


Running the browser on Chrome OS doesn’t strip away any of the features that have made the browser popular and the app works flawlessly. Dolphin offers theming, flash support, ad blocking, gesture support, add on support, and more.
#Alternate browsers for os x android#
Dolphin BrowserĬheck out just about any “best of” alternative Android browsers list and you will find Dolphin Browser near the top. The quick conclusion for Opera Mini is that it does a serviceable job standing in for Chrome on Chrome OS, but doesn’t call out for you to make the permanent switch. However, even using the fuller version, you still don’t get the sidebars and other extras found on the desktop version. However, you can opt for Mini’s big sister, Opera Browser and get a few more features (such as App layout selector and syncing). The second is that it doesn’t offer all the bells and whistles of the desktop iteration.

The first (in similar fashion to Firefox) is that you cannot freely resize the window. There are only two caveats with Opera Mini. Opera Mini does a great job of rendering like a pro, works with your trackpad, and feels as stable as the built in Chrome. With a built-in ad blocker, you have everything you need to make this a default browser that will serve you incredibly well.īut does it make the transition from Android to Chrome OS? In a word, mostly.

It renders with lightning speed, offers plenty of plugins and is a configurator’s dream come true. I’ve often considered Opera Mini ( Figure B) to be one of the best replacements for the native Chrome browser on Android. So the combination of touch screen only and inability to freely resize the app disqualify Firefox for me. Granted most of the time you’d be using the browser maximized, but sometimes you want to snap a window to the left or the right side of the screen and work with one app on one side of your display and another on the other. The next strike against Firefox on Chrome OS is that you only have two sizes: Small and fully maximized. Your trackpad is useless with this browser. Firefox on Chrome OS ( Figure A) only works with the touchscreen.
#Alternate browsers for os x driver#
The only thing keeping me from using Firefox as my daily Android driver is that it doesn’t sync nearly as well across other platforms as Chrome.īut how does it stand up on the Chrome OS platform?įirst and foremost, if your device doesn’t have a touchscreen, forget it. Firefox has always rendered well (and with competitive speed) and never feels unstable. On Android it does stand up fairly well against Chrome. What happens when you migrate that over to Chrome OS? Does it translate? Do those browsers that have found a modicum of popularity on Android make the migration to Chrome OS? I installed a few of the more popular titles on my Chrome Pixel 2 to find out. There are some browsers on that ecosystem that do offer features that appeal to certain levels of users.īut do they best the native browser? Some come close, but Chrome on the native Android platform is hard to beat. Of course, anyone that uses Android will tell you that besting Chrome on the platform is a big challenge. However, now that more and more Chromebooks are gaining the addition of Android apps, it begs the question: Is there a better browser in the Android app store?Īfter all, some of those browsers do a fine job on Android. This might seem like a question that doesn’t even need to be asked. Now that even more Chromebooks support Android apps, Jack Wallen takes a look at the available browsers to see how they stack up against for the default Chrome browser. 4 alternatives to the Chrome browser on Chrome OS
