[Q] Browsers and mobile sites - Eee Pad Transformer Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Evening all.
I've tried downloading Opera, Dolphin and Firefox. When trying to go to sites such as facebook as well as many others,they keep automatically diverting me to the mobile version of the site.
Do any of the browsers have a fix or add-on to stop this happening? It's so annoying!

In at least Dolphin Mini(What I run on my Captivate) you can go into the options(toolbox) and switch the orientation from mobile to desktop versions.

KTownGT said:
In at least Dolphin Mini(What I run on my Captivate) you can go into the options(toolbox) and switch the orientation from mobile to desktop versions.
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This. I've tried the same on Opera Mini/Mobile but it doesn't stop the mobile view

I know in the default browser you just go to options and change the browser string.
I haven't seen any mobile sites since I changed that setting.

This is driving me nuts! Almost every site I go to gives me the mobile version.

Going from memory, so this might not be 100% accurate, but should be close.
In Opera, type opera:config in the address bar. Go to User Prefs, and scroll down to Customer User Agent. Input any desktop UA string, save, and restart Opera.
Edit - here's a list of UA strings to pick from:
http://www.useragentstring.com/pages/useragentstring.php
Unfortunately, I don't think Opera let's you paste into that field, so you'll have to retype the whole thing which is kind of a pain.

Make sure you are not using remembered links or bookmarked links from when you did not have ( use full site) on. It will keep taking you back to the mobile version.

Easiest way:
open the stock browser
open the menu on the top right corner
hit "settings"
hit "advanced"
hit "User agent string"
then just select desktop mode

wow you guys don't read.
Dolphin and Firefox have not been updated to really support honeycomb so they still load the mobile sites, there are tricks around it, but they don't work great.
Opera Mobile is made for tablets but is currently glitched where even if you have the mobile setting as off, it still loads the mobile versions of pages.
you could try doing the opera:config and see if that fixes it, i know i'm going to try.
*edit* just tried editing the opera config. doesn't work. still loads the mobile site. I've sent them 10 e-mails about it and there are literally hundreds of comments pointing that out but apparently opera doesn't care and they refuse to even acknowledge the problem.

AtomicAge said:
Easiest way:
open the stock browser
open the menu on the top right corner
hit "settings"
hit "advanced"
hit "User agent string"
then just select desktop mode
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
+1
Only using the stock browser, and that method has worked a charm!
Rio

neok44 said:
*edit* just tried editing the opera config. doesn't work. still loads the mobile site. I've sent them 10 e-mails about it and there are literally hundreds of comments pointing that out but apparently opera doesn't care and they refuse to even acknowledge the problem.
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Click to collapse
It works, I use it pretty frequently when the stock browser is being a pain. Clear your cache, history, etc and make sure you're not clicking a link/bookmark that is pointed at the mobile version of a site. Also make sure you input the UA string correctly, word for word.

In firefox, get the addon called Phony and then change the new preference that it adds to your settings to "firefox desktop" and you're set While you're at it, get the adblock extension as well.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App

bedoig said:
It works, I use it pretty frequently when the stock browser is being a pain. Clear your cache, history, etc and make sure you're not clicking a link/bookmark that is pointed at the mobile version of a site. Also make sure you input the UA string correctly, word for word.
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Click to collapse
what UA string did you use?
i put in chrome and firefox and both still brought me to mobile sites when i typed in www.google.com and www.engadget.com

neok44 said:
what UA string did you use?
i put in chrome and firefox and both still brought me to mobile sites when i typed in www.google.com and www.engadget.com
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Click to collapse
I think I used a Chrome OSX string. The browser also has to be restarted for it to take effect. You'll either need to shut down the program from Android's app management in settings, or just reboot your TF. And make sure you clear all your caches.
Edit - or if you really want to be sure, uninstall and reinstall Opera. Then edit the UA string before you browse to a single website, restart browser, enjoy.

wait, so is this: "Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64) AppleWebKit/534.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/13.0.766.0 Safari/534.36" the user string? cause i didn't type all that in. i just typed in chrome.

Ya, you need to type in the entire thing. You can find a shorter one if you want, just as long as it's identified as a desktop OS/browser.

bedoig said:
Ya, you need to type in the entire thing. You can find a shorter one if you want, just as long as it's identified as a desktop OS/browser.
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just did, did exactly as you said, i uninstalled the app, reinstalled, then went to opera:config as soon as it opened, typed that whole thing in, and still, mobile sites.
alright apparently it didn't save, going back in shows the user agent id as 1 again. WTF.

