Opera launch new web browser for the Android
Discussion
Is it ad-supported? One thing I can't bear about some Android apps is that their business model revolves around displaying ads - and on a smartphone screen, there simply aren't the spare pixels to waste with irrelevant rubbish. I'd rather pay for an app than have a free ad-supported app.
tried ph- same, MUCH faster. no multi touch, double click to enlarge
Seems to be unlimited tabs- have 8 open at the moment so inbuilt one will rarely be used by me now- hated the 4 tab limit.
Different settings, layout and interface so will take a few days to get used to, doesnt
Had a look at settings- option to change image quality which is good as can change depending on reception strengh, has opera link (sync thing) so desktop users of it will like. Able to make full screen as well.
Question for you Cyberface- its using protocol sockets, any advantage/disadvantage over the other option of http?
Seems to be unlimited tabs- have 8 open at the moment so inbuilt one will rarely be used by me now- hated the 4 tab limit.
Different settings, layout and interface so will take a few days to get used to, doesnt
Had a look at settings- option to change image quality which is good as can change depending on reception strengh, has opera link (sync thing) so desktop users of it will like. Able to make full screen as well.
Question for you Cyberface- its using protocol sockets, any advantage/disadvantage over the other option of http?
Edited by amir_j on Friday 12th March 15:14
amir_j said:
its using protocol sockets, any advantage/disadvantage over the other option of http?
this is a pain in the arse on BB; if you're on 3G, you have to use "HTTP", if you're on Wifi, you have to use "Socket". And it doesn't automatically switch between them. Major cackiness.
CommanderJameson said:
amir_j said:
its using protocol sockets, any advantage/disadvantage over the other option of http?
this is a pain in the arse on BB; if you're on 3G, you have to use "HTTP", if you're on Wifi, you have to use "Socket". And it doesn't automatically switch between them. Major cackiness.
Edited by amir_j on Friday 12th March 15:49
amir_j said:
CommanderJameson said:
amir_j said:
its using protocol sockets, any advantage/disadvantage over the other option of http?
this is a pain in the arse on BB; if you're on 3G, you have to use "HTTP", if you're on Wifi, you have to use "Socket". And it doesn't automatically switch between them. Major cackiness.
JohnnyPanic said:
amir_j said:
no multi touch, double click to enlarge
Booooooo. I shall wait until it works properly before installing then 
edit: When you use the trackball on the phone Opera produces a mouse cursor like on a desktop- lovely touch!
Also- EVERY NEW PAGE seems to open in unzoomed mode requiring you to double click, not a huge effort but a big pain. But worthwhile when you see how fast it is.
Edited by amir_j on Friday 12th March 16:12
amir_j said:
Question for you Cyberface- its using protocol sockets, any advantage/disadvantage over the other option of http?
Hell, I have no idea. I'm not a computer techie, I just play one on the internet 
Multitouch (primarily pinch-zoom) is *such* a necessity in a small-screen browser now that I'm unlikely to even *try* Opera because of this. The double-tap kludge that was in the original release of the Nexus One version of Android was cack - the second release, including multitouch (i.e. pinch-zoom) is a million times better.
The only real problems I have with the built-in browser is the woefully primitive bookmark support - it's just one big list, and when you've got lots of bookmarks in a specific hierarchy (from Safari on the Mac) then it's a right pain in the arse.
I haven't installed Dolphin yet because I'm not sure exactly how much better it will be than the default - and I'm *not* putting up with ad-supported software at all, and certainly not in a browser, which is a very frequently used app. There looks like there's a 'Dolphin Pro Licence' for £20 or so that disables all ads - and I'd be perfectly happy with that, so long as the app is actually worth £20 (I may have the cost wrong here, so don't dogpile me if I'm wrong). The standard browser uses WebKit and renders pages perfectly well IMO - and with the pinch-zoom it feels just like an iPhone (but the trackball makes it MUCH easier to enter text into input boxes, the bugbear of the iPhone).
The only real issue with the standard browser is the appalling bookmark support, and how it loses windows you had open previously if another app invokes the browser (e.g. a link in an email, which opens the browser and clears existing windows... annoying). The actual core *browser* functionality isn't bad.
The question re: Dolphin for me is whether better bookmarks are worth £20 (or whatever). They're certainly NOT worth putting up with ads in my webpages.
The standard browser isn't dysfunctional in the way that the standard email client is. Any third party browser has to offer quite a lot more to be worth proper money, IMO...
Update having spent a few days with it. Conclusion- Must have!!
The standard browser is fine if you are always in strong reception areas- but I'm not. Home reception with T-mobile is either g or 3g and poor, other places I go is the same e.g. a office in a converted aircraft carrier along with travel. On HSDPA the standard browser is fine, otherwise I find its slow, very slow, and at times I have to load a page and then just leave it having to return later.
Opera is a revelation in this regard- doesnt matter how poor the signal is, just never stops delivering. Installed on my OH's phone withou giving her any guidance, she had no trouble adapting and noticed the difference immediately.
Also I am not finding the multi touch an issue at all to be honest, most of the site I go on are news type layouts so easy to move around, the standard zoom is enough for me and actually prefer the double tap as means I can use the phone one handed with my thumb navigating. Much easier than holding in the palm of one hand and using fingers on the other to navigate. The mouse cursor is also superb as the HTC trackball on standard broser only jumps from link to link.
Will use both but predominatly Opera (so impressed currently downloading Opera for my netbook to see if speeds up mobile broadband stick), would also advise the use of Swype as per my other thread- these two apps this week have made my HTC Hero experience considerably better.
The standard browser is fine if you are always in strong reception areas- but I'm not. Home reception with T-mobile is either g or 3g and poor, other places I go is the same e.g. a office in a converted aircraft carrier along with travel. On HSDPA the standard browser is fine, otherwise I find its slow, very slow, and at times I have to load a page and then just leave it having to return later.
Opera is a revelation in this regard- doesnt matter how poor the signal is, just never stops delivering. Installed on my OH's phone withou giving her any guidance, she had no trouble adapting and noticed the difference immediately.
Also I am not finding the multi touch an issue at all to be honest, most of the site I go on are news type layouts so easy to move around, the standard zoom is enough for me and actually prefer the double tap as means I can use the phone one handed with my thumb navigating. Much easier than holding in the palm of one hand and using fingers on the other to navigate. The mouse cursor is also superb as the HTC trackball on standard broser only jumps from link to link.
Will use both but predominatly Opera (so impressed currently downloading Opera for my netbook to see if speeds up mobile broadband stick), would also advise the use of Swype as per my other thread- these two apps this week have made my HTC Hero experience considerably better.
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