quick Access for your Favorite Sites on Speed Dial
  • NewBites for your Favorite Media on Speed Dial
  • Gesture Control
  • My Cloud Tabs for sync and remember the sites from where you left off
  • Cloud Push for sending texts, images, URLs and tabs to a device with Maxthon account
  • Sharing
  • Private browsing
  • Reader mode to read articles by adjusting text format and size
  • Add-Ons support
  • RSS Reader
  • Download Manager
  • WWW/WAP Switch

Average Rating on Google Play Store:

The average rating of Maxthon Android Web Browser is 4.7 out of 5 with 96,50 “5-Star” ratings

Download:

7. Next Browser:

This ultra fast web browser gathered 1 million users in just few weeks. This new mini browser is beautiful and easy to use. The developers claim it to be more private and more secure.

Next Browser

Features:

  • Customizable Home Screen
  • Gesture Control
  • Next View for latest news and entertainment
  • Plugin Add-Ons support
  • Import and Sync Bookmarks
  • Secure Browsing under Incognito Tabs

Average Rating on Google Play Store:

The average rating of Next Browser is 4.5 out of 5 with 22,299 “5-Star” ratings

Download:

8. One Browser:

Another Fast, Smart and Advance browser is One Browser which offers fast download speed and most effective file manager. Under all, but especially under 2G networks, it compresses the pictures and website optimization with 85% saving of traffic. Features:

  • HTML5 Support
  • Multi-Window Operation
  • Website View Switcher
  • Better Download Management
  • Download optimization
  • Dual Engine for better page display
  • Page Capture
  • Font Size Customization
  • New User Interface

Average Rating on Google Play Store:

The average rating of One Browser is 4.4 out of 5 with 29,738 “5-Star” ratings.

Download:

So these were 8 best Android browser apps you can use instead of the default browser of your Android device. Do share your views about these browsers in the comments below. Don’t forget to check out the “7 Unknown features of VLC media Player“.

ZTE Open: The First Firefox OS Based Smartphone is Here!

Firefox is all set to compete with the likes of Android and iOS with its very own Firefox OS for smartphone. The first smartphone featuring the Firefox operating system, ZTE Open, will be available this week in Spain for only $90 (69 euros). Mozilla did say earlier that they are planning to release cheap Firefox OS featured phones but we weren’t expecting a $90 price tag. Let’s see if the first Firefox OS based phone is worth trying or not.

first firefox os based phone

Firefox OS

The user interface looks quite similar to iOS and Android’s user interface. There are four main function buttons in the bottom of the screen to access phone, messages, email and browser. You can customize these icons if you want. Applications are also arranged on a grid style like we see on other smartphones and users have to scroll left and right to see other installed apps.

first firefox phone

All the commons apps like music player, camera, photo gallery, video player, FM radio are available in the OS. Some third party apps are also available like Facebook, Twitter, Accu Weather, Poppit and other necessary apps can be downloaded from Firefox Marketplace. The app store is not filled with apps which is going to be a big challenge for Mozilla if they really want to compete with Google Playstore or Apple App Store.

Hardware

The ZTE Open comes with 256MB of RAM and 512MB of on board memory. It’s not good enough to run a phone without lag but this phone did quite well in the short test. All the installed apps worked quickly and the touchscreen was also good. It’s good comparing to the “Gingerbread” running phones. However, these are just entry level phones so don’t expect the high-end smartphone like smoothness from it.

zte open firefox os

Specs

The first Firefox OS based phone features a 3.5-inch HVGA TFT touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, 4GB microSD card and other common features like FM Radio, email reader and built-in Firefox web browser. Apps like Wikipedia, Time Out and Huffington Post are already available in the app store but you have to wait for a while to get all the popular apps from other stores.

Price and Release Info

Mozilla’s first Firefox OS based phone will be available at an attractive price tag of $90 (69 Euro) in Spain and Telefónica is launching the ZTE Open with another Mozilla OS based set from Alcatel called One Touch Fire. “This is just the beginning as we plan to bring a wide range of Firefox OS devices to our customers”, that’s what the CEO of Telefónica España, Luis Miguel Gilpérez said when launching the device. It’s not confirmed yet when Mozilla is planning to release them in other markets.

Some more Firefox OS based handsets are also on board and big companies like Sony and LG are currently working on it. If you are not interested to try the Firefox OS in an entry level handset, you can wait for the upcoming Firefox OS based high-end smartphones.

Must Have Firefox Extensions

Must Have Firefox Extension Add OnsIn today’s world of Internet most of us spend most of our time on the WORLD WIDE WEB and to do that each one of us has their own favored browser either Firefox or Chrome or Internet Explorer (really?). Within these browsers, you can install addon/extension to make your browsing experience better. If you are a Firefox user then here is a list of must have Firefox extensions which you can install to make your browsing experience better:

  1. ABPAdblock Plus: If you are annoyed by too much of ads on the websites or you want to keep yourself away from the malware domain, then this extension can help you. The official description states that:

    Adblock Plus allows you to regain control of the internet and view the web the way you want to. The add-on is supported by over forty filter subscriptions in dozens of languages which automatically configure it for purposes ranging from removing online advertising to blocking all known malware domains.

