Ask any Web developer to name a few browsers and you'll get basically the same list: IE, FireFox, Safari, Opera and a few others. Ask them to name a few mobile browsers and the answers will vary considerably. If you want to be able to give a fairly complete answer to such a question, here's a short list...

• Android - strictly the name of Google's Linux-based mobile OS, the built-in browser is based on WebKit. For added functionality, a popular free touch-based UI layer for the browser is Steel.
• Kindle - a monochrome mobile e-book reader from Amazon, it comes with an experimental Web browser capable of basic text layouts. The UA reports the browser to be NetFront/3.3.
• BlackBerry - the browser from RIM embedded in their BlackBerry devices.
• Blazer - a free NetFront-derived browser found on Palm handhelds.
• Bolt - a free independent Java-based mobile browser built on ThunderHawk from Bitstream, for Palm, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile 6.
• * Deepfish - zooming browser from Microsoft that was canned in 2008. The architecture was similar to Opera Mini.
• Fennec - the successor to Minimo, this is the mobile version of FireFox.
• IbisBrowser - popular Japanese i-mode mobile browser.
• Internet Explorer Mobile - IE for mobile, found on all Windows Mobile platforms.
• Iris Browser - WebKit-based browser for Windows Mobile.
• * JOCA - free Java-ME browser that uses a Web proxy for page compression.
• Konqueror Embedded - self-contained embedded version of the well-known Linux desktop browser, based on the KHTML engine (the origin of WebKit).
• MicroB - Nokia's maemo browser on the N8xx and similar devices, based on the Gecko rendering engine.
• Minimo (see Fennec) - the Mini Mozilla, a scaled-down version of FireFox. The project was closed in 2008.
• Myriad - previously the OpenWave browser (redeveloped with WebKit), renamed when acquired by Myriad Group (France) from OpenWave's mobile client division in 2008.
• NetFront - embedded browser from Access Co. Ltd (Japan) supporting cHTML/i-mode and XHTML-Basic.
• Obigo Q7 - an S60 and WinMob browser from the Hong Kong based company.
• * Opera Mini - a popular distributed mobile browser from Opera that transforms the Web via a proxy server.
• Opera Mobile - a full mobile Web browser for Windows Mobile, UIQ and S60 platforms using Opera's Presto layout engine.
• OpenWave (now Myriad) - Widely used mobile browser that incorporated some features from Magic4 (the UK company acquired in 2004). Supported HDML before the introduction of WML. At one point, half of all mobile browsers were OpenWave.
• Pixo Internet Microbrowser - a component of the embedded OS originally in the Apple iPod. Long since confined to history.
• S40 - Nokia's embedded software platform containing a WebKit-based HTML browser.
• S60 - Nokia offers a WebKit-based browser for its S60 mobile platforms.
• MobileSafari - Apple's KHTML/WebKit-based browser for the iPhone and iPod platforms.
• * Skyfire - distributed mobile browser for Windows Mobile. The proxy server uses the Gecko engine to render normal Web pages before being sliced into smaller images for the client.
• Steel - a fork of the Android browser.
• * Teashark - distributed MIDP 2.0 browser with a WebKit-based renderer in the proxy server.
• * ThunderHawk - distributed MIDP 2.0 and Windows Mobile browser from Bitstream, with zoom-in/out features.
• * UCWEB - the distributed "You Can Web" browser is very popular in China and comes in both Java and native (Symbian, Windows Mobile) versions.
• Unwired Planet (UP) Browser - later to become OpenWave and subsequently to be acquired by Myriad. Some say this was the original mobile browser.
• * uZard Web - a distributed browser from Korea that runs on several platforms. It presents full desktop pages in miniature.
• WinWAP - an old WAP browser for Windows Mobile, now also supports WAP 2.0, HTML etc.

This is not an exhaustive list. I am leaving out certain automotive browsers (which are mobile, but not carried by people) and most of the non-portable embedded browsers (such as Opera's embedded browser for Nintendo's Wii games console). I'm also leaving out services like Skweezer and Google Mobile as these don't have a client application, but instead rely on whatever browser already exists on the device. Also out are e-book readers with basic Web facilities such as reading RSS feeds, though I've included the Kindle as its browser is just about good enough to use.

