Mobile versions of websites. . .

[steveulent]

Hi all. . .

Had my phone stolen (Gah!) the other week. . . and have replaced it with same model (galaxy ace), same android (2.3.3).

The problem I have is small but annoying - this phone insists on taking me to the mobile versions of websites - BBC news and facebook, etc. I use dolphin, but it does the same on the stock browser. Maybe I am being think, but I can't find a setting to change this . . .

Any ideas. . . ?

Thanks!

 

[chanchan05]

In the settings for Dolphin, change user agent to "desktop".

 

[steveulent]

Thank you! That sorta works - at least I'm not getting the nasty mobile version of facebook. . . But other sites are not formatted now to fit the screen. . . On google, I only see 'go' - I have to scroll right for the 'oogle'. Cheers, though - it's better than it was before. . .

 

[Mada]

Thank you! That sorta works - at least I'm not getting the nasty mobile version of facebook. . . But other sites are not formatted now to fit the screen. . . On google, I only see 'go' - I have to scroll right for the 'oogle'. Cheers, though - it's better than it was before. . .

That's what the mobile version is for... to make the site fit on your screen.

 

[UssjTrunks]

Switch to Opera, and turn screen wrapping on, it will automatically fit desktop pages to your screen size and when you zoom (although I'm sure Dolphin has this option as well, but I still recommend switching to Opera ). I too can't stand mobile versions of websites because half of a website essentially becomes inaccessible (i.e, you can't access forums, articles, videos, etc).

 

[adaaaam]

Thank you! That sorta works - at least I'm not getting the nasty mobile version of facebook. . . But other sites are not formatted now to fit the screen. . . On google, I only see 'go' - I have to scroll right for the 'oogle'. Cheers, though - it's better than it was before. . .

Theres a setting in all third party browsers to set the default zoom level, and in Dolphin it might be a checkbox near something like 'Fit entire page on screen upon first load'

 

[adaaaam]

That's what the mobile version is for... to make the site fit on your screen.

Thats kinda simplistic.. Mobile makes sites fit on your screen easily viewable with proportionately enlarged font sizes and imagery. Desktop versions of sites still fit on your screen, but text can appear miniscule. In the op's scenario, the google logo of the desktop google site should appear exactly the same sze as that on the mobile version. His default zoom level just wasnt set appropriately

But the gist of your point was correct, that things generally look better and more often so with the mobile versions of pages

 

[steveulent]

Thanks to all, I'll try those suggestions today. . . It's just one of those annoying things - I don't like having to scroll left - right when reading or typing. . . but some mobile versions of sites have reduced functionality or different features. And on the bbc news mobile site I have to scroll sideways anyway - it still doesn't fit the screen! Dolphin takes me to mobile versions even with user agent set to desktop and all cookies etc deleted.
I actually had it set up just right on my last (identical) phone. . . but I have no idea what I did differently. . . will keep trying. . .

 

[GreenBeans]

If you go on mobile versions of websites and scroll down to the bottom of the page theirs normally a "Full version" button that takes you to the full version of the site. Much like the button on the Android Forums at the bottom of the page that has options of Phandroid Skin and AF mobile.

 

[steveulent]

I wish it were that easy! Facebook, for example, doesn't have any such button on it's mobile version - unless I'm being really thick - and many other sites also seem not to have. Sometimes, editing the m bit out of the URL will work, but generally I can't seem to stop mt phone sending me automatically to mobile versions. . . what I want is all of the functionality of the desktop version, formatted to fit on my screen.

The really annoying thing is that I had this on my last phone - same model, same android version. . .

Could it be an issue with the carrier?

 

[chanchan05]

I wish it were that easy! Facebook, for example, doesn't have any such button on it's mobile version - unless I'm being really thick - and many other sites also seem not to have. Sometimes, editing the m bit out of the URL will work, but generally I can't seem to stop mt phone sending me automatically to mobile versions. . . what I want is all of the functionality of the desktop version, formatted to fit on my screen.

The really annoying thing is that I had this on my last phone - same model, same android version. . .

Could it be an issue with the carrier?

Facebook is easy. Just set the browser to desktop client.

 

[aysiu]

The setting you're looking for in Opera isn't the text wrapping--it's single-column view.

 

[indybail]

If you go on mobile versions of websites and scroll down to the bottom of the page theirs normally a "Full version" button that takes you to the full version of the site. Much like the button on the Android Forums at the bottom of the page that has options of Phandroid Skin and AF mobile.

This is what I do for my website except the mobile version is first option on the toolbar at the top of the page.

 

[adaaaam]

In Opera, User Agent set to Desktop, Zoom set to 100%, and Single Column off, should allow you to view all sites as desktop veraions, without scrolling horizontally after loading.

If you prefer the desktop versions to load up with readable text, set zoom level to something like 200%, but horizontal scrolling will occur

 

[steveulent]

Thanks all. . . There doesn't seem to be a way to have desktop functionality without horizontal scrolling. . . I'll just have to learn to live with it!

 

[aysiu]

Thanks all. . . There doesn't seem to be a way to have desktop functionality without horizontal scrolling. . . I'll just have to learn to live with it!

No, there is.

As I said before, use Opera Mobile.

Select Desktop as the user agent.

And turn Single Column View to on.

With Single Column View, there is, by definition, no side scrolling.

 

[Crashdamage]

I've used Firefox for my default browser for a long time and never had trouble viewing standard websites full-page.

 

[aysiu]

I've used Firefox for my default browser for a long time and never had trouble viewing standard websites full-page.

I'm sure Firefox works just fine for you, but if I'm understanding the OP correctly, it's not a matter of having trouble viewing or not having trouble viewing--it's about having a desktop mode that has no side scrolling.

In Firefox, it starts pages in overview mode, which has no side scrolling, but then you also can't see anything until you zoom in. Once you zoom in, there's side scrolling. This is true of many browsers.

I personally prefer Dolphin, but I don't mind that there's side scrolling available.

For total lack of side scrolling with a non-mobile display, Opera, as far as I know, is the only way to go.