Issues with multiple browsers installed

[pebkac]

I've installed a number of browsers on my Desire and am having a couple of issues. (The Desire is unbranded with Froyo and the browsers are Opera Mobile, Firefox 4 Beta and Dolphin, plus the default.)

Flash only works in the default browser. Am I missing something that enables Flash content in other browsers? Although Flash has always worked in the default, I've installed Flash 10.1 from the Market, but that made no difference, and I've also clicked through to install missing plugins for at least one of the additional browsers, which takes me to an Adobe page saying Flash is not available for my platform (go figure).

Every link I click on asks me which browser to use. Every time I click a link, I get a "Complete action using" dialog, listing my browsers (normally minus Opera, though occasionally the list differs). I can't seem to stop this and it's driving me nuts. It's as if the HTTP request goes through the OS rather than the browser itself, giving me the option every time. Telling it to always use the chosen app for the action has no effect, so either it's not remembering that or each request or URL constitutes a different action (!)...

Is my only option to uninstall other browsers? I'd rather not, since it's the only way I can see of having the option of browsing either mobile or standard versions of the same sites (generally I want the full versions, but some things, like the BBC iPlayer's controls, are unusable in full mode). Ideally I want to have a second browser if for no other reason than using the iPlayer in mobile mode, but that requires me to have Flash running in it and for the sake of my sanity also requires me not to have to go through a dialog for every link/action I click on...

Thanks

 

[Jason71]

I have Dolphin HD, opera mini and stock. and yes you do get the annoying dialogue but I only get it in the stock browser. Once Dophin or Opera is selected it stays selected for the duration of your browsing session.
I use opera mini when I have restricted bandwidth it will not do flash.
The rest of the time I use Dolphin. It will do flash. watched the whole F1 qualifying on it last weekend on the Iplayer.

Mainly for this reason alone I have abandoned the stock browser.
Not sure why your Dolphin will not do flash but it is possible.
Of course you could set the stock browser as default and only use the others by selecting them directly rather than via links that would solve the dialogue problem.

I am also Froyo unbranded Desire. you might want to post on the Desire Forum some of these issues may be Desire related so you may get more help

 

[takeshi]

I'd rather not, since it's the only way I can see of having the option of browsing either mobile or standard versions of the same sites (generally I want the full versions, but some things, like the BBC iPlayer's controls, are unusable in full mode).

If that's a concern all you need to do is set the given browser's user agent. Granted, the stock browser's is a little trickier to set and it won't retain the setting from session to session.

Every link I click on asks me which browser to use. Every time I click a link, I get a "Complete action using" dialog, listing my browsers (normally minus Opera, though occasionally the list differs). I can't seem to stop this and it's driving me nuts. It's as if the HTTP request goes through the OS rather than the browser itself, giving me the option every time. Telling it to always use the chosen app for the action has no effect, so either it's not remembering that or each request or URL constitutes a different action (!)...

That's odd. The default browser is always remembered on my device. I have stock, Dolphin HD & Firefox at the moment.

 

[Jason71]

That's odd. The default browser is always remembered on my device. I have stock, Dolphin HD & Firefox at the moment.

I don't think he has a default browser thats the point. he wants the option to select initially for each session but not every time he clicks a link.

 

[pebkac]

Thanks Jason, on closer inspection you have the exact same symptoms as me. Flash does indeed work in Dolphin (I now have the HD version) - stupidly I'd not clicked on the little symbol where the Flash content would have been, which sets it running. Doh!

Flash definitely isn't working in Opera or Firefox, though, FWIW.

And yes, having checked again, it is just the stock browser which raises this issue. It appears that setting it as the default browser works on a per-request or per-URL basis (though the option under settings which lets you clear the defaults doesn't let you examine them), which seems crazy. So I guess like you I just have to abandon it.

I assume the stock browser is part of Android rather than Sense...?

Thanks anyway. Looks like I'm sticking with Dolphin HD for now.