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December 7, 2018

Microsoft confirms that Edge will switch to Chromium

Microsoft confirmed today that the company's Microsoft Edge web browser will "move to a Chromium-compatible web platform" on the desktop.
Rumors emerged last week that Microsoft was done with developing and maintaining its own rendering engine and that the company would either move Edge to a Chromium-based core or create a new browser based on that.
Today's article on the Windows Experience blog confirms the rumor. Microsoft Edge won't die but it will be moved from its own platform to Chromium to become a Chromium-based browser.
Google Chrome is the dominating Chromium-based browser but there are others such as Vivaldi or Opera.
microsoft edge
Interesting from the perspective of a Windows user is that the new Edge won't be Windows 10 exclusive anymore. Microsoft plans to release Microsoft Edge, the new version that is based on Chromium, for all supported versions of Windows. There is also a possibility that Microsoft Edge will be launched for Mac OS X or other platforms in the future.
Edge will be updated more frequently; that means, likely, that Microsoft won't include Microsoft Edge updates with updates for the Windows operating system anymore.
Microsoft Edge will evolve according to Microsoft.
[..] we will evolve the browser code more broadly, so that our distribution model offers an updated Microsoft Edge experience + platform across all supported versions of Windows, while still maintaining the benefits of the browser’s close integration with Windows.
Microsoft plans to contribute to the Chromium project to improve the platform further. Edge users will benefit from improved compatibility when using the web browser.
Microsoft invites developers to join Microsoft Edge Insider to test preview builds of the new Edge when they become available.
Just visit the Microsoft Edge Insider website and sign up there to receive information about upcoming builds. Microsoft expects to have a first preview build ready in early 2019; this suggests that Microsoft started work on migrating Edge to the new code-base for some time already.

Closing Words

I never understood why Edge was not available for other supported Windows versions; it felt like a huge oversight on Microsoft's part. The moving to a Chromium-base changes that and that is a good thing. Whether the move will convince many Windows 7 and 8.1 users to switch to Edge remains to be seen; my initial guess is that some will try Edge when it first comes out but won't probably switch to it unless it offers something spectacular that other Chromium-based browsers don't offer.
Lots of questions remain unanswered: will there be feature changes? what about Edge's interface and design?
Microsoft has some things to sort out as well. Universal Windows Platform uses EdgeHTML and the team needs to find a way to move all of that to Chromium as well.

Source: https://www.ghacks.net/2018/12/06/microsoft-confirms-that-edge-will-use-chromium/

November 18, 2018

How to restore the old Google Chrome design

Google started to roll out Google Chrome 69 Stable to all supported systems yesterday. The new version of the web browser arrived in time for the browser's 10 year anniversary.
While Google's release notes are usually short and not very descriptive when it comes to new features or changes, it is different this time around thanks to the anniversary.
The company published an article on the official Chrome blog, Chrome's turning 10, here's what's new, in which it highlighted some of the changes in the new version.
Chrome 69 is one of the few releases of the browser that makes modifications to the user interface.
First up, Chrome has a new look. You can see it across all platforms—desktop, Android, and iOS—where you’ll notice more rounded shapes, new icons and a new color palette.
Tabs changed on the desktop to highlight website icons more.
We changed the shape of our tabs so that the website icons are easier to see, which makes it easier to navigate across lots of tabs.
Chrome users who upgrade to Chrome 69 will notice the interface changes right away. The edges of tabs are rounded in Chrome 69, the profile icon was moved from the title bar to the main toolbar, and the height of the titlebar has been reduced even further in the new version.



Chrome 69: the new design

chrome 69 default layout new



The screenshot that you see above depicts the new default design of the Google Chrome web browser on desktop operating systems. The screenshot was captured on a Windows 10 machine and the layout and design may look slightly different on other operating systems.
The screenshot below depicts the old design of the user interface.



chrome 69 old layout




It is possible, currently, to restore the old user interface in Chrome. The option to do so is powered by an experimental flag; these flags may be changed or removed at any time and it is unclear for how long Chrome users will have the option to restore the old UI layout.
Here is what you need to do:
  1. Load chrome://flags/#top-chrome-md in the browser's address bar.  The flag is still available if the experiment UI Layout for the browser's top chrome is returned as the first result on the page that is loaded.
  2. Activate the menu next to the flag and set it to Normal.
  3. Restart the Chrome browser.