Browsers marked * are distributed browsers that rely on an intermediate server to do some/all of the page transformation to adapt to the constrained mobile environments.

© Fageria Infotechs
Manish Fageria.
www.fageriainfotechs.co.cc
+91-9828524190

• Major Browsers: Opera, Firefox, Safari, Chrome
• More Cross-Platform Browsers: Mozilla and Flock
• Windows Browsers: K-Meleon
• Macintosh Browsers: Camino, OmniWeb and iCab
• Linux Browsers: Konqueror, Galeon and Epiphany

All of these browsers feature:

• Tabbed browsing
• Modern web pages with HTML, CSS, SSL, and JavaScript
• Cookies and cookie management
• Plugins and Java
• Ad blocking and/or pop-up blocking
• Download Managers
• Integrated Search
• Favorites/Bookmarks and import

There are many more web browsers available. These are the major options on the major platforms, and were chosen specifically from browsers that are actively developed or maintained and support modern web standards (HTML, CSS, JavaScript).

Major Browsers: Windows, Mac & Linux

Opera

Opera has managed to weather the browser wars since its original release in 1996. Constantly innovating, this browser is now a full-fledged Internet suite with web, e-mail, news (usenet and RSS) and chat with a wealth of features for new switchers and power users alike.

Opera also provides a mobile web browser, Opera Mini, which runs on most Java-capable devices, bringing the web to even low-end mobile phones. You can sync your bookmarks between Opera Mini and the desktop version of Opera using Opera Link.

• Features: Web · Email · RSS · Chat · Skinnable · Phishing Filter · Widgets · BitTorrent · Sync · Turbo Mode
• Import: Bookmarks from Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Netscape, or generic HTML file; Mail from Outlook Express, Netscape, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Eudora, or generic mbox file.
• Download Opera for Windows, Macintosh or Linux. Free.
• Discover Opera.
• Get Opera Banners or join Choose Opera.

Firefox

Mozilla Firefox has been the most successful alternative web browser since the “browser wars” ended. The flagship product of the Mozilla Foundation traces its lineage back to the original Netscape. Firefox was designed for simplicity, security, and extensibility, with hundreds of extensions available. The Mozilla Thunderbird mail & news client is a perfect companion. Both applications are open-source.

• Features: Web · RSS headlines · Extensions for chat, customization, etc. · Skinnable · Malware/Phishing Filter
• Import: All settings from Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla, Netscape, bookmarks from generic HTML file.
• Download Firefox for Windows, Macintosh or Linux. Free.
• Read the Firefox Beginner's Guide.
• Get Firefox Banners from Spread Firefox.

Safari

Apple stunned the world in 2003 when they announced this browser for Mac OS X. It became so popular with Mac users that Microsoft stopped developing IE for the Mac! Safari is designed for elegance and speed, and is now both the default browser on the Mac and the most popular Macintosh browser. Starting with version 3, Safari is also available for Windows.

Safari is also the web browser on the iPhone and iPod Touch.

• Features: Web · Private Browsing · RSS
• Import: Bookmarks from any browser.
• Download Safari for Windows or Macintosh. Free.

Google Chrome

In 2008, Google stripped down the web browser to its essentials and rethought basic assumptions about what a browser should do. Focused on enhanced performance for web applications, Chrome stays out of your way and lets you focus on the web itself.

Chrome uses the WebKit engine (like Safari) and is similar to the default web browser on the Android mobile phone platform.

• Features: Web · Private Browsing · Malware/Phishing Filter
• Import: Bookmarks, History and Passwords from Internet Explorer or Firefox.
• Download Chrome for Windows, Macintosh or Linux. Free.

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More Cross-Platform Browsers: Windows, Mac & Linux

Mozilla SeaMonkey

Originally created as an open-source testing ground for Netscape, Mozilla gained a following of its own as AOL put its stamp on Netscape. Mozilla implemented many of the features that have since made Firefox popular. Official development has moved on to Firefox, and the suite continues in the form of SeaMonkey.

In addition to Firefox and SeaMonkey, Mozilla's “Gecko” engine is the basis for a number of platform-specific browsers, including K-Meleon for Windows, Camino for Macintosh, and Galeon and Epiphany for Linux.

