Essential Android Apps

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As everyone is talking about Next browser, I thought I would try it. Running very smooth on my SGS3. Going to use it as my main browser for a few days. See how I get on.
 
Tried it out and it is nice, very quick and smooth and not too bloated (surprisingly!) plus a nice UI.

But lack of quick thumb controls is annoying and text reflow only seems to work with double tap (and it doesn't always work or at least doesn't seem very responsive i.e. will reflow/wrap text but when you zoom back out, it doesn't reflow/rearrange to the proper layout again, well for me anyway........), no pinch to zoom with text reflow either.

Will continue to use the stock sense for the time being.
 
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Tried NEXT on the S4 - it's smooth but nothing else really special about it.

How has no other other browser implemented 'quick thumb controls' I don't know!
 
This NEXT browser isn't perfect but makes a change for something new to work so well on a large number of devices. One thing that is really annoying is when I go to move a page about I keep swiping and bringing up the extension side menu. Can I turn it off?
 
kona786 said:
How has no other other browser implemented 'quick thumb controls' I don't know!
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Indeed and especially proper good text reflow when you double tap AND pinch to zoom, surely these 2 features ought to be the standard and like the most important thing ever when it comes top browsing (considering screen size and how you hold/use the phone)!? Hopefully one day we will also see built in ad blocking, xscope has this, however, it doesn't work very well......

I could probably "live" without quick controls if the UI is really good/nice/functional but can't live without proper good text reflow.
 
Overall Next seems really nice, except one problem. It really doesn't handle bookmarks well. It imported my bookmarks from the stock browser fine, but I've got them set in up folders (synced from desktop chrome), and in Next they're all just in one big folder which makes them nearly useless.

If that gets sorted, I could see this being my browser of choice!
 
kona786 said:
Yep Opera and Quick ICS need to make a love child :cool:
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Indeed! :cool:

And then if only we could use the firefox addons (stylish and have the black ocuk theme :cool: plus adblock plus!) too.......

Perfect browser!


I would love to use chrome as I am considering making the switch to it on my desktop so I could make use of the sync features etc. from android to PC (google seem to be really improving chrome for the desktop now :)) but the font size issue and a few other things stop me, maybe some day they will/improve those issues......
 
wellibob said:
I think what makes me like Next is its clean tight and minimal. I've never had a browser run as smoothly as this does. It glides on my S3, S2 and Nexus 7.
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I like the next browser but I love how opera word wraps on zoom so it remains my browser of choice.chrome is now third how the mighty have fallen
 
I had a play with Next earlier and it's a lot better than the horrendous experience of anything with animated gifs failing to load in the stock browser!

I still maintain that the HTC browser with a more AOSP re skin would be utter perfection though. It handles flash and animated gifts without breaking a sweat, which is something that even Chrome epically fails at.
 
Nexus18 said:
Indeed! :cool:

And then if only we could use the firefox addons (stylish and have the black ocuk theme :cool: plus adblock plus!) too.......

Perfect browser!
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I beginning to think there is no such thing :D Of course everyone's 'needs' will vary. I've been trying a few, some again, including Boat Browser, Chrome, Next, Maxthon and Opera. None of which really hit the spot for various reasons. Latest I'm trying UC Browser. Seems quick and both pinch to zoom and double tap work pretty well even on Overclockers UK forums. Home page I'm not sure about and bookmarks see a bit clunky. Like to have as per Boat and Next browser, user quick links on home page which doesn't seem possible. Only installed last night so probably have fallen out with it by this evening :D


Nexus18 said:
I would love to use chrome as I am considering making the switch to it on my desktop so I could make use of the sync features etc. from android to PC (google seem to be really improving chrome for the desktop now :)) but the font size issue and a few other things stop me, maybe some day they will/improve those issues......
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Same here. Got to quite like it and then they messed it all up on certain websites and unforgivably this forum :D Why oh why they fail to sort it I dunno. Can't even find an older pre mucked about with version to install.

Edit, found the speed dial in UC Browser, swipe the home page left..
 
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Mr Gimp;2434414I said:
still maintain that the HTC browser with a more AOSP re skin would be utter perfection though. It handles flash and animated gifts without breaking a sweat, which is something that even Chrome epically fails at.
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Yeah the HTC sense browser is pretty much prefect as it is, it has everything you need/want in a browser

Richy888 said:
I beginning to think there is no such thing :D Of course everyone's 'needs' will vary. I've been trying a few, some again, including Boat Browser, Chrome, Next, Maxthon and Opera. None of which really hit the spot for various reasons. Latest I'm trying UC Browser. Seems quick and both pinch to zoom and double tap work pretty well even on Overclockers UK forums. Home page I'm not sure about and bookmarks see a bit clunky. Like to have as per Boat and Next browser, user quick links on home page which doesn't seem possible. Only installed last night so probably have fallen out with it by this evening :D




Same here. Got to quite like it and then they messed it all up on certain websites and unforgivably this forum :D Why oh why they fail to sort it I dunno. Can't even find an older pre mucked about with version to install.

Edit, found the speed dial in UC Browser, swipe the home page left..
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Uc and maxthon are pretty good browsers too, the UI puts me off them though :p boat is very nice as well, again the safari ui puts me off :D :p

Have you tried xscope or/and Holo web out? They are very good too, probably my favorite 3rd party browsers.


The funny thing is, Samsung have done a far better job with chrome (touch wiz browser is based on chrome) than what Google have!
 
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