Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
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Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
So basically which browser would be the best for my Huawei MatePad T10s (Android 10) tablet considering that Google's official app store isn't available. I installed Firefox via apk and MS edge thru Huawei's app gallery app store which has a very limited selection of apps if you compare them with Google's app store. I know about unofficial app stores like apkpure but I don't feel comfortable with downloading stuff like web browsers from unofficial sources. I'm concerned with potentially installing a malware infected or compromised app. I have installed a few apps like the BBC app and similar stuff from unofficial sources but there I don't have to type my password like I have to with web browsers because I check my mail and use other services. Also from what I have read online even if I installed Chrome sync and other stuff wouldn't work because it requires GMS which my tablet doesn't have which makes Chrome useless if I can't use sync and/or access Google's other services.
I find that MS Edge provides a better browsing experience than Firefox at least on my tablet so for now I have been using Edge as my main browser.
So does anyone know anything better or can provide some input as I'm probably not the only one with a device without GMS.
Yeah I knew that I could just have bought an android tablet with GMS but I intentionally bought this one because I wanted to experience how restricted an android device without GMS can be. I already own a normal Android phone with GMS.
Thanks for any advice.
I find that MS Edge provides a better browsing experience than Firefox at least on my tablet so for now I have been using Edge as my main browser.
So does anyone know anything better or can provide some input as I'm probably not the only one with a device without GMS.
Yeah I knew that I could just have bought an android tablet with GMS but I intentionally bought this one because I wanted to experience how restricted an android device without GMS can be. I already own a normal Android phone with GMS.
Thanks for any advice.
Last edited by mtosev on 2022-06-26, 19:15, edited 1 time in total.
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Asus Prime X299 Edition 30, Core i9 10900X, 32GB (4x8 quad channel) 3600MHz G.Skill, Asus ROG Strix RTX 2080 Super, 1TB Samsung 970 Pro, Corsair AiO watercooling, Dell UltraSharp UP3017, Windows 11 Pro
Inspiron 13 7359: Core i7 6500U, 8gb ddr3L, 500GB Samsung 860 evo, 13.3" ips full hd touch, Windows 10 Home
ThinkPad X280: Core i5 8350U, 16GB, 256GB, 12.5" ips full hd touch, Windows 11 Home
Huawei MatePad T10s 64/4GB
Asus Prime X299 Edition 30, Core i9 10900X, 32GB (4x8 quad channel) 3600MHz G.Skill, Asus ROG Strix RTX 2080 Super, 1TB Samsung 970 Pro, Corsair AiO watercooling, Dell UltraSharp UP3017, Windows 11 Pro
Inspiron 13 7359: Core i7 6500U, 8gb ddr3L, 500GB Samsung 860 evo, 13.3" ips full hd touch, Windows 10 Home
ThinkPad X280: Core i5 8350U, 16GB, 256GB, 12.5" ips full hd touch, Windows 11 Home
Huawei MatePad T10s 64/4GB
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Re: Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
There is no Pale Moon for Android. I would say you cannot do much better than Edge or Firefox if you are on Android, the options are pretty limited because most people just use Chrome and are happy with it because Android is developed by Google and it all goes together, etc.
"The Athenians, however, represent the unity of these opposites; in them, mind or spirit has emerged from the Theban subjectivity without losing itself in the Spartan objectivity of ethical life. With the Athenians, the rights of the State and of the individual found as perfect a union as was possible at all at the level of the Greek spirit." -- Hegel's philosophy of Mind
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Re: Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
If you can install the F-Droid apk to access the F-Droid store, then you can get the Mull browser, which is the mobile equivalent of Librewolf. Mull is Firefox mobile with privacy and security settings from the Arkenfox and Tor projects.
https://f-droid.org/
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/us.spotco.fennec_dos/
Also you can get the apk for the Brave browser from Brave's github. Go to the Releases page, and search for the latest "Release" version, which is currently 1.40.107. Under "Assets", you can download the Bravearm.apk, which should install on most Android-ish tablets.
