Database Develop

Why doesn't the Browser have user/desktop default option?

Google touts: desktop quality page displays...but the stock browser chooses the mobile site version by default! Makes no sense. All other browsers offer the desktop option.
(I know about 'about:debug'.....I'm talking about default.
Thanks

I believe its because on most mobile sites you can find what you are looking for faster then on the desktop version. Either way, I hate when I am directed to the mobile ones and more so now that we have flash (they don't show up on mobile view).

Exactly. Thing is its the 'google-android' browser. You'd think ...at least with Froyo/flash it'd be set at desktop by default.
Don't get it.

It has always had this option. Type about:debug in the address bar, then go to browser settings and at the bottom will be user agent string. Change it to desktop.
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And websites going to mobile versions has nothing to do with Google or their browser. The web master of each site is responsible for this, and for not giving you a clickable link to the full version.
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I know about that option... I'm talking about having it as a default. That process in addition to bring a pain in the ass...is short lived ...have to keep repeating it.

Well in that case is there any other phone on the market that gives you that option out of the box?
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RogerPodacter said:
Well in that case is there any other phone on the market that gives you that option out of the box?
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Nokia N900 loads all websites in full desktop view no matter what

What is Google supposed to do about this? The people designing the website are the ones that control how their site looks and if they want to detect what browser you are using and serve you a different design based on it then that's their choice.
I agree that a lot of mobile versions suck, but some are nice. If you want to fake what browser you are using, the debug option is for you.

Many sites have a link at the bottom of the page to load the desktop version. I can't think of any site that I have visited that did not have this option.

I'd just like the option to set desktop in the stock browser settings itself. As in all other browsers....especially with froyo.. I BELIEVE the pre-froyo browser had a settings check use or not use mobile site versions

skyfire browser has a handy button for defining & quickly altering this on it's adress bar.
there's a form of flash on there too, use that.

Different browsers?

What are my options for alternative browsers? What I dislike the most about the stock browser on this thing is that a lot of sites go into "mobile" mode. I dont spend 30 bucks a month to browse a dumbed down version of the internet
This is my first smartphone
EDIT: ok so i went with dolphin. is there a function similar to "about:debug" in dolphin. i know that in dolphin i can scroll down and hit classic view but i would rather have it always on.

Skyfire has the option to toggle between one or the other. Dunno about any others
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

There should be an option to select a desktop user agent instead of an android user agent in the settings of the stock browser.
Sent from my Eris using XDA App

Dolphin Browser also has an add that lets you toggle between mobile and regular versions.

TheBadBen said:
Dolphin Browser also has an add that lets you toggle between mobile and regular versions.
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+1 for dolphin
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

Miren browser
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

Type "about:debug" in the address bar then hit go. This will give you access to advanced settings. Including user agent. Its under "ua string" change it to desktop and voila no more mobile
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

Great tips above but i think there are plenty of other alts like Firefox (in beta), Skyfire (mentioned earlier), Dolphin (also mentioned earlier) and also the Opera Family (Mini, which is compressed on their servers or some nonesense like that, and Mobile, which is a full fledged browser) I like Firefox because i use it at home and its actually has a nice UI unlike some other browsers. Skyfire has video, and Dolphin is just solid. I'm not a huge fan of the Opera family but they are still good

Xfire browser let's you choose exactly what version of a site you see, whether its mobile, Android, regular, heck you can even spoof yourself as an iPhone.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App

fupamobile said:
What I dislike the most about the stock browser on this thing is that a lot of sites go into "mobile" mode.
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1. Mobile sites are much more convenient and are usually designed for the smaller screen res and a limited selection methods or touch screens.
2. Type in "about:debug" into the url bar. Then hit menu->more->settings->UAString (down at bottom) -> select desktop. You may now type in "about:debug" to remove the extra dialogue options.
I, personally, wouldn't say it's dumbed down... It's streamlined for use on mobile devices. (loads quicket, better interface for device)

Yeah, you might miss mobile sites pretty soon.
xScope and Dolphin are the best IMO. You can easily toggle mobile in either. Skyfire is worth keeping in the app drawer for flash video every now and then.