Note
: You can experiment with other UI layout options, e.g. touchable or hybrid to pick the one that works best for you. Just remember that these options may be removed by Google at any time.
  • Normal - for clamshell devices
  • Hybrid (previously touch) middle point for devices with a touch screen
  • Auto, unclear, likely automatic selection.
  • Touchable - new unified interface for touch and convertibles (Chrome OS)
  • Material Design refresh
  • Touchable Material Design refresh.


Source: https://www.ghacks.net/2018/09/05/how-to-restore-the-old-google-chrome-design/

November 12, 2018

The Best Job Search Engines


Finding a new job is a challenge—the right company, the right position, the right pay. These job search engines will make the process of finding your next job easier and faster.

Monster.com

monster-job-search-site-header
Monster.com was one of the first job search engines on the internet. While it may not be the undisputed champion of job search today, it still is relevant and popular with job seekers and employers. You can search for a job you like using the job title or relevant keywords, or use the extensive filters to shortlist available jobs.
Apart from just job listing, Monster.com also has a few add-on services that will help your profile get noticed by potential employers. These services include professional resume writing, resume highlighter, and a job-search expediter. Monster.com is free for job seekers, and employers pay a nominal fee to have access to a large pool of potential employees.

LinkedIn

linkedin-job-search-site-header
LinkedIn is a unique job search engine as it combines the power of professional social networking with job searching. While LinkedIn has a dedicated job portal on its website, it’s estimated that most of the jobs found on LinkedIn are through networking. Even LinkedIn’s research concluded that close to 67% of jobs are found through personal recommendations. Considering that, LinkedIn is a great place not only to find jobs but also to connect with people in the industry in which you work.

Glassdoor

glassdoor-job-search-sites-header
Glassdoor is another popular job search engine with a different approach to job hunting. When you search for a job on Glassdoor.com, you’ll get all the basic information about each job that interests you. You can manage your job-hunting better with useful features like searching, filtering, tracking, and so on.
What sets Glassdoor.com apart is that also hosts a plethora of user-generated information about companies. This information includes company reviews, interview questions, salary reports, and more. This information can give you the edge when you’re looking for the perfect organization.

SimplyHired

simplyhired-job-search-sites-header
Simplyhired is a popular job aggregator with millions of jobs listed on the website. You start by entering a few keywords about the job you’re looking for and hitting search. You can then select your desired jobs from the jobs that appear and apply for them. Since SimplyHired is a job aggregator and not a job board, you’ll be taken to the employer’s website or another portal where you’ll be able to submit your resume or other documents as needed for the recruitment process.

AngelList

angellist-trending-searches
AngelList is a fantastic job search site if you’re looking to get hired by startups or fast-growing tech companies. Unlike other sites, you can’t see all the open jobs on AngelList without creating an account. Once you do create your account, you can see all the jobs, upload your resume, and start applying. The interesting thing about AngelList is that all the job listings are posted by the companies themselves, and you can see your potential salary, equity, and stock options upfront—even before applying to the job.

Dice.com

dice-job-search-engine-header
Other websites on this list help you find all sorts of jobs, but, Dice.com is different. It’s a job search portal only for tech jobs. You can search using keywords, job titles, company name, or using the trending jobs section.
But, if you’re in the tech business, the specificity of jobs is what makes Dice.com different from other job search websites. If you create an account (for free), you can also upload your resume on the site. Having an account also lets you get salary information and track jobs for which you’ve applied.

Google for Jobs

If you’ve searched for jobs on Google, you might have noticed that Google displays relevant jobs in a rich-snippet search result.
google-job-search-engine
If you click the “100+ more jobs” link, you’ll reach Google’s job search portal. The portal doesn’t have an official name, but it acts like a job search engine. The jobs there are aggregated from multiple websites, which saves time on job-hunting. There are plenty of filters to search for the job you prefer, and you can bookmark individual jobs for later viewing. You can also set an alert for a particular job search that you perform and receive email alerts when similar jobs are posted.
google-job-search-complete-list



Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/393716/the-best-job-search-engines/

November 3, 2018

Top 5 Unbiased World News Websites Free From Censorship

This is a world where money seems to have such control over journalistic integrity. Is there no place for the reader to turn for unbiased news? The short answer is an emphatic yes.
There’s still hope.
When it comes to “censorship”, news can be censored either by the over-reach of government entities or by a corporate stranglehold on the editorial processes of news organizations.

