Internet Explorer gets a desi boot

Sowmya Rajaram chats with Alok Kumar Bhardwaj of Bengaluru-based Hidden Reflex, about Epic Browser, that brings you peacock themed-screensavers, Hindi language use and advanced security features

Why the need for Epic Browser?
Simply put, it was time for a new, better browser. It's time we moved Indian language discourse and conversation online and made it easy for 95 per cent of Indians who aren't online to communicate in Indian languages on the Internet. Users spend hours on a browser, so having a uniquely Indian one makes the experience motivating and enjoyable.

The browser is the most important piece of software on a computer, and its usage is growing. The user experience and interface of the browser, however, hadn't changed in 15 years until Epic Browser. We felt that your web browser should do more for you.




Epic Browser's I-Day wallpapers and screens include Mahatma Gandhi,
BR Ambedkar, Subhash Chandra Bose and Chhatrapati Shivaji

How is Epic Browser unique and more Indian?
We had to develop a tool that could help Indian language conversation move online. Currently, almost all Indian Internet activity has been in English, but with Epic Browser, Indian language speakers can share their thoughts as effortlessly as English speakers.

The multitasking and productivity options that Epic Browser's sidebars facilitate also enhance the browsing experience. There are 1,500+ Indian skins, and an India content sidebar.u00a0 There are several free India-related applications that can be installed via the sidebar.

Why should we pick Epic Browser over others?
Epic Browser has three clear advantages:
1. Indian language support is pervasive. We support 12 Indian languages in our built-in, free word processor as well as in text boxes on almost all websites. Users can chat, send e-mails, search, post comments in Indian languages in an instant.
We have 1,500+ Indian themes and wallpapers representing every state and aspect of Indian culture and society. The India content sidebar has the latest global, national and regional news from multiple publications, live cricket scores and commentary, top music albums, live television and more.

2. Epic Browser has great security features. It includes on-demand anti-virus scanning which can scan your computer system and malware. Automated scanning of downloaded files is possible. The anti-phishing and anti-malware features help spot dangerous websites via a database of ratings on nearly 30 million websites from our partner, the Web of Trust. It also has a one-click private data deletion button that deletes long-lived Flash cookies, and it's the only browser to do so.

3. It has about 20 pre-installed communication applications (Facebook, Twitter, etc), productivity applications ('Write' is a word processor which supports typing in Indian languages and file backup to your Gmail account) and entertainment (games, video picture-in-picture sidebar), and over 1,500+ user-installable free applications. These enable you to multi-task or accomplish simple tasks quickly.
Since Epic Browser is also powered by Mozilla, virtually all Firefox add-ons work on it.

What sort of updates can we expect?
Linux and Mac versions are in the offing. We'll enhance our sidebars, inbuilt applications and security. We'll also work to make browsing faster and more private.

How has the response been?
Encouraging. Today, Epic Browser is available for download in over 160 different countries. We are thrilled by the support we have received from India. We've crossed 400,000 downloads in just three weeks since the launch!

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