Yandex Browser enters beta with a strong focus on privacy

Just tried it.

1. It automatically imported google chrome data without asking & showed a popup message that browsec would load at every startup (didn't specify if browser or system startup) It did give option to cancel out after it had imported the data.
2. The UI tries too hard to be different & can be very confusing.
3. The setup file wants internet access along with a tmp file.
4. No bookmark bar shown always despite the option being ticked, personally I can't be bothered with all these flashy new tab pages.
5. Speed was ok & on a par with Chrome & Opera.
6. Setup file & installed size is way too big for a web browser.
7. When scrolling down the BBC news site the top & bottom of the browser kept changing colour which is very annoying & distracting.
8. Uses a lot more RAM than Chrome or Opera.
9. Annoyingly opens IE despite Chrome being the default browser when you uninstall it.

Personally I found it very like Sleipner browser in that it tries too hard to look & act different than other browsers, it has some good ideas but is very much style over substance.

 

Just tried it and not too sure about it. I am an Opera user so my take may be a bit different.

1. No choice of where to install it and puts it in the Users which is wrong.

2. Prefer the standard interface. Could not see the url in the new one.

3. Cannot import from Opera 12x. Had to use html instead and the bookmarks are not sorted. Can be done manually but each branch of the tree has to be done separately - which is tiresome.

4. No spelling.

5. On install m/c when into slugish more and blanked the desktop for a while.

6. Not sure this is a keeper.

 

I use Yandex browser for ages, but since pros are well known (like Kaspersky's scan or Yandex's sync vs Google's), I will point out some cons:

Since the new release, it does not allow to create nameless bookmars, Chrome still does, so it is Yandex's thing only.
Even though the browser does have an auto update check, it does not auto update itself, it has to be done manually.
An integrated adguard version is always outdated, I have to use a standalone version to keep it updated properly.
History button has been changed into a menu, it requires more clicks to open a history, a little bothersome.

EDIT: OK, I have just installed the beta version and it is the worst browser I have ever seen, if this is the way it is going, then better to look for an alternative. I can not even access/see bookmarks, not to mention, that the whole fullscreen (thing) is disgusting. So tabs are in the bottom, bookmarks on the new tab are up or they have to be opened via a toolbar on the right, so I have to move the mouse all around, instead of being all together up like before, it is extremely annoying.

EDIT 2: Sadly there is no way to revert back from the beta version, so I had to install tracking Chrome, since I am unable to do anything with this piece of ****, I feel like a newbie desperately looking for IE icon to even open a webpage. A great way to destroy the browser, way to go Yandex ... straight to the hell.

EDIT: OK, Softpedia has an old installer, so I am saved for a few more months, but until they address the issues, it does not look like a promising future.

 

Got it. The bug is caused by the redirect. You first visit example.com which redirects you to www.example.com. AG should block both so it opens two "Access Denied" pages.

 

You can switch back to the old interface in the browser main menu, not a problem.
Not everyone likes this new interface, it takes time to get used to it.

 

Thanks for the info, but it is not about liking it, it is about ergonomics. I have got so upset, because I love Yandex browser I would not want to let go.

Adding a bookmarks to favorites requires at least 2 clicks, opening bookmarks is also prolonged, since the bookmarks menu is not visible, it could be hideable, if you want that approach, not hidden entirely. URL bar is up, bookmarks menu almost in the middle and tabs in the bottom, that requires too much of mouse's movement, they should be grouped together for an easy access. Also a webpage is not scrollable to sides, when the browser's window is smaller, the scroll bar is visible, etc.

 

That irritated me too. It was uncomfortable on a 14' screen but absolutely terrible on a 27' screen. Returned back to Opera Chromium.

 

i use/test the browser with the new design for 2 days now. first i tought the new style is to complicated and hard to navigate. but after 2 days i find it more logical/easy to use this browser than any other browser with "normal" design. it is one of the best looking browsers for me and the speed is nice too. seems like it is my new main browser. dont need much,just extensions and some options and this is all in Yandex beta. nothing i want more.

 

Yandex is based on Google Chrome and uses the default Google Chrome settings. Its also compatible with Google Chrome extensions.

Its most unique feature is its tableau, which is a sort of pinnable list of favorite websites that can be added for quick browsing.

Yandex doesn't have a home button but a home button can be added with a Google extension.

When updating, it may reset in Russian as well as English but your language default is possible.

 

I know that Yandex can use Chrome extensions but how about Chrome applications (also from Chrome store)?

 

Sure it can, pretty much any Chrome based browser can, Yandex on top of it can also use Opera extensions.

 

Thanks but not all, Opera Chromium cannot handle Chrome Applications, only extensions, that's why I asked.

 

That is because Chrome is based on Chromium, not the other way around.

 

It's based on Chromium not Chrome - there is a difference. Opera developed this for them though maybe they have taken over development with this new version.

You can use Opera extensions in Chromium or Chrome just by changing the file type to crx and in linux they don't remove it it although it says 'not from chrome web store'.

 

Yandex Browser has had considerable improvement. Now you can use Google in the English version as default search engine.

It still lacks the ability to set a home page but you can add a home page button from Google Chrome web store to bring back ability to set a home page.

Its compatible with most extensions from both the Google chrome web store and Opera extensions catalog.

Tableau - a sort of speed dial - has undergone an overhaul - now adding favorite sites is easy and one can visit them by clicking the site tile.

A fast and intuitive browser based on Chromium and Opera technologies. People will compare it to Opera.