What Is Unbiased News?

It could be an angle placed on news stories about state organizations or policies that are financed by state leadership themselves. There is no better example of this than the Xinhua News Agency, the mouthpiece of the Peoples Republic of China. Or Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS), the news agency owned by the Russian government.
However, the US isn’t innocent either. In the US, those controlling the journalists’ pens are corporate leaders rather than government leaders.
In the US, there are six corporate media giants that own 90 percent of the US media market—GE, News-Corp, Disney, Viacom, Time Warner, and CBS.



newspapers



It would be naive of anyone to believe that the people writing the paychecks for those reporting the news don’t hold some sway over what news gets reported, and how it gets reported.
This is especially apparent during every US Presidential election. Media corporate owners contribute significant campaign contributions to their favored candidates on one hand. On the other hand, they published news stories with a positive spin for their own favored candidate. CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, The New Yorker, and The Blaze are just a few examples.

So are there still any unbiased news sources? Thankfully, there are.

1. The Associated Press



associated press news



The Associated Press was founded in 1846 and remains a renowned global news organization with 52 Pulitzer Prizes under its belt. It is and has always been the epitome of clear and unbiased news journalism and reporting. It is actually where most journalists seek out their own news stories to report on.
John Daniszewski for the AP wrote a piece about fake news on social media titled “Getting the facts right.” He cited a memo sent out to AP staff by Social Media Editor Eric Carvin where Eric wrote:
“The language we use: Whenever possible, we want to emphasize specifics rather than generalizations or labels. Let’s say what we know to be true and what is false, based on our reporting.”
This is the very definition of unbiased news.
The AP doesn’t only paint rainbows for one side on any story while drawing storm clouds for the other. The language used in each report is neutral, and the focus is only on reporting the news.



2. Wall Street Journal



wall street journal



Wall Street Journal is well known for reporting the news as it is. It serves a healthy dose of reality from both sides of the political spectrum.
It isn’t likely you’ll see a Wall Street Journal White House correspondent trading blows with the President in the Press Room.
The reason for this isn’t because WSJ loves our current president. It’s because you won’t often find antagonistic stories on the front page that are lambasting either side.
They explain what’s happening, who’s doing it and why, without excessive editorializing or using emotion-ridden writing.
WSJ journalists tell it like it is, without letting their own biases (or the biases of the corporate ownership) filter down into the story.
This isn’t an easy thing to accomplish with any news organization.
A contrast to this can be made with Fox News, the bastion of Conservative news reporting.



fox news



This isn’t just political bias in the media. Other sites that lack journalistic integrity like this are usually overtly nationalistic (overly pro-American — posting negative news headlines about other countries), or blatantly anti-American (like British news sources that produce a fresh batch of anti-gun editorials in response to every major shooting event that happens in the US—the Guardian is guilty of this quite often).
If you become a reader of the Wall Street Journal, you’ll find yourself more often better-informed, and less often offended or annoyed by the journalist’s choice of words.

3. Google News




google news



Google News isn’t so much a news organization as it is a collection of news sources generated at least partially by a news-gathering algorithm, similar to how Google runs its flagship search engine.

It is partially managed by human editors as well, but the reason Google News is listed here not because the headlines are especially unbiased. It’s listed because of how little human intervention there is in developing front page headlines.
This usually results in a listing of headlines that may not be entirely free from left or right leaning headlines. But you’ll at least discover a healthy mix of each side.
If you believe that no single news organization can be completely free of intrinsic bias, then Google News gives you a place where you can at least see the news reported from the entire spectrum. That’s a great way to get the whole picture, no matter what the news event may be.

4. BBC



bbc news



If you want to know what’s going on in the world, the BBC is the place to go. You will find better information than the same stories at a US news site.
It may seem ironic that US news organizations appear far more censored and filled with pro-government propaganda than British news organizations.
These days, US foreign policy includes so much government cooperation with corporate US news media. So, the only alternative for Americans (or anyone for that matter), is to turn to foreign news sources for the whole story.
Maybe (hopefully) this will change for the better, but for now this is the only option many Americans have.

5. Reuters



reuters


The news organization Reuters deserves honorable mention on this list for the same reasons as the BBC and more. News events on this site are written with some of the most straightforward reporting seen anywhere.
World stories on controversial hot-topics like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Brexit, or various government elections, don’t appear to take one side or another. Headlines cover insights from every end of the spectrum.
This is especially refreshing at a time when this kind of journalistic, unbiased news reporting is so rare.
If you want to bookmark only one news website, you should bookmark this one. You will get a fair and balanced perspective on all important matters in the world today.

