PhoneTalk

Each Android phone has a stock browser pre-loaded that is used for surfing the web on a smartphone. This review is of the version available on the DROID 3 by Motorola.

Speed: The stock browser loaded the mobile CNN site in about 8 seconds and the full site in 36 seconds. Performance was slightly slower than the other browsers reviewed, but it still functioned at an acceptable pace for mobile browsing.

Page Display: One of the big issues with this mobile browser is that scrolling quickly around a page leaves a "gray checkerboard" pattern on parts of the screen while the browser renders the content in that portion. However, it does do a good job of wrapping text properly when zooming-in so there's no need to scroll from side-to-side to read a complete paragraph.

Navigation: The browser moves from page-to-page well enough, though the lack of tabbed browsing slows down the experience since you have to open the menu and then another menu to see which windows are open. Most navigation features are found in the menu, requiring that one extra button press.

Extra Features: This is where the stock browser falls short. It has the ability to bookmark pages and can perform typical browser actions, but beyond that the browser is limited. It lacks user agent switching, add-ons, and themes. The stock browser is light on features and settings, which is why an alternative can be a refreshing change.

Overall: The stock browser works well enough for those who do occasional web searches on a phone or read a few news articles. However, if you want a more full-featured, desktop-like experience, look at an alternative mobile browser.

Click here to see the Mobile Browser Battle Royale.

- Solid functionality across the board - Easy to use, requires no setup - Syncs well with Google info	- Not a ton of customizability - Lacks advanced features	- Slower than most browsers - No quick window/tab management

Topics: Motorola Smart phones Android Google Apps