The HTC Sensation XL is an ideal web browsing device, thanks largely to the web browser which comes included as part of the HTC Sense package. However, you also have the option of downloading alternative web browsers from the Android Market and in this article I will look at a couple of the popular alternatives.
First I will look at the default Sense web browser which comes installed as standard on the HTC Sensation XL. The internet browser includes a number of innovative features as you would probably expect from the Sense interface. Text auto-reflow utilises the pinch to zoom functionality of the touchscreen. When you zoom into a section of text on a website, it will automatically resize to fit the screen so you can read it in its entirety without having to constantly scroll when the text is off the screen. Also, it has all the standard features of many other web browsers, such as tabbed browsing, and the ability to bookmark favourite websites and create a homepage using the website of your choice.
Opera Mini
A notable alternative to the stock Sense browser is Opera Mini. This has a number of advantages over most other web browsers. One of the significant benefits of this app is that it is much faster than the majority of the competition. This is achieved by compressing a website's data using their own servers rather than on the phone itself. Also, using Opera Mini uses up to 90% less data than other web browsers, again by compressing data. So if you have a limited data allowance on your tariff (500MB or 1 GB for example), Opera Mini is an appealing choice. There are many other advantages to this app, such as the ability to assign up to 9 homepages which can be accessed with a single tap of the screen.
Mozilla Firefox
A popular desktop and laptop browser, Mozilla Firefox is now available from the Android Market having been optimised for smartphones like the HTC Sensation XL. The interface and many of its features are similar to the computer optimised version. Its key features include the ability to open more than one website on separate tabs when opened, so you can assign your favourite websites and they will then be instantly loaded and available. Other notable features include the ability to accurately predict which website you are typing, before you have typed the complete URL into the address bar. This works by narrowing down the possible websites after every character you type and these are then displayed in a drop down menu and then ranked by popularity. So for example, if you have typed 'go' into the address bar, it will predict that you are typing 'Google' and this will be displayed in the menu. Simply tap this and Google.com will open. This can be a real time saver as it drastically reduces the amount of typing needed to get to your desired website.
Of course, all of the browsers mentioned in this article have many more advantages (and indeed some cons) but as you can see, if you own an Android smartphone like the HTC Sensation XL, you have several other options than the standard apps. Also, Opera Mini and Mozilla Firefox are free to download, so there is no reason not to try them both before deciding which one best suits your needs.
0 Comments for "A Look At Alternative Web Browsers For The HTC Sensation XL"