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I've been using VGA hack for a while against Pocket IE and really like the way it renders pages. But I hate the way VGA Hack works with almost everything else.
Can VGA Hack (or similar) be applied to specific apps only? Say PIE, Word and Excel only?
Failing that, what rival browsers exist?
Opera mobile and opera mini. Never used either and will try them out, but I never use the "1 column" mode in PIE and basically want pages to be as close as possible to a VGA desktop computer. I want framed sites to render well in particular.
Tabbed browsing *would* be nice but I certainly don't care that much.
Faster page rendering would be a real bonus. A couple of sites I visit (say http://www.todayonly.co.uk ) seem to take forever in PIE.
So, what else is there? There's some Japanese browser too, iirc, but how stable is that? How good is the rendering?
Opera is definitely the one you want. Works flawlessly with VGA, automatically and intelligently scales framed pages to display nicely, and will switch to classicl desktop view at a quick click. It even allows your device to identify as a desktop computer when querried by a page.
I disagree.
Pie+ for me is the most stable and feature packed browser. Not really a browser as such but a load of extensions to Pie.
In my view Netfront 3.3 is also a good option. Specially the fact that it supports Flash which Opera doesn't.
By the way I have also tried Mini Opera and in fact am writing this post using mini opera. Give it a try
Regards
Please check out the Web Browser category ( http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&cat=61 ) on my blog (the later articles have also been cross-posted to the General forum here at XDA-Dev) - it answers ALL your questions. It's really woth checking it out because, based on the info there, you will be able to make an informed decision on which browser to choose.
just try opera 8.6 version it will surely solve ur problem.
I have to Second the Netfront Suggestion
I have used a number of IE addins, and I used Opera during the Beta testing process. I find the in the end I keep coming back to Netfront. I like it enought that I finally did purchase a copy. It renders well in VGA. It has a number of layout formats so you can get a desktop like experience. What I like to use is the following.
Virtual resolution: 800x600
Zoom: 75%
Rendering: Smart-Fit
I also like to set quick render. This causes the page to display in a text layout while the browser retrieves the images and other layout information. This way if you just need a link from the page, you can click it before the whole page is drawn. This can be annoying though if you are trying to read the page because as soon as the browser was retrieved everything, it redraws the whole page, inturupting your reading. For me, this has not been a problem, but Netfront is flexible enough to suit most tastes.
They do offer a short free trial. I suggest checking it out.
Update:
OK, tried Opera for a few days and really, really liked it. However, sometimes it seems like it just doesn't respond at all. When it works, it great. When it's slow, it unusable. Basically, for features it's spot on but for responsiveness I've had to rule it out entirely.
I'm trying Netfront now and so far I'm hugely impressed. Accurate, rapid page rendering and seems to do everything it is supposed to do. I'll give it a week or so before I decide but it certainly looks like a bargain to me (under GBP£20 iirc - the price of a good sandwich)
still mostly happy with netfront,but how do you turn off the irritating way is fills the screen with the focused frame? Nice feature for 240x240 screens, but for vga it just slows me down.
xiasma said:
still mostly happy with netfront,but how do you turn off the irritating way is fills the screen with the focused frame? Nice feature for 240x240 screens, but for vga it just slows me down.
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I'm not sure what you're referring to, but you can always change the rendering mode.
To disable focus on frames navigate to "menu / tools / browser settings/ misc (tab) and uncheck box "enable smart frame operation"
This box is checked by default. With this box checked netfront fills the whole screen with a particular frame you have tapped upon.
Regards
xiasma said:
Update:
OK, tried Opera for a few days and really, really liked it. However, sometimes it seems like it just doesn't respond at all. When it works, it great.
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I think its bcoz ur cache is saved on ur phones memory thus try to change its cache on ur storage card so it will free up the memory & will use less resources.
niketkumar said:
I think its bcoz ur cache is saved on ur phones memory thus try to change its cache on ur storage card so it will free up the memory & will use less resources.
