However, being the default browser doesn’t mean it is the best Android browser. There are other options out ther. Depending on how you use your Android device, you may need a more feature-rich web browser. If you are running a version of the Android OS below 2.2 or have a device that doesn’t support on-page video, you may want to try a browser that can fix that.

Standard Android Browser

The standard browser is a pretty decent browser that is both lightweight and works out of the box. Whether you have 2.1 or 2.2 installed on your device, the browser is pretty much the same.

Unlike other operating systems (Blackberry 5.0), the Android web experience is more like a desktop app. You can have multiple windows (not tabs) open (4 with Eclair, 8 with Froyo).

Another thing I personally like is how your browsing history carries over from desktop to phone when you are signed into Google.

SkyFire

Skyfire is a fantastic browser for the social web. It is well integrated with Facebook and several other social networks. By using the Fireplace and popular sites features, you can see what your friends find interesting enough to share via Facebook.

The main selling point of Skyfire is that it supports Flash out of the box. I was able to play videos from several sites which I wasn’t able to before. The quality might differ from a desktop experience, but at least it works where others failed.

If you do not like the look of a site’s mobile page, you can toggle to the desktop version easily using the page load button. If you prefer one way over the other, there is an option to set your choice as the default.

What I did not like about Skyfire was the screen seemed cluttered with a lot of icons and other stuff.

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Opera Mini 5

Opera Mini is one of the best all round browser no matter the platform. While it isn’t the most feature-rich browser on the list, Opera has a few things the others do not. For starters, Opera was fastest loading of the browsers tested.

If you are a fan of the Opera desktop application, you will love Opera Mini. Much of your information like speed dials and bookmarks will sync with your Android.

A feature I used a lot on my Blackberry was being able to copy and paste from the web. Opera lets you do just that and also adds in an on-page text search.

While the single touch zoom in on non-mobile web pages is nice, pinch to zoom would be better.

Appbrain link

Dolphin

Dolphin has several versions: Dolphin Mini, Dolphin and Dolphin HD. The differences between them let you choose the amount of features and personalization you need. Dolphin HD is by far the most customizable browser on the list.

Dolphin Mini

Dolphin Mini is a no-frills browser with the emphasis on speed. You get everything you need and nothing you don’t. Mini would be a great choice if you are looking for a speed demon. You will gain Speed dials as well as being able to open as many tabs as you feel you need.

Appbrain link

Dolphin

When you choose the middle tier of the Dolphin Browser line, you gain a lot. Bookmarks from your standard Android browser as well as your Google bookmarks can be synced with Dolphin.

Dolphin lets you gestures to open a URL, reload the page or go forward or back. This will greatly speed up your web surfing.

I don’t think there is a real need to have a middle of the road browser. Most people seem to want all the bells and whistles or a minimalist browser.

Appbrain link

Dolphin HD

The big bad daddy of this group, is Dolphin HD. What you gain is a whole lot of customizing choices. Most of this is done via plug-ins, much like you would use in Google Chrome. Some examples of the plug-ins are: Lastpass, screen capture, Xmarks, speed dial, read later, ad blocker, rss readers, Last.fm, Delicious, Twitter. Many others are available with a quick search in the market.

Other features to set Dolphin HD ahead of the pack include pinch to zoom, unexpected tab recovery and the support of multiple languages.

If you use your phone to surf the web a lot, you may get bored with the look and need a change. Change the look of your Dolphin HD browser with different themes.

Appbrain link

Firefox Mobile

Of all the browsers, Firefox has the most stringent requirement as it only works in Android 2.0 and above devices and requires 32MB internal storage, plus 12MB SD storage. Nevertheless, it does comes with several useful features that make it stand out from the rest.

Mozilla has been working hard to make the mobile experience similar to the desktop version. One very good feature is the ability to sync between the desktop and the mobile version. The Firefox sync is in-built in the mobile browser and you can easily configure it to sync with your desktop browser. It also supports the awesome bar, tabs, session restore, addons (not the same addons as the desktop Firefox’s extension) etc.

Appbrain link

Now that you have seen our choice of browsers, tell us what is your favorite browser and why?

image credit: Johan Larsson

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Although it is not yet an official standard, HTML5 video is available on many websites, including YouTube, and most major browsers have preliminary support for it. Unfortunately, the browser makers have not agreed upon a standard codec, so you will need to know what will work in which browsers. This brief guide should help you navigate through the jargon and get a glimpse of what might be the future of video on the Web.

The Formats

There are currently three distinct video formats that are used in HTML5 video streaming:

1. Theora – the free and open video codec that was originally intended to be the only HTML5 specification.

2. H.264 – a patented video codec that Apple, Google, and others believed to be superior in quality to Theora.

3. WebM – a new free and open format that uses the VP8 video codec, which Google recently purchased and then released into the open source community. It now has the support of Google, Mozilla, Opera, and many others.

