Android Dolphin Vs. xScope
Google's Android operating system is a relatively open platform, meaning that any developer who meets the requirements of the Android Market can publish apps for users to download and/or buy. Among the more popular apps are Web browser alternatives: Just like Firefox or Chrome on your desktop computer, alternative third-party browsers are made for your Android phone. Two free alternatives are Dolphin HD and xScope.
Other People Are Reading
-
Dolphin HD
-
Dolphin HD is a more popular alternative browser than xScope. It has all the basic features of the standard Android browser: access to any Web site, a bookmark feature, separate tabs/windows, and plugin support (such as Java and Flash). In addition, Dolphin has a myriad of extra features: a streamlined interface that many find more finger-friendly than the standard browser, finger gestures, a more robust bookmark manager (including backup and import features,) and support for add-ons, such as color themes and desktop-style extensions. The browser also features tools for more experienced users, such as a "desktop mode" user agent for bypassing mobile sites and the ability to use the browser without the Android status bar. Dolphin HD is a free app, but may periodically display ads to support the developer.
XScope
-
XScope has most of the features of Dolphin HD, but arranges and utilizes them differently. For example, while it's possible to switch to full-screen mode on Xscope by tapping the "Menu" button and then the "Full Screen" button, Dolphin keeps this feature tucked away in the slide-out bar on the right of the screen. XScope features themes, but no other add-ons. XScope has a higher degree of customization for experienced users, with the ability to change settings like button behaviors and swipe commands. XScope has both free and paid versions available (as xScope Browser Pro) and the Pro version has a local file browser and the ability to take screenshots. As of August 2011, xScope Browser Pro costs $2.99 in the Android Market.
-
Comparing Dolphin and XScope
-
The most immediate difference that most users of Dolphin or xScope will notice is the user interface, which varies considerably from the default Android browser. Dolphin uses a light green color scheme, while xScope uses a dark blue. Dolphin uses more gradients and animations in its interface, which is generally more pleasing to most users, but also slows down the phone and the browsing experience somewhat. While the browsers have a similar feature set, Dolphin has two distinct advantages: finger gestures (user-defined finger patterns for complicated procedures) and support for add-ons. The Android Market offers a rich variety of user-created Dolphin add-ons. While Dolphin is technically more powerful via the add-ons, advanced users may appreciate that xScope comes "out of the box" with more user-definable variables, and does not need potentially unstable add-ons to access system-level settings.
Other Browser Alternatives
-
Since both Dolphin HD and xScope are free, there's really no reason not to try them and decide which works best for you. Among the other free browsers you may want to try is Dolphin Mini, a smaller, lighter version of the Dolphin HD browser for older or less-powerful Android phones. Free mobile versions of both the Firefox and Opera desktop browsers are available in the Android Market. Opera comes in both Mobile (heavy) and Mini (light) versions. Skyfire, originally designed for Windows Mobile phones, transcodes Flash videos and other media for slow or incompatible phones. Miren and Marathon are independently developed, Android-exclusive browsers that many advanced users prefer. All these browsers can be downloaded from the Android Market for free, and uninstalled easily from the Applications menu.
-
References
- Photo Credit Polka Dot RF/Polka Dot/Getty Images
