What browser are you currently using?

[YankeeDudeL]

I'm a lil torn here, so I figured I'd pose the question to my Droid brethren. I absolutely loved xScope until recently. It was the fastest and the I was very comfortable with the layout and the one finger zooming. But the whole update to the trial version just really ruined the experience. Is it wrong for a Dev to make an app paid, no, not at all. But with so many free browsers to choose from, why couldn't you just put out a donate version?

I had Dolphin HD already for downloading files as it seems to be the most reliable, but never really used it for surfing. And now I know why. It's the most annoying browser I've ever used. I hate having to scroll to the top of the page to change tabs, it's slower (even with their Fast Browser addon), and that stupid menu thing that keeps getting in my way when I scroll to the right is the stupidest feature I've ever seen.

I'm currently using Skyfire, but the app just closes on me way too much.

I've never tried Opera, so I guess I'll have to give it a go.

What say you?

 

[breadnatty08]

I've tried Skyfire back when it offered lite Flash support, but it was just too damn slow. Dolphin seemed okay with its feature set (and if you use the gestures, but I never did). I always came back to the stock browser as I just want something clean, and with Cyanogen offering full screen view, it's even better. Here's a good article comparing the speeds if you haven't seen it:
Six Android browsers enter the ring, only one reigns supreme -- Engadget

 

[SinfulDragon]

actually... I'm rolling with the stock browser.
I tried many and of all liked skyfire the most but each had their own annoying bugs that just kept turning me around and pointed back to stock.

Hell, it may be the only thing stock on my phone LOL

 

[sooper_droid12]

Stock. For really, one main reason: It's simply faster than all the other browsers. Everything about it is faster. I loved the customization of Dolphin and the add-ons were really great. But at the end of the day, the little niggles (like bringing up the side menu when panning right or left; tabs you had to scroll to, etc.) were too much to deal with. And it's not like you can't work around them and commit it to muscle memory, but it's simply a product of poor execution and design. I don't mind losing a couple of things (like client selection) to get the speed I want. Opera Mini was painful to use for me; hopefully the full bore Opera will be better. Firefox Beta was too heavy, too slow; hopefully, when it leaves beta it'll be lighter and be much, much faster.

 

[takeshi]

Using stock here as well. I have Dolphin HD as well but only because its user agent can be set and left on Desktop.

 

[emdmao]

Stock. It just seems faster than any others for me

 

[gotwillk]

yea agreed. tried all the popular browsers out there and i always went back to stock. never crashes, fast, and basically just no issues. only thing i wish the stock browser had was an easier way to switch tabs. that's the only gripe i have with it.

 

[YankeeDudeL]

Wow, 6 in a row using stock. I guess this is where "diff Droids get diff results" comes into play. For me, the stock browser is very slow in comparison to the others (except for maybe Dolphin, which is painful), especially xScope. And I'm not just not a fan of the layout. Then there's the times that it closes (which Skyfire was also bad for).

I've only for the first time tried Opera Mini since the OP, and I'm pretty impressed. Not a whole lot going on, just a very fast, functioning browser. A plus is the tabs at the bottom (when you hit the tabs shortcut). I'm gonna have to roll with this unless a better suggestion comes about.

 

[YankeeDudeL]

I've tried Skyfire back when it offered lite Flash support, but it was just too damn slow. Dolphin seemed okay with its feature set (and if you use the gestures, but I never did). I always came back to the stock browser as I just want something clean, and with Cyanogen offering full screen view, it's even better. Here's a good article comparing the speeds if you haven't seen it:
Six Android browsers enter the ring, only one reigns supreme -- Engadget

I had not seen that, so thanks. I guess they're judging by full page rendering. The thing I like about Opera is that it's almost immediately ready to read without completely rendering, as where Dolphin and Skyfire had to fully render before you could zoom and do your thing.