TheBadBen said:
Dolphin Browser also has an add that lets you toggle between mobile and regular versions.
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CamdogXIII said:
Type "about:debug" in the address bar then hit go. This will give you access to advanced settings. Including user agent. Its under "ua string" change it to desktop and voila no more mobile
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
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ok so i went with dolphin. is there a function similar to "about:debug" in dolphin. i know that in dolphin i can scroll down and hit classic view but i would rather have it always on.

Yeah, its in there somewhere...
I noticed it when I had tried it.
Hopefully, a dolphin user will chime in. or you could try googling it.

Viewing pages as "Desktop" user agent

I have a Sprint tab and since I bought it I have been using Dolphin browser with user agent set to "Desktop".
It's always been my preference with Android devices to view full desktop versions of web sites as opposed to mobile versions.
For some reason (And this has been the case through a firmware update or two) some web sites won't see my tab as a Desktop device. Mainly www.bankofamerica.com but I've found others.
My Samsung fascinate does not have this problem. I'm wondering, does anyone know how I can fix that? I have root access on my tab.
cheers,
Collin

Have you tried this with the Miren browser? This one too had various user agent settings that can be changed on the fly... Check if it has the same behavior with this browser, it might work... Our not...
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA App

I use the iPad user agent and it went to the desktop version of the bank site you posted.

Very strange- I followed both of your suggestions. With Miren set to Desktop user agent and with Dolphin set to iPad user agent, I still get the mobile version.

0TheRain0 said:
Very strange- I followed both of your suggestions. With Miren set to Desktop user agent and with Dolphin set to iPad user agent, I still get the mobile version.
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Are you manually entering the desktop URL for the title page of the site?

0TheRain0 said:
Very strange- I followed both of your suggestions. With Miren set to Desktop user agent and with Dolphin set to iPad user agent, I still get the mobile version.
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I don't know what ROM version you are using, but I can tell you that when I got my Tab, I had precisely the same issue and the only way I was able to solve it was to flash to a later ROM.
Regards,
Dave

I use Dolphin HD set to Desktop and just went to that site this morning. No problems, except I forgot my password, lol. Got the desktop site.
Using stock Korean version, no roots, no mods.
Sent from my SHW-M180S using XDA App

samspunker said:
I use Dolphin HD set to Desktop and just went to that site this morning. No problems, except I forgot my password, lol. Got the desktop site.
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+1 same for me.

Is there a way to change the user agent of the built-in web browser, using the stock ROM? I'd rather not have to install and use another web browser such as Dolphin.

onlinespending said:
Is there a way to change the user agent of the built-in web browser, using the stock ROM? I'd rather not have to install and use another web browser such as Dolphin.
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I have same issue/question.

Full Website?

I'm using the stock browser. Wondering if there's some trick to force access to full sites on the internet...as opposed to the mobile version? I tried Dolphin browser, and its doing the same thing...
TIA
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I don't quite understand your question. To force desktop versions there is a user agent control pretty sure it is not on the stock browser but it is definatley on dolphin under settings. If you have that set to desktop and its still loading the mobile sites then that that website has features that the user agent control cant trick and then just try another site.

Some sites force the mobile version anyway. They use your ip or something to know you are mobile. I don't know of any fix for that.
:edit: It can't be ip because it happens on wifi too

Getting sick of mobile sites!

Guys i got a problem with the browsing on the net with the xperia Z. It is so stupid that with every browser available out there on the store the phone still showes me the mobile version of the site even if the browser is set on desktop mode. I tried everything but it doesen't work so i figure there must be a problem with the phone because on my Galaxy S2 i did not have this problem. Can anyone tell me how can i solve this ?
The only browser that is kind of working is chrome but of course i don't have flash player. But hey it's great that we have HD screens and quad cores to view mobile sites, thang God that android doesen't force me to view WAP sites, would not be a surprize.

