data compression – SomeGadgetGuy

chrome bandwith management reduce data usage

It’s funny how tech moves in cycles.

When data networks were slow, and our mobile smartphones were far less powerful, we usually could count on unlimited data here in the States, even through the 3G revolution. Companies like Opera would release 3rd party browsers to help reduce data use and to speed up web browsing. Especially during the Windows Mobile days, this was tremendously helpful as web browsing could be somewhat painful on smaller screens and under-powered hardware.

Now we have devices which do a remarkable job of replicating the desktop web browsing experience, on screaming fast hardware, with broadband bandwidth over the air. Unfortunately, all of these improvements came with caps and throttling for most consumers. We don’t necessarily need the speed benefits of compression anymore, but saving a few MB’s while browsing would certainly come in handy.

Rolling out today, Chrome will now offer up data compression for Android and iOS. Once you’ve received the update, go into settings, hit Bandwidth Management, and enable “Reduce Data Usage”. Easy peasy. This wont help reduce data on any of your other apps or services, but if you use the browser, it will be able to reduce your data footprint by up to 50%, while improving your “Safe Browsing” security.

Android users will also receive an update to add website shortcuts to their homescreen directly from the browser menu. Not too shabby.

Check the Google Chrome Blog for the full scoop.

Welcome Opera! You’ve been kinda quiet lately!

Opera was the browser of choice for us hip kids during the Windows Mobile days. Back then, data compression was helpful because we often had slow Edge and baby 3G networks to browse on. Opera would squish that data down, and pages would load and render faster on those old phones. Nowadays, we have access to much faster 3G and 4G networks, but many of us have plans which include data caps, so data compression serves a different (yet equally useful) purpose, especially if you do a lot of browsing on your phone or cell network enabled tablet.

Opera Max is in open BETA now, and Opera is looking for testers using Android 4.0 or newer phones and tablets. Utilizing a Virtual Private Network, where Opera squishes data down for you before sending it out to your device, they claim they can shave a considerable chunk of data usage off your monthly tally. Especially as this set up will work for any non-encrypted data you receive, it’ll also help reduce data usage for a variety of apps and services you might use on your device. That’s right, not just data through your browser, but all data streaming to your phone.

It’s a little similar to how Blackberries used to handle network connections, sending through RIM servers before delivering to the handset. One of the tools which made BB so formidable during the early days of smartphone use. I’ve been a big fan of improving network efficiency, and this could be one way in which we end users can help reduce the load on cell towers.

If you’d like to try out the BETA, the full details are on the Opera Max site!