What’s it do?
Dolphin Browser has been wildly popular on Android for quite some time already but it’s finally on the iPhone now. What makes Dolphin Browser stand out in the glut of third-party browser apps (tabbed browsing, porn mode, full-screen are all common now) is that it throws in a gestures features that let’s you finger draw actions (like a G or a ?) that’ll trigger actions (like send you to Gizmodo or Find on page). It’s a clever little feature that once you get used to, will change the way you browse. The webzine feature is also nice, it turns any compatible website into a great looking feed of entries (Psst.. I use webzine for Gizmodo).
It looks great! Even though Safari lacks the features I enjoy on third-party browsers, it’s just so much prettier than the other that I can’t use the third-party browsers without sticking a pruning shear through my eye socket. Dolphin is light and well designed, and that may be because of the springtime colour choices, but the developers made some excellent choices: hiding the bookmarks and settings “behind” the page, only to reveal them when swiped is smart, using real tabs is a must, the webzine feature is super slick, etc.
The Best
Tabbed browsing
The Worst
No add ons
Ron Van Wegen
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 11:04 AMMy main gripe is that Dolphin tabs disappear as you scroll down the page unlike on a desktop browser. To get back up there again you can wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe etc until you can see them again or, as I have learnt, you click the bottom left of screen to enable gestures then draw a pretty little up “arrow” (like the top half of the letter O) and watch as Dolphin scrolls you all the way to the top in an instant. It’s so nifty! Now I’m learning to use the letter G for Google. There’s much more of course; a sqiggle for Facebook and you can create your own too! It’s a great browser.
Tim
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 4:20 PMI believe as a native iOS feature you can tap the system bar (e.g. tap the time) and it will scroll to the top of any app.
olearymo
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 11:33 AMLooks great but I still can’t go past iCab on my iPad. It’s fantastic. When I eventually get an iPhone I’ll be putting iCab on that too.
Custom gestures (two fingers new tab, four close, etc), drag to the side for new tab, great modules (add-ons), firefox sync, blah blah.
Oops sorry to hijack :/
Simon Reidy
Thursday, September 1, 2011 at 1:41 PMTotally agree. After trying all the major browsers in the app store (including Dolphin) iCab Mobile still reigns supreme with it’s awesome array of features, customizable layout, modules, bookmarklets,, plugins, firefox syncing, DropBox support and gestures.
ICab also looks fantastic on the iPad, and if you’re jailbroken you can change it to the OS’s native browser very easily.
I don’t mind Dolphin, but it’s missing half the feaatures it has on Android that make it so cool. ICab is a far more complete solution with a ton more features.
I’ll take another look at Dolphin if/when they make an iPad version.
Nivlac
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 2:22 PMUmm… doesn’t it have add-ons? Or is it just the iPhone version that doesn’t?
202halffound
Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 3:52 PMProbably just the iPhone version.
Dean Mandarean
Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 12:59 PMthanks for this, great browser