Long time iPhone user with Android web browsing problems

[VelfarreClubber]

I had every iPhone except for the 3Gs but am now considering switching to android for the screen size. My only gripe about android is web browsing.

In the iPhone double tapping in a text area perfectly aligns to the sides of the screen however, in my experience with android phones it does not as it overlaps to the left and right side of the screen. I would have to pinch to zoom to align it correctly but it's still not pleasant as the iPhone.

Am i doing something wrong? Is it the browser and/or a setting? Can you guys who switched from iPhone to android chime in?

Also keep in mind I posted in this forum since I want the GS3 but just need to overcome the web browsing problem i have.

The phones I tried out:
HTC Vivid, HTC One X, and Galaxy S3

Thanks in advance!

 

[Splange]

On the Galaxy S3 default browser there's a setting to auto-resize text on zoom. Open browser > menu > settings > advanced > auto-fit pages (under the banner marked page content).

Can't speak for anything else. But I hear the HTC One X does it as well, probably a lot simpler than the GS3.

 

[Suntan]

Most android browsers support "text reflow" which will zoom in, then reformat the paragraphs so that they span the width of the screen without going over.

-Suntan

 

[VelfarreClubber]

Gonna have to try this out next time I'm around the att store.

Is there a dim brightness issue for the GS3??

 

[jneusch]

I just came from a 4s and there are some differences to get used to, but the extra screen real estate and flexibility have me hooked. I don't have a problem on the web sites at all. My only complaint is the lack of efficient resizing in email. I am currently using the Gmail app. I have tried the stock email app and K9 mail, but I don't really like any of them. iOS Mail works much more intuitively and displays much better.

 

[Splange]

Gonna have to try this out next time I'm around the att store.

Is there a dim brightness issue for the GS3??

I've read some complaints that the out of the box brightness is too dim on thw s3, but this can be solved by sliding it up in settings. Also, note that the browser has separate brightness settings than the phone display. People who don't know this can get frustrated trying to change it. To change the browser brightness you open the browser, hit the menu button and select brightness and colours.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Android Central Forums

 

[snookiesnoo]

As an iPhone 4s and S 3 user I prefer Chrome on Android but not on iOS. First Android browser approaching what Safari has been for some time.
I do not find screen size to make much of a difference because of the sharpness of the retina display on the 4s. Samsung could have done better with the screen. They could at least have made it as a good as a One X.

 

[evang07]

Yeah, I agree. It's one of the reasons I chose an EVO LTE over the SG3. The screens on the HTC X and EVO are beautiful.

Sent from my EVO using Android Central Forums

 

[ansextra]

The beauty of Android is that if you don't like one browser you can just try another one. For that matter, you can replace virtually any program on the phone with one you like better.

 

[funkylogik]

double tap works fine for me on chrome and firefox beta

 

[funkylogik]

The beauty of Android is that if you don't like one browser you can just try another one. For that matter, you can replace virtually any program on the phone with one you like better.

yup.. no more ugly iphone home screen, choice of great free keyboards, txt apps, browsers, dialers etc etc

 

[JayL]

browser double tap to fit, I use chrome

the samsing email app wraps to fit better than gmail, imo

 

[f1nzup]

Opera Mobile was the answer for me. Double tap and it zooms and resizes to fit on the screen. Of the three browsers I tried (Dolphin, Chrome and OM), Opera Mobile was the only one that did this.

 

[Dunbar42]

browser double tap to fit, I use chrome

Me too, Chrome handles double tap to zoom much better the stock browser. Overall the browsing experience on the S3 is far superior to the tiny iPhone screen.

 

[funkylogik]

i might go back to opera. i always used opera mini in the past because its lightening fast but the s3 is so fast at browsing that its not really necisary. i like the opera UI and opera link so think ill leave firefox for now and use opera mobile

 

[VelfarreClubber]

This is good news I'm pretty excited!

Now for reading text (web, email) is the GS3 just as crisp as the retina iPhone? Does is bother anyone coming from the iPhone 4/4s?

In my short test at the store it seemed somewhat close but I can't say for long term use..

Should I get a One X for the display over the GS3?

What are your thoughts?

 

[funkylogik]

This is good news I'm pretty excited!

Now for reading text (web, email) is the GS3 just as crisp as the retina iPhone? Does is bother anyone coming from the iPhone 4/4s?

In my short test at the store it seemed somewhat close but I can't say for long term use..

Should I get a One X for the display over the GS3?

What are your thoughts?

the iphone has a higher resolution/density display but the s3 screen is so punchy, you wouldnt really notice unless youre looking for faults. the iphone 5 on the other hand.... im not an apple fan but id guess the (small) screen will be beautiful.... and only go for the HTC if you try one next to the s3 and really think the screen is worth getting the phone for. i think the s3 is a far better investment

 

[weknsmith]

I would agree with others that Chrome does an excellent job with double tap zoom in and out.

I'd personally vote for the SGS III over any of the currently available smartphones. The One X series is close, but I wish they would have opted for 2GB of RAM and removable battery.

Sent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III via Android Central Forums

 

[Splange]

I would agree with others that Chrome does an excellent job with double tap zoom in and out.

I'd personally vote for the SGS III over any of the currently available smartphones. The One X series is close, but I wish they would have opted for 2GB of RAM and removable battery.

Sent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III via Android Central Forums

And expandable memory. I don't know what HTC was thinking, so many easily avoided mistakes holding back an otherwise great phone.

I also agree that the GS3 is a better investment than the one x, but the one x is still a pretty good phone and has been reduced in price recently. But you should definitely try it out before buying. I've heard too much about faulty reception and multitasking issues on it. I also think that the S3's popularity bodes well for its support in the future.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Android Central Forums