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Top Internet Browsers
Internet Browsers make the www go round. On the job and off the clock, we all need browsers to surf the web and visit important (or completely unimportant and time-wasting) websites online.
Many people stick to their preferred browser and swear by it, while others use an assortment of browsers for various reasons. For instance, web developers need multiple browsers for testing websites, SEO professionals might keep one browser specifically for SEO purposes with several toolbars and extensions installed, gamers who need speed and performance with no bells or whistles, might keep a scaled-down browser with no add-ons and extensions, and so on.
For this piece I checked Google Analytics to find the top 10 browsers people are using to visit Chatter Buzz Media.com. The 5 main (desktop) browsers our visitors are using to visit Chatter Buzz Media are Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera. Android’s browser and variants of each one round out the top 10.
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Chrome Pros
- Fast – won 5 of 7 speed tests
performed by Lifehacker
- Vast collection of extensions that install without restarting
- Saves bookmarks and passwords for use on other devices
- Potential con if you don’t log out, be careful!
- Translates foreign languages quickly
- Most popular browser –
51.7%
of the market according to W3Schools.com
Chrome Cons
- Memory Hog – limit the number open browser tabs
- Clicking downloadable files will download them automatically by default.
Follow
this tutorial
to change that setting. - Privacy – Sends personal info to Google by default.
Change your privacy here
Right Click Links to Download Google Chrome
googlechrome.dmg
ChromeSetup
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Safari Pros
- Customizable through extensions, including Facebook Photo Zoom
- “Reading list” for quick bookmarking
- Impressive layout for new tabs, includes 12 customizable panels with bookmarks to your most visited sites, and a visual history timeline
Safari Cons
- Crashes and freezes frequently without maintenance, be prepared to clear cache and history frequentlyMay refresh all browser tabs, erasing unsaved data, and causing users to log back in to websites. Fix that with these steps
- Font size changes, inconsistent across websites
Click Links to Download Safari
Safari6.0.2Mountain.pkg
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Firefox Pros
- Largest collection of add-ons, including Firebug, a powerful and easy to use web development tool.
- Fast browsing with multiple tabs open
- Better with Flash than Chrome
Firefox Cons
- Slower start-up time
- Must restart Firefox after installing add-ons
- Known to have compatibility issues with some websites, web developers should test websites with other browsers first
Right Click to Download Firefox
Firefox Setup 20.0.1
Firefox 20.0.1.dmg
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Internet Explorer Pros
- New download manager in IE 9
- It gives people the ability to browse the web and install other browsers
Internet Explorer Cons
- Made for PCs but PC users prefer other browsers, should be the perfect choice
- Too many versions for different versions of Windows, one size does not fit all
- Not at the forefront of innovation; their latest features are usually borrowed from previous versions of other browsers.
Right Click to Download Internet Explorer
InternetExplorer523_For Mac.dmg
Click Link & Select Windows Version
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Opera Pros
- Speed Dial – The original new-tab window
- Tabs have expandable previews with thumbnails
- Opera “Turbo” compresses web pages for peak performance. Users with slower Internet connections see faster load times.
- Customizable – extensions, keyboard shortcuts, turbo on/off
Opera Cons
- Laggy – falls behind after 3 – 5 quick commands
- Rather basic, needs customization to work as a performance/work browser
Click Links to Download Opera
Opera_1215_int_Setup
Opera_12.15_Setup_Intel.dmg
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5 Internet Browser Tips
- Read details about updates before updating, you may not need the update and it could affect performance of certain applications
- Always use extensions and add-ons to enhance performance
- Don’t stick with one, use a combination of browsers for work, home, and performance
- Export bookmarks into CVS files for use in other browsers
- Learn keyboard shortcuts, they save time and improve workflow
Victoria Wallace
Victoria is a writer, editor and the Content Manager. She loves blogging and just contributing amazing content online that can help people. She believes it can all happen one post at a time.
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