iPad A1 Perfect Web Browser

scottjl · 06-05-2010, 09:40 AM

Just a quick review for anyone who was curious about this browser that has flown to the top of the App store charts. Both iCab and Atomic are far better replacements for Safari than this browser, save your money.

Really don't understand why this $3 browser has risen so quickly, feature wise both iCab and Atomic have it beat. It does not offer bookmark imports (essential to me), any sort of download ability (a great feature of iCab), or any significant speed in rendering over any other browser.

It does have, user agent switching (Atomic & iCab do this as well), full-screen browsing (Atomic & iCab), "real" tabs (Atomic & iCab), "private" browsing (Atomic & iCab). It does offer a "hyper scroll bar" that lets you scroll quickly up and down a page, very quickly. It has one-button in-page search (easily added as a bookmarklet to any browser). And a quick way to hide the tab bar. The UI and colors looks very similar to Safari and cannot be changed (Atomic allows you to set one of many color themes).

It's a good replacement for Safari, but both Atomic and iCab have it beat in terms of features and price. Save a buck and buy iCab ($1.99), or save two and buy Atomic ($0.99).

stustaff · 06-05-2010, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottjl

Just a quick review for anyone who was curious about this browser that has flown to the top of the App store charts. Both iCab and Atomic are far better replacements for Safari than this browser, save your money.

Really don't understand why this $3 browser has risen so quickly, feature wise both iCab and Atomic have it beat. It does not offer bookmark imports (essential to me), any sort of download ability (a great feature of iCab), or any significant speed in rendering over any other browser.

It does have, user agent switching (Atomic & iCab do this as well), full-screen browsing (Atomic & iCab), "real" tabs (Atomic & iCab), "private" browsing (Atomic & iCab). It does offer a "hyper scroll bar" that lets you scroll quickly up and down a page, very quickly. It has one-button in-page search (easily added as a bookmarklet to any browser). And a quick way to hide the tab bar. The UI and colors looks very similar to Safari and cannot be changed (Atomic allows you to set one of many color themes).

It's a good replacement for Safari, but both Atomic and iCab have it beat in terms of features and price. Save a buck and buy iCab ($1.99), or save two and buy Atomic ($0.99).

ICab has hyper scroll to just touch 3 fingers to bring up scroll pad and get to bottom of long pages really quick.

scottjl · 06-05-2010, 09:50 AM

A1's hyper scroll is an actual scroll bar that you can use to scroll up and down quickly to any point. It is actually a nice feature, but not one to make me ditch iCab for since iCab does so much more.

Javed · 06-05-2010, 10:19 AM

Anyone know which is faster for general browsing between Atomic and iCab? (I currently use Atomic)

scottjl · 06-05-2010, 10:48 AM

i wouldn't say go out and buy icab just for a faster browsing experience, they are pretty close and it's going to depend more on network connection at the moment, etc. it was the additional features icab had over atomic (like the ability to download any file) that made me switch over.

lilman · 06-05-2010, 12:59 PM

Thanks for the comparison. I saw A1 in the top selling list so I checked out its details... I couldn't understand why anyone would choose A1 over iCab.

I'm also surprised that new Color Splash app ($1.99) is selling so well. You can do the same thing in ArtStudio ($.99), but ArtStudio offers a ton of other features where as Color Splash can only be used for selective black&white/color coloring. All you have to do in ArtStudio is load up your color image, duplicate the image layer, set the top duplicated layer to grayscale, and then erase any parts from the top layer that you want to be color. Clean, easy, cheaper, and you still have an app that can do a whole lot more imaging functions.

The Old Man · 06-05-2010, 01:12 PM

Is there any way to "force" other apps that switch and open a browser window to use a browser other than Safari?

scottjl · 06-05-2010, 01:17 PM

nope. people have requested it of apple, but they don't want you to replace safari.

The Old Man · 06-05-2010, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottjl

nope. people have requested it of apple, but they don't want you to replace safari.

And I suppose that by keeping Safari a notch or two below the other browsers that are selling in their App Store Apple is making money by retaining a less than perfect browser. Makes perfect sense to me!

Fotoman · 06-05-2010, 01:38 PM

Thanks for the review, Scott. I was curious mostly because of it's meteoric rise to the top. Here's a good example where popularity =/= quality.

You just saved me $2.99 toward my next Mocha Grande

scottjl · 06-05-2010, 01:59 PM

i was reading an article the other day that discussed how some apps are "stuffing the ballot box" by setting up thousands of fake itunes accounts and then using them to buy back their own applications to drive them up the charts. not saying this is the case here. but it is interesting. basically the company loses 30% of their costs to apple as their advertising fee since they get 70% back. silly, but it can be profitable i guess.

still, either they just got lucky with word-of-mouth, or maybe the A1 in the name puts it first in people's search, but personally I don't think it is worth the money over iCab or even Atomic. it's barely much more than safari.

stustaff · 06-05-2010, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Old Man

And I suppose that by keeping Safari a notch or two below the other browsers that are selling in their App Store Apple is making money by retaining a less than perfect browser. Makes perfect sense to me!

