Digital Home Thoughts: Who Should You Choose When You're 'Just Browsing'

"While this is a follow-up to our original Web browser Grand Prix, we have also included some standards compliance testing along with enhanced memory benchmarks. We feel that even though these tests do not directly affect speed, they are crucial to overall performance. But don't worry, we'll separate those benchmarks from our speed tests in the conclusion, so you'll still get to find out which Web browser is the fastest when judged purely on raw speed."

Web Browsers have definitely become one of the major components of our Internet connected life. The concept is great: A single application or platform through which you can access the largest communications network and one of the largest data repositories in the world. Of course, that vision is being challenged with the rise of apps on the iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone 7 (if it ever truly comes out) but for now, it remains one of the most important parts of computing. While we all have our own preferences, I am impressed that the web browser market is a five horse race. Yes, I know there are many other browsers to choose from, but there are five web browsers that have an appreciable amount of the market. I think it just demonstrates how cut throat the market is. In many ways, it is trivial to change browsers (with the exception of extensions) and that means that each browser has to compete fiercely to stay relevant. In another year or two, we might see a different landscape altogether.