10 Best Ways to Improve Your Phone Web Experience
Searching the web is one of the main reasons most of us pay for a data plan, but let’s face it: surfing the web on a tiny screen with a tiny keyboard can sometimes suck. Here are ten ways to make it even slightly better.
10. Use the best mobile browser.
Web browsers are very similar for the most part, but small features like syncing with your desktop browser can nudge you into a favorite. We prefer Chrome for both iOS and Android , although there are many other great mobile browsers out there . If you ever need access to Flash content, try the Puffin web browser (Android and iOS).
9. Use an ad blocker.
Ad blockers can speed up browsing and extend battery life. Here are the ones that work best on iOS, and for Android, consider Adblock Plus for Android , a standalone web browser that blocks ads.
8. Turn on traffic saving mode.
Chrome has a data saver option that shrinks pages, and on Android it blocks images from loading on slow connections. This means you can browse the pages faster and they won’t consume too much of your data. On Android, go to Settings and then tap Advanced to enable traffic saver. On iPhone, go to Settings, then Bandwidth to find the setting.
7. Use text expansion and alternative keyboard.
Alternative keyboards (here are our favorites for Android and iOS ) will help you peck less on the tiny screen. For words that you often have to enter into online forms, such as your email address or your company name, consider creating your own shortcuts to expand the text. Here’s how to do it for the standard Android keyboard and how to do it on iOS . There are also several text enhancement apps for iOS and Android if you want to expand the text on your phone even more.
6. Explore shortcuts and gestures for your phone.
Just like on the desktop, keyboard shortcuts in a mobile browser save time. For example, you can switch between open tabs by swiping horizontally across the omnibar, or refresh the page by swiping down from the top of a web page. Here are our 10 best keyboard shortcuts and gestures for iOS and seven keyboard shortcuts for Android . (Not all of them are browser related, but they are worth considering.)
5. Viewing without a tariff plan
If you ever find yourself in an area where there is no good data transfer, download Smozzy (for Android). The free app allows you to surf the web without a data plan using your cellular carrier’s messaging plan. It works with T-Mobile and has some preliminary support for AT&T and Sprint, with unverified support for other wireless companies.
4. Sharing web pages between your desktop computer and your phone
Want to send the information you just found to your desktop or from your desktop to your phone? Sure, you can email yourself, but there are better ways to sync and share files and more between your devices. Here’s how to overcome the barrier between your Android or iPhone and your computer.
3. Use a VPN.
Using a VPN is just as important on a mobile phone as it is on your laptop or desktop. We recommend TunnelBear Mobile , an elegant and simple solution for Android and iOS.
2. At night, comfortably read your phone without disturbing your sleep
Your phone’s bright screen distracts others when you are in a dark room (such as a movie theater or dormitory). It can also disrupt your sleep and reduce your productivity the next day . You can fix this simply by dimming your screen or using an app such as Sunset for Android or Flux for iOS.
1. Read the site without clutter
While most sites these days have mobile-optimized pages, they can still be cluttered with distractions. Put your browser in easy-to-read mode to remove menus and ads. You can do this using a bookmarklet, or turn on the hidden Reader mode in Chrome for Android.
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