Zolup browser, the mobile app that leverages AI with Gemini.

George Soloupis
Google for Developers EMEA
5 min readNov 30, 2024

Written by George Soloupis ML and Android GDE.

With advancements in AI, particularly in Large Language Models, new opportunities have emerged to address challenges in mobile web browsers that were previously unsolvable. For example, aging individuals often struggle to read small on-screen text, journalists tend to write lengthy articles packed with ads and some users need a podcast for the main web article instead of reading it. In addition people with visual impairments frequently find themselves lost navigating cluttered web pages and many resort to abandoning their smartphones for laptops, where screen readers offer more convenient shortcuts.

To improve the lives of these individuals, we have made significant strides by leveraging the capabilities of Google’s Gemini AI service. This cutting-edge technology is helping to create more accessible, user-friendly experiences for everyone, regardless of their limitations.

With these efforts in mind, we are proud to introduce Zolup, a free Android application designed to revolutionize the mobile browsing experience using AI. Born from the vision of enhancing accessibility and usability, Zolup brings the power of AI directly to users, making online interactions smoother and more intuitive than ever before. You can find it on Google Play following this link.

Logo of the Zolup application
Zolup logo.

Information about the Zolup app:

1.This application originated from the idea of empowering users to instantly customize the font size of web pages. By leveraging computer vision, it dynamically determines the distance between the user’s head and the screen, adjusting the font size accordingly for an optimized viewing experience. Upon determining the right size the users can lock and apply it to any other web page during the browsing session.

Image of the main page of Zolup app that showcase how the app provides large fonts based on the distance between the head and the screen.
Big fonts with AI.

2. The android app uses the Google’s Gemini service to provide summarization of each web page’s article. Summarizing a lengthy article is crucial as it saves time, enhances understanding, and improves retention of key ideas. It supports decision-making, facilitates sharing, and makes information more accessible, especially in research and learning contexts. Summaries help communicate efficiently and address information overload by focusing on essential points.

Image of the application’s screen that showcases how a summary of a web page content is shown to the users.
Summary of the article.

3. Users have the option to disable advertisements provided by ad providers or enable the Fast Speed loading feature for significantly faster content loading. Additionally, they can clear cookies and browsing history stored by the web view component at any time.

This browser integrates the Safe Browsing feature supported by Android WebView, ensuring a secure browsing experience (read the Zolup Privacy Policy). An added convenience is the ability to reverse the navigation buttons, making it easier for left-handed users to operate.

An image of the application’s screen displays the pop-up menu with its available options. These include: Info, Share URL, Report an Issue, Delete History and Cookies, Ads Blocking, Fast Speed Loading (incompatible with the Voiceverse environment), an option to Reverse Buttons for left-handed users, and access to the Voiceverse Environment.
Menu options.

4. This browser introduces the Voiceverse environment — a feature specifically designed for individuals with visual impairments, those who are completely blind, or users who prefer audio content. It delivers podcasts of all key articles, ensuring a distraction-free experience tailored to their needs.

An image of the Voiceverse environment without the TalkBack service shows a clean interface featuring accessible buttons. These buttons allow users to activate the microphone, execute commands, listen to the main article, stop the speech output, and open the menu.
The Voice environment.

Creating podcasts from the articles is incredibly simple. The browser always displays the title of the current article at the top for easy reference. Users can click the blue speaker icon at the bottom, which utilizes the Gemini API to extract the current article’s content. The built-in text-to-speech service then reads the content aloud, providing a seamless audio experience. The stop audio button allows users to pause the speech output at any time.

The Voiceverse environment for people with sight loss.

The Zolup browser includes the Voiceverse environment to create a seamless browsing experience for individuals with visual impairments. According to user feedback, people with sight loss often prefer using computers with screen readers which provide keyboard shortcuts, as traditional Android browsers have not adequately met their needs. Zolup bridges this gap, offering an accessible and user-friendly solution tailored to their requirements. This feature is enabled by default when the TalkBack service is active.

Image of the voiceverse environment with talk back on and focus on the microphone.
Talk back on with focus on microphone button.

The browser provides an optional URL bar, which can be enabled through the menu, since users rely on voice input. By clicking the Microphone button, users can speak the desired URL (e.g., “zolup dot com”) and click the button again to stop recording. The Gemini API processes the voice input, transcribing it into a proper URL format, such as “zolup.com.” If the result is optimal then users can proceed by clicking the Execute button on the right to perform a Google search or navigate directly to the site.

Image of the search result at the voiceverse environment.
Search result on Voiceverse environment.

Once the results are loaded, users can navigate using the Up and Down arrows to move between search results or headings on the page. The built-in text-to-speech service reads the selected text aloud. To visit a specific web page, simply click the Execute button after hearing its description.

At the top of the screen, the title of the current web page is always displayed. By clicking the blue Speaker button, users can listen to the content of main the article, transforming it into a podcast.

Image showing how to use the speaker button to hear the main article
Option to hear the main article.

Additional buttons are available for saving desired web pages and stopping speech output at any time. The menu also includes a detailed description and user instructions for seamless functionality.

Summarizing all the above, the Zolup app offers:

  • Gemini AI integration for summarizing content, transcribing voice input, and creating podcasts from the main articles of web pages.
  • Completely free access with no hidden costs.
  • Voiceverse environment, designed to enhance accessibility for individuals with visual impairments.

Conclusion
The Zolup browser is a free Android app powered by Google’s Gemini AI, designed to enhance mobile browsing accessibility and usability for all users. It addresses key challenges such as reading small text, navigating ad-heavy articles, and creating audio content for web pages. Features include dynamic font resizing based on head-screen distance, ad-blocking, fast-loading options, secure browsing, and customization for left-handed users. Its Voiceverse environment provides seamless audio experiences, including podcast generation and text-to-speech, tailored for individuals with visual impairments or those who prefer listening over reading. Zolup redefines mobile browsing, making it more inclusive, intuitive, and user-friendly.

Special thanks to Yusuf Sarigoz for his invaluable feedback, which played a key role in shaping and refining the product.

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Google for Developers EMEA
Google for Developers EMEA

Published in Google for Developers EMEA

Here we post technical and non technical content, best practices and success stories from European Google Developers across our programs (Google Developer Groups, Google Developer Student Clubs, Google Developer Experts, Women Techmakers, Accelerators) and products.

George Soloupis
George Soloupis

Written by George Soloupis

I am a pharmacist turned android developer and machine learning engineer. Right now I work on accessibility on Zolup browser and I am a ML & Android GDE.

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