{"id":250512,"date":"2016-05-04T10:14:04","date_gmt":"2016-05-04T15:14:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/itblog.lcisd.net\/?p=250512"},"modified":"2016-05-04T10:14:04","modified_gmt":"2016-05-04T15:14:04","slug":"find-the-best-web-browser-for-your-devices-a-review-of-chrome-safari-and-edge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itblog.lcisd.net\/?p=250512","title":{"rendered":"Find the Best Web Browser for Your Devices: A Review of Chrome, Safari and Edge"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Double your Web productivity with the right browser and a toolbox of tips<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/video-api.wsj.com\/api-video\/player\/iframe.html?guid=0F6B463B-4188-4B45-AF08-2AD649D6CA9E\" width=\"512\" height=\"288\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Life doesn&#8217;t have to be a series of fights with your phone&#8217;s Web browser. WSJ&#8217;s Joanna Stern reveals the best hidden tricks for the iPhone&#8217;s mobile Safari and Android&#8217;s Chrome. Photo\/video: Drew Evans\/The Wall Street Journal.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/find-the-best-web-browser-for-your-devices-a-review-of-chrome-safari-and-edge-1462297625?mod=djem10point#:zsSELHLbyiJrJA\"><strong>By Joanna Stern<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\nMay 3, 2016 1:47 p.m. ET<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Life is full of big decisions: getting married, buying a home, picking your default Web browser.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m serious. Think about where you spend the majority of your time on your computer or phone. It\u2019s inside those four WWW walls.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cApps will kill the Web!\u201d <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/the-web-is-dying-apps-are-killing-it-1416169934#:zvq6ESEMACSRyQ\">prognosticators proclaimed<\/a>, as if Achilles and his Greek army were invading. Yet on our app-packed smartphones and tablets, the browser is still the first stop to look something up. Not that you can always do that quickly: From typing URLs to managing tabs, our browsing problems only get worse on the small screen. On our more spacious laptops and desktops, the browser has become the home of our apps\u2014our email, calendar, word processor, photo library and more.<\/p>\n<p>If browsers have never been more important, why are you using the wrong one? Nearly 40% of computer-based Web surfers still use Microsoft \u2019s Internet Explorer, according to NetMarketshare. You realize that browser is not only sluggish but about as secure as a camping tent, right?<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not saying there is a perfect browser\u2014except for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/forget-social-media-build-your-very-own-website-1431453384#:zvq6ESEMACSRyQ\">my dog, named Browser<\/a>, that is. But the best one for any device should nail the four S\u2019s: simplicity, stamina, speed and security. A fifth S would be syncing\u2014in a perfect world, all our gadgets would share browser settings, bookmarks and history.<br \/>\nAdvertisement<\/p>\n<p>After testing multiple browsers on many computers and smartphones, I\u2019ve determined which ones you should be using\u2014and found shortcuts to use with them.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>\n<strong> Windows Computers: Chrome or Edge<\/strong><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" title=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG247_STERN_P_20160503110532.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-intent=\"\" data-in-base-src=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG247_STERN_P_20160503110532.jpg\" data-in-at4units-src=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG247_STERN_P_20160503110532.jpg\" data-enlarge=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG247_STERN_M_20160503110532.jpg\" \/><\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019re using Internet Explorer on a Windows 7 or Windows 8 computer, please stop reading and go download Google\u2019s Chrome. Once you see how much faster and cleaner it is, you\u2019ll want to celebrate with cocktails. Don\u2019t worry about leaving bookmarks behind, they\u2019re coming too. (<a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/chrome\/answer\/95418?hl=en\">Just follow these transfer instructions<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>Not even Microsoft wants you to use outdated Internet Explorer anymore. It\u2019s why Windows 10 comes with Edge, a brand new browser with an intuitive, modern interface. Goodbye ugly buttons and cluttered toolbars! It\u2019s also why choosing a browser on Windows 10 is tough.<\/p>\n<p>In industry benchmarks and my own speed tests, Edge and Chrome were neck and neck for first place. Firefox and Opera\u2014two clunky yet long-surviving third-party browsers\u2014trailed. Internet Explorer barely placed.<\/p>\n<p>Yet unlike Chrome, Edge doesn\u2019t hog so much of a computer\u2019s power. On a Web-browsing battery test, the Dell XPS 13 lasted an hour longer with Edge than with Chrome. When streaming Netflix, it lasted two full hours longer. And security experts say Edge is as secure as Chrome.<\/p>\n<p>So finally, Windows 10 PC buyers don\u2019t need to download a new browser? Not exactly. Edge is still too rough around the&#8230;edges. Since it\u2019s new, Web developers haven\u2019t really focused on it, so Web apps can be slow or erratic. Plus, it doesn\u2019t support feature-adding extensions. In Chrome, I use a calendar, to-do list and tab manager. Microsoft is adding extensions in the next version.<\/p>\n<p>I suggest you use Chrome on Windows 10. The exception: Edge will eke out better performance on underpowered Windows 10 laptops and tablets.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Mac Computers: Safari or Chrome<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG246_STERN_P_20160503100518.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-intent=\"\" data-in-base-src=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG246_STERN_P_20160503100518.jpg\" data-in-at4units-src=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG246_STERN_P_20160503100518.jpg\" data-enlarge=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG246_STERN_M_20160503100518.jpg\" \/><br \/>\nGoogle\u2019s Chrome has long been my default browser on Apple laptops, but my tests all proved this was a poor life decision. Apple\u2019s Safari consistently scored 10% to 15% higher on speed tests. On systems with the weakest processors, like the new MacBook, Chrome occasionally rendered the system unusably slow.