Lightning is a minimalist web browser designed with one thing in mind - speed of search. An order of magnitude smaller than other browsers, Lightning loads in less than a second and is ready to use straight away. Enable the "Lightning Lookup" service and search on selected text from any application in an instant by typing command-@.
Based on Webkit (the already fast core of the Safari and Chrome browsers), instead of unloading browsed pages as you navigate, Lightning keeps a buffer of many WebBrowser objects in memory. This allows you to return back to a previously viewed page instantaneously without having to wait for it to reload. This optimisation makes a huge difference to speed of navigation.
URL's (starting with http://) or search items can be selected or entered into the address bar. For search terms, select the site you wish use as a search engine on the popup list at the left hand side.
Other features include:
- History and Bookmarks are HTML pages containing an (optional) snapshot of the page when it was last viewed.
- The Bookmarks page is WSYWIG editable to "arrange" them and can be used as your home page. Use the "Manage/Save Bookmarks" menu item to make your changes permanent.
- Preloads next page off-screen when you hover over a link.
- Page by Page control over Flash content and cookies.
- All the usual trackpad gestures including zoom supported.
- To close a tab or remove a bookmark tap it's icon.
- Full Spelling/Grammar checking available via edit menu.
- As a final boost to initial page load try Google DNS on 8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4.
What is new in this release:
Features new to the 3.x release:
- Recent history is now fully searchable from the address bar.
- A high visibility reader forming a highspeed alternative to all that site "chrome".
- A site analyser showing all web traffic which can be used to block tracking sites.
- A site watcher notifying you when any web site/blog you select has changed.
- An automatic, realtime RSS feed follower.
- Unique "Split Screen" side-by-side view.
- Automated import of Safari Bookmarks.
Scan the new tooltips for each button on the interface to catch up on the new functionality. If grey isn't your thing you can now set transparent colours for the title bar.
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