Lightning Web Browser 3.0
Device: Mac OS
Category: Productivity
Price: $1.99, Version: 2.3.2 -> 3.0 (iTunes)
Description:Lightning is a minimalist web browser designed with one thing in mind - speed of search. An order of magnitude smaller than other browsers, Lightning loads in less than a second and is ready to use straight away. Enable the "Lightning Lookup" service and search on selected text from any application in an instant by typing command-@.
Based on Webkit (the already fast core of the Safari and Chrome browsers), instead of unloading browsed pages as you navigate, Lightning keeps a buffer of many WebBrowser objects in memory. This allows you to return back to a previously viewed page instantaneously without having to wait for it to reload. This optimisation makes a huge difference to speed of navigation.
URL's (starting with http://) or search items can be selected or entered into the search input field. For search terms, select the site you wish to search on the popup list at the left hand side.
Other features include:
* History and Bookmarks are HTML pages containing an (optional) snapshot of the page when it was last viewed as you hover the mouse over it.
* The Bookmarks page is WSYWIG editable to "arrange" them and can be used as your home page. Use "Save Changes" menu item to make your changes permanent.
* All the usual trackpad gestures supported.
* Preloads next page when you hover over a link.
* To close a tab or remove a bookmark tap it's icon.
* Page by Page control over Flash content and cookies.
* Full Spelling/Grammar checking available via edit menu.
* All limitations mentioned in early reviews addressed.
* As a final boost to initial page load try Google DNS on 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4.
Lightning may not be the most richly featured browser but from the look of the reviews it may just be the fastest!
What's New
RSS feeds, site watching/analysis and a high visibility reader added but the focus on speed remains the same. This is why Lightning remains resolutely 32bit like Chrome. It’s just that little bit faster. Scan the new tooltips for each button on the interface to catch up on the new functionality. If grey isn’t your thing you can now set transparent colours for the title bar.
Lightning Web Browser