I just found out that the reason Skyfire 3.0 loads pages so rapidly is that it uses the Opera mini method of server resource-consolidation prior to transfer. In other words, far fewer files are transferred from the server and so the page loads much faster.
http://pocketnow.com/software-1/new-...cks-more-proof

I'm on the fence about this. If it does indeed lower bandwidth, and increases speed, and above all works well, then why not use this feature for public data. Of course, ssl encrypted data would be out of the question for this method of optimization.

I think I'd stick with the stock browser IFF it improved scrolling with flash objects and improved general performance. Other than that, I'd be willing to give Opera Mobile and Skyfire 3.0 a go, as they seem to offer quite a solid user experience.