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Let me disagree. It's mostly with other Web browsers (most notably, NetFront) that seem to "freeze" when writing to (comparatively) slow (say, flash ROM-based) storage.
Of course, it's worth relocating the Opera cache (see my tutorial at http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=916&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1 ), but also make sure you only relocate it to a well-optimized card.
By the way do u know that how can i change the location of cache (PIE) on to the storage card ?
niketkumar said:
By the way do u know that how can i change the location of cache (PIE) on to the storage card ?
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Yeah. Please read for example http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,42768
I think Opera for PPC works only with an acceptable speed if you relocate the cache NOT to a faster card BUT to virtual memory card.. there is a driver which does that. I'm greatly impressed with it..
hey folks,
i've come accross a pretty annoying bug i think. when i open a wap webpage with pocket ie i cant jump from link to link with the dpad or the scroll wheel. it just scrolls down the webpage. this means i always have to pull out the pen when i surf on wap pages which is kind of annoying. on regular html pages i dont have any problems selecting links via the dpad or the scroll wheel.
oh, and before the hermes i had an mda2 running wm05 and it also worked perfect there.
am i the only one with this problem? are there any sollutions?
i tried searching the forum but couldnt find anything.
greets
4saken
am I really the only one with this problem? or is everyone having this problem and there ist just no solution?
Yeah, it's something I've noticed too. Really odd. Opera Mobile handles links in WAP pages fine though, you can scroll through links with the scroll wheel and d-pad just like web pages with it.
_4saken_ said:
am I really the only one with this problem? or is everyone having this problem and there ist just no solution?
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I just tried mine. Cant remember last time I was at a Wap site.
Anyway I had no problems both Scroll and DPad scrolled down each and every link.
I don't suppose you have changed any settings in the likes of Tweaks2k2 to do with smooth scrolling. (Although even if you had I would have thought it would change regular sites also)
Mike
mikechannon said:
I just tried mine. Cant remember last time I was at a Wap site.
Anyway I had no problems both Scroll and DPad scrolled down each and every link.
I don't suppose you have changed any settings in the likes of Tweaks2k2 to do with smooth scrolling. (Although even if you had I would have thought it would change regular sites also)
Mike
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The BBC Mobile (PDA) page has some links to WAP pages (the Video Headlines is currently only available inside the UK, but it's nothing you can't already watch online via Ben Metcalfe's BBC News AV Flattener site (a VERY cool work in progress). However, you can load some of the other WAP links, I use it to test connectivity if I'm in a situation where I need to... URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/pda/
Ben Metcalfe's site: http://bbcnews.benmetcalfe.com/ (there's no pretty interface yet, you just load the html files up inside the directory listing, they're regenerated every so often automatically by PHP script and cronjob).
christopherwoods said:
The BBC Mobile (PDA) page has some links to WAP pages (the Video Headlines is currently only available inside the UK, but it's nothing you can't already watch online via Ben Metcalfe's BBC News AV Flattener site (a VERY cool work in progress). However, you can load some of the other WAP links, I use it to test connectivity if I'm in a situation where I need to... URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/pda/
Ben Metcalfe's site: http://bbcnews.benmetcalfe.com/ (there's no pretty interface yet, you just load the html files up inside the directory listing, they're regenerated every so often automatically by PHP script and cronjob).
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Yeah, I'll have a look at these - not bothered about pretty interface particularly as I often use GPRS with no special tariff (reeeeely expensive) but I don't seem to have the problem of not being able to scroll to the links so it appears either I or you and 4saken have changed.
I didnt change anything in the registry. I had this problem both with the original german rom from o2 and now with the newest english htc rom.
The ability to scroll through links on a page is limited to web pages only, Pocket IE's ability to scroll WSP:// protocol pages is, by default, restricted to only scrolling up and down the page.
