I really like the name and for a reason – you really need to be brave to take on the likes of Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Just the other day, I’d read an article by Gavin Phillips discussing about how Chrome was a RAM guzzler. Moreover, have you noticed that Chrome has been getting slower and slower? Does it now take longer for your browser to launch? Do you frequently encounter frozen tabs? Time for a change.
Enter Brave. While browsing through my Twitter feed, I happened to stumble upon a promotional tweet for Brave. It promised to be much more faster, block ads, provide more privacy, and have lesser control of your life. I did a quick check on CNET to ensure I wasn’t downloading some spyware masquerading as a browser. When all seemed fine, I proceeded to download and install Brave.
And boy! Was I delighted! Within minutes, I was done with importing my bookmarks from Chrome and was all set to go! I decided that Brave deserved that my first blog post on the new browser would be about Brave itself.
Let’s get a sneak preview on some features.
1. Personal Data: First things first – they make it pretty clear that they’re not in the personal data business. Your browsing data is neither seen nor stored by their servers. All your data is is stored on your devices for you to delete when you want to.
2. Customized settings: One really cool feature is that you can choose to customize your settings for your browser or just for specific sites that you visit using this browser. The browser keeps track of how many ads and trackers it has blocked, and you get to see the count each time you launch the browser.
3. Mobile browser: While their desktop browser is only 2x faster, their mobile browser is 8x faster and that means a lot of money saved on data because none of the ads on various websites are allowed to auto-download.
4. Security: One feature I really loved is that Brave automatically upgrades to HTTPS for secure, encrypted communications, where other browsers use insecure connections.
5. Block ads by default: The best part is that all the annoying ads, malwares, and phishing software are blocked by default. Just open one of your favorite websites, and you’ll be surprised with the amazing way in which it blocks all ads. I tell you these guys have brought back some pleasure into browsing the Internet without highly irritating distractions.
Any flip side? Brave rewards. Brave is free to use, but you can opt in to display ads. They say, “Brave Rewards locally picks which private ads to show you based on your browsing activity. Then, Brave uses an anonymous accounting process to confirm ad event activity, keep personal details private, and ensure people earn rewards for their attention.” As a first-time user, I was and am still pretty confused about how this works. With ads being blocked, it remains to be seen if this opt-in approach can be sustainable for Brave. It’s a brave move after all!
Till then, download Brave and enjoy free browsing. Nothing stops you from using the browser for free without opting in for any ads whatsoever. 🙂
Share your views through the comments section below.
Just Being Resourceful! 