Puffin – A Browser With Flash
Adobe Flash: can’t live with it, can’t live without it, at least for iOS users.
The Web-legacy file format, which allows websites to stream videos and play animated games — as well as hog your device memory with annoying rollover ads — has long been at odds with Apple, which steadfastly refuses to support the protocol on its portable devices.
Technologies like HTML5 are gaining steam and enabling videos and games to be played on Apple mobile devices, but Flash still makes up a significant portion of the overall Internet, leaving iPhones and iPads out of the loop for major chunks of content.
But for iOS users willing to travel beyond the environs of Safari, there is Puffin, an independent mobile Internet browser for Apple mobile devices, which promises a faster, fuller browsing experience for iPhones and iPads.
What’s the App?
Puffin, developed by CloudMosa for iOS devices and available for $3 or free as a limited two-week trial, is a well-regarded alternative to the Safari browser.
The app is lauded for its speedy loading of pages — it renders tricky JavaScript coding much faster than typical browsers and uses cloud technology to parse out pre-processed Web pages, making for a faster, smoother experience. As a result, it’s able to whittle down data usage, especially on slower connections, an increasingly crucial feature as data plans become more expensive and trickier to manage.
Beyond speed and smoothness, the ability to see and interact with Flash elements offers a fuller mobile experience of the Internet. Puffin users can watch Flash videos, play Flash games, and access Flash content, while still retaining a certain smoothness of experience.
As a result, you can listen to streaming audio, watching Flash-rendered TV and movie content and generally have a more multimedia experience on your iOS device. IPad users in particularly will especially appreciate the content, especially Flash games, that Puffin opens up for them.
A “virtual mouse” feature creates a “trackpad” on the screen that users can use just like on laptops to mouseover content and drag-and-drop files. Modern touchscreens have done away with these gestures, but Puffin users can use the virtual mouse to more easily navigate Web-based apps like Gmail.
You’ll Want It If…
If you’re tired of being confined to Safari and want to access more multimedia in particular on your iPhone or iPad, Puffin is a great alternative. Puffin has been around for some time, but recent updates boosted the Flash performance on the browser, making for longer battery life and smoother display.
CloudMosa also added gaming elements to make it worth another look. Similar to the virtual trackpad, a virtual “gamepad” can simulate arrow keys and buttons, as on a laptop, opening up a whole world of Flash games on the Web. The new gamepad is a bit cramped on the iPhone, but really finds a place on the iPad, making the tablet a much more powerful multimedia device.
It’s Not My Thing, What Else Ya Got?
Speedy and smooth performance as well as broader access to Flash content make Puffin a great deal, especially if you’ve transitioned to using your iPad as your primary digital entertainment device.
But the browser isn’t perfect — some Flash games were still sticky in loading. And a mobile world full of Flash also means more ads bombarding you, so the lack of the ability to block ads — common on many full-fledged Web browsers — is glaring.
Some users also wished for a print option. And some, of course, quibble with the $3 price tag. Those looking for viable free alternative to Safari may want to seek out Opera or Chrome, both of which also promise faster page speeds — but both also are riddled with complaints.