Other Unbiased News Sources Worth Mentioning

There are a few additional news organizations in the world today that deserve mention. They were not included in the list above because sometimes these sites occasionally let their author’s biases get published.
C-Span and Pew Research aren’t specifically news organizations. But they deserve mention as fantastic resources to learn the deeper truth behind today’s news stories.
  • Al JazeeraAl Jazeera is based out of Qatar. Qatar is quite different from America, where “freedom of the press” is sacrosanct. However, Al Jazeera remains impartial and fact-based regardless. It’s surprising that many Americans prefer an Arabic news source above American ones. That’s the reality of the world today.
  • C-Span: Watch government hearings and other events on your own, instead of relying on second-hand reporting. Keep your TV tuned to C-Span. You’ll actually be shocked to discover just how much those second-hand journalists twist what was actually said at those hearings. So why depend on those faulty reports when you can see for yourself?
  • NPR: NPR would have landed in the primary list of unbiased news sources above, but its coverage sometimes leans a little too far to the left. However, in the majority of cases, NPR reporting is about as impartial and factual as you could ask for from a US-based news organization.
  • Christian Science Monitor: Despite a name that would make you expect it to be a bastion of Conservative news reporting like The Blaze, CSMonitor is actually a refreshingly honest and impartial news source. You’ll find stories here that attack or support government policies from both sides of the aisle.
  • Pew Research: Interested in the facts, and only the facts? You can’t go wrong bookmarking Pew Research. Even during heated election years, you’ll find the polls, surveys, and research conducted by this organization to be accurate and truthful. It is self-described as a “nonpartisan fact tank”, and that’s exactly what it is. Don’t get your facts from Facebook. Look to Pew Research to get accurate facts before you make up your mind.

What Bias Really Means

These days, you’ll find anyone who disagrees with a news story angle calling it “biased.” Conservatives hate CNN and MSNBC. Liberals hate Fox News and The Blaze. Everyone in the middle hates them all. So how can you really call any news organization “unbiased”, when so often bias itself is subjective?
Every journalist is aware of the nine principles of journalism. The first says that a journalist’s first obligation is to the truth.
“This ‘journalistic truth’ is a process that begins with the professional discipline of assembling and verifying facts. Then journalists try to convey a fair and reliable account of their meaning, valid for now, subject to further investigation.”
The ability to set aside one’s own prejudices in order to be “neutral” is not a part of those principles. However, “the source of their credibility is still their accuracy, intellectual fairness, and ability to inform.” When journalists let personal biases hinder their objectivity, it puts the entire media organization at risk. Thankfully there are still enough media outlets left that uphold these principles.
If you’re into tech news, there are some great tech news sources to check out as well.

Source: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-5-world-news-websites-guaranteed-free-censorship/


October 31, 2018

Why You Shouldn’t Use (Most) Alternative Browsers Based on Google Chrome

Google Chrome is based on Chromium, an open-source browser project. Anyone can take the Chromium source code and use it to build their own browser, renaming it and changing whatever they like. That’s why there are so many alternative browsers based on Google Chrome—but you don’t necessarily want to use most of them.
Many web sites have recommended these browsers in the past—including us, in this very post. We’ve since rewritten this article to discuss the problems with some of these alternative browsers, and why we no longer recommend using them—with a few exceptions.

The “Secure” Comodo Dragon Had Big Security Problems

Comodo Dragon is a Chrome-based browser made by Comodo, a security company. It’s installed by default with Comodo Internet Security.
You’d think a “secure” web browser made by a security software company would be…well, secure, but it’s had some big problems. Google’s Tavis Ormandy found that the browser shipped with a serious problem that destroyed the security of HTTPS encryption. As he put it: “Chromodo is described as ‘highest levels of speed, security and privacy’, but actually disables all web security.”
Comodo responded by issuing a fix that didn’t actually fix the problem. Comodo did fix it eventually, but that doesn’t change the fact that such a glaring security problem shipped with the browser. Companies like Google, Mozilla, Microsoft, and Apple have never made such a big mistake in their products. Comodo doesn’t sound like a company we’d want to get our web browser from.

