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Love it or hate it, Flash is still a big part of the web. It is not natively supported on mobile, though – Adobe, Chrome and Firefox don’t support it and neither do Android or iOS. That’s where the server-based Puffin web browser comes in.

To access Flash content from a mobile device, you either have to hack your OS or use the Puffin web browser. We recommend the latter. It’s cleaner, easier and the browser is pretty good too. Moreover, it’s very fast. Even over a 3G connection you can access full desktop versions of websites that load very quickly indeed. You have the option to use mobile versions, but if you’re using Puffin, there really is no need. It is that quick.

The app comes with a virtual keyboard, gamepad, scrollbar and a virtual trackpad for easy navig-ation. You can do all the things you’re used to doing on your desktop from your phone. This is the kind of joined-up experience we have been waiting for.

The readability option is a neat feature. It strips all the images from a page, leaving only the text. If you’re finding yourself distracted while reading, this is the feature for you. It’s also useful for those of you on ungenerous data plans.

Security is also addressed by using sandboxes instead of allowing free access to your phone or cloud servers. There are no specific antivirus or antimalware capabilities because each session is securely isolated from the cloud servers and, more importantly, your phone.

While the Puffin’s main selling point is the ability to access Flash content, the browser itself is fast, flexible and a pleasure to use. There are two caveats, though: you have to pay for it, and the browser uses cloud servers to provide the utility you’re paying for.

It’s that second point that may give you headaches. Puffin servers are in the US, meaning the further you are from the country, the slower your experience may be. Accessing region-locked content may also be an issue if you want to catch up on local television or else live some place where internet access is controlled.

Puffin web browser comes with a free trial for two weeks, so it’s well worth trying before buying. If you recommend it to a friend, you can extend the trial to four weeks.

Jesmond Darmanin is a technology enthusiast who has his own blog at www.itnewsblog.com.