Bolt 1.6 for BlackBerry is Out and Here to Stay (On My Berry)
By: Hillel Fuld
It is no secret that where iPhone and Android have BlackBerry beat is in the browser war. The BlackBerry default browser is hands down the biggest complaint I have about my Berry (then comes the camera). However, today, all that changes. Bolt just released their new version 1.6, and it is fast, accurate, and best of all, it completely replaces the BlackBerry native browser.
Until now, you could download a replacement browser, whether it was Opera or Bolt, and it would just be another app on your phone. There was no option to make it the device’s default browser. The new Bolt has somehow overcome this challenge. The initial installation is not flawless since the option to make it the default browser is nowhere to be found in the preferences of Bolt.
After I was a little puzzled about where this feature is, I looked back at the site that announced this new feature, and turned to the comments. I, of course, was not the only one who was confused. To make a long story short, in order to make Bolt the phone’s default browser, you will need to download an extra plugin from the same page you downloaded the browser. Once you do that, you will need to restart the device. Well, so said the comments, and so I did.
However, even after installing the plugin and restarting my Berry. links were still opening in the BlackBerry browser. At this point, I was on the verge of uninstallation. Then, somehow, a miracle happened and after one more restart, the default plugin kicked in, and tweet links were opening up in Bolt without hesitation. Needless to say that the webpages rendered much quicker and more accurately then I was used to on my Bold.
I am pretty sure this does not put BlackBerry’s surfing abilities on the level of the iPhone, but it is most definitely a step in the right direction. The browser itself is comfortable, easy to use, and most importantly zippy. One of the most awesome things about this browser is that somehow I am now able to watch Youtube videos on my BlackBerry, something I was never able to do before.
Bolt includes some very useful shortcuts to perform basic operations in the browser such as back, forward, view favorites, view history, and much more. The Options available are pretty basic and clear with almost anything I would need from a browser available to me. All in all, I am very happy with this browser, and it is a definite keeper. In fact, the first thing I am going to do after finishing this post is delete Opera on my BlackBerry. I need all the memory I can get.
Have you tried the new Bolt yet? What do you think?
Our Rating: 5/5
Developer: Bolt