SRWare Iron’s Privacy Claims Are Exaggerated, and It’s Slow to Update

SRWare Iron promises to remove various privacy-infringing options from Google Chrome. But it isn’t as good as it sounds.
Right off the bat, there’s something we don’t like: On March 17, 2017, the latest version of SRWare Iron was version 56.0.2950.1. The latest version of Chrome was version 57.0.2987.110, released on March 16. That means SRWare Iron was missing more than 36 security fixes that Chrome had for over a week.
That’s because SRWare Iron’s developers have to do some work to release those security fixes whenever Google releases a new version of Chrome. It’s not instant, and these third-party projects may take a long time to issue updates if their developers are busy.
But here’s the real kicker: you aren’t really getting any extra privacy out of SRWare Iron. Most of what SRWare Iron does is possible through Chrome’s regular privacy settings. And if you enable those tweaks in Chrome, you’ll get the latest security updates without waiting for and trusting another company.

Chromium Isn’t For Users (Except on Linux)

Google doesn’t want you using the open-source Chromium browser. That’s why the Chromium project only offers “raw builds” of Chromium code that “may be tremendously buggy” for Windows. They also don’t include an auto-update feature, so you have to manually download new versions with security and bug fixes. These Chromium builds are really just development tools for checking whether issues are fixed in the latest Chromium code. Stay away.
Chromium’s main difference is that it’s entirely open-source, while Google Chrome includes a few closed-source pieces (like Flash). That’s why Chromium is often made available via the package repositories on Linux distributions. A Chromium browser obtained from your Linux package repositories should be safe and receive regular security updates from your Linux distribution. But Windows and Mac users should just install Chrome.

The Chrome-Based Browsers Worth Using: Opera, Vivaldi, and Chrome Portable

There are, of course, exceptions to every rule. Some browsers are solid alternatives to Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Internet Explorer.
Opera, for example, has been around in one form or another for a long time, with the first version of Opera being released back in 1995. In 2013, the company abandoned its old, homegrown browser engine, Presto, and Opera is now based on Chromium.
But Opera isn’t just a Chrome clone—it’s a unique browser with its own unique features, like a built-in VPN that can secure your web browsing.
Vivaldi is also based on Chromium, and was created by former Opera developers who disagree with Opera’s new direction. Released in 2016, Vivaldi attempts to restore various “power user” features the Opera project has removed. For example, Vivaldi allows you to make your tabs appear as vertical thumbnails, something that just isn’t possible in Chrome. The developers are working on adding a built-in email client, a feature no longer included on the latest versions of Opera.
Both Opera and Vivaldi support Chrome extensions, as they’re based on the same underlying technology. If you’re looking for a new browser that still uses Chrome’s speedy rendering engine and supports the same browser extensions you use in Chrome, these browsers are interesting options you may want to try.
Lastly, you may also consider a portable version of Chrome or Chromium. The Chromium Portable project, for example, is a customized build of Chromium designed to run as a “portable application“. If you place its files on a USB drive or other removable media device, you can take it between computers, using it on any PC without installing it first.
That said, Chromium Portable is based on the unstable “Dev” release channel of Google Chrome, which means it’s more unstable than the typical stable versions of Google Chrome. You probably aren’t looking for that. If you’d prefer a stable, portable version of Google Chrome, you’ll probably want to use the Google Chrome Portable package from PortableApps.com. Either way, both are decent, secure versions of Chrome.

Why Lesser-Known Browsers Are Suspect

There are other Chromium-based browsers out there. But we’re skeptical of them, and you should be too.
Here’s the issue: Browsers are very important programs. You spend almost all of your internet-connected time in a browser, so it needs to be secure. Part of that means getting security updates very quickly when they’re released, and smaller Chromium-based browsers don’t always do that. Furthermore, you’re trusting a small company or group of developers to make changes to your browser, which can introduce problems—intentional or not.
Comodo’s security problems and SRWare’s update delays are a few examples of the problems that can occur, even when a browser developer is acting in good faith. And if a browser developer isn’t acting in good faith, you’re in an even worse position: they could snoop on your web browsing and abuse its access to your computer.
Even if you don’t trust Google, Google is a large company with a lot of eyes on it. Google won’t steal your credit card number. If Google does something bad or makes a big mistake in Chrome, everyone will hear about it. The same isn’t true for these Chromium alternatives.
Many of the features promised in various third-party browsers can be achieved simply by tweaking Chrome’s settings or installing extensions from the Chrome Web Store. You’re better off using Google Chrome and installing a few browser extensions than switching to a Chrome-based alternative.

