Browser-laptop: prefs: make empty home page address = about:blank

[bradleyrichter]

Currently the above combination make a new-tab page and we need an easier way for users to return to "white-space"' if they prefer.

[luixxiul]

I would prefer the blank tab option than this because it is more explicit and you have to back up the URL for future use.

[luixxiul]

Already we got a comment that the blank tab option was gone: https://github.com/brave/browser-laptop/issues/2106#issuecomment-260951611

[bsclifton]

@luixxiul is there already an issue for adding about:blank as an option? I'd be more than happy to make the code change :smile: If you don't mind, please find or create an issue and assign to me. Thanks! :smile:

[luixxiul]

My bad, I thought there must have been the option, but the new tab was just the blank one in previous versions :-(

[luixxiul]

Done! -> #5682

[bsclifton]

@luixxiul I did temporarily add about:blank as an option :smile: but I had backed out because I also set it as the default (so that new users wouldn't see the new about:newtab until they are ready). Unfortunately, I forgot that about:blank does not set the focus to the URL bar (which is why I had removed it)

[0xMF]

The workaround about:blank does not work as the previous Brave version because prompt does not return to the address bar.

I would not mind a background image if I had a way to keep an image I liked fixed instead of a new image appearing with every Empty Tab, which can be distracting. Still, Empty Tab with address bar retaining prompt as an option please.

[cndouglas]

Note: This functionality will be superseded by the "Blank Page" option in 0.13.0. (See issue #5682 and PR #5690)