Default browser or switch?

[hopsyturvy]

I really like the default browser with the HTC desire. It seems fast and intuitive, and above all I love the way it zooms - formatting text to fit the window, and especially the way it seems to 'snap' to the edges of tables - great for reading news sites where the content is sandwiched in between loads of junk.

But I've never used a different browser on a smartphone, and I wondered how others compared. It's not perfect - swtiching between windows is cumbersome and there doesn't seem to be tabs - which means that sometimes pages can be doing stuff in the background and you'll never even know. And the menus and controls aren't ideal - it's all there but it's annoying having to hit menu then more before you can hit the 'home' key.

So are there any other browsers that have the speed, perfect layout, and intuitive feel of the default browser but better controls and other features? Would appreciate some recommendations of others to try

 

[Caspa]

I would recommend Dolphin HD...

 

[hocturnalsoul]

Ive never bothered with other browsers. When i had my HTC Diamond, i installed opera and tried that for a while. Uninstalled within 4 minutes. Stick with the default.

 

[riverboat2001]

I'm thinking of giving Dolphin a go as you can download and save youtube videos

 

[cnanthony]

Ive tried both Opera and Skyfire - all they do is take up valuable real estate on screen for very little added functionality. Would have kept Skyfire if you could minimise the menus and the zoom function wasn't stepped. Haven't tried Dolphin but I get the feeling as with everything on Android its a bit of trial and error to see what works best for you.

 

[lekky]

Really love the deault browser, using it since i got the Desire. However, terribly impressed with dolphin HD. Its a desktop-like browsing experience. So im on to using that now.

 

[dunbad]

I'm using xscope and I love it. Skyfire was ok, VERY snappy, but it eats the battery the same as it did on WM. Also didn't really like the way in which it worked too much, but great for playing flash. The reason I'm sticking with xscope is because it's still faster than the default browser, I like the single finger pin zoom. Download aswell as play YouTube videos. And I found it way ahead of dolphin.

 

[Nodders]

The brick wall in getting a none default browser, is the bookmarks widget. I use this extensively as the entry point to the internet, and the inability for other browsers to edit the bookmarks (I know touching them will open whatever browser is set to default) or to have a similar widget is a real show stopper for me. If I am mistaken and there are similar full screen widgets for bookmarks that can be edited from within Dolphin etc then I would be really interested in knowing.

 

[OFI]

Tried Opera and Skyfire. Didn't like either compared to the default one. I'll try Dolphin now but if it doesn't have pinch zoom I doubt i'll be interested.

Edit: ooh it has pinch zoom

 

[Casual Pete]

Is there an option anywhere in dolphin to save the cache to the sd card?

 

[lekky]

The brick wall in getting a none default browser, is the bookmarks widget. I use this extensively as the entry point to the internet, and the inability for other browsers to edit the bookmarks (I know touching them will open whatever browser is set to default) or to have a similar widget is a real show stopper for me. If I am mistaken and there are similar full screen widgets for bookmarks that can be edited from within Dolphin etc then I would be really interested in knowing.

Dolphin has a large bookmarks widget.

 

[Nodders]

Does it? Great - I'll give it a go again. Has it always had one? Last time I tried was with my Hero several months ago and I never knew about one then

Hmm - can't find it under the widget list. What am I missing? Aaah- an add-on. Got it now.

 

[OFI]

Wow Dolphin is pretty good..

Will give it a long try out I think

 

[TEK-WARRIOR]

Dolphin hd browser is AWESOME, the default browser on my HTC DESIRE (simfree) is very good, also tried opera. but after reading about and installing dolphin hd browser i'm sticking with it.pinch to zoom is very good, very easy to set bookmarks.
to many functions to mention in this browser, very impressed with it .

 

[trevytrev]

Dolphin HD is great, very impressed. One thing though, I can't seem to find a way to set the homepage anywhere, it's probably massively obvious but I can't find it. Can anyone help at all?

thanks.

 

[Casual Pete]

Dolphin HD is great, very impressed. One thing though, I can't seem to find a way to set the homepage anywhere, it's probably massively obvious but I can't find it. Can anyone help at all?

thanks.

Open the browser press menu>more>settings>system settings then scroll down to set home page.

 

[HYCAET]

Tried a lot of different browsers, andfound xscope to be the best alternative. Went back to the default in the end though.

 

[Willie Heckerslyke]

I really love the default browser...apart from one niggling annoyance.

There's a forum I visit every day and it has a few flash-based ads that you never usually even notice. However, with the def browser, very often I'll get one of the ad banners plonked right across the main page and often right over the majority of the text in a reply/post

It's really getting on my nerves now tbh...if it wasn't for this, it would be fine, but after reading about Dolphin etc, I might try something else to see how they fare....

 

[weirdNumber]

Dolphin HD is pretty neat, I have one niggle with it so far which may well be fixable. When swiping though google image search results I keep bringing up up the 'open windows' box.

I haven't really found anything that Dolphin does significantly better than the default browser, and I didn't find anything that the default browser didn't do so I might switch back at some point.