The big thing for me is not having stupid menus pop up out of nowhere, and easy tab scrolling. Oh, and not closing on me after you get to a page. That drives me nuts.

 

[publicanimal]

I used xScope for months upon months but when it couldn't support the android2cloud app I switched back to stock.

The stock browser has come a long way since when the Droid first came out, I also declare it to be the best browser. I haven't tried the new Opera browser though.

 

[FastButters]

If you hit the menu button while browsing in Dolphin, it shows your current tabs.

 

[schleppy]

I'm still using stock. As others have said, the 3rd party browsers all have annoying little bugs or "features".

 

[Vlad Tepes]

I do a lot of file downloading so I use Dolphin but for anything else its excruciatingly slow.

 

[Lock-N-Load]

I came here to report I use the stock one as all the others seem to have 1 issue or another so I never tried them. I was a bit surprised to read so many others are still using stock. good to know. I WANT to use something else with tabs and cool other features, but it seems they are all bloated or slower or fail in some other way. so I just keep using stock.

 

[razorclose]

Dolphin HD, although I've been experimenting with the Firefox mobile alpha

 

[sharkerbaby]

Opera Mini here. I've used their desktop browser for ages (since like version 2.x) so i'm very familiar w/ their product and am able to link to my bookmarks, speed dial, etc

 

[PhilosoRaptor]

Damn, no one uses Xscope? I thought it was a pretty popular browser. It's been great for me so far. It's pretty fast loading, has tabs, can easily and quickly zoom in/out with one finger (double tap anywhere and slide left or right) and is pretty customizable. I would have liked to see it compared in that Engadget test too.

 

[Thornfullessrose]

Stock rocks!!!

 

[breadnatty08]

May be late, but Yank, why not add a poll to this thread?

 

[SoDroid]

Damn, no one uses Xscope? I thought it was a pretty popular browser. It's been great for me so far. It's pretty fast loading, has tabs, can easily and quickly zoom in/out with one finger (double tap anywhere and slide left or right) and is pretty customizable. I would have liked to see it compared in that Engadget test too.

Agreed. best browser I have used is xscope, specifically 5.0.9. Imo, its better than the new version and any other browser I have tried on my Droid. Lots of easy to use features that make sense and its really fast. just search for xscope 5.0.9 in Google or pm me and I'll send it to ya.

 

[sherlynn]

I have also tried several but always go back to stock.

 

[YankeeDudeL]

May be late, but Yank, why not add a poll to this thread?

Yanno, I've never done that. Good idea!

Um...ok, this is embarrassing, being as I've been here so long, but I don't know how to do it. I wonder if I need a Guide or Mod to edit that.

 

[YankeeDudeL]

Damn, no one uses Xscope? I thought it was a pretty popular browser. It's been great for me so far. It's pretty fast loading, has tabs, can easily and quickly zoom in/out with one finger (double tap anywhere and slide left or right) and is pretty customizable. I would have liked to see it compared in that Engadget test too.

It was my fav browser before they updated to the trial version. Was always the fastest, and I loved the layout and one-finger zoom. If I can install the older version on my Droid, I'd be a happy camper for sure.

Not that Opera Mini is bad. It's quicker than stock for me (and it slays the terrible Dolphin HD). And it doesn't close on my like the stock does, either.

 

[Deleted User]

I used to use xscope, but have not been able to get used to the new interface so I switched back to stock.

Performance-wise I'm happy with both stock and xscope though.

I agree with the comment that I wish it was easier to switch between tabs using the stock browser.

 

[SoDroid]

I've attached xScope 5.0.9. This is the version that was out just before the current version 6. Best browser I have used. Includes:

-1 finger touch to zoom
-Tabbed browsing
-Hides URL bar and Notification by swiping up. Swipe down to reveal.
-After you exit the browser and move on to other apps, it retains the pages you were on unless you closed the browser.
-Built in Task Manager
-Built in Download Manager

Plus more, and did I mention how fast it was??