    You can get it from the official Firefox Addon store. Here is the link to get it: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/adblock-plus/

  2. TranslateWiktionary and Google Translate: When you visit a page which is in a language which you don’t understand or speak, this extension come in pretty handy in those situations. Also it does in-line translation of words and can help you improve you vocabulary. If we go by the official description, this is what it does:

    The extension brings two functionalities to your Firefox browser:
    * in-line translation of words;
    * translation of the whole page.

    Here is the link to get this extension: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/google-dictionary-and-google-t/.
    PS: You have to restart Firefox after installing it.

  3. personasPlusPersonas Plus: From time to time I like to change the look n feel of Firefox by utilizing the Personas which are themes for Firefox and are freely available. But to get them, one has to browse through the Firefox Personas website and that’s where this extension comes in. It give you control and easier access to new, popular, and your own favorite Personas.
    Here is the link to get this extension: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/personas-plus/.
    PS: You have to restart Firefox after installing it.
  4. DownloadStatusBarDownload Status bar: This extension lets you avoid the extra window which opens up when you start any download and shows the status of download within the status bar of Firefox. The official description states:

    Despite its compact size, Download Statusbar packs in more useful features than the standard download window. The fully customizable interface auto-hides when not in use, allowing full control without interruption.

    Get this extension from this link: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/download-statusbar/
    PS: You have to restart Firefox after installing it.

  5. FirebugFirebug: Now this one extension is for web application developers, and for people who like to look into what’s happening underneath the nice looking web page. It’s lets you easily access the source code of the web app and edit it and monitor.

    Firebug integrates with Firefox to put a wealth of development tools at your fingertips while you browse. You can edit, debug, and monitor CSS, HTML, and JavaScript live in any web page.

    Download it from here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/firebug/

I hope one of these extensions makes your browsing experience better. If you have any other extension you like, please do share with us.

[Review] Reddit Gets Harder To RESist

If you, like me, are a Reddit addict (a Redditic(TM), if you will) and have considered enrolling with the Redditics Anonymous in your locality on several occasions, you should probably stop reading here.

Reddit Logo

If you’re still here, you’re either beyond help, or just a rebel at heart. Either way, here’s something that could help improve your Reddit experience.

RES or Reddit Enhancement Suite is a browser add-on available for Firefox, Chrome, Opera and Safari that allows users to customize and enhance their Reddit experience. Like any other add-on, it is easy to install, AND for a change does not require the annoying browser restart after installation. It is automatically used by the browser whenever you browse Reddit.

Overall, the plugin is relatively easy to configure using the “gear” icon on the top right of the screen.

Irresistible features of RES :

Here are the features I found interesting in this browser plugin:

My Dashboard :

Reddit Dashboard

This features allows you to create a Dashboard for yourself – mainly to choose the mails, users and subreddits you like to follow, all on one page.

  • You can choose a Mail widget which lets you choose between Unread messages, Messages, Comment replies, and Post replies.
  • You also have a User widget that allows you follow (read, spy on) comments and posts from a particular Redditor
  • And finally, there’s the Subreddit widget, that lets you see your preferred subreddit(s) on your Dashboard.

Personally, I feel it speeds up the time-wasting process by letting you see all your points of interest on a single page.

Account Switcher:

This feature proves useful for the Reddit veterans with several accounts who need to switch accounts often. It can be activated in the Settings Console under the Accounts tab.

Acctount Switcher in RES

Once configured, you can switch between your various accounts with a simple click, saving you the time of having to log in and log out of accounts if you choose the “keep me logged in” option. Having numerous accounts also allows the configuration of a Dashboard corresponding to each account.

This feature could also be useful on shared computers for different users to save their accounts (even though it might not be the most secure way of going about things).

View Images:

This feature gives you the option of being able to see images in-line WITH the posts (as seen below), instead of having to click on them individually. Especially practical with r/Pics and the likes.

View Images In RES

NSFW Filter:

People who browse Reddit at work or in schools might find this feature highly useful since it automatically hides NSFW posts to prevent that accidental (and potentially dangerous) click.NSFWFilter

User Tagging:

This feature allows you to tag different users with any name you’d like. This might help you to better identify users you recognize. It also provides Gmail-esque color codes for these user tags.

A personal suggestion would also be to use it to identify users as Troll00, Troll01, Troll02 and so on, to save time on comments you needn’t take seriously ;)

Never-ending Reddit:

And FINALLY, it provides you with Never-ending Reddit! This avoids a page reload every time you change pages and lets you see several pages of posts on the same screen.

Verdict:

These features are just the tip of the iceberg and there’s lots more for you to discover once you get acquainted with the add-on. Happy Redditing!!!

