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Show HN: Helium Browser for Android with extensions support, based on Vanadium

https://github.com/jqssun/android-helium-browser
23•jqssun•3h ago
Been working on an experimental Chromium-based browser that brings 2 major features to your phone/tablet:

1. desktop-style extensions: natively install any extensions (like uBO) from the chrome web store, just toggle "desktop site" in the menu first.

2. privacy/security hardening: applies the full patch sets from Vanadium (with Helium's currently wip).

Means you get both browsers' excellent privacy features, like Vanadium's webrtc IP policy option that protects your real IP by default, and security improvements such as JIT being disabled by default, all while being a reasonably efficient FOSS app that can be installed on any (modern) android.

It's still in beta, and as I note in the README, it's not a replacement for the full OS-level security model you'd get from running the GrapheneOS Vanadium combo. However, goal was to combine privacy of Vanadium with the power of desktop extensions and Helium features, and make it accessible to a wider audience. (Passkeys from Bitwarden Mobile should also work straight away once merged in the list of FIDO2 privileged browsers)

Build scripts are in the repo if you want to compile it yourself. You can find pre-built releases there too.

Would love any feedback/support!

Comments

xrd•1h ago
Fascinating, I use Firefox because on Android I can use extensions (for this https://plzat.me). This is a great alternative.

Edit: hard to find where to get this browser. Do I need to build it myself?

Fnoord•5m ago
[delayed]
sphars•1h ago
Ah thought I saw a Helium browser mentioned recently on HN[0] and thought this was the same thing. So this is not the same as this Helium browser [1]?

[0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45366867

[1]: https://helium.computer/

VPenkov•35m ago
The repository introduces it as indeed based on Helium [0].

The cool part about Helium is that it's based on patches, rather than forking the full source code. I don't know how sustainable this is in the long term, but it's an interesting approach for sure.

[0]: https://helium.computer/

vrinsd•1h ago
This is really great work, but can you comment on whether or not any Google-based "safebrowsing", etc is still enabled in the code base?

Have you thought about merging your efforts with ungoogled-chromium (Android)?

There USED to be an ungoogled-chromium for Android (circa v88 chrome, the APK is still available for download) that also allowed extentions.

xnx•1h ago
I've been looking for a Kiwi Browser replacement since it stopped updating. I'll check this out.
imcritic•1h ago
Do you have any plans to push it to F-Droid?

That would raise the value of that project quite a lot (at least for me, but I feel like there are others, thinking similarly).

Please, push it to F-Droid!

xrd•19m ago
I second this!

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Show HN: Helium Browser for Android with extensions support, based on Vanadium

https://github.com/jqssun/android-helium-browser
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