Filed under: Software, Internet Tools
iCab 4.0
File this one under, 'they still make that app?' iCab, the Mac only browser in case you haven't heard of it, has hit 4.0. This version marks the app's triumphant entrance into the 'Cocoa only' club, which means it should run faster (according to the developers, I don't want to start a Carbon vs. Cocoa discussion here). iCab offers up a number of interesting features including per URL 'filters' which let you block specific content from pages (like cookies that come from a site other than the site you're visiting). It also has a few interesting views that show you all the links on a page in a side window, and the source of the page.
iCab is shareware, so you can use it for free but you'll then have to deal with a gentle reminder window that helpfully points out that you can register your copy for $25.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
innermindmedia.com said 8:42AM on 1-02-2008
$$ for a browser? in 2008, I don't think so ..
Look and learn from netscape.
I appreciate the developers efforts, but surely they can find another way to monetize the use of their application.
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Dextro said 8:21AM on 1-02-2008
25$ for a browser that (at first sight) doesn't bring anything new or does things better than other free alternatives out there?
Is there a good reason why anyone would want to use this browser over Safari, Firefox, Camino, ...? Or (since it costs money) Omniweb?
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Carlos Fonseca said 8:42AM on 1-02-2008
Agree
Carlos Fonseca said 8:44AM on 1-02-2008
"iCab offers up a number of interesting features including per URL 'filters' which let you block specific content from pages (like cookies that come from a site other than the site your visiting)."
Safari does that cookie thing by default...
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Brad said 8:58AM on 1-02-2008
Looks like a bad mix between Firefox and Safari.
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Charlie said 10:16AM on 1-02-2008
I probably won't buy this app, but I do want to call out two interesting UI features seen in its screenshots:
Related toolbar buttons like back, forward, and refresh merged into a single "control pad". Not sure I like this, but it is interesting.
A "show all" preferences pane using icons, the way System Preferences does. Most apps use a tab control to switch between a limited number of panes. The iCab way affords easy access to a larger number of panes. I'm not sure it's a good thing to expose all of the configuration options to the casual user, but if the point was to convey the impression of a highly-configurable app, it certainly does that.
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Sabon said 10:31AM on 1-02-2008
How about a browser that can automatically convert "Microsoft" to "MajorSuck" and "Steve Ballmer" to "bombastic bozo ballmer" (my apologies to bozo).
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Big John said 3:17PM on 1-02-2008
Firefox has an addon for this, I believe it's called "Acting like an 8-year old".
Harald said 10:33AM on 1-02-2008
this thing was interesting, as long as it supported old mac os 9. but it does not make sense to pay for a cocoa only browser - there are enough free ones.
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Rhys said 3:07PM on 1-02-2008
That should be "site you're visiting". Yay for proof-reading.
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Bob S. said 10:57AM on 1-02-2008
I have fond memories of earlier versions of iCab -- for all the "Safari does that too" comments here, people don't seem to be considering that just maybe another piece of software might be able to do things better.
That said, while I'll give it a looksee tonight, I've installed Privoxy and edited my hosts file to block most advertising and web beacon hosts, so iCab has to be that much more impressive to get my money. But back in the days of interstitial ads and those hideous animated ads that would cover part of the page until you found the close button, iCab was great.
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mentalsticks said 2:55PM on 1-02-2008
I agree. What's wrong with choice?
Safari is, and has always been, an incredible RAM hog. On my computer, it takes up to 400-500MB, even when I'm not doing anything special with it. As RAM is a precious resource on a laptop, I'm shopping around for another browser. For now, I've settled on Opera but I'll check out iCab too.
Wysiwyhg said 11:14AM on 1-02-2008
I gave it a try and... It's 1998 all over again. I mean, the interface is BIG and ugly, with a Mail-ish button scheme (already a bad idea in first place). There are some good ideas like prefetch, but the windows are so damn ugly that kills any motivation to use it any longer.
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Bob S. said 12:41PM on 1-02-2008
Heheheh... I just noticed that that big glorious screenshot of the browser whose biggest, bestest feature is ad blocking has ad blocking turned off for that screenshot. I'm sure Circuit City appreciates the placement!
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Laurie said 2:55PM on 1-02-2008
We've been using iCab at our office since OS 9. We have a computer at our front counter that our clients use to look up media in our library.
At the time, it was the only browser with a "kiosk" mode. I can configure it to not show the location bar and only allow users to access our web site and no others. It is supremely customizable, used very little RAM and has always worked flawlessly.
I've never even looked into other browser options.
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Dextro said 8:07AM on 1-03-2008
Well i think that's a little (sorry) ignorant. I know iCab from OS8 & 9-days too, but things have changed sir. I tried it for a while yesterday, and in my opinion it certainly ain't worth the money.
The app does offer several things other browsers don't have, but sure as h*ll not 25$ worth. Smileys for HTML validation for instance. I'm no web developer, but there are several other solutions for this and other browsers offer similar features, albeit via plugins. For a regular user, no added value.
That link manager thing, searching through links without opening a second window, but it requires a window of it's own ... a tab with google results for instance and opening clicked links in a new tab is just the same.
I mean, that top 10 list on their website just doesn't make sense.
If you think it's worth 25$ for a regular user, or even for webdev's etc., enlighten me! :)
Tony said 3:02PM on 1-02-2008
Here's your bit o' trivia for the day:
iCab is the Mac version of the de-facto standard web browser for the old Atari ST/TT/Falcon line of computers. It's made by the same guy. The browser for Atari was called CAB, which stood for Crystal Atari Browser.
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GCG said 10:53AM on 1-03-2008
Hi-
I'm a registered user of iCab. In fact I've been using it since MacOS 9.x days. Interestingly, my original registration code works properly with iCab 4.0. Like this browser for its superb speed, security and flexibility. Renders perfectly on my Mac and passes Acid Test 2! BTW, the folks at Agile are looking into adapting 1Password to iCab, now that would be awesome!
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