The Browsers

Mozilla Firefox – Current versions of Firefox (3.6.3) will display Theora videos only. Mozilla has no plans to support H.264 because of the legal implications of its software patents. For those who want to try the new Google WebM format, you can download a WebM nightly build of Firefox. Firefox also has support for fullscreen HTML5 video.

Microsoft Internet Explorer – The current version of IE (8) does not support any HTML5 video out of the box. Users who wish to try it must download Google Chrome Frame (available for IE versions 6,7, and 8). This plugin adds HTML5 technology to IE. Version 9 of IE is expected to support H.264 video by default and will also support WebM, but the user will have to download the codec.

Apple Safari – The current version of Safari (4.05) supports H.264 video out of the box, but does not support Theora or WebM, and there are apparently no plans to support either.

Google Chrome – Current Chrome versions (5.0.375.55) support Ogg Theora and H.264 video, and development versions also support WebM, making it the only browser to support all three. Users can try the development versions through Google’s Early Release Channels.

Opera – The current Windows and Mac version of Opera (10.53) has support for Ogg Theora video. Linux users must download the beta version of 10.53 to get support. 10.54 will support WebM video. Users can download the development versions to try it.

Other Browsers – Unfortunately, many websites are using browser detection to determine if they should send HTML5 video to the user. The result is that browsers like Konqueror, which reportedly have HTML5 video support, do not work without user agent switching. The Apple iPad also has HTML5 video support, and many major websites (NY Times, CNN, etc.) are specifically targeting the iPad and, therefore, still display Flash videos even to browsers that support HTML5.

The Websites

There are several good websites where users can try out the various incarnations of HTML5 video. Feel free to add others in the comments section.

SublimeVideo – This one is probably my personal favorite. 720p video, supporting Safari, Chrome, Firefox, IE, iPad, and iPhone.

YouTube – Currently it offers both H.264 and WebM. Users must join the beta to view it. Videos with ads are not included.

Vimeo – Vimeo will show any of its videos in H.264 format.

Kaltura –  A demo of the movie Big Buck Bunny in the Kaltura player.

Although it is still unclear how HTML5 video will ultimately turn out, it is an exciting time to watch the development of this new technology. The ultimate goal of HTML5 is to make the overall Web experience better, and HTML5 video is one step in the right direction.

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Like many modern browser, Opera 10 (Unite) offers tabbed browsing, a download manager, add-ons, speed dials (up to 25 favorite sites shown as a thumbnail), bookmarks with tagging; you know all the basics. Of course there are plenty of ways to customize the look, but the layout of the browser window is similar to that of Safari, Firefox and others.

Some of its Great Features

Built-in BitTorrent client

Opera Unite comes with a BitTorrent client that allows searching for and download of torrent files.

Cross-platform syncing

Opera Link enables you to sync bookmarks, speed dials, bookmark bar, notes, etc. with other devices including your phone running. As long as device is running a current version of Opera, Opera mini or Opera mobile; your information is right there and ready for you.

Customized search

The customizable web searching gets you quick access to Google, eBay, Amazon and more with the search field in the upper right corner. Or, for even quicker searching, search directly in the address bar using built-in and customizable keywords. For example, type “e VW Rabbit” in the address bar to search for “VW Rabbits” on eBay.

Web server within browser

The innovative features Unite is bringing to the table are really going to turn some heads. The idea behind the “services” as they are calling them, is to create a web server within the broswer and make each computer accessible from anywhere on the web, allowing you to retrieve information from it just like you would from a website or server. There will be more services to come, but right now here is what Unite comes with.

• Media Player – Access your local music collection from anywhere on the Internet.
• Web Server – Host a web site from the local computer.
• Photo Sharing – Share photos directly without uploading to a middleman site like Flickr.
• File Sharing – Allows sharing files directly between users; no emailing or torrent sites needed.
• The Lounge – A chat interface hosted on your computer.
• Fridge – Lets other people can put a virtual sticky note on the your refrigerator door like back in the day.

My Experiences Using the New Features

I do have to admit that these features are a really good idea. I think for people who embrace the new browser, the services could take the place of many third party hosting and application sites for smaller scale usage. However, while playing with the services feature, I did run into a few instances where I needed to reset the sharing part of the browser. There was no specific reason, just an unnamed error. I am sure as it gets closer to the final release it will be a lot more stable.

With the growing number of data enabled mobile devices, having all of your information synced is becoming more important by the day. Both the desktop and mobile versions of Opera are very fast browsers to surf the web. Having the ability to sync my bookmarks (which I imported from Firefox), coupled with being able to surf the mobile web via a HTML browser while I’m out is a really great thing in a pinch.

I don’t see myself making a total transition from Firefox just yet. I am going to keep using it part time and keep an eye on what services they roll out in the coming months. I wouldn’t write off Opera, they have been in the background for a long time making a really reliable browser. In the end, all the bells and whistles can make a browser fancy, but speed, usability and reliability are what matters. (Sorry Internet Explorer) Download Unite here and see what you think.

What are your thoughts on the Opera browsers?

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