Best browsers for ipad. Why is iCab Mobile the Best Browser for iOS? Features of SK621 Wireless Keyboard
Strictly speaking, there is only one full-fledged browser for iOS - Safari. All of the alternatives are actually graphical add-ons and sets of Java scripts for the open source WebKit engine that powers Safari.
And it is all the more curious how different developers, using the same platform and similar tools, can achieve results that are very far from each other appearance, as well as functionally. All the seven browsers we mentioned for iOS (more precisely, for the iPad tablet with a large diagonal screen) differ primarily in the set of functions and controls. And even the download acceleration technologies used, for example, in Opera Mini, are not as impressive here as in the "desktop" versions. But in terms of capabilities and usability, they all differ very clearly.
1.Chrome
One of the most popular alternatives to Safari on the iPad is, of course, the main advantage of which is that it allows you to take advantage of the features of your Google account. Yes, yes, oddly enough, among the users of Google services there are many who prefer not Android, but iOS.
Through mobile Chrome, you can sync bookmarks, passwords, and other data with the desktop version of this browser, so if you fundamentally prefer Chrome, then this is what you need.
Otherwise, it's still an add-on to the Safari engine, so don't expect fast page rendering or any of the extensions supported in "desktop" Chrome.
2 Opera Mini
The "mini version" is best known for its "turbo mode", in which user requests are routed through the company's cloud servers, where they are compressed, resulting in many pages loading faster than the original ones. " Side effect The advantage of this feature is that it allows you to access resources blocked by local providers, and for this alone you can fall in love with Opera Mini once and for all. However, compression does not work correctly with any content: layout is broken on some sites, headings and fonts are distorted, and some scripts do not function. But if you access the Internet on slow mobile connections or on tariffs with traffic restrictions, then these shortcomings can be forgiven, since the savings with Opera Mini can be significant.
In all other respects, Opera Mini does not differ in anything outstanding, it has only a standard set of functions: saving pages for offline viewing and synchronization with the desktop version. In addition, this browser has two separate fields for entering web addresses and search queries, which already looks rather old-fashioned.
3.Coast
The free one was developed by Opera programmers specifically for the iPad. This is not just another modification of Opera Mini, and it has a single input field for the address bar and search queries.
coast- a full-screen browser that, when launched, displays "tiles" for popular sites. There are simple gestures to go to the previous and next pages, save a page to the tablet's memory, and quickly open the Favorites panel by pressing the icon at the bottom of the screen.
All browser functions work very quickly, which cannot be said about page loading speed: it is the most common. Coast doesn't shine with any original features either: it's a simple browser for those who visit a small number of sites regularly. As for the design, someone will definitely like it, but someone will definitely not.
4.Puffin
The only iOS browser that supports Flash. Do we really need it? Probably not so much anymore. Moreover, even the most primitive flash toys in Puffin shamelessly slow down, and it's time to forget about this technology as the day before yesterday.
Of the small bonuses, it is worth noting the ability to upload files from Puffin directly to your cloud on Dropbox, so that they will be immediately available on all connected devices.
5.iCab
Addressed to active Internet users: it is richly stuffed with all sorts of additional features. The design of iCab resembles Safari and fits perfectly into the graphical style of iOS 7. However, iCab has a lot in common with Safari: for example, you can directly add pages to the Safari reading list from it. There is a full screen mode with translucent navigation buttons.
iCab supports multiple user accounts with their own settings, passwords, and even color schemes. Full list all the features of iCab would take several pages, so it is not surprising that you will have to pay for this browser - however, only 66 rubles. So if you're looking for a versatile Swiss Army knife, then the iCab is definitely the best choice.
6. Dolphin
Dolphin, as befits a modern mobile browser, supports bookmarks (tabs) and gesture control, and you can even come up with some unique gestures (symbols) to navigate to specific sites. Synchronization is provided between desktop and portable versions of Dolphin and even synchronization with "desktop" Safari, Firefox and Chrome after installing the appropriate extensions.
7. Sleipnir
There is also a function of synchronization with the desktop version: for this you need to create a free Fenrir Pass account. Full screen mode available. The browser has built-in support for popular online services, including Dropbox, Evernote, Facebook, and Twitter.
As the number of iPad owners increases, so does developer activity. software for them, 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 of the iPad users has their own priorities and interests, and therefore their own requirements for the form of information provided. That's why best browser to each his own - which one is chosen only by you.
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 ones that support flash, the most common, will be described. The browser for the TOR project will also be analyzed, but more on that below.
UC Browser for iPad
The speed is provided through the use of cloud processing technology, which may be attractive to those who use their iPad to surf the web. Pages load visually faster even compared to Safari, not to mention the browser from Opera, so the flash player is in its place here.
It should be noted that traffic compression does not come at the expense of performance. Developers provide 4 GB for storing their files, this is in addition to the standard functions of downloading information.
Of the features, you should pay attention to 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 all its appearance claims to be individual, and even unique. This is especially noticeable in the fact that if in other browsers there are just 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 - by the first characters of the input, the browser will guess the most frequently used search addresses.