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/ ... /v1.40.107
Lastly, you can add nearly anything from the Google Play Store via the F-Droid "Aurora Store" app, which is just kind of a proxy into the Google Play Store. (Install it via the F-Droid app to get automatic updates):
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.aurora.store/
On my tablet I use Mull and Brave, and I was able to install Pale Moon by using AnLinux, Termux and multiVNC from the F-Droid store. I wrote some about my Pale Moon use here:
viewtopic.php?f=65&t=28104&p=226856#p225997
https://f-droid.org/
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/us.spotco.fennec_dos/
Also you can get the apk for the Brave browser from Brave's github. Go to the Releases page, and search for the latest "Release" version, which is currently 1.40.107. Under "Assets", you can download the Bravearm.apk, which should install on most Android-ish tablets.
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/ ... /v1.40.107
Lastly, you can add nearly anything from the Google Play Store via the F-Droid "Aurora Store" app, which is just kind of a proxy into the Google Play Store. (Install it via the F-Droid app to get automatic updates):
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.aurora.store/
On my tablet I use Mull and Brave, and I was able to install Pale Moon by using AnLinux, Termux and multiVNC from the F-Droid store. I wrote some about my Pale Moon use here:
viewtopic.php?f=65&t=28104&p=226856#p225997
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Re: Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
I use Iceraven, a mobile FIrefox fork with the tracking and telemetry removed, plus it has a couple of features of its own and supports more extensions than Firefox.
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Re: Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
I use F-Droid's Fennec in my phone. I was using Bromite before, but Chromium dropped support for Android 5.0, and my phone's stuck with that version (I wish I could root it so that I could upgrade its OS and play Touhou Lost Word which needs at least Android 7.0, but the methods I'm seeing while searching look fishy). Facebook and Twitter images also load properly now in Firefox for Android (unlike before, which is why I used Bromite), so it's a no-brainer for me to migrate to a still-supported browser.

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Re: Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
Aha thanks. I have installed that aurora store. Can I assume that apps there are clean, don't contain malware and similar crap?andyprough wrote: ↑2022-06-26, 19:39If you can install the F-Droid apk to access the F-Droid store, then you can get the Mull browser, which is the mobile equivalent of Librewolf. Mull is Firefox mobile with privacy and security settings from the Arkenfox and Tor projects.
https://f-droid.org/
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/us.spotco.fennec_dos/
Also you can get the apk for the Brave browser from Brave's github. Go to the Releases page, and search for the latest "Release" version, which is currently 1.40.107. Under "Assets", you can download the Bravearm.apk, which should install on most Android-ish tablets.
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser
https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/ ... /v1.40.107
Lastly, you can add nearly anything from the Google Play Store via the F-Droid "Aurora Store" app, which is just kind of a proxy into the Google Play Store. (Install it via the F-Droid app to get automatic updates):
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.aurora.store/
On my tablet I use Mull and Brave, and I was able to install Pale Moon by using AnLinux, Termux and multiVNC from the F-Droid store. I wrote some about my Pale Moon use here:
viewtopic.php?f=65&t=28104&p=226856#p225997
Thanks.
Main rig
Asus Prime X299 Edition 30, Core i9 10900X, 32GB (4x8 quad channel) 3600MHz G.Skill, Asus ROG Strix RTX 2080 Super, 1TB Samsung 970 Pro, Corsair AiO watercooling, Dell UltraSharp UP3017, Windows 11 Pro
Inspiron 13 7359: Core i7 6500U, 8gb ddr3L, 500GB Samsung 860 evo, 13.3" ips full hd touch, Windows 10 Home
ThinkPad X280: Core i5 8350U, 16GB, 256GB, 12.5" ips full hd touch, Windows 11 Home
Huawei MatePad T10s 64/4GB
Asus Prime X299 Edition 30, Core i9 10900X, 32GB (4x8 quad channel) 3600MHz G.Skill, Asus ROG Strix RTX 2080 Super, 1TB Samsung 970 Pro, Corsair AiO watercooling, Dell UltraSharp UP3017, Windows 11 Pro
Inspiron 13 7359: Core i7 6500U, 8gb ddr3L, 500GB Samsung 860 evo, 13.3" ips full hd touch, Windows 10 Home
ThinkPad X280: Core i5 8350U, 16GB, 256GB, 12.5" ips full hd touch, Windows 11 Home
Huawei MatePad T10s 64/4GB
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Re: Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
Aurora store is just like a proxy to log in to the regular Play Store and grab the apps for you. So the apps should be as safe as they would be if you were using the Play Store to install apps directly. If you are worried that malware could get into the Play Store then a good idea is to run a free anti-malware checking app. My favorite one for Android is Malwarebytes.
