Vivaldi browser on Google Play Store? {app is not Vivaldi}
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@kohi I dread to think what malware and crud you have installed so far !
2 different names and 2 different logos. How could you mistake Via for Vivaldi ? -
Oh dear this really blew up since yesterday.
I hadn't used Vivaldi on any other device yet and was only vaguely aware of it (it was recommended to me a while ago as a replacement for Opera). I didn't know what the logo looked like.
When you type in Vivaldi in the play store, it autocompletes to Vivaldi Browser, which sends you directly to this app (not a search page) and a big download button. I saw the vaguely similar name, 5M downloads, a high rating. I admit I was angry and tired and just wanted a simple, good browser with no more fuss, I instantly liked that tabs were literally just a list, but yeah I screwed up. Google isn't a shady store, I didn't even think that it would just open a random app, or that this one wasn't on mobile yet. I figured the name was slightly changed for the mobile port, but really didn't pay attention.I realised my mistake after I installed it to PC, once I finally noticed that the logo looked completely different. Then I changed my password and forgot to delete the post.
...uh...I can't imagine I'm the only person who ever did this mistake. And this was probably the background to the other post I was replying to. I'm sorry.
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@Gwen-Dragon The browser doesn't seem like a "fake app", whatever that's supposed to be. Has over 5 million downloads and relatively good ratings.
10 minutes later: I downloaded it to test it and take a look at the options and settings. It actually seems to be a decent browser which does many things right. Just to mention a few: There seems to be the possibility to use custom scripts for webpages, navigation is on bottom, there is a user agent switcher, a tool to show the source of a webpage, options to clear all data on exit, customisation of logo and background, settings to change the default search engine, etc. I'd say that's not too shabby for a fake app. Certainly more than what Vivaldi is currently providing ^^
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@luetage said in Vivaldi browser on Google Play Store? {app is not Vivaldi}:
The browser doesn't seem like a "fake app", whatever that's supposed to be.
I don't believe @Gwen-Dragon meant that the app itself was fake/malicious.
In this thread context (search in a store) I would understand the term "fake app" to mean an app that does NOT match the search query. Returning non-relevant results is a problem with many "store" search engines which seem to prefer to return as many results as possible as if this is a good thing! -
@TbGbe Malicious apps tend to get removed from the store, that's not really relevant and it's not fake because it pops up in a search result… we have to consider 2 things here: The Vivaldi app for Android doesn't exist – therefore the store cannot return it in a search. Secondly Vivaldi is a generic name (not unique by any stretch) and the search seems to return generic results. Let's wait and see what happens when the mobile app is released.
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The safest way to use Google Play store is to use the Appbrain front end and app.
https://www.appbrain.com/search?q=vivaldi (no confusing promoted apps)
It shows you all the types of libraries and components used by apps so you can better judge how safe they are, like this;
https://www.appbrain.com/app/via-browser-fast-light-geek-best-choice/mark.via.gp
As you can see Via browser looks very clean and good. You may actually find it is the browser you want.
Personally I am happy with mini Opera. -
@luetage I've been using "Via" for a few years, i tried it because it's very light and then ikept using it because i feel good about it.
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@Folgore101 It looks good indeed, but what puts me off is the lacking sync. Kinda silly to bring this forward when Vivaldi has no sync to mobile, but I'm not willing to use 2 different mobile browsers, while on the desktop I'm making this concession for years.
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@luetage The mobile version of Vivaldi will surely have synchronization, after all the work done on the desktop version can not be otherwise. Then we'll have to evaluate the other functions if they satisfy the users, after all we are very demanding.
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@Folgore101 said in Vivaldi browser on Google Play Store? {app is not Vivaldi}:
The mobile version of Vivaldi will surely have synchronization
Yes.
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There will be a Vivaldi for Android. We have spent a lot of time and effort on sync and there's no reason not to take that effort to Android and tie up your desktop and mobile device the Vivaldi way. So stay tuned a little bit longer!
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You guys misunderstood me. I'm well aware that there will be a Vivaldi mobile version and of course it will have sync – introducing mobile without sync would be madness. I just stated the obvious – the current desktop Vivaldi browser can't sync to any mobile browser and that's obviously deflecting many users from even trying Vivaldi. Just like the Via browser would never be an option for myself because of the lack of sync. Honestly, if I had known Vivaldi would take that long to finish sync, mobile and email client, I might have never started using it in the first place. The everlasting promise of "coming soon" and "stay tuned" is what has kept most users on the edge, but it's also a very bad practice.
Meanwhile Firefox will come out with a new mobile browser, probably this year. Current Firefox for Android is pretty bad in my opinion, but the previews I have tried so far are promising. And yes, that's the better way to keep the community attached to your products – open source development on github and preview releases on the play store for everyone to try.
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@manixx0011 , naturally there is now, but not on dates when this thread was created, where there was only a gross counterfeit, which was reported and removed from the Store.
@Gwen-Dragon , it has no information at all about Vivaldi, nor Mobil, nor PC. -