Best Browser for iPad 1?

[AmazingHenry]

OK, I don't have my iPad 1 yet, but I should have it in a few days. I assume that iOS 5 Safari is out of date, so are there any alternatives on the App Store that work with iOS 5? I know that browsing won't be fast by any means, but a browser that at least displays most sites properly is good enough for me. Thanks so much.

 

[sjleworthy]

Bit strange to buy an ipad 1 given it's more than several years old. Why would this be? Financial constraints?

 

[AmazingHenry]

Bit strange to buy an ipad 1 given it's more than several years old. Why would this be? Financial constraints?

Yep. I use an iPhone 2G (soon to be upgraded to a 3GS) as my phone. Power Mac G5 (2003 Apple desktop) as my main Mac. I use old technology. Partly because I can't really afford the new stuff and partly because I just don't need to upgrade.

So when I wanted an iPad, I got an iPad 1. Maybe it'll become collectable someday, like the iPhone 2G.

 

[smirking]

I don't know if any of the browsers work well on an iPad 1. I still have my original iPad. It's being used by my wife almost daily as a reader and its uses are very limited because Safari crashes so much and it only runs some earlier eReader apps. Even some of those crash regularly.

Still, I like my old school iPad much more than I like the newer iPads. I hardly use any of them. Maybe I'm just more emotionally attached to that first iPad.

 

[Beavix]

OK, I don't have my iPad 1 yet, but I should have it in a few days. I assume that iOS 5 Safari is out of date, so are there any alternatives on the App Store that work with iOS 5? I know that browsing won't be fast by any means, but a browser that at least displays most sites properly is good enough for me. Thanks so much.

Any browser still working on that iPad will be as outdated as Safari is. They all use the same rendering engine. But that's not the biggest issue. You'll have a terrible experience browsing the web due to the lack or RAM. Safari crashes all the time.

 

[Channan]

Yep. I use an iPhone 2G (soon to be upgraded to a 3GS) as my phone. Power Mac G5 (2003 Apple desktop) as my main Mac. I use old technology. Partly because I can't really afford the new stuff and partly because I just don't need to upgrade.

So when I wanted an iPad, I got an iPad 1. Maybe it'll become collectable someday, like the iPhone 2G.

Hahaha you can't be serious.

 

[AmazingHenry]

Hahaha you can't be serious.

I'm serious.

Any browser still working on that iPad will be as outdated as Safari is. They all use the same rendering engine. But that's not the biggest issue. You'll have a terrible experience browsing the web due to the lack or RAM. Safari crashes all the time.

As long as it doesn't crash, I'm happy. I don't care about speed. I think I heard about the Mercury browser somewhere... would that be better?

 

[Herbit]

Opera mini is available. As far as I know it's the only browser that uses it's own engine. The rendering is not so good but at least in normally does not crash as often as Safari.

 

[braddick]

I like the OP's thinking, outside of the value of these as collectibles in the future. With a mintage in the hundreds of thousands, collectors will be seeking those that are truly MINT- probably even those in the MIB/MIP. An even gently used iDevice- such as the iPad will not retain a value that warrants keeping it around outside of simple nostalgia's sake.

 

[1nf1n1t3k1ff]

OK, I don't have my iPad 1 yet, but I should have it in a few days. I assume that iOS 5 Safari is out of date, so are there any alternatives on the App Store that work with iOS 5? I know that browsing won't be fast by any means, but a browser that at least displays most sites properly is good enough for me. Thanks so much.

Actually just jailbreak it! I use my iPad 1 for a lot of things. Yes it hasn't got a lot of Ram therefore jailbreak it and use its Unix filesystem as it should have been used from the beginning! It's like taking your old tech of for a spin on puppy Linux only you're on an iOS device! Sweet! I use chrome! Works fine! Only thing you have to be aware of is once you've jailbroken not all apps will work, only some of the older ones. The most important point i will make is that you must go into your settings and turn off iTunes WiFi sync. Then next step Search for the app you want like Gmail, garage band, Kindle reader etc in iTunes on your pc and download it. Then shutdown iTunes on pc and browse to appstore on iPad 1 go to purchases tab and there you will find the app you just downloaded on your pc. You will have press download again. It will then say something like this app requires iOS 8 or something like that but you can download the last compatible version for your device. If it doesn't say that then I'm afraid no luck for that specific app but you'll be surprised at how many do still work pretty efficiently! Even sketchbook pro is a good app to try, may still be available to download for 5.11? I found most vpns do not work as this is still a fairly new tech and iPad 1 predates it by about 5 years or so, a Shame. I even tried cydias version of openvpn but no luck, also pretty complex to set up and networking is not my strong point! Anyway goodluck with the jailbreak! Plenty of good tutorials out there but please always make sure to make a backup of all your data before you decide to go down this road as you will be the only who will be responsible for your newly bricked paper weight should anything go Pete tong!