Since the iPad is being touted as a ‘media consumption’ device, we believe that the web browsing component is critical to that claim. iOS devices, specifically the iPad, come with a redesigned Mobile Safari, designed to optimally use the larger screen, and introduce features such as the bookmark bar seen in Safari for the Mac. Although this and the new way to navigate between multiple pages seem to have made it to the iPad’s version of Safari, there is a lot left to be desired in terms of features. Having tried Mercury, Perfect Web Browser, and Opera, none really seemed to bring together the core features of a wonderful and enjoyable web browsing experience.
Captain Atom comes to the rescue! More specifically, the Atomic Web Browser ($0.99) is a universal app designed to run on the iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad. Having used this browser as my primary one for almost two weeks, I can safely say that the features you get to enjoy for a measly $0.99 are what Safari for the iPad should have included. Let me outline some key features:
Pros:
- REAL tabbed browsing
- Automatic Full Screen!
- Download FILES off the web (PDFs, Word files…anything) -which you can then open using any one of your other apps
- Enter search query in search bar and then CHOOSE which search service you want to use eg. Google, Bing, Wiki, Amazon etc
- Semi transparent buttons to send page to your social networks (Twitter, Facebook, E mail)
- Browser links to your Dropbox account to send links and pages seamlessly to your Dropbox
- Private Browsing
- Horizontal Scrollable Bookmark Bar
- Trick Website to think your browser is Firefox, IE, etc
- Change the color of the browser! If you’re bored
- MultiTouch browsing! – like on the Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad
Cons:
- Some UI elements are a little small for the touch
There are so many features in this power pack of a browser that you’d stop reading if I went on to list all of them! It’s a definite download for $0.99 cents; it turns your iPad into a much more capable web browsing tablet computer. This browser is highly customizable to your liking and I urge everyone to download the app and get your hands into it
Is Atomic web browser faster than Safari?
Apparently Atomic Web Browser is not based on Safari, hence any chugs Safari might encounter on certain sites might just come through smooth as butter with Atomic. Having said that, I did not notice Atomic being significantly faster than the already BLAZING fast Safari after the 4.3.1 update (which includes the Nitro JavaScript Engine). This is because the Atomic Web Browser is not based on the latest iteration of WebKit that Safari is. In a sense Safari will always be 1 step ahead in terms of speed with each improvements made to Safari’s WebKit through iOS software updates.
Day to Day Practicality:
I love the Safari Browser on the iPad, because it allows me to enjoy rich content on the web in its full glory (minus flash), in a fun and interactive multitouch iOS way. I love its elegance, simplicity, and speed, however being a university student there are certain features lacking in Safari that I just can’t live without. I absolutely require downloading PDFs and lecture notes from the web, as well as navigating multiple web sites with the ease of tabs. Atomic web browser provides those extra features, however sometimes it can feel a little too ‘stuffed’ with features, while sacrificing the size of a few UI elements, and leaving certain UI options a little too small for the touch. Sometimes I switch back to Safari just for its simplicity, and the peace of mind I want while relaxing in my chair. Having said that, the 50 USEFUL features of Atomic web browser are a huge bonus, in addition to the ability to download files and tabbed browsing capabilities, making the Atomic Web Browser for the iPad the ultimate Web Browser available. At $0.99 cents it a no-brainer. Go and get the best web browser out there and treat yourself! You deserve it!
Verdict:
Download! Download Atomic Web Browser – Browse FullScreen w/ Download Manager & Dropbox right here for $0.99.
Let me know what you think about the Atomic Web Browser and your experiences in the comments below. Check out my screenshot below of some of the Atomic Web Browser features