Source: https://www.howtogeek.com/108384/6-alternative-browsers-based-on-google-chrome/

September 3, 2018

9 Alternative Chromium Browsers That Beat Chrome at Its Own Game


Google Chrome seems ubiquitous these days, thanks to its robust set of features. Its vast collection of extensions and its sheer simplicity make it really hard to give up on Chrome. Though, it has its own share of problems like being heavy on system resources and draining battery life.
The Best Chrome Extensions The Best Chrome Extensions A list of only the best extensions for Google Chrome, including suggestions from our readers. Read More
What if you could switch to a different lightweight browser? And retain the technology that runs Chrome?
Chromium is the open-source browser project behind Chrome. A lot of developers have forked Chromium to include unique features around privacy, multi-media, and security. More importantly, most of these browsers support Chrome extensions so you get the best of both worlds.

 

1. Vivaldi Browser: A Browser From the Future

 

Vivaldi is the brainchild of Opera’s former CEO, who wasn’t happy with the direction Opera was headed. It aims to target power users while bringing back discarded features from Opera.
Vivaldi’s user interface sports a color scheme that changes based on the current webpage. It offers the ability to change themes, position tabs, and supports many other customization options. Vivaldi is built using the Chromium web browser project, so extensions available in the Chrome Web Store can also be installed in Vivaldi.
It lets you annotate web pages and supports mouse gestures for faster navigation. But perhaps the feature Chrome users would be most interested in is the Tab Hibernation feature. It lets you hibernate tabs and free resources when those tabs are not actively used.
7 Chrome Tools for Quick and Easy Annotations 7 Chrome Tools for Quick and Easy Annotations Capturing and annotating webpages, images, or portions of articles can be useful for work, school, or even personal research. Chrome offers a nice selection of annotation extensions. Read More
Platforms: Available as a free download for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

 

2. Opera: Old Is Gold

 

best alternative chromium browsers


Opera has been around for more than a couple of decades and has pioneered a lot of features like the Speed Dial, tabbed browsing and private browsing. In 2013, Opera decided to discard its own Presto engine in favor of Blink, a browser engine developed as a part of Chromium project.
Opera is power-packed with features. Along with the usual features, it comes with a Turbo mode. When enabled, it compresses web pages, thus making them load faster by up to 50%. This can be particularly helpful if you’re trying to save data or you’re browsing the web on a slow network.
8 Opera Features You Should Start Using Today 8 Opera Features You Should Start Using Today Let's explore eight of the best Opera features that will make browsing smoother and more convenient for you. We bet you'll want to start using them right away. Read More
Another relatively new addition is the integration of a free VPN service right into the browser. This lets users access blocked websites and also helps users stay secure on a public network.
If you’re switching from Chrome, you can use the Download Chrome Extension extension. It lets you install extensions from Google Chrome Web Store directly in Opera. Note that it doesn’t support Chrome apps or themes as of yet.
Platforms: Available as a free download for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.

3. Opera Neon: Feast Your Eyes

 

Earlier this year, Opera launched an experimental new web browser based on Blink. It’s a radical re-imagining of what web-browsers of the future should look like. The futurism is pretty evident from the fact that the first time you launch it, you are greeted with a background that blends in beautifully with your desktop wallpaper. The tabs are represented by vertically-stacked circles instead of the usual rectangular tab-bar.
Opera Neon Reveals the Future of Web Browsers Opera Neon Reveals the Future of Web Browsers Opera has launched a brand new web browser called Opera Neon. This is a concept web browser designed to offer a tantalizing glimpse at the future. Read More
Besides the cosmetic changes, it comes with some great usability features, too. It features split-screen mode and a built-in screen capture tool.
Opera Neon puts special emphasis on multimedia-related features. The currently playing media can be controlled from a unified place. The Video Pop-out feature lets you pop-out a video, letting you browse other websites while watching videos simultaneously.
Note that Opera deliberately hasn’t included support for extensions, as it says that Neon is a concept web browser for now.
Platforms: Available as a free download for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

4. Yandex Browser: Solid Usability and Security Features

 

best alternative chromium browsers
Initially released in 2012, the Blink-based browser has amassed a lot of popularity owing to its security-related features. While it’s far from the most visually appealing web browser, it makes up when it comes to usability and security features.
The security system scans files and websites for viruses and blocks fraudulent websites. Yandex also comes with support for DNSCrypt technology, which encrypts DNS traffic between user’s computer and name servers. It automatically encrypts the traffic when you connect to an open WiFi network. The browser also uses Opera’s Turbo technology to load web pages faster.
The Yandex browser allows installation of extensions only from Chrome Web Store and Opera Add-ons, where they are tested for safety.
Platforms: Available as a free download for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.