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Re: Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
I started using aurora store and I have to say that it's great. They have PayPal, Netflix,... and other apps there. Thanks a lot.andyprough wrote: ↑2022-06-27, 19:39Aurora store is just like a proxy to log in to the regular Play Store and grab the apps for you. So the apps should be as safe as they would be if you were using the Play Store to install apps directly. If you are worried that malware could get into the Play Store then a good idea is to run a free anti-malware checking app. My favorite one for Android is Malwarebytes.
Main rig
Asus Prime X299 Edition 30, Core i9 10900X, 32GB (4x8 quad channel) 3600MHz G.Skill, Asus ROG Strix RTX 2080 Super, 1TB Samsung 970 Pro, Corsair AiO watercooling, Dell UltraSharp UP3017, Windows 11 Pro
Inspiron 13 7359: Core i7 6500U, 8gb ddr3L, 500GB Samsung 860 evo, 13.3" ips full hd touch, Windows 10 Home
ThinkPad X280: Core i5 8350U, 16GB, 256GB, 12.5" ips full hd touch, Windows 11 Home
Huawei MatePad T10s 64/4GB
Asus Prime X299 Edition 30, Core i9 10900X, 32GB (4x8 quad channel) 3600MHz G.Skill, Asus ROG Strix RTX 2080 Super, 1TB Samsung 970 Pro, Corsair AiO watercooling, Dell UltraSharp UP3017, Windows 11 Pro
Inspiron 13 7359: Core i7 6500U, 8gb ddr3L, 500GB Samsung 860 evo, 13.3" ips full hd touch, Windows 10 Home
ThinkPad X280: Core i5 8350U, 16GB, 256GB, 12.5" ips full hd touch, Windows 11 Home
Huawei MatePad T10s 64/4GB
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Re: Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
I have another question. Possibly one that can't be fulfilled but I'm gonna ask it anyway because there is a possibility that someone may know something or has an idea or solution.
So as I mentioned in the above post I installed the Netflix app from that unofficial store and everything works. But one thing bothers me. The app states: digital rights management Widevine L3, Playback Maximum playback resolution: SD and all the content plays in SD resolution. Because this tablet has a resolution of 1920x1200 it sadly doesn't look great, it's watchable of course but not great. So I'm wondering if there is any possibility of maybe getting the content to play in HD?
Thanks.
So as I mentioned in the above post I installed the Netflix app from that unofficial store and everything works. But one thing bothers me. The app states: digital rights management Widevine L3, Playback Maximum playback resolution: SD and all the content plays in SD resolution. Because this tablet has a resolution of 1920x1200 it sadly doesn't look great, it's watchable of course but not great. So I'm wondering if there is any possibility of maybe getting the content to play in HD?
Thanks.
