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Link Bubble - A new browser for Android

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Re: Link Bubble - A new browser for Android

#42

Post by chris_lacy »

27182818284 wrote: post #28
fidotron wrote: post #4

OK, this is completely and absolutely inspired. Brilliant, especially the redirect handling. The design needs a bit of polish, but the core concept is just so damn good it's blatantly going to be copied.

>Brilliant, especially the redirect handling. That was what got me to click the install button just now. And he used my least favorite example, Instagram out of Twitter with the t.co redirects and yada yada—I've always felt like that was super awkward.

This, as well as staring a Chrome waiting anywhere up to 5 seconds or more for t.co links to resolve is what largely inspired me to write Link Bubble.

Re: Link Bubble - A new browser for Android

#44

Post by chris_lacy »

e15ctr0n wrote: post #41

Is this app just a wrapper around the default Android browser? 904k seems to be a bit small for "an all-new browser".

Link Bubble uses the Android WebView for rendering, yes. But the API is pretty deficient in a few key areas, and I will likely have to switch to a custom modified version of Android 4.4's WebView at some point.

Re: Link Bubble - A new browser for Android

#45

Post by chris_lacy »

dps wrote: post #33

Nicely executed. The choice of giving one [configurable] app for free and all apps for $5 is also an interesting business model.

Figuring out the line between free and Pro is always a challenge. I think the value proposition is clear from the free version, but I'm always listening to opinions otherwise.

Re: Link Bubble - A new browser for Android

#47

Post by chris_lacy »

sigvef wrote: post #11

I wish Android had more granular default app settings. I'd love to use Link Bubble for opening links in the twitter app, but I'm not ready to give up Chrome as the default browser for everything else. One option is to not set a default at all, but then I have to click through this[1] all time, which isn't exactly smooth. [1]: http://i.imgur.com/HrGadaj.png

What is an example of an app you'd rather load in Chrome rather than Link Bubble?

Re: Link Bubble - A new browser for Android

#48

Post by e15ctr0n »

chris_lacy wrote: post #44
e15ctr0n wrote: post #41

Is this app just a wrapper around the default Android browser? 904k seems to be a bit small for "an all-new browser".

Link Bubble uses the Android WebView for rendering, yes. But the API is pretty deficient in a few key areas, and I will likely have to switch to a custom modified version of Android 4.4's WebView at some point.

If the app uses Android WebView for rendering, then its description on the Play Store as an "all-new browser" is a little disingenuous. The article by The Next Web[1] that is quoted in the description on the Play Store starts off by comparing the app with Chrome, Firefox, Dolphin and Opera, which seems to reinforce the wrong impression.

[1] http://thenextweb.com/apps/2014/03/21/link-bubble-reimagines...

Re: Link Bubble - A new browser for Android

#49

Post by chris_lacy »

agumonkey wrote: post #8

And soon you'll have tab-swell. Causes severe burnout on the long run.

Yes, further optimizations are necessary. It's V1, and I needed to get it out to see if the app would be well received first. That said, I do envisage Link Bubble will be used more to quickly read a few links rather than keep 40 tabs open at once like Chrome.
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