Move Over Safari, Dolphin for iPad is Taking Over

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As far as mobile browsers go, the iPad’s native Safari browser is just okay. It has tabs, bookmarks, a reading list, and even allows you to tweet. But for those iPad users who browse the web often, there’s room for improvement. Enter Dolphin HD, a free web browser that was first available for Android devices and has been available since last summer on iOS. Dolphin contains a number of features that are bound to be copied by other mobile browsers, but you can get them on your iPad with Dolphin now.

Start up Dolphin and you’ll immediately notice that it’s a tab-based browser with a clean, compact interface, leaving a bit more room for webpages than Safari does. The first, “blank” tab that opens contains two unique features. On the top of the screen, Speed Dial lists websites you frequent often, like a bookmarks best of. You can easily add a new one with the “Add SpeedDial” button. On the bottom of the screen, Webzine lists popular web sources, like Twitter, Facebook and the Wall Street Journal, as well as a link to many featured sources. Select a source and you’re taken to a magazine-like layout of recent articles, which can be expanded to view any article you choose. Great for those times when you are bored and are looking for good content to browse.

When it’s time to go to a specific webpage that isn’t already on your SpeedDial list, typing in the Smart Address Bar is simplified by automated suggestions, based on your browsing history, bookmarks, and Google suggestions. Once you reach your page of choice, Dolphin offers a full-screen mode that hides the navigation, allowing your page to fill the screen. Even with the controls hidden, Dolphin provides intuitive ways to access what you need:

Side Bar: accessed any time in Dolphin by swiping your screen towards the right, a Bookmarks list is revealed on the left edge of the screen. Bookmarks can be organized by folder, and are easily scrolled through with a swipe. An edit button allows management, and a History folder expands the functionality by allowing you to go back to any site you’ve visited in the past.

Tab Bar: Swipe the screen towards the left and a Tab Bar is revealed on the right edge of the screen, containing links to tabs that are currently open as well as the ability to create a new tab. This allows you to see up to 11 tabs on your screen at once and you can easily scroll through more with a simple swipe up or down.

Gestures: Press the ghosted “hand” button on the top of the screen and you’re given a grid on which to draw a gesture. You can assign gestures to control how Dolphin behaves with 19 different controls you can define for navigation, as well as browser and page options. You can also define your own for specific websites. For example, you could draw a heart to go to your favorite dating site.

We loved Dolphin for iPad. It is clean and easy to use, with lots of extra features that power users are certain to enjoy. The ability to browse full screen while still being able to access  bookmarks, tabs, and frequently used sites is the best reason to switch to Dolphin. Beyond that, other important options like Private Mode and Bookmark Sync, available in the Settings, are also excellent additions and other reasons to try it. Download Dolphin. It’s free, and once you try it, you’re unlikely to go back to Safari.

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