Some of our readers may be familiar with an app called Chromer. When set as your default browser, it has the power to grant any app access to Chrome’s “custom tabs” feature, eliminating the need to deal with apps’ internal browsers, which can at times be slow and unsecured, and also lack your logins, autofill and other data from Chrome. Whatever your reason for wanting to avoid using apps’ internal browsers, if you use Chromer as a means to do so, there’s a pleasant surprise in the Play Store. Chromer has hit version 1.5 and picked up a few nifty new features.
The update’s headline feature, known as Webheads, allows you to have a link sitting in a bubble on the side of your screen, much like the Chat Heads in Facebook’s Messenger app, and pop open a bubble when you’re ready to view the web page. Using available options, users can dismiss Webheads only at will, or have them disappear when opened. Webheads are persistent through any app and your home screen, much like chat heads. Another feature in the new update allows you to set up which apps will react to your clicks. A search bar has also appeared on the app’s main screen, allowing for voice and text searches. The app’s dynamic toolbar can now set its own color in reaction to the app you’re in, lending a more natural and “material” feel to the custom tabs generated. You can also search via the sharing intent; sharing a non-URL piece of text to Chromer starts a search in a custom tab. Some fixes for Cyanogen OS and Cyanogenmod devices, as well as performance updates for non-Chrome browsers, round out the update.
Chromer’s concept may sound a little confusing or needless to some, but the app does offer the stability and security of your favorite browser and the newest update’s Webheads feature is sure to make chronic procrastinators, researchers and those shopping for deals on big purchases happy. If you’d like to see the magic of custom tabs and Webheads in action for yourself, hit up the source link and give Chromer a try.
