Opera browser for slow 3G internet

[ClydesdaleKevin]

 Okay, so we have been having horrible internet connection speeds here in Oklahoma, and in other places.  We use Verizon, and connect through our Galaxy Tablet, using it as a wifi hotspot for our laptops with 3G.  Even at its best, the internet was stalling and timing out...maddening!


We tried a few different browsers first.  The worst being Internet Explorer.  Chrome wasn't much better.  Firefox was a little better, but if the connection signal is low, like it is in Muskogee, OK (no Verizon towers in range, and it says we a Globally Roaming), it was horrid...pages would stop loading and just stall right out, and you had to disconnect and reconnect and refresh the page constantly.

Then I read up on the problem and Opera was suggested as a browser for slow 3G connections.  It is specifically designed for slow connections, unlike all the other browsers, and even has a Turbo feature that when enabled compresses all the data on the Opera servers before sending it...and it works!  Unbelievably well!


Pages load way faster, the connection doesn't time out, no more stalling, SWEET!  And apparently it reduces your used data significantly, which is great when you are on a 5 gig cap like us.


The only downside I can see is that it doesn't automatically port over your saved bookmarks, but for the benefits it provides its worth having to do it manually.


I give Opera a big 5 thumbs up!   


Kev

[Oz]

Opera has been around for some time now and, it's a popular alternative to Internet Exploder, FireFart, and Chrome.

Good tip!

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Yep, but I never bothered with it, thinking that Firefox was good enough.  Turns out Opera is ideal for fulltime RVers that use a 3G wireless card for their laptops, or a hotspot like we do.  That Turbo feature really works great! 

Video doesn't load worth a crap, but it wouldn't load on the other browsers at all in Muskogee.  It'll load a video, but buffers and buffers and buffers and buffers....but that's the nature of 3G, and we don't often watch video anyways, so its all good.

Just a sidenote from researching this all out, apparently it doesn't do diddly for 4g connections, which are inherently problematic at the servers and Opera won't help with that.

Kev

[Stripe]

Opera, first browser I got when I got my first real smartphone (DroidX).
Now I have 4G with Razr Max.  Love it, hated losing my grandfathered unlimited data. In fact using phone right now to post this. 
God I miss the built in FM radio and dedicated camera button on the X..