You hit save after inputting the string, right? And restarted the browser after you hit save? A full restart, not just back out and go back in.

Oh, there are two different sections with UA stuff. You don't want the one that gives number options, that one never worked for me. I'll look up the exact setting name, but I think it's under User Preferences and then Custom User Agent.

alright i'll try there

Related

[HELP] Opera Mobile 11 User Agent - Full Web Pages

I just downloaded this broswer and it seems to be extremely fast and snappy on my Vibrant. [Bionix 1.3.1] My question is, the user agent seems to be permanently set in stone as mobile. No matter what, I can't even find links to the full webpage. For example, engadget won't show it's "view full webpage" button.
Any of you guys have the same issue? Is there a way to change the user agent to desktop? Thanks
Same here, it's extremely annoying. The things that annoy me the most about Opera Mobile are:
-The built in file downloader (the folder it saves it to and when press home it usually stops the download)
-Whenever I click on a YouTube video in Opera Mobile it plays it through the stock video player not the YouTube app.
-the trouble i go through to see a desktop version of a site like you said.
1.type opera:config
2. user preferences
3. custom user agent
4. paste this Opera/9.80 (Linux; en) Presto/2.7.81 Version/11.00
5. save & restart browser.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
iynfynity said:
1.type opera:config
2. user preferences
3. custom user agent
4. paste this Opera/9.80 (Linux; en) Presto/2.7.81 Version/11.00
5. save & restart browser.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why thank you iynfynity. Good to see you here. I've been taking a little break from Dungeon Defenders if you haven't noticed. I'll try to visit the irc tonight.
lol haven't played for 3 weeks.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
iynfynity said:
1.type opera:config
2. user preferences
3. custom user agent
4. paste this Opera/9.80 (Linux; en) Presto/2.7.81 Version/11.00
5. save & restart browser.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have been using every browser imaginable and that simple swap made opera my goto browser
Anyway to change the user agent to trick Hulu into letting us watch on mobile?
So I may sound completely stupid for asking this, but how exactly do you restart Opera on an Android phone? If I leave the browser, stop it from the manage applications menu, and reenter, the settings that I saved have been erased and returned their previous status. What do I need to do to make this user-agent change permanent?
Apollo17 said:
So I may sound completely stupid for asking this, but how exactly do you restart Opera on an Android phone? If I leave the browser, stop it from the manage applications menu, and reenter, the settings that I saved have been erased and returned their previous status. What do I need to do to make this user-agent change permanent?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to press save and the bottom of the User Preferences section.
I'm a bit sad that it doesn't play well with the default Android useragent - it seems to force a larger page size on many mobile sites/pages.
That string above doesnt change anything. Is there any other solution or other string to fill in?
GMKcz said:
That string above doesnt change anything. Is there any other solution or other string to fill in?
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Click to collapse
you're doing something wrong.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
mejogid said:
You need to press save and the bottom of the User Preferences section.
I'm a bit sad that it doesn't play well with the default Android useragent - it seems to force a larger page size on many mobile sites/pages.
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Click to collapse
This. It's just weird. Wikipedia always opens it's full version, don't know why. And google's mobile version that opens in opera is the old one, not the slick touch screen based version that opens in the default browser.
It's a shame, because text aligning and zooming are the fastest I've experienced. Although Swype is pretty slow in Opera.
worked well! now i can view Engadget in desktop mode. thanks.
Just a quick off-topic question:
I use Google voice search widget and look for a location. Stock browser shows me the Google results. I select the location, read the details and then select the "directions". Stock browser gives me a nice option to complete the action with my navigation app, but Opera simply doesn't. Is there any way to get around this?
Changing the user agent like that has no effect currently. You need to have Opera spoof it with another settings.
Go to the same opera:config page and look for "Spoof UserAgent ID". It's under the User Agent header, or you can just search "spoof". It's a numeric value between 1 and 5:
Default (Opera / Opera Mobile)
Mozilla (Opera mentioned)
Internet Explorer (Opera mentioned)
Mozilla (Opera not mentioned)
Internet Explorer (Opera not mentioned)
I've got a feature request up on Opera forums, mobile wish list section. I suggest you guys bump it if this limitation irks you. A real user agent switcher is something OpMobile really needs.
I ran into the user agent problem today, it forced me to go back to the stock browser, its disappointing that it doesn't have a quick way to switch the agent.
This used to work for me but I have stoped useing opera as of late, so I can not confirm if it still does
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
iynfynity said:
1.type opera:config
2. user preferences
3. custom user agent
4. paste this Opera/9.80 (Linux; en) Presto/2.7.81 Version/11.00
5. save & restart browser.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This fix still worked for me.
Worked great on Galaxy Tab
just tried it on my tab all websites doesn't even mention the mobile version.. all desktop!!
router54g said:
Changing the user agent like that has no effect currently. You need to have Opera spoof it with another settings.
Go to the same opera:config page and look for "Spoof UserAgent ID". It's under the User Agent header, or you can just search "spoof". It's a numeric value between 1 and 5:
Default (Opera / Opera Mobile)
Mozilla (Opera mentioned)
Internet Explorer (Opera mentioned)
Mozilla (Opera not mentioned)
Internet Explorer (Opera not mentioned)
I've got a feature request up on Opera forums, mobile wish list section. I suggest you guys bump it if this limitation irks you. A real user agent switcher is something OpMobile really needs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This doesnt work either
worked for me!

