The latest versions of android smartphones come with preinstalled browsers, and if your android phone runs on Android 2.2 or later, then the preinstalled browser will support Adobe Flash, JavaScript, bookmarks, multiple windows and other sharing options. This enables users to have the browsing experiences that are similar to those which one has on a desktop. However, the android platform is open to developers and the many browsers that are available in the Android Market are far better than the one which comes preinstalled on your android smartphone.
There are two categories of mobile browsers that are available, the mini browsers and the full-fledged browsers. The regular browsers focus on advanced features such as support for embedded video, whereas mini browsers aim for backward compatibility and better performance.
Some of the best browsers of both regular and mini categories are listed below:
- Chrome Beta browser : Chrome browser for Android is as light as the one you have on your PC. The new user-interface is quite light and it is easy to move between open tabs. You can swipe from one side of the page to auto-move to the next open tab.
- Firefox 4 for android: It is free for download and has a very slick look to it. The browser is fast and comes with features such as add-ons capability and Firefox Sync that allows for synchronization of passwords, bookmarks, preferences, etc. the greatest drawback of this browsers is the lack of support for embedded mobile video. So users who want multimedia dexterity should avoid Firefox.
- The Dolphin Browser HD 5.0 for android: It is free to download and comes loaded with a variety of features that enables the users to change the look and feel of the browser with the help of various themes. It supports Adobe Flash and add-ons and one can even navigate using gestures. Additionally, it has the ability to disguise itself, thereby resulting in unlocking an un-cropped web page.
- Dolphin Browser Mini 2.1 for android: It is similar to the regular version and has several features such as auto-translation of web pages, speed dialing and un-cropping of locked web pages. This browser is apt for those android phones that have a lower version of android OS.
- Skyfire 3.0: It comes with several tabs and buttons and has a busy look to it. The custom tabs allow users to pull in favorite websites such as Twitter and Facebook. Also, the pop-up Flash content window allows users to view Flash videos on phones that do not support Flash content.
- Opera Mobile 11 for android: It is free to download and comes with a number of great features. It is really popular among android smartphone users. The browser supports fast and capable performance and enables the mobility of Speed Dials, bookmarks and search engines. It is not as great as Firefox or Dolphin, when it comes to customization of the browser, but is a definitely a very powerful multimedia tool.
- Opera Mini 6 for android: This one of the fastest growing mobile browsers with over 100 million users worldwide. Also, unlike the regular version, the Opera Mini can be used with phones that have lower than android 2.0 OS. It also has all the advanced features of the regular browser. It enables faster loading of web pages due to server side compression of web data. This may not be the apt browser for people who want multimedia features, but is definitely a ‘yes’ for those who want accelerated web browsing experience on their android smartphones.
- Miren browser 1.2: This is not the fastest of browsers, but comes with several unique and quirky features such as brightness control, page scrolling, volume control, navigation gestures, etc. The browser has a simple yet an uncluttered and attractive look to it.