The creators of CyanogenMod have this week lifted the lid on Gello, a new, open-source browser for Android that’s based on Google’s Chromium. It features a customizable user interface, a “save for offline” reading mode, site-by-site privacy settings, and other neat features.

Yes, there are already too many web browsers to choose from on Android, so why do we need another one? Well, Gello is designed to give CyanogenMod users an alternative to Chrome, so that they don’t have to flash Google’s apps just to browse the web when installing a CyanogenMod ROM.

CyanogenMod is keen for us to know that it “does not hate Google,” and that Gello was not built to encourage users to drop Chrome. Instead, it’s simply here to give users another option — one that includes some nifty features that aren’t available from other Android browsers.

Some of those features, according to Android Police, include:

• A “save for offline” reading mode
• A customized interface, including tab animations and management
• Night mode and Immersive mode options
• Extensive site-by-site privacy and security settings, including a possible ad blocker
• Download settings that allow you to rename files and select file paths

There’s lots more to Gello that we don’t know at this point; it’s still in the early stages of development. But the CyanogenMod team will reveal more when it can. In the meantime, here’s a five-minute teaser video that previews some of Gello’s features:

 

• SourceJoey Rizzoli
• ViaAndroid Police