The developers tried to use the screen area with maximum efficiency. No extra information, not even site 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 online store loyalty check function, which is calculated using at least three indicators.
instaweb
This one-page browser in some fantastic way clears web pages of all advertising husks. You get clean text without spam and ads. At the same time, all the main graphics of the site are preserved. In appearance, it looks like Google's. By its type, it belongs to convertible browsers, 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 branded 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 in the line of others. This information can then be viewed in both Safari and Chrome. At the same time, in prof. version has the ability to save and multi-page sites and video information, but the cost of this version is high.
The function of switching to full screen mode, sending the saved page to social networks is saved.
Yandex
In place of, unsuccessful in all respects, Yandex search has almost recently been 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 the query throws you exactly on the sites that 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 content of sites on the right side, which is quite convenient.
Of the additional features, it is worth noting the convenience of working with tabs. Several dozens of selected addresses can be placed in the central board. Built-in voice dialing 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 downloading 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. Especially unusual in the absence of bookmarks, and the quick access panel is not universal. However, this is offset 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's better than others, although it's far from perfect. However, it contains all the functions familiar to us, which is why they are in a hurry to download it. Here are bookmarks, and a quick access panel, and tabs, and its own peculiarity. This is where we will focus our attention.
In the upper right corner there is a conditional icon "Signs". When you click on it, a black board is displayed, like in school. On this board, you can use your finger to draw a symbol set by the browser, or created by you, which immediately displays the necessary page for you, which corresponds to the drawn symbol.
Puffin-flash for iPad
Unlike the Skyfire browser, which only partially solves the problem with flash playback, Puffin solves this problem in its entirety. True, the price of this was rather weak functionality.
Of the features, it is worth noting the ability to download flash (flash) videos as needed, and not all the time, which slightly speeds up its work.
Tor Browser Bundle
This software product allows you to start using the anonymous network of the TOR project quite quickly and without any extra knowledge. 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, browsers are different, and you can download whichever one you want to work with. It can be tor or Puffin, in which the flash player loads quickly, give preference to Yandex or any other.
iCab Mobile is one of the few cases where the developers managed to load the mobile browser browser with features to the eyeballs, but at the same time it is really convenient to use it, and the navigation is intuitive.
Today it is extremely difficult to find a worthy alternative to Safari, and there are two main reasons for this. First, Safari is set by default to open links in almost all applications (at least those that do not have a built-in browser). Secondly, and here it is worth paying tribute to the designers of Apple, Safari is one of the few iOS browsers that looks modern and is scaled for the user's convenience.
However, Safari also has enough shortcomings. As we mentioned in best apps for iPad Pro (2018), Safari is rarely updated - only with the release of a new iOS versions, - and sometimes you have to wait for literally years to fix bugs or add new features. In addition, the functionality of mobile Safari is significantly reduced compared to desktop browsers.
If you want more control over the interface and browser settings, check out iCab Mobile. This application is not new. Not at all, the first version of iCab Mobile was released back in 2009, and now the current build is 9.11.3, released in July this year.
Interface and functionality
The first thing the browser will greet you with (besides the vintage iCab site as the default start page) is a huge number of buttons and settings. Luckily, most of them are easy to figure out.
The icons at the bottom of the screen speak for themselves. The leftmost key calls Action Menu, where you can manage tabs and forms, add a page to the Today or Quick Launch widget, and more. Panels follow. Personal data and Reading List. In the latter, you can add pages to your reading list not only in iCab Mobile, but also in Safari, which is handy if you prefer to read in your default browser.
The next two icons are an alternative way to navigate between tabs and full screen mode. In the settings, you can enable the status bar in full screen mode if you need it. Icon with puzzle fragment - menu of modules (extensions for iCab). Here you can use plug-ins - for example, add a page to Pocket or Evernote to read later.
Finally, the last three icons are Downloads, Dark Mode and Settings. It would seem that the purpose of all three is very clear, but here I would like to note the possibility of saving files to Dropbox and copying them to the clipboard, as well as creating rules for downloads. For example, you want all .EPUB books to be automatically moved to the Downloads folder on your smartphone. Just a couple of taps is enough to add such a rule!
Important Features
It is convenient that the search can be configured directly, sorry for the tautology, in the search bar. You can choose whether to show search results in a separate tab or in the current one, change search engine or even switch to page search mode (!). A nice bonus - in the search mode on the keyboard, an additional auto-complete line appears with symbols and popular domains: com, net, edu, etc.
Definitely pleased with the ability to customize the interface for yourself. And we are talking not only about navigation elements, but also about design. If a modern design you find it too boring, you can switch to classic and change the color of the contrasting elements.
In the Privacy settings menu, you can see how much space the cache takes up and clear it with one touch. The same goes for browser history, tabs, and searches. It’s nice that you don’t need to go into the smartphone settings for this, as is the case with Safari.
Finally, the last feature of iCab Mobile, which I would like to talk about, is the ability to change the user. In addition to the administrator, you can also add a guest profile with limited access to settings and a separate browsing history and open tabs. You do not need to close your personal tabs before giving the smartphone to another person - just switch the user to the Guest, this is done in two taps.
