8 Comments to “Tips and Tricks: Optimizing your BlackBerry for best browsing experience.”

1. 

   Posted by: rorosz

   August 26, 2009 at 8:37 am EST

   The only thing I don’t like is that enabling Javascript support just slows native browsing to a screeching halt as opposed to NOT enabling it?
   Am I wrong?
   Will try all of the suggestions and see though…
   Comments?

   Reply
   • 

     Posted by: rorosz

     August 26, 2009 at 9:12 am EST

     Hey, I don’t see MOST of the above options! Is that advixw for a much older OS?

     Reply
2. 

   Posted by: Name (required)

   August 26, 2009 at 9:36 am EST

   Here’s the thing.

   Enabling java script, HTML tables, Style Sheets and Background Images is going to slow your browser down to a RIDICULOUSLY SLOW CRAWL.

   The question you need to ask yourself: When you are browsing on your BlackBerry, do you care more about seeing webpages as they appear on a computer, or loading up quickly (within 10 seconds) as compared to 60 seconds.

   Bottom line is right now you can’t have the best of both of those worlds. Of course, this will probably just turn into a bitchfest about how the BlackBerry browser sucks and blah blah blah, but the reality is you are stuck with either having a “somewhat full blown browser” or you scale it down, take off the HTML support, the Style Sheets, BackGround images and JavaScript and have a faster browsing experience.

   I could careless if I pull up a webpage and it looks exactly like it does on a computer. I am not going to compromise the speed of that webpage pulling up just for that luxury. When I am using the browser and I am mobile, I am wanting to get to where I am going as quickly as possible so that I can lookup whatever it is I am looking for.

   That’s what cracks me up about everyone saying how great the iPhone browser is. It is a great browser…When you are in a WiFi zone. Even with the 3GS, if you are browsing on the mobile network, the webpages look good, but they take forever to come up because they are bloated with all the extras in order to make that webpage appear that way.

   It’s the same concept of tethering with a BlackBerry. Whenever someone asks me about tethering, I recommend using FireFox as their mobile browser while tethering, and installing some JavaScript Blocker so that they aren’t getting all of the useless crap that’s slowing down their browser.

   Out of all of the people who have complained to me about their browser, and then I make the changes, not one asked for it to be changed back because they wanted to see a page as if they were sitting at a computer.

   Bottom line is, you are going to have to make a choice at this point until something better comes along. Speed vs “Prettiness”.

   If you choose “Prettiness”, then don’t come back bitching about it taking a minute or more for pages to load.

   Reply
3. 

   Posted by: The One

   August 26, 2009 at 9:41 am EST

   Yeah, I don’t see most the above options on any of my blackberries.Tour, Storm, or Bold.

   Reply
4. 

   Posted by: Roid

   August 26, 2009 at 9:56 am EST

   This is for 4.5 OS devices. NOT newer devices.

   Javascript is evil on even the newest OS devices, including those running beta 5.0 OS. It is SLOW.

   So, if your definition of best is to be able to view every single element, feature of a web page then by all means.

   But if you don’t want to wait, litereally, 2-3 MINUTES for many pages to load don’t even think of enabling java on the built-in browser.

   If you must surf with javascript try Bolt.

   Reply
5. 

   Posted by: silkni

   August 26, 2009 at 11:41 am EST

   At this point I see no reason for browser complaints (not calling anyone out just saying). RIM knows the browser blows and is addressing it. In the mean time, if you want your speed AND eye candy then simply download Opera Mini or Bolts. There… Problem solved.

   Reply
6. 

   Posted by: mh

   August 26, 2009 at 2:34 pm EST

   I agree that speed is more important than prettiness. My only question is, when you disable java/tables/stylesheets, does the device download all the content and then filter out the java and crap and display everything but the basics, or does the device filter out java at the source without downloading it?

   If the first case was true, then if you’re already getting screwed bandwidth wise, then you might as well enjoy the prettiness. It would be like paying a cover charge to a strip club which includes a free drink, and then not having the drink.

   Reply
7. 

   Posted by: Name (required)

   August 26, 2009 at 2:49 pm EST

   Doesn’t process it. If you run a test with all of the “extras” on and then all of the “extras” off, you will notice a load time for “off” anywhere between 5-15x faster on average.

   Reply