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I'm actually interested in this product but I failed to search for it in the iOS App Store because (like probably most people) I don't immediately know how to type a μ on an iPhone. I hope the developer reconsiders the name...
 
I'm actually interested in this product but I failed to search for it in the iOS App Store because (like probably most people) I don't immediately know how to type a μ on an iPhone. I hope the developer reconsiders the name...
Just search for the developer name "Arno" then scroll down.
 
When my kid and I are waiting at the doctor's office or for his lesson to start, he takes my iPhone away for gaming or YouTubing. With Apple Watch, I listen to podcast using Overcast app or read meager 5 news headlines from the News app. Apps like µBrowser would be useful for light reading. I use Parrity, which is a free app.
 
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Browser on the watch - yes ! A perfect opportunity for the Lynx browser. Text is always king and a surprising amount can be crammed into a limited display area if the font used is properly designed. Most graphics in web pages is basically phluff anyway, the only images that convey information are real photos or drawings. Calling Edward Tufte, stat.
 
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I bought it, mostly as a novelty item, fully expecting that I would rarely use it.

That expectation did not change after I bought it, installed it on my Series 7, and played with it for an hour yesterday.

Still, though, it's pretty cool. The app surpassed my low expectations. The browsing experience, of course, is far inferior to an iPhone, but with appropriate (read: low) expectations it's not a bad experience with many sites - especially sites that you don't interact with much. (Sites that require a lot of interaction don't work so well on the app's browser.).

I like the companion iPhone app, because it's very easy to create favorites, which then are almost immediately available in the favorites list in the Watch app. And any site that you visit by entering the URL in the Watch app can easily be "favorited" (is that a word?). Favorites are particularly useful with a Watch browser app like this one, because typing out a URL on the Watch app's keyboard is awkward and, for me, error-prone.

If your Watch has an internet connection, via cellular or wifi, then you don't need your phone to use this app. So it might be handy for cellular Watch owners if you're jogging without your phone, or if you forgot to bring your phone somewhere and you need to check a website.

If your Watch doesn't have an internet connection, you can still access websites with the app if you have your phone on you and your Watch is connected to it via bluetooth. There is a speed penalty from tethering to your phone's internet via bluetooth, but it's not nearly as bad as I was expecting. It's quite usable (in my single hour of playing with the app). Of course, if you have your phone on you, you will rarely if ever choose the Watch over your phone for visiting a website.

So, the app at this point will be at best a fun and interesting novelty for most of us. But it's only 99 cents, and I have already gotten $1.99 worth of enjoyment from it - so by my calculations, I've made $1 in profit. Not a bad rate of return on my investment.

My first Watch was a Series 3. At the time, many of its apps seemed to have only novelty value to me: it was super cool that you could do iPhone-like stuff on a small device with a bright, colorful screen that's always available on your wrist. But the user experience, to me, was so inferior to the iPhone that I ended up never using the Watch apps except for fitness tracking. (Or to show my friends how cool the Watch was.).

Maybe microBrowser is like that: a novelty now, but potentially more useful in a few years.

Even if that's not the case, it's just 99 cents. If you're curious, give it a try.
 
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Alas, so far I can't even get this to work. The developer warns that you'll need to accept a prompt before the search works, but even after that, my DuckDuckGo search for "poodles" was unsuccessful. Hoping I can get it to work soon; this would be really handy when I go running.

Before someone replies: Yes I need to search for poodles info while running. You don't?
 
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Note that the Apple Watch does have a built-in browsing experience, but only in apps like Messages where someone has sent you a link. You can tap on that link and browse a webpage, but you can't enter a URL or search for a page like you can in µBrowser.

You absolutely can.

From your watch:
  1. Send yourself a text message that says simply "google.com".
  2. When you receive your own message, click on the link, and the browser opens and loads Google.
  3. Click in the Google search field, and you can enter any search terms you want, or say any url you want to go to, and select it from the Google search results to load the page.
The "google.com" link (or any search engine of your choice) is your one-stop-shop for breaking out of the watch's web browsing limitations.
 
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I'm actually interested in this product but I failed to search for it in the iOS App Store because (like probably most people) I don't immediately know how to type a μ on an iPhone. I hope the developer reconsiders the name...

This is super annoying and kind of a "fail" on the part of the developer.

You can search the App Store (on your iPhone) for "mini watch browser".

Or, using your iPhone's browser to go to this story on Macrumors.com or a similar story posted yesterday on 9to5Mac.com. Each of these stories has a direct link to the app in the App Store.
 
Using this app on my series 7. Handy if you want to quickly check for new stories on bookmarked sites. Also I now have the bom weather radar site on my watch.
 
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It's a novelty and not a new one. It's not going to be a go to or even a life saver... sorry. (I'm not even going to discuss the parameters here).
 
Alas, so far I can't even get this to work. The developer warns that you'll need to accept a prompt before the search works, but even after that, my DuckDuckGo search for "poodles" was unsuccessful. Hoping I can get it to work soon; this would be really handy when I go running.

Before someone replies: Yes I need to search for poodles info while running. You don't?
Try powering your Watch down, waiting 10 seconds, and powering it back up. This fixed a problem I was having with the app when I first installed it. Might not solve your problem, but it's worth a try.
 
Hmm, maybe i was a bit hasty in my previous comment. I can imagine a small number of edge cases where it could be handy.

For example if you go out exercising without your phone and your watch has cellular, then when you're taking a short rest from exercise you can browse the web a bit while you rest. It'd be kinda good for that specifically because the browsing experience is so limited, so you'll be less likely to keep browsing for no reason and get back to exercising.

Another example is if you're at a boring in-person meeting where you're not supposed to use your phone, you might be able to slyly browse the web a bit.
If u r going out for exercise and u stop to browse a web site and then actually reading it then u r not doing it right ?
 
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Great, now can I play 3GP videos? I have a whole pile of them from my Motorola Razr phone back in the day. :p
 
I've been doing this for a while with Shortcuts (remember to 'Show on Apple Watch'):

shortcut.jpeg
 
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