Conclusion
iCab Mobile is a great option if you are looking for a mobile browser that is as close to desktop as possible in terms of functionality. However, this app definitely looks better on larger screens due to a large number icons and tab system.
The question arises: which browser for the iPhone from the AppStore is the best? Let's talk about some quick and convenient options.
There is no doubt that Safari, which is provided by default to users of Apple technology, is an excellent and fast browser, however, it is not without flaws. For example, in order to play Adobe Flash video, the Safari browser is not an assistant: fans of Vkontakte and Odnoklassniki applications will have to try other options. Fortunately, there are many possible alternatives - some of them have unique "chips".
Price: 149 p. +
According to many users, iCab Mobile is the best browser for the iPhone, because it includes everything that the standard Safari lacks. Particularly pleased the 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 superfluous from the screen.
Another plus - flexible setting. 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 those pages that the user visited.
iCab Mobile also has a minus: it is a paid browser, moreover, the price bites - 149 rubles. There are many free alternatives, so users are in no hurry to spend money.
Yandex.Browser
Price: Free
Yandex.Browser is a free program that offers the user no less "chips" than iCab and Safari. When you first launch the browser for iPhone, the user sees a very convenient "Scoreboard" menu, where you can place up to 15 stickers to quickly launch pages. Other benefits include:
- Turbo traffic saving mode. Built-in Safari is one of the most "gluttonous" browsers. In this regard, Yandex.Browser - best alternative: activated Turbo mode allows you to save up to 40% of traffic.
- Smart search. The browser can anticipate the user's request and easily translate 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 are not able to search by text or export pages to PDF. In general, Yandex.Browser is the most convenient and efficient free program that can be found in the AppStore.
Dolphin
The Dolphin browser is more popular among Android users (audience - more than 9 million users), however, it has recently been introduced to 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 feature, you need to click on the hand icon in the bottom line. Next, draw with your finger on the screen, say, the letter G 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 poor browser to pay for its replacement. However, the AppStore is regularly updated with many free alternatives that can provide the user with additional features. Yandex.Browser looks like the most promising browser for iOS among those that can be downloaded for free: it is already preferable and more convenient than most options - if Yandex takes care to eliminate a number of minor flaws through updates, this browser will be far ahead of the rest.
Safari on iOS is fast, convenient, and syncs data between your devices out of the box. Indeed, the standard browser for iPhone and iPad is very good. But there are worthy alternatives that have more features, are better integrated with certain services, and are simply more comfortable to use. We ran through App Store looking for third party browsers and found the top 5.
Chrome
iPhone + iPad | 70.7 MB | Free | DOWNLOAD
One of the most well-deserved candidates to replace Safari is Google's Chrome. Popular browser last week and got handy gestures to move forward / backward through the pages from the edge of the screen.
Chrome is tightly integrated with Google services and is available on OS X, iOS, Android, Linux, and Windows. The browser syncs tabs, passwords, favorites, history and other data that will appeal to device owners across platforms. By the way, even if you have Safari on Mac and iPhone, both browsers will be friends and work through Handoff.
The browser interface is made in Google's proprietary Material Design, so it is not only convenient, but visually pleasing to use. Of the useful features of Chrome, I note a pop-up panel when scrolling from top to bottom, which allows you to quickly open / close a tab and refresh the page with swipes.
In the browser, it is convenient to type website addresses and enter search queries thanks to a panel with Internet symbols (dot, .com, etc.).
Opera Coast
iPhone + iPad | 35.8 MB | Free | DOWNLOAD
Opera's Coast browser offers an atypical approach to using the Web. In the program, you seem to find yourself in a separate operating system where websites are applications.
The main page - icons with programs, that is, favorite pages, if we draw an analogy with traditional browsers. Here you can change their order and set background images.
Tabbed window - multitasking menu.
Coast attracts with the concept, speed and quality of work. Beautiful interface with smooth animations and fast page loading speed. Everything we love.
The web address entry field displays a selection of current news, great site suggestions, and completes search queries.
Mercury Browser
iPhone + iPad | 54.9 MB | Free | DOWNLOAD
One of the most sophisticated browsers in the App Store. Mercury Browser has everything a demanding user might need: support for extensions, AdBlock, the ability to change User Agent, reading mode, themes, offline reading list, full screen mode, cloud services support, gestures and much more.
Virtually every component in the Mercury Browser is customizable. For example, you can choose to display tabs like you would on a desktop, or keep the classic iPhone thumbnails.
The search box supports working with third-party sites.
A widget in the Notification Center provides quick access to your favorite sites.
Mercury Browser is stuffed with features to the eyeballs, but this has not affected the performance of the browser. The program is smart, you can browse the Web with comfort and high speed.
Yandex browser
iPhone | 66.1 MB | Free | DOWNLOAD
The browser of the same name from the Russian search engine stands out at the expense of another by placing the address bar. It is at the very bottom, which eliminates the need to reach up each time to enter the address.
It is a balanced browser, without any outstanding features, but fast, convenient and neat.
The main screen of Ya.Browser is divided into beautiful blocks with sites from your favorites.