How much browser cache does iPad have?

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Does anyone know the size of iPad's browser cache?

Browser cache is the memory that allows a web browser to 'remember' the content of sites recently visited. Pictures, text, layout are all remembered, so while switching between open pages, and re-loading a recently-visited page happen very quickly.

On devices with very small browser caches, the content needs to re-load, instead of the device 'remembering' the content and then re-loading it very quickly from the cache.

This is a *BIG* deal, because depending on the size of the browser cache, iPad might 'forget' recently visited sites and then you'll have to wait while the site loads AGAIN.

An example, is if you visit a news site, and you're browsing around for articles, when you go back to the main page of the site.. If you have a large browser cache, you will get the main page loaded VERY quickly.

If the browser cache is too small, you will need to wait for that home page to load again, and that can be very annoying especially if the device has plenty of memory.. It *SHOULD* remember that home page so it can display it very quickly.

It computes a checksum or something based on the data of the home page, and there's an HTTP 4.0 feature which lets the browser check to see if the home page has changed. If not, it displays the original.

All this depends on the size of the browser cache on iPad!!! If the browser cache is too low, then it will make for an unpleasant browsing experience.

There's no reason for the browser cache to be too small... These devices have a large amount of memory. Although the browser cache on the iPhone **IS** too small.
 

cwa107


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No one but Apple knows this kind of minutiae at the moment. I'm sure it's large enough that the device is capable and quick, otherwise it wouldn't sell. In a few weeks, we'll all know for sure.
 
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Not sure what else to say. :)
 
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chas_m

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As stated, nobody (outside Apple) knows this at this time. BUT if you look at the keynote, it is QUITE obvious that this is not "MobileSafari" as the iPhone has. For the quick tour Steve goes on (and he does go back to a previous page a couple of times), Safari on the iPad behaves IDENTICALLY to Safari on a Mac.

Hope that helps.
 
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Hello, it's me again.

I have since bought an iPad, and I'm now the proud owner of all 3: iPad, MacBook, and iPhone (Original).

First off, I can confirm that this *is* a wonderful, magical, device.

For some reason the cache size on the original iPhone, and the iPad, and possibly all the other devices, is way too small.

These devices have a relatively huge amount of memory, while the browser cache itself is relatively tiny. Why is that?

When I go to a news site and then I want to open up another page or bl.og and cut&paste between them, or paste a picture to sort of cross-post this ne.ws s.tory to bring it to the attention to a foreign community, I find that after I switch between the sites the device has forgotten completely about what was displayed on that page (asides for the thumbnail) and it needs to painstakingly open it all over again.

It could easily save the page, but maybe it cannot save its whole execution context and so it cannot resume the age because the scripts and things have all been aborted. That shouldn't be a problem though. It could, and it should, simply remember the page and let you pop back to it.

That is what the browser cache te.chnology is all about. Not only that, but if you've closed a page and reopen it, or if you click 'back', the page pops open quickly without reloading.

As it is now, I am reloading the same pages over and over again every time I switch back to them.

If the browser cache is a patented technology, then why not achieve multiple pages through a trick in multitasking? I'm talking to myself here.

Well, it's a wonderful device nonetheless. Imagine what we could accomplish if the corporate giants cooperated.
 

bobtomay

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Not really sure how long it takes to start exhibiting that reloading. A reboot clears the cache so it's not reloading the page every time you go back and forth though. I've had a page full of sites and not had the issue at all and haven't kept track of how much browsing I've done before it starts it up again.
 

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