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iPhone the only phone with good web browser?

J

JavaWizKid

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 18, 2008
572
1
I would like to get a new mobile phone, in particular an iPhone. I already have an iPod Touch and LOVE it! But if the iPhone stays around the £350 region it's a no no for me :( Is there any other phone on the market that has a fully functional web browser with 3g other than the iPhone?
Thanks.
 
I've already tried some and even the G1 is clunky! I think Apple it YET to be beaten in the mobile market!
 
The G1 doesn't seem to have a fully functional web browser. It may do but its no way near as easy as mobile Safari. I obviously haven't tried all of the phones, I was just looking for suggestions.
 
kdarling said:
Skyfire is a nice browser on WM and Symbian phones. Everything goes through a proxy server, which cuts down the amount of data transferred... and it also supports Flash video.

The latest version of the Iris browser for WM phones, based on WebKit with the newest Javascript speedups, is pretty fast.

Opera, of course, is always good too.
Click to expand...

Anyone using any of the browsers that go through proxy servers (including Opera Mini) should be very leery about providing site credentials (Hotmail, GMail, etc). The proxy effectively ends up with copies of all your login information.
 
Op i dont get the point of you starting this thread. You stated that you want a phone that has a good browser, as an alternative to the iphone because the iphone is too expensive. You dismiss all suggested phones, because according to you "the iphone browser is better". Why dont you just get the iphone then?
 
eplchamps0304 said:
Op i dont get the point of you starting this thread. You stated that you want a phone that has a good browser, as an alternative to the iphone because the iphone is too expensive. You dismiss all suggested phones, because according to you "the iphone browser is better". Why dont you just get the iphone then?
Click to expand...

He started this thread to get suggestions. And the reason he won't get the iPhone is because it is too expensive for him... I mean, you answered your own question. He only dismissed the G1, not ALL suggested phones. Why are you being so unhelpful?
 
M-5 said:
He started this thread to get suggestions. And the reason he won't get the iPhone is because it is too expensive for him... I mean, you answered your own question. He only dismissed the G1, not ALL suggested phones. Why are you being so unhelpful?
Click to expand...

well he keeps stating the superiority of the iphone.
 
antibact1 said:
Anyone using any of the browsers that go through proxy servers (including Opera Mini) should be very leery about providing site credentials (Hotmail, GMail, etc). The proxy effectively ends up with copies of all your login information.
Click to expand...

I was talking about Opera Mobile, not Opera Mini. Mobile uses no proxy.

However, if it's worrisome, yes use something other than Skyfire if you're accessing something secure. For that matter, make sure you're not using an open WiFi hotspot, too.

Frankly, it has proved more likely in real life, that a secure credit card company and/or bank will lose our personal data.
 
JavaWizKid said:
The G1 doesn't seem to have a fully functional web browser. It may do but its no way near as easy as mobile Safari. I obviously haven't tried all of the phones, I was just looking for suggestions.
Click to expand...

It sounds like your mind is already made up to me. :D

Can you not get the iPhone on a contract?
 
The UI of MobileSafari is the best, IMHO, but there are equally-capable browsers out there. The S60 browser's based on WebKit (like Safari is), and is pretty good at rendering most pages that I've thrown at it; I've got an E71 and it's done a great job with pretty much every page that I've tried. The UI's not bad either -- it's certainly usable for doing some quick browsing or a bit of work.
 
I've tried browsers on the G1 and Windows Mobile, because I have an HTC Touch. The iPhone is simply the best in terms of speed, rendering, and interface. I have tried skyfire and it loads quickly but the device that it is on limits it. The difference in a 2.8" to 3.5" screen is very noticeable when web browsing. The newer Touch Diamond may be a little better because it has more ram than the Touch, but even so if you want an iPhone I would save up to get one.

The browsers on the other phones arent really that bad, it is just the devices themselves that suck. The capacitive touchscreen of the iPhone just makes it so much nicer to use compared to the resistive ones in WM6 phones.
 
why not use your ipod touch tethered to a phone with bluetooth for internet access?

Another option is a nokia internet tablet tethered to your phone. The n800 $150 and n810 $200 both have full web browsers with flash support and high res 800x480 screens. There are no contracts or anything so you just use your existing cellphone connection.
 
jclardy said:
The difference in a 2.8" to 3.5" screen is very noticeable when web browsing.
Click to expand...

I would think that using a new browser on one of newer 3.5" VGA+ phones will be nicer than on the iPhone, simply because of not having to scroll as much.

I used to have a wireless Windows CE handheld with a 640x240 screen running IE 4. It was easier to use than the iPhone (or anything else) because I never had to scroll sideways... or zoom. Mind you, this was around the year 2000, and most websites were still IE4 and only 640 wide. ;)

The point is, that yes having both extra resolution and size is an important factor.
 
boonlar said:
why not use your ipod touch tethered to a phone with bluetooth for internet access?
Click to expand...

The iPod Touch 2g doesn't have bluetooth except for the Nike thing. Also my phone is SO old it doesn't have bluetooth :p
 
Since the last iPhone firmware update, Safari has been incredibly stable and quick. It used to crash on me all the time. Since the update, it hasn't crashed once and works great!

Some will say that lack of Flash makes Safari limited, but, few of the sites I visit are strictly Flash sites, I don't miss it at all.
 
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