Guest Blogger: Harper Kelly | Harper Kelly is Florida native hung up on all things social media, writing, and running. When she’s not scoping out the new trails in Tampa you can find her browsing the web and writing about technology, traveling, and food. Follow her journey on Twitter @harperkellyh.
The world tends to divide itself into small groups, and web browsers are no different. The number of available web browsers are almost as varied as the range of people who use them. Beyond a certain point, of course, it’s all about personal preference; however, each browser offers its own functionality and features for users. Here are the 5 most popular ones.
5 Most Actively Used Web Browsers And Why They’re So Popular
Google Chrome
Chrome has grown to be the most popular web browser, sporting 52.7% usage as of April 2013. This is partially because Chrome has the best Javascript speeds and uses the smallest amount of processor power. So even when you’re playing a fast-paced, browser-based Java game, your screen is less likely to lag.
This browser is also good for streaming a news piece, live sports event, or a service like Neflix or HBOGo. Chrome lets you load what you need quickly and get to work easily. Recently, Chrome has also made the move to allow for synchronization of bookmarks, apps, and other information across all devices.
Mozilla Firefox
As of April 2013, Mozilla Firefox had 27.9% of the Internet market using it. This is no surprise, because Firefox is the fastest at loading pages on the average, and is also the second best at loading a page you’ve visited in the past from the cache.
So when you need to get a page open ASAP because of an urgent message or when you need to act on something quickly, Firefox lets you get moving now. Firefox was also one of the first browsers to support multiple tabs, which lets you multi-task very efficiently.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Internet Explorer’s usage rate was 12.7% of the market as of April 2013. This is easy to understand because IE comes with every version of Windows and always has. You also get automatic updates of IE as new security and accessibility features are added, and they happen seamlessly right alongside all of the other Windows updates.
The simplicity and familiarity of Internet Explorer make it popular year after year. Because of its easy and frequent updates, Internet Explorer is among the most up-to-date browsers with regard to virus definitions and phishing websites.
Apple Safari
Apple’s Safari is another lesser known gem of a browser, with only 4% of the market using it as of April 2013. Safari exhibits Apple’s usual flair, allowing you to build your own visual group of frequently visited websites that it updates and keeps readily available.
Safari is also the second fastest browser to render Javascript, which is vital when playing games or loading graphics on many major websites. Safari is even the second smallest processor usage browser, which lets it take less from other programs than its more greedy cohorts. Clearwire Internet pricing doesn’t charge by how much time you spend on the Web, just for example, but nobody wants to wait forever for a page to load.
Opera
Even though it’s currently the second-oldest browser in use, Opera is something of a dark horse. While only 1.7% of the Internet uses this browser, it’s something of a diamond in the rough. Possessing the third lowest CPU usage, it’s a quick and nimble program that’s simple to operate.
Beyond that, Opera is also the fastest browser at DOM selection, which has become a very important element in commercial websites during Web 2.0. Furthermore, Opera’s interface is uncluttered and lets you get to what you want immediately.
Every browser is great at something. Ultimately, your individual preferences should be what informs your decision of which to use. Which of these browsers do you prefer?
Sources
http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp
http://sixrevisions.com/infographics/performance-comparison-of-major-web-browsers/
http://www.pcworld.com/article/228376/cloud_music_streaming_pros_and_cons.html
