10 ms·

Eh, it's overblown. I use Android, and I don't see ads. I tried moving to iOS for the bleeding-edge app permissions and privacy protections. But because they f

Eh, it's overblown. I use Android, and I don't see ads. I tried moving to iOS for the bleeding-edge app permissions and privacy protections. But because they forbid any browser besides Safari/WebKit, the iOS version of Firefox cannot run ordinary extensions. I tried, but I could not find a content blocker that was nearly as effective as uBlock+noScript. So I'm back on Android, where I can browse the web in peace.

bigyikes 4y ago
Check out Orion[1]. They claim to run web extensions on iOS. Apparently they ported many extension APIs to work with WebKit, which sounds pretty impressive. I can’t vouch for their iOS browser (yet) but I’ve been using their Mac browser and it’s been pleasant. [1]: https://browser.kagi.com/ https://browser.kagi.com/
- dotproto 4y ago
  But … Safari runs WebExtensions on iOS? https://developer.apple.com/documentation/safariservices/safari_web_extensions https://developer.apple.com/documentation/safariservices/saf...
  - rafram 4y ago
    A really bad implementation of the WebExtension API (many missing features compared to other browsers and next to no relevant documentation) that also requires wrapping each extension with an iOS app and distributing it on the App Store.
- cmroanirgo 4y ago
  From their FAQ (https://browser.kagi.com/faq.html#oss https://browser.kagi.com/faq.html#oss) > Is Orion open-source? > We’re working on it! We’ve begun with some of our components and intend to open more in the future. Forking WebKit, porting hundreds of APIs and writing a browser app from scratch has been challenging for our small team. Properly maintaining an open-source project takes time and resources we’re short on at the moment, so if you want to contribute at this time, please consider becoming a beta tester.
- ilrwbwrkhv 4y ago
  It's nice but has one major flaw of all webkit browsers. If you speed up a video, the audio will crap out and become tinny. Especially hard to hear speech. Only Firefox, Chrome get it right. It's a shame Safari / Orion still have such a fundamental flaw.
llbeansandrice 4y ago
reader mode works brilliantly
binkHN 4y ago
> I tried moving to iOS for the bleeding-edge app permissions and privacy protections. As I'm sure you know, Android 13 does more here...
- wfme 4y ago
  Not sure comparing a yet to be released OS is a solid selling point here.
  - binkHN 4y ago
    It’s in beta, will be formally released very soon and there is more than enough detail out there that goes over the updated permissions and related.
    - bigiain 4y ago
      I'm looking forward to trying it out, but realistically it's gonna be running on low single digit percentage of all Android phones for at least 2 years. iOS 16 will be on 90+% of iOS devices by October... I'm probably going have to buy a newer Android phone to be able to install Android13, I doubt the Lineage crowd are going to bother building a version to run on even my newest Android phone - at least not anytime soon.
      - mfcl 4y ago
        I am not sure I understand who you are blaming for this. Google will update its Pixel devices just like Apple updates its iPhones. If Samsung and other phone makers don't push Android 13 on their current phones, then that's not Google's problem. > I'm looking forward to trying it out, but realistically it's gonna be running on low single digit percentage of all Android phones for at least 2 years. What difference does it make to you?
        solardev 4y ago
        It was Google's choice to go with that model and allow Android to fragment like that.
denkmoon 4y ago
I use an nvidia shield TV for many many years. It was perfect, after having tried raspberry pis and cuboxes and all manner of shit low perf SBCs as a HTPC. Mid 2021, Google forcefully replaced the launcher/home screen for all android TV devices, such that the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the screen is taken up by an ad. You can't disable it, you can't remove it, there is _nothing_ you can do about it. Every time you use this home theatre device, the first thing you're presented with is an ad. I paid for that device and the software on it. I paid for youtube premium to avoid ads. I paid for google drive space to store my data. It's not like I was getting a free lunch. I've got an Apple TV now, and an iPhone as well - replaced my OnePlus. I use chrome for work unfortunately, yesterday I was _delighted_ to see that Google had very helpfully placed an add for their new wireless earphones on my new tab page. Very cool.
- 1-6 4y ago
  At least the ad for the Pixel buds was a little piece of text. But I agree, it’s nice not to have ads on every single thing.
- AdamJacobMuller 4y ago
  I replaced the launcher with SCL3. My entire home screen is 3 buttons now: Plex, Spotify and STube/Youtube with 0 chrome/fancy/ads/etc. I love it.
- easrng 4y ago
  I'm pretty sure the NTP ads only show up if you use Google as your search engine.
qwertyuiop_ 4y ago
Use iOS Brave it’s a winner