alexchris said:
Guys i got a problem with the browsing on the net with the xperia Z. It is so stupid that with every browser available out there on the store the phone still showes me the mobile version of the site even if the browser is set on desktop mode. I tried everything but it doesen't work so i figure there must be a problem with the phone because on my Galaxy S2 i did not have this problem. Can anyone tell me how can i solve this ?
The only browser that is kind of working is chrome but of course i don't have flash player. But hey it's great that we have HD screens and quad cores to view mobile sites, thang God that android doesen't force me to view WAP sites, would not be a surprize.
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It is not the phone but the browser. Had it been phone, chrome will do the same isn't it.
Sent From XPERIA Z ::: Stock, Locked & Rooted ( SLR )

Just change it to desktop view in the settings and it will change.
See here....
Sent from my C6603 using xda app-developers app

Get Dolphin and change the user agent to desktop. Works fine.
Sent from my C6603 using xda app-developers app

Try www.realitatea.net with every browser available in play store with UA set to desktop the site still enters in mobile mode and like this site there are allot more. Try it and do jot set in the site web version. I am starting to miss my old Samsung

alexchris said:
Try www.realitatea.net with every browser available in play store with UA set to desktop the site still enters in mobile mode and like this site there are allot more. Try it and do jot set in the site web version. I am starting to miss my old Samsung
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Not sure what Ur issue is. This looks like the normal not the mobile version of that side. So I got it on both of my browsers I have on my phone.
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If u r here to badmouth the Xperia Z then please back it up. Because I just proved to u that that certainly isn't the mobile site of the site u provided. And I did it on both browsers on the Xperia Z.
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What rom and fw are you using? On my phone I can't enter the desktop version doesen t matter what user agent I select and it is very annoying. And a tried every browser available on playstore.
I don t want to badmouth the xperia but for me this is a very frustrating problem! And i can t find an answer! Or maybe the answer is that every xperia is diffrent and mine is a rubish.

alexchris said:
What rom and fw are you using? On my phone I can't enter the desktop version doesen t matter what user agent I select and it is very annoying. And a tried every browser available on playstore.
I don t want to badmouth the xperia but for me this is a very frustrating problem! And i can t find an answer! Or maybe the answer is that every xperia is diffrent and mine is a rubish.
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Here i show u how to enter it. There are two ways I show example in Google Chrome
First one go in menu it pops up this Window select request desktop site and it will reload it to the normal site or when in mobile site scroll all the way down and select desktop site in the mobile site itself looks.
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Did u figure it out?
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Yes i know what you are saying. My question is why the sites see my phone as a phone and not as a desktop when the UA is set to desktop mode. i know that site has a desktop version. anyway i will live it like that. After some tests i saw that chrome works with desktop mode but it doesen t support flash. Thank you for the tips anyway

Yes chrome doesn't support flash as android jelly bean normally don't but u still can make flash work on some other browsers like dolphin or Firefox. Well Ur phone primarily sent information online that makes sites see it as a mobile device. But u can make it switch to normal browser.
Sent from my C6603 using xda app-developers app

There are a few ways to get around this issue.
If you use chrome then you can install a file in the data/local directory that will change the user agent of chrome permanently. Just Google running chrome for android in permanent desktop mode, don't forget to set permissions and remove .txt from the file.
Your second option is to use Firefox and add a new string to override useragent in the about:config menu. Again Google using Firefox for android in permanent desktop mode.
Then relax. Restart your phone and try out your browser. You no longer need to have to tick desktop mode, it's done automatically.
Sent from my Brain via my Keyboard on my Xperia Z

dolphin - user agent - desktop
simple.
good browser but it does crash randomly from time to time whichever version of android you have.. :/

shoomacca said:
dolphin - user agent - desktop
simple.
good browser but it does crash randomly from time to time whichever version of android you have.. :/
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Does it stay permanently in desktop mode and does it always work in desktop mode?
Sent from my Brain via my Keyboard on my Xperia Z

Stays in desktop mode. Most sites have it so you can change it to desktop version at the very bottom anyway.
If it changes when you update. Real easy to change back. Try it. Free
Sent from my Zzzz

I understand you. But there are quite a few sites that don't have the switch at the bottom. There are others then that do still detect a mobile browser even on ticked desktop mode. The way I have it done its permanent desktop always.
It's having to keep switching to desktop mode all the time gets annoying.
Sent from my Brain via my Keyboard on my Xperia Z