The popular 3rd party Android web browser, Dolphin, was ported by the Handster team earlier this month. I did not have a chance to try it when it came out but now that everybody is upgrading to PlayBook you might want to check it out. I find that it is a great alternative browser to the native PlayBook browser. It lets you do things like change your useragent that you cannot do on the PlayBook browser. On the other hand it is buggier and relatively slower though it does have some cool gesture based navigation.
Check out Dolphin browser HD for free in App World. Keep in mind you may see a white screen at launch if its the first time you have launched a Android Player app. Also make sure to rotate it to landscape after you go through the simple setup that only works in portrait.
Doug Not Registered
Posted: February 22, 2012 at 1:52 PM EST from my BlackBerry PlayBook | OS 2.0.0
Yeah says my device isn’t supported….good trythough
Corey Davis ( View Profile) - Posts: 1293
Posted: February 22, 2012 at 1:55 PM EST
Doug – searching App world for Dolphin. There are two. Had the same issue, but when I searched and installed it worked fine.
james Not Registered
Posted: February 22, 2012 at 2:07 PM EST
I don’t see how it will be better than the native RIM Browser.
Corey Davis ( View Profile) - Posts: 1293
Posted: February 22, 2012 at 2:10 PM EST
Somewhat agree with you. One thing that’s nice is the saved passwords/sign on area.
ofutur ( View Profile) - Posts: 1136
Posted: February 22, 2012 at 2:35 PM EST
Once extensions are ported, you’ll see how.
kiddo2050 ( View Profile) - Posts: 813
Posted: February 22, 2012 at 5:24 PM EST
What will be better? I think I got your point about PB running too many scripts. At least on Crackberry it seems to hang although the page is pretty well loaded.
Do these alternative browsers clear that up?
Saving passwords is of no value to me.
ofutur ( View Profile) - Posts: 1136
Posted: February 22, 2012 at 5:38 PM EST
Dolphin usually gives you:
- flash on demand
- ad blocker
- xmarks (integrated)
- lastpass
- translate
- printscreen
- webtoPDF
- domain tools
- Box uploader
- Read it later
etc.
http://home.dolphin-browser.com/addontheme/addon.aspx?method=getFeaturedPlugins&pkg=mobi.mgeek.tunnybrowser&ver=23
It’s too bad it’s so slow through the emulation layer. Hopefully someone will be able to port Chromium to the PlayBook.
Bob Lindstrom Not Registered
Posted: February 22, 2012 at 4:02 PM EST
Dolphin HD works very nicely in an Android-native environment, but the lack of Flash compatibility in this PlayBook conversion makes it FAR less functional and desirable than the native PB browser
Jon c Not Registered
Posted: February 26, 2012 at 2:05 PM EST from my BlackBerry PlayBook | OS 2.0.0
Dolphin browser no longer available on Appworld’??????
ofutur ( View Profile) - Posts: 1136
Posted: February 26, 2012 at 4:15 PM EST
Handster didn’t ask the author’s permission and they have no intention on releasing it for the PlayBook atm.
That’s one reason the conversion wasn’t great with many links going to the Android market.