bigyikes 4y ago

Check out Orion[1]. They claim to run web extensions on iOS. Apparently they ported many extension APIs to work with WebKit, which sounds pretty impressive. I can’t vouch for their iOS browser (yet) but I’ve been using their Mac browser and it’s been pleasant. [1]: https://browser.kagi.com/ https://browser.kagi.com/

dotproto 4y ago
But … Safari runs WebExtensions on iOS? https://developer.apple.com/documentation/safariservices/safari_web_extensions https://developer.apple.com/documentation/safariservices/saf...
- rafram 4y ago
  A really bad implementation of the WebExtension API (many missing features compared to other browsers and next to no relevant documentation) that also requires wrapping each extension with an iOS app and distributing it on the App Store.
cmroanirgo 4y ago
From their FAQ (https://browser.kagi.com/faq.html#oss https://browser.kagi.com/faq.html#oss) > Is Orion open-source? > We’re working on it! We’ve begun with some of our components and intend to open more in the future. Forking WebKit, porting hundreds of APIs and writing a browser app from scratch has been challenging for our small team. Properly maintaining an open-source project takes time and resources we’re short on at the moment, so if you want to contribute at this time, please consider becoming a beta tester.
ilrwbwrkhv 4y ago
It's nice but has one major flaw of all webkit browsers. If you speed up a video, the audio will crap out and become tinny. Especially hard to hear speech. Only Firefox, Chrome get it right. It's a shame Safari / Orion still have such a fundamental flaw.

llbeansandrice 4y ago

reader mode works brilliantly

binkHN 4y ago

> I tried moving to iOS for the bleeding-edge app permissions and privacy protections. As I'm sure you know, Android 13 does more here...

wfme 4y ago
Not sure comparing a yet to be released OS is a solid selling point here.
- binkHN 4y ago
  It’s in beta, will be formally released very soon and there is more than enough detail out there that goes over the updated permissions and related.
  - bigiain 4y ago
    I'm looking forward to trying it out, but realistically it's gonna be running on low single digit percentage of all Android phones for at least 2 years. iOS 16 will be on 90+% of iOS devices by October... I'm probably going have to buy a newer Android phone to be able to install Android13, I doubt the Lineage crowd are going to bother building a version to run on even my newest Android phone - at least not anytime soon.
    - mfcl 4y ago
      I am not sure I understand who you are blaming for this. Google will update its Pixel devices just like Apple updates its iPhones. If Samsung and other phone makers don't push Android 13 on their current phones, then that's not Google's problem. > I'm looking forward to trying it out, but realistically it's gonna be running on low single digit percentage of all Android phones for at least 2 years. What difference does it make to you?
      - solardev 4y ago
        It was Google's choice to go with that model and allow Android to fragment like that.

denkmoon 4y ago

I use an nvidia shield TV for many many years. It was perfect, after having tried raspberry pis and cuboxes and all manner of shit low perf SBCs as a HTPC. Mid 2021, Google forcefully replaced the launcher/home screen for all android TV devices, such that the first 1/3 to 1/2 of the screen is taken up by an ad. You can't disable it, you can't remove it, there is _nothing_ you can do about it. Every time you use this home theatre device, the first thing you're presented with is an ad. I paid for that device and the software on it. I paid for youtube premium to avoid ads. I paid for google drive space to store my data. It's not like I was getting a free lunch. I've got an Apple TV now, and an iPhone as well - replaced my OnePlus. I use chrome for work unfortunately, yesterday I was _delighted_ to see that Google had very helpfully placed an add for their new wireless earphones on my new tab page. Very cool.

1-6 4y ago
At least the ad for the Pixel buds was a little piece of text. But I agree, it’s nice not to have ads on every single thing.
AdamJacobMuller 4y ago
I replaced the launcher with SCL3. My entire home screen is 3 buttons now: Plex, Spotify and STube/Youtube with 0 chrome/fancy/ads/etc. I love it.
easrng 4y ago
I'm pretty sure the NTP ads only show up if you use Google as your search engine.

qwertyuiop_ 4y ago

Use iOS Brave it’s a winner