Ha ha cynical

I like it.

You can fix this issue if your iPad is jail broken.

Theirs a jailbreak app for that.

scottjl · 06-05-2010, 02:28 PM

just looked at artstudio for the ipad, it's $2.99.. still, for the extra buck you get a lot more features than colorsplash.

The Old Man · 06-05-2010, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stustaff

Ha ha cynical

I like it.

You can fix this issue if your iPad is jail broken.

Theirs a jailbreak app for that.

Another reason to jailbreak. I'm not sure I want to do this - yet. Announced upgrade coming later this year. Can I disable the jailbreak?

JSWolf · 06-05-2010, 03:16 PM

A1 Perfect Browser was on sale for 99 cents. That's how it rose so fast.

06-05-2010, 09:40 AM	#1
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	A1 Perfect Web Browser Just a quick review for anyone who was curious about this browser that has flown to the top of the App store charts. Both iCab and Atomic are far better replacements for Safari than this browser, save your money. Really don't understand why this $3 browser has risen so quickly, feature wise both iCab and Atomic have it beat. It does not offer bookmark imports (essential to me), any sort of download ability (a great feature of iCab), or any significant speed in rendering over any other browser. It does have, user agent switching (Atomic & iCab do this as well), full-screen browsing (Atomic & iCab), "real" tabs (Atomic & iCab), "private" browsing (Atomic & iCab). It does offer a "hyper scroll bar" that lets you scroll quickly up and down a page, very quickly. It has one-button in-page search (easily added as a bookmarklet to any browser). And a quick way to hide the tab bar. The UI and colors looks very similar to Safari and cannot be changed (Atomic allows you to set one of many color themes). It's a good replacement for Safari, but both Atomic and iCab have it beat in terms of features and price. Save a buck and buy iCab ($1.99), or save two and buy Atomic ($0.99).

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06-05-2010, 09:50 AM	#3
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	A1's hyper scroll is an actual scroll bar that you can use to scroll up and down quickly to any point. It is actually a nice feature, but not one to make me ditch iCab for since iCab does so much more.

06-05-2010, 10:19 AM	#4
Javed Grand Sorcerer Posts: 10,270 Karma: 1126878541 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Astak Pocket PRO, iPod Touch, PRS-650	Anyone know which is faster for general browsing between Atomic and iCab? (I currently use Atomic)

06-05-2010, 10:48 AM	#5
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	i wouldn't say go out and buy icab just for a faster browsing experience, they are pretty close and it's going to depend more on network connection at the moment, etc. it was the additional features icab had over atomic (like the ability to download any file) that made me switch over.

06-05-2010, 12:59 PM	#6
lilman Addict Posts: 326 Karma: 960 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Florida, US Device: Kindle DX, iPad	Thanks for the comparison. I saw A1 in the top selling list so I checked out its details... I couldn't understand why anyone would choose A1 over iCab. I'm also surprised that new Color Splash app ($1.99) is selling so well. You can do the same thing in ArtStudio ($.99), but ArtStudio offers a ton of other features where as Color Splash can only be used for selective black&white/color coloring. All you have to do in ArtStudio is load up your color image, duplicate the image layer, set the top duplicated layer to grayscale, and then erase any parts from the top layer that you want to be color. Clean, easy, cheaper, and you still have an app that can do a whole lot more imaging functions.

06-05-2010, 01:12 PM	#7
The Old Man Fanatic Posts: 533 Karma: 1300001 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Keene, New Hampshire Device: iPad Mini	Is there any way to "force" other apps that switch and open a browser window to use a browser other than Safari?

06-05-2010, 01:17 PM	#8
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	nope. people have requested it of apple, but they don't want you to replace safari.

06-05-2010, 01:38 PM	#10
Fotoman Groupie Posts: 157 Karma: 2160 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Vancouver, BC Device: iPad 64GB wifi (Sony 505 RIP)	Thanks for the review, Scott. I was curious mostly because of it's meteoric rise to the top. Here's a good example where popularity =/= quality. You just saved me $2.99 toward my next Mocha Grande

06-05-2010, 01:59 PM	#11
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	i was reading an article the other day that discussed how some apps are "stuffing the ballot box" by setting up thousands of fake itunes accounts and then using them to buy back their own applications to drive them up the charts. not saying this is the case here. but it is interesting. basically the company loses 30% of their costs to apple as their advertising fee since they get 70% back. silly, but it can be profitable i guess. still, either they just got lucky with word-of-mouth, or maybe the A1 in the name puts it first in people's search, but personally I don't think it is worth the money over iCab or even Atomic. it's barely much more than safari.

06-05-2010, 02:28 PM	#13
scottjl Reader of Books Posts: 1,632 Karma: 2697 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: none	just looked at artstudio for the ipad, it's $2.99.. still, for the extra buck you get a lot more features than colorsplash.

06-05-2010, 03:16 PM	#15
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 78,988 Karma: 144284074 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	A1 Perfect Browser was on sale for 99 cents. That's how it rose so fast.

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