Chrome to Phone vs. Link Push
One of my favorite relatively new Android functions is the ability to send web pages to your phone from your computer’s web browser. AppBrain added some new functionality yesterday that allows you to send links or wallpapers to your phone from their website (in addition to the ability to send apps, which they already had with their “Fast Web Installer”). However, if you don’t have an AppBrain account, there are two apps that were already sending web links to phones long ago, “Chrome to Phone” and “LinkPush”.
Why would you want to send a web page from your computer browser to your phone?
- Suppose you are browsing restaurants online and you choose the one you want to try. You can send the restaurant’s web page to your phone so you have the address at hand for navigation, and you can read the reviews to your friends on the way over.
- Imagine you are reading a long interesting news article in the morning and halfway through, you realize you’re going to be late for work if you don’t leave now. Push the link to your phone and finish reading the article on the metro on the way to work.
- Maybe you found a new blog to read and you want to bookmark it in your phone’s browser, but it has a long URL and you don’t feel like typing it in using your phone’s keyboard.
You get the idea! You’ll see in the demonstration below that using these apps makes the process much simpler than the alternative of copying, pasting, and emailing yourself the links! Both Chrome to Phone and LinkPush require browser add-ins and apps to function, and for my demonstration, I’ll be using Google Chrome browser for both. Chrome to Phone only works with Froyo/Android 2.2 devices, and LinkPush works in all versions of Android OS.
Let’s compare….
Setup Process
Chrome to Phone: Chrome to Phone is a Google product made specifically for the Chrome browser. First, you install the browser extension in Google Chrome, which can be found at this link. This will add a little icon to Chrome’s toolbar that looks like a cell phone. Next, you need to download and install the app on your phone. You can do that by searching the market, or by clicking below for the link or QR code. Lastly, sign into the same Google account for the extension and the app to connect them.
LinkPush: LinkPush can be used in either Chrome or Firefox, or other browsers that support bookmarklets. Links to download any browser extension can be found here on their web page. When you install it, you will see a little android icon with a chain link in your toolbar. The next step is to install the LinkPush app on your phone. Their website conveniently provides a QR code to scan, which is also provided below. LinkPush uses Google Account authentication, so just like for Chrome, you can click the LinkPush icon in your browser and log into your Google Account, then open the app on your phone and log in there to connect the two parts.
Using the apps
In order to compare usability of the two, I made a little video for you:
Summary
Google Chrome to Phone has the added functionalities you see in the video of being able to open map links in Google Maps and video links in YouTube directly. It also doesn’t require you to open an app, so to me, Chrome to Phone’s functionality is superior to LinkPush.
However, Chrome to Phone only works with Android 2.2 and Google Chrome browser, and those are limiting factors. If you don’t use the Chrome browser, or your phone doesn’t support Froyo, go with LinkPush. It’s almost as good and just requires a couple extra clicks to do the same thing.
Do you use either of these apps or the new AppBrain link-pushing function? Tell us in the comments!
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I found a new use for Chrome to Phone. I was on my computer and custom-configured directions in Google Maps by dragging the path to another road. Easy to do online, but I couldn’t find an easy way to do it on the phone.
So, I went to the web page that had my custom directions and used Chrome to Phone. It passed the link to my Droid and I was able to use navigation to drive the custom path! Yes!!
I didn’t know that. thats an awesome feature. ive been using chrome to phone since i got my Droid 1 a year and a half ago. and still didnt know after i switched to the Droid X
There is also now an opera to phone extension for opera and a firefox to phone extension for firefox. they are the same as the chrome to phone. i believe they were made by the same people that made chrome to phone. i dont know of an internet explorer verison but no one that uses smartphones and has a choice for their browser uses internet explorer.