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2012 Nexus 7 Discussion Forums (1st Generation) => Nexus 7 General Discussion => Topic started by: Zell on July 18, 2012, 10:00:30 AM
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I received my N7 yesterday.
I use Chrome on my laptop and desktop and really like it (I dumped Firefox over a year ago). But I use Atomic Web Browser on my iPad2 and iPhone4 and love it because of all the options available, functionality, and it closely resembles a desktop browser -- in my opinion -- and it's fast.
I don't like Chrome for either iPad or iPhone and it seems to be the same for me for the N7. Since Atomic isn't available for Android, what is, in your opinion, the best browser for the N7?
I downloaded Dolphin and Opera on my N7 but both lack features I like on Atomic such as huge list preference options in settings, one-click home button on main screen, one-click to list bookmarks. Maybe I just haven't spent enough time with playing with them.
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I've yet to have my device delivered but I played with one in a retail store (why did I preorder then if stores get it before me?).
Anyway, it seems from my time playing with the one in the store that Chrome lacks a major feature in a 7-inch tablet browser... full screen mode. The screen area on a 7-inch tablet is relatively small, you have to optimize UI as much as possible, and keeping the tabs at the top, and the system bar at the bottom is a waste of space in my view, especially in landscape. Ever seen a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 plus/2? With the browser and the status bar, 20% of the screen is lost when surfing online in landscape mode.
The Honeycomb browser has an option of getting rid of the tabs and address bar at the top, with a half-circle of controls you can bring up by sliding from the edge of the side of the screen. Unfortunately, Chrome doesn't seem to have it. Sometimes I wonder if 7-inch tablets should just stay with Android 2.X, which allowed for full screen mode much better. Or maybe Google should make the status bar disappear when using apps, bringing it up by swiping from the bottom, or have an option to make it transparent inside apps.
Anyway, I think Dolphin has the full-screen mode. Opera Mobile is nice, but doesn't have it. Maxthon got it too.
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i wish it had all my bookmarks exactly like on the chromes on my computers - not exactly sure of the bookmarks it currently has, like desktop bookmarks or whatever. haven't spent much time with my nexus to be honest
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I've yet to have my device delivered but I played with one in a retail store (why did I preorder then if stores get it before me?).
Anyway, it seems from my time playing with the one in the store that Chrome lacks a major feature in a 7-inch tablet browser... full screen mode. The screen area on a 7-inch tablet is relatively small, you have to optimize UI as much as possible, and keeping the tabs at the top, and the system bar at the bottom is a waste of space in my view, especially in landscape. Ever seen a Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 plus/2? With the browser and the status bar, 20% of the screen is lost when surfing online in landscape mode.
The Honeycomb browser has an option of getting rid of the tabs and address bar at the top, with a half-circle of controls you can bring up by sliding from the edge of the side of the screen. Unfortunately, Chrome doesn't seem to have it. Sometimes I wonder if 7-inch tablets should just stay with Android 2.X, which allowed for full screen mode much better. Or maybe Google should make the status bar disappear when using apps, bringing it up by swiping from the bottom, or have an option to make it transparent inside apps.
Anyway, I think Dolphin has the full-screen mode. Opera Mobile is nice, but doesn't have it. Maxthon got it too.
I totally agree. After hearing how many people just walked into Staples and walked out two minutes later with a N7 in their hands is aggravating to me who pre-ordered it and paid the $15 for shipping only to get my N7 four days AFTER the stores got them. When I pre-ordered mine I was thinking, based on all the hype about the N7, that buying a N7 in a store would be like getting your hands on a iPad 2 when they first came out -- impossible. Guess I thought wrong.
I'll keep playing around with Opera and Dolphin. I hope Atomic comes online soon.
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On my DroidX I use Dolphin HD for the most part, but I really like the Chrome browser on the N7... I'll probably install Dolphin HD just to have it there, and IIRC Flash was baked into Dolphin so I wonder if it'll work on the N7? I need to test that out.
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I'm a big fan of dolphin. It's been around a while and they have regular updates
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On my DroidX I use Dolphin HD for the most part, but I really like the Chrome browser on the N7... I'll probably install Dolphin HD just to have it there, and IIRC Flash was baked into Dolphin so I wonder if it'll work on the N7? I need to test that out.
When I read your post about Flash being baked into Dolphin I got excited and had to try it... well, still no Flash but it was worth a shot :-[