Main rig
Asus Prime X299 Edition 30, Core i9 10900X, 32GB (4x8 quad channel) 3600MHz G.Skill, Asus ROG Strix RTX 2080 Super, 1TB Samsung 970 Pro, Corsair AiO watercooling, Dell UltraSharp UP3017, Windows 11 Pro
Inspiron 13 7359: Core i7 6500U, 8gb ddr3L, 500GB Samsung 860 evo, 13.3" ips full hd touch, Windows 10 Home
ThinkPad X280: Core i5 8350U, 16GB, 256GB, 12.5" ips full hd touch, Windows 11 Home
Huawei MatePad T10s 64/4GB
Asus Prime X299 Edition 30, Core i9 10900X, 32GB (4x8 quad channel) 3600MHz G.Skill, Asus ROG Strix RTX 2080 Super, 1TB Samsung 970 Pro, Corsair AiO watercooling, Dell UltraSharp UP3017, Windows 11 Pro
Inspiron 13 7359: Core i7 6500U, 8gb ddr3L, 500GB Samsung 860 evo, 13.3" ips full hd touch, Windows 10 Home
ThinkPad X280: Core i5 8350U, 16GB, 256GB, 12.5" ips full hd touch, Windows 11 Home
Huawei MatePad T10s 64/4GB
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Re: Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
First, it's important to remember you are getting the official Netflix app from the Google Play Store, you are just using the Aurora Store to sign in to the Google Play Store on your behalf and download it.mtosev wrote: ↑2022-07-17, 11:55I have another question. Possibly one that can't be fulfilled but I'm gonna ask it anyway because there is a possibility that someone may know something or has an idea or solution.
So as I mentioned in the above post I installed the Netflix app from that unofficial store and everything works. But one thing bothers me. The app states: digital rights management Widevine L3, Playback Maximum playback resolution: SD and all the content plays in SD resolution. Because this tablet has a resolution of 1920x1200 it sadly doesn't look great, it's watchable of course but not great. So I'm wondering if there is any possibility of maybe getting the content to play in HD?
Thanks.
That being said, there is a Netflix page that says that Widevine L3 only works with SD: https://help.netflix.com/en/node/116633
You need Widevine L1 in order to watch in HD according to that page, and it says that depends on your tablet manufacturer. I know nothing more about this stuff, because I do not use widevine or watch Netflix.
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Re: Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
Interesting. DRM Info reports Widevine L1, while Netflix reports L3. I looked at the review of the tablet and they state:
Despite the Google waiver, the MatePad T10s does support Widevine Level L1 DRM.
I'm quite confused now.
Despite the Google waiver, the MatePad T10s does support Widevine Level L1 DRM.
I'm quite confused now.
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Main rig
Asus Prime X299 Edition 30, Core i9 10900X, 32GB (4x8 quad channel) 3600MHz G.Skill, Asus ROG Strix RTX 2080 Super, 1TB Samsung 970 Pro, Corsair AiO watercooling, Dell UltraSharp UP3017, Windows 11 Pro
Inspiron 13 7359: Core i7 6500U, 8gb ddr3L, 500GB Samsung 860 evo, 13.3" ips full hd touch, Windows 10 Home
ThinkPad X280: Core i5 8350U, 16GB, 256GB, 12.5" ips full hd touch, Windows 11 Home
Huawei MatePad T10s 64/4GB
Asus Prime X299 Edition 30, Core i9 10900X, 32GB (4x8 quad channel) 3600MHz G.Skill, Asus ROG Strix RTX 2080 Super, 1TB Samsung 970 Pro, Corsair AiO watercooling, Dell UltraSharp UP3017, Windows 11 Pro
Inspiron 13 7359: Core i7 6500U, 8gb ddr3L, 500GB Samsung 860 evo, 13.3" ips full hd touch, Windows 10 Home
ThinkPad X280: Core i5 8350U, 16GB, 256GB, 12.5" ips full hd touch, Windows 11 Home
Huawei MatePad T10s 64/4GB
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Re: Best browser for Huawei tablet? (No GMS)
There's a Huawei community forum here: https://consumer.huawei.com/en/communit ... umId=10005
Might be worth throwing a question out to that community.
I typed "netflix" in the search field, and I see a couple of answers that indicate maybe you will not be able to use HD video with Netflix on that device. For example this thread: https://consumer.huawei.com/en/communit ... Id_128144/
Since I don't have the device, it would be better if you search around that site and maybe ask them some questions.