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One of the first things i do with a mobile browser after download and installation, is run it through a site gauntlet, that is, a mix of sites with oodles of embedded media. The first browser to push daises during this test was Pocket IE, which almost goes without saying.  Detected as a mobile browser by most sites, limited settings, and non-existent Flash or Javascript support, Microsoft’s browser has long been overdue for an overhaul.

The second browser, which immediately became my only browser, was SkyFire Beta. I ran the beta version of this browser on my AT&T Tilt (HTC Kaiser) for over a year, first on WinMo 6.0 Professional and then after the 6.1 ROM upgrade. It worked flawlessly except for the occasional user error, as in, having too many programs open at the same time. When I started using this browser, I realized that I didn’t need to subscribe to the “There’s An App For That” mentality.

Even before I upgraded to SkyFire 1.0, functions such as browsing Flash, Silverlight, or Javascript enabled sites work without a hitch. Bouncing between Twitter-recommended links to videos, news sites, et cetera, couldn’t be more user friendly. Essential user settings like setting SkyFire as the default browser, browsing history, adding bookmarks, toggling audio, and browsing backward several pages are easily accessible. I can also save photos, post to Twitter or a blog, and also share website through SMS or email via cut and paste. Although, two  buttons I still wish for are a “Stop” and “Forward” button.

Opera Mobile 9.7 Beta was the next stop on my browser odyssey but not my last. Apparently, about 85 MB of free memory was not enough for Opera to do all the things that SkyFire does so well. The variety of features in the Opera browser outshine Skyfire, such as password, caching, privacy settings, et cetera, which are all fantastic if you have the space and speeds necessary to accommodate them on your handset. The tabbed browsing is especially appealing only if your phone can handle the automated feature working in the background. My Tilt, on the other hand, would just display the “Out of Memory” error and force me to close programs and/or tabs.

So back to SkyFire 1.0 I went, and with a 679 KB CAB file versus Opera Mobile’s 4.65 MB file, SkyFire seems to be an ideal fit for any solid Windows Mobile or Symbian smartphone that’s showing its age but still has several good years left.

Download SkyFire 1.0 at: http://get.skyfire.com/

Download Opera Mobile 9.7 at: http://www.opera.com/mobile/

Marilyn Torres (40 Posts) - Website | Twitter | Facebook

Marilyn Torres is a contributing blogger for Mobility Site. She also blogs about movies, books, comics, and recipes at her personal blog, marit.vox.com. Marilyn has a Bachelor of Arts in English and currently lives with her other half, Cavalier-Poodle, and tabby cat in Central Florida.