• Features: Web · Email · Chat · Editor
• Import: All settings from Netscape 4, bookmarks from generic HTML file. Current Internet Explorer Favorites appear in bookmarks menu.
• Download SeaMonkey for Windows, Macintosh or Linux. Free.

Flock

Flock is a “social browser” built on a Firefox core that integrates with web services for blogging, photo sharing, and bookmark sharing.

Services Flock supports include: Bookmarks sharing: del.icio.us and Shadows. Photo services: Flickr, Photobucket. Blogging: Blogger, TypePad, WordPress and many others.

• Features: Web · Blogging · Photo Sharing · Favorites Sharing · RSS reader · Skinnable · compatible with many Firefox extensions
• Import: All settings from Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari.
• Download Flock for Windows, Macintosh or Linux. Free.
• Get Flock Banners.

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Windows Browsers

K-Meleon

Years before Firefox, K-Meleon was launched to create a lightweight web browser for Windows using the Mozilla core. K-Meleon's strengths are its speed and customizability.

• Features: Web
• Import: Will use your current Internet Explorer, Netscape/Firefox, or Opera bookmarks.
• Download K-Meleon for Windows. Free.
• Get K-Meleon Banners.

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Macintosh Browsers

Camino

This browser's slogan is “Mozilla power, Mac style.” Designed to bring Mozilla's technology into harmony with Mac OS X, Camino integrates seamlessly in a way that Firefox hasn't yet managed.

• Features: Web
• Import: Bookmarks from Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera, OmniWeb, iCab, or generic HTML file.
• Download Camino for Macintosh OS X. Free.
• Get Camino Banners.

OmniWeb

The first web browser released for Mac OS X, OmniWeb focuses on power features. Since version 4.5 it has been based on Apple's WebCore technology, the same engine used by Safari, with innovations such as thumbnails for tabs, auto-save sessions, and per-site preferences. “Sure, you can use a standard web browser, with standard features. But you didn't choose a standard software experience—you chose the Mac.” Includes RSS headline support.

Even if you're not a Mac user, it's worth reading through OmniWeb's features page just for the writing style!

• Features: Web · RSS
• Import: Bookmarks from Internet Explorer, Safari, or generic HTML file.
• Download OmniWeb for Macintosh OS X. Free.
• Get OmniWeb Banners.

iCab

Launched from obscurity as the first publicly-available browser to pass the Acid2 test (the first to pass was Safari, but only the in-development version), iCab 3 was the last modern web browser still built for Classic Mac OS through 2008. iCab 4 and later use the WebKit engine and are OS X-only.

• Features: Web · RSS
• Import: Bookmarks from Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Opera.
• Download iCab for Macintosh OS X or Classic. Free limited edition, $20 or €15 for iCab Pro.
• Let iCab Smile campaign and banners.

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Linux/UNIX Browsers

Konqueror

Konqueror is the web browser and file manager for the KDE Desktop. This highly customizable browser gained more attention when Apple selected it as the basis for Safari. Konqueror is tightly integrated with other KDE applications such as Kontact/KMail for e-mail, Akregator for RSS feeds, etc. (Konqueror can also run under GNOME or other desktop environments.)

• Features: Web · RSS via Akregator · Email via Kontact.
• Import: Bookmarks from Internet Explorer, Opera, Mozilla (and Firefox), Netscape, Galeon.
• Read about Konqueror for Linux/KDE.

Galeon

Galeon's slogan is “The web. Only the web.” It was one of the first projects to take Mozilla's rendering engine and focus on its original goal: web browsing. Galeon focuses on web features for power users. Built for GNOME, Galeon will also run under other desktop environments.

• Features: Web
• Import: Bookmarks from XBEL (Konqueror, Galeon), Mozilla (and Firefox), Netscape, Epiphany.
• Download Galeon for Linux/GNOME.

Epiphany

Epiphany is designed for simplicity and speed. An offshoot of Galeon, it is the default web browser or the GNOME desktop. (Epiphany will also run under other desktops.)

• Features: Web
• Import: Bookmarks from Firefox, Galeon, Konqueror, Mozilla, XBEL or HTML file.
• Download Epiphany for Linux/GNOME.

© Fageria Infotechs
Manish Fageria.
www.fageriainfotechs.co.cc
+91-9828524190