To be honest, I'll just bop a link with my finger if I want to load it, it's not that hard and I prefer smooth scrolling up and down a page anyway (I read a lot of long articles on sites such as The Register and the browser screen constantly diving from left to right, jumping down huge amounts to the next link really bugs me). You must have some kind of addon or third-party application which reintroduces the ability to scroll through links in wap pages, because by default that's not possible.
Hey @ all,
i just tested a little around with my Advantage and 3.5G and found out that my Opera is never faster then 120Kbyte/Second... then i was wondering if this is the same on my WLAN. I ve got a 3.5 MBit DSL and tried first with Opera again 100-120 Kbyte/Second. After i tested with PIE. 450-540 Kbyte/Second...
Do i have to change some settings?
Thanks for your help
Kind Regards,
CoDeX2k
I've had a similar experience, and now use PIE over Operah. No idea why its like this!!
CoDeX2k said:
Hey @ all,
i just tested a little around with my Advantage and 3.5G and found out that my Opera is never faster then 120Kbyte/Second... then i was wondering if this is the same on my WLAN. I ve got a 3.5 MBit DSL and tried first with Opera again 100-120 Kbyte/Second. After i tested with PIE. 450-540 Kbyte/Second...
Do i have to change some settings?
Thanks for your help
Kind Regards,
CoDeX2k
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Click to collapse
Wow, I have to try the latest Pie out. Thanks for the info.
Meant PiePlus.
aphid said:
I've had a similar experience, and now use PIE over Operah. No idea why its like this!!
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Click to collapse
I did not do any benchmarks but I did find PIE faster. I have been using it over Opera and even Vueflo is set for PIE.
Maybe we need to tweak some settings in Opera as I do find the multiple tabs very useful.
Is there such a thing as tweaking the MTU or otherwise for individual applications on the Athena? Maybe Opera is slower because it processes the HTML differently and tries to adjust it for the screen while IE doesn't do as well of a job. Let me know if I'm wrong here.
Edit: I'm going to read through these to find out if there is anything that can be done. But I can't yet until later tonight or maybe this weekend. If you guys give it a go, let us know what you find if anything.
http://www.opera.com/support/service/customization/
its, I think Opera is definitely MUCH MUCH slower than IE. This is not just in loading itself , in fetching data, in displays, but also in accepting input from the keyboard. Opera is unable to cope with the high speed typing using TenGo software keyboard, whereas IE has no problem coping.
I'm sticking with IE from now until this problem is addressed in future version.
As per suggestions in this thread I tested PIE.
Oh my god (OMG for all you netizens) it is h o r r i b l e. It doesn't render anything correctly.
And I do not find that Opera is slower, but that could be due to the service providers crappy Edge (only ~160 kbps).
Opera renders pages quite nicely although sometimes it misses things, but overall it it is much more pleasurable to surf using Opera.
Strange, i also found Opera better, and the speed is not slower than IE as well.
wu5262 said:
Strange, i also found Opera better, and the speed is not slower than IE as well.
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I found after changing a few settings in Opera it runs great and better than Pocket IE.
ltxda said:
I found after changing a few settings in Opera it runs great and better than Pocket IE.
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Click to collapse
you mind sharing your setting? so I can test it on my DOPOD too
wu5262 said:
you mind sharing your setting? so I can test it on my DOPOD too
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not much but here they are:
- Menu/Windows/....defaults.
- Menu/Display/, select Load images, Fit to screen, Landscape. Go to Zoom and selectd 90%. Found that putting it on 90% pages load better and faster on my end.
- Menu/Tools/, General tab: uncheck Jump to page content, check Block pop-ups, Minimum font size 10. History tab: 2000KB, Network tab: All SSL and TLS checked, all Proxy left blank, Misc tab: All checked but Use grab and scroll. I found that checking grab and scroll slowed down the browser.