Disclaimer : The author is not to be held responsible for any colossal drops in productivity experienced due to the information provided by this article :P

Mozilla’s Next Big Thing: Firefox OS for Smart Phones

Popular open source web browser giant has joined the bandwagon of Smart Phone Operating Systems with its Firefox OS to compete with iOS, Android, Windows and Symbian. Mozilla today announced that mobile phones running Firefox OS will be available by early 2013. A number of European Telecom operators such as Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, Smart, Sprint, Telecom Italia, Telefónica and Telenor has backed this Friefox Mobile OS project.

Firefox OS will be Open Source:

Being true to its Open Source philosophy, Mozilla said:

…..(Firefox) will power the launch of smartphones built entirely to open Web standards, where all of the device’s capabilities can be developed as HTML5 applications.

HTML 5 at its fullest:

Firefox OS intends to use the maximum out of HTML 5 with ‘new phone architecture where every phone feature (calling, messaging, games, etc.) is an HTML5 application.’ The work started last year under the project “Boot to Gecko” that allows ‘HTML5 applications to access the underlying capabilities of a phone, previously only available to native applications.’

Firefox, Do you have in It you?

Last few years have shown a number of smart phone OS failures such as Bada, Meego, Palm etc that simply could not make a decent cut in to the mobile OS which is heavily dominated by iOS and Android. It would be interesting to see if Firefox OS could make a cut into the pie. For this we have to wait till 2013 when it will be released in Brazil which is  an emerging mobile market with lots of prospect to grow as it is less penetrated by Android and iOS.

What do you think of Firefox OS? Is it good move by Firefox to jump into a risky smart phone OS which has seen fall of giants? And once available will you opt for Firefox OS over your existing iOS, Android or Windows?

How to show Bookmarks toolbar in Firefox in Ubuntu 12.04 [Quick Tip]

When you install Ubuntu and try to surf internet using the default browser Firefox, you will notice one thing missing and that is the bookmarks toolbar on the top. I had a little trouble looking for the option in the Preferences and that is the reason why I am writing this post. Here is how to enable the bookmark toolbar in Firefox in Ubuntu12.04.

Go to top menu and look for view, In view go to Toolbars and here you can see the option of Bookmarks Toolbar. The pic below will come as handy:

How to Solve: Backspace key does not work in Mozilla Firefox in Ubuntu Linux

Problem:

Most of us are used-to of using the backspace key to go back to previous page while browsing in Mozilla Firefox. By default, Firefox in Linux doesn’t provide the functionality of pressing backspace for going back to previous page which is quite irritating as it forces one to use the mouse.

Solution:

A little tweak is required in Firefox configuration to make it work. Here is what you need to do:

  • Open Firefox new tab
  • Type about:config in the address bar
  • Click yes to the warning
  • Now search for browser:backspace_action
  • Double click on it to change its value from 2 to 0

Alternate Solution:

There is another way to go to previous or next pages in any browser, in any OS and that is by using arrow keys. The shortcut is as follows:

  • Alt-Left = back
  • Alt-Right = forward

Questions and suggestions are most welcomed. Cheers :)

Ubuntu update error with Firefox

Problem:

Recently when Ubuntu Update Manager ran on my Ubuntu 11.04 for the latest update it generated following error:

E: /var/cache/apt/archives/ubufox_0.9.1-0ubuntu0.10.04.1~mfn3_all.deb: trying to overwrite ‘/etc/xul-ext/ubufox.js’, which is also in package xul-ext-ubufox 0

Reason:

Probing a little further I found out that it is a problem in upgrading to Firefox 5.0 and this ubufox is a modified version of Firefox for Ubuntu.

Solution:

Follow these steps:

  • Open Synaptic Packet Manager
  • Search and mark xul-ext-ubufox for removal
  • Search and mark ubufox for upgrade
  • Apply the changes
  • Now open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and use the following command: sudo apt-get install firefox

Hope it solves your problem. Question, suggestions and feedback are most welcomed. Enjoy :)

How to find saved passwords in Firefox or Google Chrome?

For the ease of using internet on a personal computer we often save our passwords in the web browser (Remember the pop up with “save the password”, “not now”, “never for this site”). It saves you from the pain of entering the passwords in the websites. Do you know these saved passwords can be easily viewed by any person using the computer. Your passwords are not safe in the case if people have access to your computer.

You can also use the same for hacking some friend’s passwords if you have physical access to his system.

Its not rocket science. Its very simple. You might also knew it before hand. In case you don’t follow the steps:

1. Mozilla Firfox:

  • Open the Firefox.
  • Click on “Tools” on the top of the browser
  • Choose “Options”
  • Choose “Security” tab
  • Click on “Saved passwords”

  • Here you can see various websites and the username stored on it
  • Select any of them and click “Show password”
  • There it is, right in front of you. 

2. Google Chrome:

In Google Chrome, go to settings (the wrench symbol on the top right corner). Choose options. Go to “Personal Stuff” tab and select “show saved passwords”.