CNET Editors' note: The "Download Now" link directs you to the product page. You can download the application from the Android Market on your Android device.
CNET Editors' review
Dolphin Browser was quite the find when it first broke the surface, pretty much pioneering alternative browsers on the Android platform. Since then, there are more apps to contend with, including a slick-looking Opera Mini browser and a scrappier, charming xScope browser. While it has its pros, Dolphin Browser is also home to cons that may turn some users off. Its design, for instance, may take some getting used to. Its search bar is intuitive enough, but there is a tiny learning curve to navigate the list of options you see when you open a new tab. The gestures area, while a neat option, takes some set up time since you need to define the bulk of gestures used to navigate.
Dolphin's feature set is definitely its strength. In addition to tabbed browsing, bookmarking (that syncs to Google bookmarks), and multitouch zooming, it has the capability to flag sites to read later as well as a tie-in to Delicious. You can also search content within a page, subscribe to RSS feeds through Google Reader, and share links with social networks. The capability to download YouTube videos is another plus, as is swiping to switch between open tabs. It also has voice search in the new tab page, and you can choose if Web sites see you as an Android, iPhone, or Desktop user. There are additional themes you can download for free.
Its performance can be a little laggy, and some actions aren't as intuitive as they should be--such as setting and changing the home page and navigating to a new page from an open tab. The biggest negative so far is that Dolphin takes over as the default Web browser without asking for permission. Overall, Dolphin looks good and there are some slick features, but there are also a few drawbacks that will turn some users off. The ad-supported version of Dolphin is free; but for a $5 fee, you get a version that cuts the ads.
Watch the CNET video review of Dolphin Browser for Android:
Publisher's Description
From Dolphin Browser:
Dolphin Browser for Android has brought multi-touch functionality to Android-powered smartphone. The browser includes many other interesting features, as well.
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All versions:
3.7 starsout of 7 votes
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Current version:
2.8 starsout of 4 votes
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My rating:
Write review
Results 1-4 of 4
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"Could be far better"
Version: Dolphin Browser for Android 2.5
Pros
Very little to like, certainly no faster than standard browser, does integrate some Google apps.
Cons
No instructions, little control, cannot change homepage, not fast like claimed, claims to link with social sites but didn't, just felt chucked together with little thought to the end user. Always felt it was the browser in control rather than me.
Summary
Have tried this browser twice and got rid of it both times. The standard browser isn't brilliant but it is far easier to use and you have more control over it. Dolphin is claimed to be fast but when I timed it against the standard browser I could not see any improvement. Claims to link with some social media sites but doesn't. Hate the fact that the home page is a full page advert with a Google search box near the top. If I could set the home page to what I want, if it offered an easy route to return to the homepage I might try it again as I don't care that the other stuff doesn't work but I am not using a browser that offers me so little control.
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"Better than default browser but not perfect."
Version: Dolphin Browser for Android 2.5
Pros
Faster and the tabs are kinda a plus
Cons
Features that I commonly use are buried too deep in menus. Like finding your bookmarks and opening your homepage.
Summary
I'll stick with opera
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"Start using the advanced feature and you won't go back"
Version: Dolphin Browser for Android 2.5
Pros
True tabbed browsing
Advanced gestures
Can map any gesture you want to any feature.
Tabbed browsing works really well.
Option to turn off all UI and work tabs using gestures alone... frees up space.
Pinch zoom (nice but requires two hands)Cons
I wish it had an offline support where you could open several pages and come back to them anytime later
Summary
Pinch zoom is nice. But advanced gestures are great. Add your own for "refresh" (google news, hello). You can map any gesture you want to any feature.
Tabbed browsing works really well. With gestures, I turned off the "tabs" and freed up UI space.
Con: If you open several pages in tabs in order to read them offline, there is a timer in which if you try to go back to them offline, they automatically try to refresh. Annoying for travelers that want to queue up content for the tunnel... -
"Great browser, but I had take over my phone :/"
Version: Dolphin Browser for Android 2.5
Pros
Tabbed browsing, gestures, easy to use, plenty fast
Cons
Acted as a default browser, even though I had gone into the settings and specified that it not be.
Summary
This really is a great browser. It has tabbed browsing where Android's original browser doesn't. It has the ability to use gestures which is a pretty cool and handy feature for a touchscreen phone. The browser is also easy to use and plenty fast and I also like the fact the one is able to save a webpage to read it later.
With all the good stuff being said, there is only one thing that bugged me about Dolphin. It takes over your phone. Now this may seem trivial to other users who may want this browser as their default browser, but not me. I like this browser a lot; however, I dont want it as my default browser. And even though I went into it's settings and specified that it not be my default browser, it still acted like it was. It would open most of my pages in Dolphin even though I would click on Android's default broswer. this was really annoying. I did try uninstalling and reinstalling the browser, but that didn't solve the problem. I've also read similar comments from other users having the same issues as me so I do not believe it is an isolated incident.
So until Dolphin can solve this problem, the broswer will remain uninstalled from my phone. Which is a shame because I really do believe its the best broswer out there right now for Android, I just have this thing about software taking over one's devices. Whether it be my laptop or my phone.
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