Use Flynx to load websites in the background on Android

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Reading through your social streams probably results in a bit of link-clickage here and there. If you’re on a computer, leaving those links open in other tabs is no big deal. However, if you’re on an Android device, it starts to feel less convenient to open and read links from apps like Twitter or Facebook. Sure, you can use the in-app browser for most social apps these days, but they don’t have the same convenient features you’ll find with Flynx.

Instead of opening a link on top of the stream you’re reading, Flynx loads the links you tap in the background. Similar to Facebook’s Chat heads feature, the links will appear in a floating bubble that you can dock on the left- or righthand side of the screen. When you decide to read the links you have queued up, the ads will be stripped from the pages, making them easier to read. Ready to check it out? Here’s how:

Step 1: Grab a copy of Flynx for your Android 3.0+ device. Open the app and complete the tutorial.

Step 2: Open up your favorite social media or RSS app and tap on a link. You will need to choose Flynx as your open method (which you can set as the default, if you desire). The favicon for the site will appear in a bubble on the side of the screen.

Note: If the in-app browser is enabled, Flynx will not be able to intervene. Additionally, you can only open four links at this time, but their beta has recently updated to allow unlimited links, so this may only be a temporary setback.

Step 3: Tap the bubble and the last-added website will load. You can switch between links by tapping their favicons along the top of Flynx’s interface.

(Optional) Step 4: To close a link, drag the appropriate favicon to the bottom of the screen and drop it at the “X” bubble.

(Optional) Step 5: If you want to collapse all links, drag one favicon on top of another.

In addition to opening links in the background, Flynx can also save websites for you to read later by double-tapping links. However, this feature requires Flynx to be set as your default browser, which may be inconvenient for some users. The app settings also allow you to choose bubble size and location, with the defaults set to medium and righthand side.