I'm planning on trying to optimize it more if at all possible maybe sometime this weekend. Also planning on possibly optimizing some registry entries for communicating via Internet. If there is an equivalent MTU setting like on PC's then that needs to be optimized because if you're going from GPRS to WiFi or 3G the settings won't be the same.
Edit: One more thing, if you didn't know about the opera.ini file here is a little info on that. I'm working on figuring out the best settings for this as well. Since I don't know when I'll have time to finalize this here is the info so you guys can look into it yourselves and not have to wait on anyone. ;-)
The file is located on your device at:
\\Application Data\Opera\opera.ini
You can find most of the preferences defined here:
http://operawiki.info/OperaINIFiles
I haven't had a chance to find where in the registry you can find connection optimization data but I know there are programs out there that you can setup profiles for each connection type, GPRS/WiFi/3G/etc...I wonder if these programs allow you to setup MTU's and other settings. Can anyone provide info on this?
Today when I used my Opera it was okay
It appears that our units are having erratic sluggishness at times. Most of the time it is fast but for no apparent reasons things started freezing up.
I'm begining to suspect this might be due to compaction thread activities going on, where the file system just simply takes up most of the available resources.
I thought the following information might be useful in order for us to understand what is really going on with our device.
http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile/archive/2006/03/16/552996.aspx
http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showthread.php?t=106009
What does everyone else think?
Everynow and then when I click on a URL in an email etc Opera does not launch. The wait cursor spins and spins to no end. I then try to start Opera myself using its icon ... same result. I close all running applications wondering if this is memory related and try Opera again ... no difference. So in short I've had it with Opera for now so I want to go PIE way.
Does anyone know how I can change the system default such that each time I click on a URL PIE opens up instead of Opera?
Thanks a lot for all your help.
Pocket Wikipedia, hand-checked selection from Wikipedia which is about the size of a fifteen volume encyclopaedia (24,000 images and 14 million words).
It includes the best of Wikipedia as well as many thousands of pages of extra material specifically selected to be of interest to children who follow the UK National Curriculum and similar curricula elsewhere in the world. The articles have been cleaned up and checked for suitability for children.
Works on PocketPC, Windows and Linux
Download from http://www.free-soft.ro
Fails on HTC Touch HD with Opera
On my HD, any menu item in Pocket Wikipedia launches the link in Opera, which is unable to process any further clicked links.
It seems PW launches the default browser, where it should really stick to embedding an IE control. Any PW links should trigger a decompression of the topic from the huge file, which doesn't happen with Opera.
Does anyone know of a workaround?
Same problem here. It starts Opera Mobile instead of IE.
I tried making Opera Mobile the NON-default browser (by unchecking the "set default browser" box in the setting menu). PW was able to launch IE but IE just got stuck with the screen helplessly blinking. No Wiki text! No messages whatsoever! Had to shut down IE manually.
Wonder if Anyone could get PW working.
There is big problems with special chars like é, à, î, etc...
I shifted to WikiPock, far better despite a little cost.. Works like a charm
New opera is out 9.7 and is a MASSIVE upgrade
features better panning/zooming: Uses hardware acceleration = iPhone smooth on the diamond and A LOT less crashing
Opera turbo for fast page loads (Page gets compressed by server by upto 80% and then gets sent to phone.. IGN.com loads about as quick as on PC )
widgets and a lot more
Another improvement being it no longer has a delay of like 4-5 seconds when you click a link before it actually shows that you clicked something
Download link:
http://www.opera.com/mobile/
currently this cab will not replace Opera 9.5 and its bookmarks won't show up in TF3D so it must be launched from start menu/programs tab
If anyone can build a working OEM ready for cooking that works with TF3D's internet tab please PM me so i can give credit and update first post - Making it easier for cookers to include in their Roms
Unzip to windows and overwrite existing files. This will replace old Opera with 9.7 on internet tab. Be warned will delete old files so back up first If you want to undo this switch.
http://rapidshare.com/files/243198314/Opera9.7_InternetTab.zip.html[/URL][/URL]
does anyone know the registry value that controls were the bookmarks go?
or if it's listen in a .ini file, it should be edited to "Windows\opera9" to make bookmarks show up in manila
can someone please reupload the Opera9.7_InternetTab.zip !?
anyone build a working OEM package that works with bookmarks for visual kitchen? so far I've been able to get an OEM to show up in the internet tab but not the bookmarks, if someone comes across it or has the OEM from the Raphael forum (the link was broken and I couldn't download) please share and post it
please someone reuploadit...