<\/p>\n<p>Yet again, the less-taxing browser led to noticeably better battery life. On a Web surfing test with the MacBook and a 13-inch MacBook Pro, Safari provided one more hour of battery life than Chrome. In a Netflix streaming test, the results were even more drastic: When streaming \u201cDaredevil\u201d on the MacBook Pro, Safari beat Chrome by two hours.<\/p>\n<p>Chrome may be the top browser on the market, but its power hunger can make you want to avoid it entirely. Chrome product management director Rahul Roy-Chowdhury says Mac and Windows performance has become a big area of focus. Before every Chrome update, thousands of tests are run on many different Mac and Windows devices, he says.<\/p>\n<p>On more powerful desktops or laptops, I\u2019d still likely opt for Chrome. In the latest Mac OS X release, El Capitan, Safari has borrowed most of Chrome\u2019s best features\u2014including pinned tabs\u2014yet Chrome still has a larger variety of extensions. Chrome is also easier to use when you\u2019ve got dozens of tabs fighting for your attention, thanks to those tiny website icons appearing on each tab.<\/p>\n<p>Some may be wary of using Chrome because of Google\u2019s use of private data to improve its search experiences. But keep in mind that if you use Google\u2019s search or other services in any browser, you\u2019ll likely log in and be tracked anyway. Google provides full details on what Chrome does and doesn\u2019t collect here. Most browsers, including Chrome, do have no-tracking privacy modes.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>iPhone and iPad: Safari<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG245_STERN_P_20160503101342.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-intent=\"\" data-in-base-src=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG245_STERN_P_20160503101342.jpg\" data-in-at4units-src=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG245_STERN_P_20160503101342.jpg\" data-enlarge=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG245_STERN_M_20160503101342.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There are loads of things I love about third-party browsers for the iPhone or iPad. I love how Dolphin lets you swipe to see your open tabs. I love Opera Mini\u2019s data-saving features. I love the simple layout on Chrome and Firefox.<\/p>\n<p>But Apple doesn\u2019t let you change your default browser, so none of that matters. Whenever you click a link in your email or text messages, Safari and only Safari will launch. Apple says it helps maintain an integrated experience. (<a href=\"http:\/\/arstechnica.com\/apple\/2016\/01\/new-chrome-for-ios-is-finally-as-fast-and-stable-as-safari\/\">Also, third-party iOS browsers including Chrome have to use Safari\u2019s browsing engine, so there aren\u2019t performance advantages to using them<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>So yes, Safari is the best browser to use on the iPhone and iPad. If you also use Safari on your Mac, you can easily sync your tabs, bookmarks and other settings across devices. Hit the tab button and scroll down to see them listed.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3>Android Smartphones, Tablets: Chrome<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" title=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG242_STERN_P_20160502190722.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-intent=\"\" data-in-base-src=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG242_STERN_P_20160502190722.jpg\" data-in-at4units-src=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG242_STERN_P_20160502190722.jpg\" data-enlarge=\"https:\/\/si.wsj.net\/public\/resources\/images\/PJ-CG242_STERN_M_20160502190722.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p>On Android, since Google supports changing your default browser, your choices are vast. In addition to Chrome and Opera, there\u2019s Firefox, Dolphin and Puffin\u2014not zoo animals, actual browser options.<\/p>\n<p>In speed tests, Firefox, Puffin and Opera often beat Chrome, yet I didn\u2019t find those speed improvements to outweigh Chrome\u2019s superior interface and Android integration: For easy access, your tabs can even appear alongside open apps in the app switcher.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, if you\u2019re also using Chrome on your laptop or desktop, it seamlessly syncs your open sites, settings and passwords with your phone or tablet. (On <a href=\"http:\/\/quotes.wsj.com\/SSNHZ\">Samsung<\/a> phones, make sure you\u2019re using Chrome and not Samsung\u2019s own browser.)<\/p>\n<p>Chrome has a data-saver feature, like the others, which compresses and optimizes parts of a site while you\u2019re on a cellular connection. Chrome, however, doesn\u2019t support ad or content blockers on mobile. If that\u2019s important to you, try Firefox, my second pick for Android users.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/find-the-best-web-browser-for-your-devices-a-review-of-chrome-safari-and-edge-1462297625?mod=djem10point#livefyre-comment#:zvq6ESEMACSRyQ\">Comments<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Double your Web productivity with the right browser and a toolbox of tips Life doesn&#8217;t have to be a series of fights with your phone&#8217;s Web browser. WSJ&#8217;s Joanna Stern reveals the best hidden tricks for the iPhone&#8217;s mobile Safari<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,33,20,8,26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-250512","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-apple","category-browsers","category-cloud","category-education","category-networking"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/itblog.lcisd.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250512","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/itblog.lcisd.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/itblog.lcisd.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itblog.lcisd.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itblog.lcisd.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=250512"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/itblog.lcisd.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250512\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":250550,"href":"https:\/\/itblog.lcisd.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/250512\/revisions\/250550"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/itblog.lcisd.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=250512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itblog.lcisd.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=250512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itblog.lcisd.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=250512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}