5. Brave Browser: A Privacy-First Browser

 

Brave is a new open-source web-browser by the co-founders of the Mozilla project. The founders describe it as a “browser with the user’s interests at heart.” It accomplishes this by blocking website trackers and removing intrusive advertisements.
But wait, ads help publishers pay their bills and blocking them seems ethically wrong? True. Fortunately, Brave blocks ads but also comes with an alternative model: Brave Payments. It lets you load your virtual wallet with a few dollars and set up microtransactions. It keeps a track of websites where ads are blocked and then pays those websites every month using the money in your virtual wallet.
Are Ad Blocking Browser Extensions Killing The Internet? Are Ad Blocking Browser Extensions Killing The Internet? One of the reasons for the Internet’s surge in popularity is the cost of most online content – or rather, the lack of cost. That’s not to say the content is free, however. Almost every... Read More
The only major downside is that it doesn’t support extensions. If ad-blocking and password management extensions are all you need, it has you covered. But if you rely on Chrome extensions to stay productive, you’ll have to give this one a pass.
Platforms: Available as a free download for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android.

Browsers That Put Privacy and Security First

Here are a few Chromium-based browsers that lay special emphasis on protecting the privacy of the users and helping them stay secure while browsing the internet.
Make Your Browsing Safer with These 7 Simple Tips Make Your Browsing Safer with These 7 Simple Tips Safe browsing is more of an ongoing task than a set-it-and-forget-it affair. That's why we have come up with seven essential starter tips to help you browse more safely. Read More
 

6. Epic Browser

 

best alternative chromium browsers
Epic is a privacy-centered web browser. It is always in a “Private browsing” mode, and proactively removes cookies, browser history, and cache upon exit. It also disables other data that is sent to Google, like address bar suggestions.
Platforms: Available as a free download for Windows and Mac.

7. SRWare Iron

 

best alternative chromium browsers
SRWare Iron is another privacy-focused browser that aims to eliminate privacy-compromising functionality from Google Chrome. To accomplish this, it takes a different approach: instead of adding new features, it actually strips down potentially privacy-related functionality from Chrome. It removes Google-hosted error pages, Google Updater, DNS pre-fetching, address bar suggestions, etc.
Surprisingly, the browser itself is surrounded with criticisms. Some have accused it of creating and then solving non-existent issues. While it’s tough to find out the truth, it might just be what you need if you’re overwhelmed with Google’s extensive tracking.
How Much Does Google Really Know About You? How Much Does Google Really Know About You? Google is no champion of user privacy, but you might be surprised just how much they know. Read More
Platforms: Available as a free download for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android.

8. Comodo Dragon Browser

 

best alternative chromium browsers
Similar to SRWare Iron, the Comodo Dragon browser disables the privacy-compromising functionality in Chrome. It removes address bar suggestions, bug tracking system, and Google user tracking. The built-in PDF viewer, Google Safe Browsing, and Google Translate also get the boot. It lets users configure their computers to use Comodo’s DNS servers, which performs additional checks to verify the security of websites.
Platforms: Available as a free download for Windows.

9. Torch Browser

 

best alternative chromium browsers
Torch browser puts heavy emphasis on multimedia-related features. It has a built-in Media Grabber that lets you save audio and video files from the internet. Torch Player lets you play videos before they have finished downloading. It also features a built-in torrent client, making it easy to manage torrents straight inside the browser.
Platforms: Torch browser is available as a free download for Windows.

Choose Your Favorite Chromium-Based Browser

Whether you’re looking to enhance your privacy or you’re looking for a fresh new design, there’s a Chromium-based browser for you out there. The only major gripe with some of them is that they can take a while to update to the latest version of Chromium, which means that you could easily miss out on critical security fixes.
My pick among the nine on the list? Opera’s offerings and Vivaldi manage to stay neck-and-neck with Chromium updates, making them a browser of my choice.
It’s your turn now. Tell us about your favorite Chromium-based browser and why? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Source: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/alternative-chromium-browsers/