IE11 with no other options-- My biggest gripe

[sockfish]

I noticed that I started using my SP2 less not because of the whole firmware update, but because IE11 has been seemingly become more and more inconsistent with many websites.

The one thing I don't understand is that aside from a few half-ass addons, Firefox and Chrome are completely unusable and there are many W8 touchscreen notebooks out there.

After having frequent crashes, compatibility issues with many websites (google mainly), and sudden loss of proper touchscreen (yahoo), I keep wondering when someone else will make a proper touchscreen browser.

Did I miss the memo on a special touch-optimized Chrome or something?

 

[reach]

the modern UI version of Firefox is called Aurora. Its still in Beta phase, but I am using it since quote a while and apart from crashes right at startup, if it runs, it runs.
Also "UC BrowserHD" has plenty of things to like.
I use those two for the very same reason as you mention. Also, the issue with videos in Facebook, which was solved recently, appeared again. Since IE suffers from such stupid things ever since, I dont think, it will ever be fixed properly.
BTW, the most important issue for me is, that you cant change the default search provider from Bing to Google in ghe modern UI version. Bing is so unbelievable rubbish, its really amazing how far Google is ahead here.

 

[godson594]

the modern UI version of Firefox is called Aurora. Its still in Beta phase, but I am using it since quote a while and apart from crashes right at startup, if it runs, it runs.
Also "UC BrowserHD" has plenty of things to like.
I use those two for the very same reason as you mention. Also, the issue with videos in Facebook, which was solved recently, appeared again. Since IE suffers from such stupid things ever since, I dont think, it will ever be fixed properly.
BTW, the most important issue for me is, that you cant change the default search provider from Bing to Google in ghe modern UI version. Bing is so unbelievable rubbish, its really amazing how far Google is ahead here.

You can change search provider They just make it damn near impossible to find. Copied from the web

"You have to open the desktop version of IE instead. Then go into tools (Alt+T)>manage add-ons. In the resulting window you should be able to “Select Search Provider”. Pick what you want there, and it may or may not work, and you will have to try again. Microsoft makes you work to change away from Bing."

 

[scfoster]

You can change search provider They just make it damn near impossible to find. Copied from the web

"You have to open the desktop version of IE instead. Then go into tools (Alt+T)>manage add-ons. In the resulting window you should be able to “Select Search Provider”. Pick what you want there, and it may or may not work, and you will have to try again. Microsoft makes you work to change away from Bing."

Thanks for the tip!! Bing was driving me crazy.

 

[jollywombat]

You can use Chrome Canary as well which has touchscreen optimizations.

 

[sockfish]

So far looks like Aurora is a winner! Doesn't feel as responsible and smooth as IE11 but probably the closest to being a capable W8 browser. Only catch with Aurora is that Gmail doesn't detect it as a touch-screen browser, so the option for a touch interface isn't there.

Canary doesnt seem to offer much more than Chrome with a touch addon, it still mostly suffers from a lack of pinch to zoom, but keeps bringing up the onscreen keyboard and has screen resolution issues.

 

[Ruffles]

So far looks like Aurora is a winner! Doesn't feel as responsible and smooth as IE11 but probably the closest to being a capable W8 browser. Only catch with Aurora is that Gmail doesn't detect it as a touch-screen browser, so the option for a touch interface isn't there.

Canary doesnt seem to offer much more than Chrome with a touch addon, it still mostly suffers from a lack of pinch to zoom, but keeps bringing up the onscreen keyboard and has screen resolution issues.

So, Aurora isn't smooth and Gmail doesn't work right and it has no touch interface and you still think it's better?? Go figure. I've been extremely impressed with IE 11. I develop a Flash app professionally and do LOTS of testing with Firefox and Chrome. I've been so impressed with IE that I've switched to it for my go to browser. In fact, I could hardly wait for it to be available on Win 7 (what my work Dev machine runs). Off course, IE has some quirks - all software does - but for most things, I find it works very well and very fast.

 

[Joypat]

Thanks so much for this tip!! Awesome!

 

[godson594]

So, Aurora isn't smooth and Gmail doesn't work right and it has no touch interface and you still think it's better?? Go figure. I've been extremely impressed with IE 11. I develop a Flash app professionally and do LOTS of testing with Firefox and Chrome. I've been so impressed with IE that I've switched to it for my go to browser. In fact, I could hardly wait for it to be available on Win 7 (what my work Dev machine runs). Off course, IE has some quirks - all software does - but for most things, I find it works very well and very fast.

Ie metro wouldn't show the comments on Engadget tonight. I wish there were better alternatives to use, I would love to block ads.

 

[sockfish]

So, Aurora isn't smooth and Gmail doesn't work right and it has no touch interface and you still think it's better?? Go figure. I've been extremely impressed with IE 11. I develop a Flash app professionally and do LOTS of testing with Firefox and Chrome. I've been so impressed with IE that I've switched to it for my go to browser. In fact, I could hardly wait for it to be available on Win 7 (what my work Dev machine runs). Off course, IE has some quirks - all software does - but for most things, I find it works very well and very fast.

Interface-wise, it seems to work the best on the SP2. But it's the consistency and amount of quirks that is very annoying, where I find Chrome and Firefox to be very consistent (reliable!). IE is inconsistent with opening with my previous tabs open or a new session, behavior on websites (yahoo loses touch suddenly, gmail lost touch interface unless it is set to compatible settings, but loses apps features including webcam). Then there's the whole issue of crashing, which seems to happen on forums where I have long posts submitted. Then there's that whole search provider thing.. yeah..