How to enhance your mobile browsing experience

© Tatyana Gladskih Businessmen and businesswoman look in a mobile phone
© Tatyana Gladskih

Get a mobile browser

Smartphones usually come with their own default browsers which may not always facilitate smooth access to websites such as Facebook and Twitter. Upgrading to a browser that is specifically designed for mobile browsing, such as Opera Mobile, Opera Mini or Internet Explorer Mobile achieves better web page display upon your device.

Mobile browsers also offer the benefits of advanced mobile technology, such as full-screen browsing.

Get a mobiliser

Web pages are generally designed for display upon bigger screens such as those of a desktop or laptop. This design can result in web pages not displaying properly upon smaller mobile screens.

Using Mobilisers applications, such as Google Mobiliser, WireNode and Mippin, optimises web pages for smooth display upon mobiles, enhancing your browsing experience. Enter the address of your favourite website using the simple-to-use mobiliser tools, and view mobile versions of the pages, or the whole website, upon your device. Mobile optimised web pages usually have "mobile", "mobi", or "m" in their URL.

Use shortcut keys

Navigating around websites with your mobile can be difficult due to the absence of a mouse and keyboard. Get around this by using shortcut keys, which are commands such as "Copy," "Exit" or "Save" labelled numerically on your device’s keypad. Shortcut keys are listed on your browser file and allow you to quickly activate commands in the browser.

Connect to a hotspot

Mobile browsing technologies (abbreviated as GPRS and EDGE) generally offer slow and costly browsing and downloading. Connect to a normal wireless network at a hotspot, a public place, and you can connect to a wireless local area network, such as airport, mall, restaurant or coffee shop, to achieve faster, cost-effective browsing and downloading. Change your device settings to Wi-Fi network to connect to a hotspot; and later revert to GPRS/EDGE network settings to surf normally when out of the hotspot.