When you say "unzip and copy to windows," do you mean to unzip the CAB file, and then copy all the files to the windows directory on the phone? Please clarify, as I would love to try this guy out. Thanks!
9.7 is certainly alot quicker but still has some minor bugs.
With turbo mode the web pages are compress so much that when soomed out you cannot read the text
Diamond scrool wheel does not zoom
Does not auto rotate between potrait and landscape using gsensor
still this is a very good release
rumpleforeskin said:
Does not auto rotate between potrait and landscape using gsensor
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That is wrong, on my Diamond it rotates just fine when tilting the device, you're right about the scroll wheel though...
This is from the official site:
"Buy and Register Opera
You have a free 14 day trial period starting the first time you run Opera. To continue using Opera after the trial period, go to www.opera.com/buy to buy a registration code.
To register your copy, go to Menu > Options > Register Opera and enter your registration code."
Does this apply to the mobile version of the above release ?
mitchmangr said:
This is from the official site:
"Buy and Register Opera
You have a free 14 day trial period starting the first time you run Opera. To continue using Opera after the trial period, go to www.opera.com/buy to buy a registration code.
To register your copy, go to Menu > Options > Register Opera and enter your registration code."
Does this apply to the mobile version of the above release ?
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Click to collapse
No, that's for the "stable" version, 8.65.
There's no need of registration for the 9.7 Beta version and it isn't a trial.
i found text under turbo mode to be completely readable, images are pixelated though.
if your using the cab scroll wheel and auto-rotate probably won't work (if they do then yay!)
I finally got the scroll wheel working in opera 9.7b1! Here is what you need to do:
1. Create (or modify) the following registry keys
- Open [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\HTC\SmartTouch\OperaMo bile]
- Set String "ClassName"="OPERA-ML-MAINWNDCLASS"
- Set Dword "Mode"="4"
- Set Dword "WheelCount"="2"
2. Edit input.ini (mine is located in \Internal Storage\Programs\Opera Mobile\profile)
- Go to the [Browser Widget] group
- Change "Right = Navigate right" to "Right = Zoom in, 10"
- Change "Left = Navigate left" to "Left = Zoom out, 10"
- Change "Down = Navigate down" to "Down = Zoom in, 10"
- Change "Up = Navigate up" to "Up = Zoom out, 10"
Have fun
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does this work? got it from a thread in the diamond sub-forum
anyone else find that when you press a link on a web page it doesn't work? (mainly with turbo engaged) very anoying and the only thing stopping me using this
this browser is just amazing...i compared it with the iphone....wayyyyyy faster.....oh man it just takes 5 seconds tops for a site like ..engadget
i would LOVE Flash on this....or somehow make mach5 player work on this hehe somehow
i'd love to be able to download...whenever i click start download .......nothing happeneds....anybody else having the same problem?
Yes, download only works if you disable turbo mode. I guess it'll be functional in future versions.
Is there any way to enable the zoom on default?
Whenever I start Opera it shows the web-page in the mobile-view (which I enabled) is active but zoomed out.
Double-post. Sorry
I found out that with turbo on. there things you can't do like open a new tab,download and click on some links. think it must be the way the page downloads. This is easily sorted out by turning the turbo off and then reloading the page you were working with. I think turbo mode is just meant for loading pages bloody fast and finding what your looking for.