Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Boat Browser – Chrome / Mobile Safari Inspired Browser For Android


While going through the (prolonged) list of web browsers for Android, you might be left wondering as to which one would best live up to your expectations. Well, if you’re looking for a good all-round package, then Boat Browser might be the one you’re after! With sleek looks (and some features too) that match those of the iOS stock browser and the famous multi-tab browsing feature that we are (or rather ‘were’) so used to associate with Google Chrome, Boat Browser combines some of the best elements from the most popular mobile browsers out there.
These include an advanced bookmarks manager, smart address/search bar, integration of most visited pages on homepage, the option to take screenshots, full-screen support, built-in download manager, the option to find text on page, advanced privacy features, support for Adobe Flash player, instant link sharing over multiple platforms, app-to-SD, cache-to-SD function and smooth transition effects.

Boat Browser, at first sight, looks a lot like Google Chrome, with multi-tabbed browsing, a homepage with a grid of thumbnails linking to your most frequently visited pages and a quick add to bookmarks feature besides the address bar. Though its interface and a few features remind one of the iOS stock browser (Mobile Safari). For instance, the UI of the Settings menu and the option to switch from normal to tab view (second button from wight on the bottom bar).
The address bar reads the keywords entered and offers you relevant suggestions to help you reach your desired website quickly. With the bookmarks manager, you can view, export/import, add, delete and sync (local) bookmarks. Multi-tab feature of Boat Browser can be disabled if not required.

With Boat Browser, you can use the volume keys of your device to easily switch between tabs, scroll pages up/down page and pinch to zoom in/out of pages. In-page search lets you easily find (and highlight) desired keywords on opened pages. When you add a new tab, the browser displays a sleektransition, switching quickly from normal to tab view and back. There is a Day/Night Mode facility provided as well that can be used to enhance readability. Downloaded data can be seen by tapping Menu > Downloads. You can capture, save and share screenshots of your favorite web pages with Boat Browser with just a couple of taps.  Moreover, Boat Browser offers you quite a few customization and privacy features that can make web browsing on your device convenient and secure.
While attempting to bring a neat, easy-to-operate and stylish web browser to our readers, I’ve certainly found a personal favorite here, what about you? You may head over to the Android Market to download and try Boat Browser on your device. Market link to the app is provided below along with its QR code.