Whilst the iOS browsing experience is clean and relatively bug-free, mobile Safari lacks many, many of the features which its superior desktop cousin provides.
Those who run jailbroken iDevices will probably be aware that there are dozens of tweaks available to bring Apple’s web browsing client up to scratch – many of which we have featured on this site.
One of the main issues with Safari on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch is the inability to enjoy normal tabbed browsing. Although you can open "tabs", they are more like new pages from which you can scroll through and select – there isn’t that instantaneous preview.
There are many third-party apps available currently which remedy this – notably Atomic Web Browser and iCab Mobile. Those of you running an Android-based device will probably be well aware of Dolphin Browser from MoboTap, which brings many useful features packed inside a tidy, Chrome-esque application.
Well that particular browser has now been ported to the iPhone, and is something of a joy to behold. You can add favorites in a prompt manner using the Speed Dial feature, and the app even supports gesture-based browsing – similar to the effects you can achieve with the Sleipnizer jailbreak tweak for Safari. So if for example you stumble across something you want to save for later, you can do so by applying a simple tap, swipe or drawing a shape.
Another notable feature is the Dolphin Webzine, which similarly to Flipboard for iPad allows for seamless integration of social content. You can stay in touch with your various networking hunts, as well as keep up-to-date with blogs all in one place.
The options are seemingly endless, and there is even a sidebar from which you can access your downloads, mod your gestures and other significant settings. With an incredible amount of features, it still manages to keep a clean and simplistic UI which is easy to navigate. Many apps with a lot of features make the mistake of being cluttered, but Dolphin manages keep everything relevant and organized.
Having tested the app firsthand, it is incredibly smooth, and shows the guys over at Cupertino how it is meant to be done. There are so many options, and I would even go as far as to say this is one of the best free apps I have ever seen. Considering some of Safari’s competitors are paid apps, this one, which matches the best of ’em, is completely free to download over at the App Store.
Check out the video below and see Dolphin in action!
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