unique agent per site?

Well I am using two different browsers right now, the stock honeycomb browser and opera mobile. Opera does seem a bit quicker, but i havent figured out how to disable the mobile mode when doing any search, so thats a bit annoying and i prefer tabs to the method they use for multiple open pages.
Anyway, i was wondering how i can setup a specific site to use mobile or desktop or tablet mode. I only see a master option. Is it possible to do this?
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
would love this feature too
The newest version of the stock browser in Prime! v1.9 has an option for "Website settings", allowing advanced settings for individual websites. However, there is no way to manually add new websites to the list, nor is there a way to view or change the settings for websites that do populate the list, and so far I've only seen Google-specific services like Gmail getting their own individual entries.
Sleipnir browser may be what you are looking for
MACscr said:
Well I am using two different browsers right now, the stock honeycomb browser and opera mobile. Opera does seem a bit quicker, but i havent figured out how to disable the mobile mode when doing any search, so thats a bit annoying and i prefer tabs to the method they use for multiple open pages.
Anyway, i was wondering how i can setup a specific site to use mobile or desktop or tablet mode. I only see a master option. Is it possible to do this?
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It appears that the Sleipnir browser has this capability to set user strings per the actual website. I just downloaded it today to give it a try. I have been trying to find a way to create custom user strings (spoofing??) to truly force the desktop environment, I have been selecting the included "desktop" settings on both the stock browser and Dolphin for Pad browsers and it works ok for some sites, but others it doesn't work worth a crap. I have also been STFA to find the actual text/scripts for adding into the stock and Dolphin browsers under their "custom user agent string" settings. Trying to find the user agent strings that I can copy or type in and implement, has not been very fruitful so far (If anyone knows where I can find the information it would be appreciated)
Since I just downloaded the Sleipnir browser today I can't offer any feedback but it may be worth a try.
LINK:
https://market.android.com/details?id=jp.co.fenrir.android.sleipnir&hl=en

Does anyone know how to force the stock browser to desktop mode by default?

I know there are other browsers (Quick ICS, ICS Browser+) where you can select the UA String and it sticks. I was hoping for a mod that does the same thing for the stock browser since I like having the split screen option. I've tried the about:debug method and it doesn't stay in desktop mode. Thoughts anyone? It gets tedious to always select desktop view every time you open the browser.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using XDA Premium HD app
Dunno. That's the way I was doing it. Wasn't aware it didn't stick.
You can download chrome and create a file in /data/local called chrome-command-line and in it write
Code:
chrome --user-agent="Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/22.0.1207.1 Safari/537.1"
And now you have chrome always in desktop mode. That command seems to affect the stock browser too.
Browser
I always use opera mobile browser . Stock browser and others are giving me trouble when downloading stuff . Either it quits few hundred kilobits into download or Parsing package error . Opera mobile works great for me .
TweakerL said:
You can download chrome and create a file in /data/local called chrome-command-line and in it write
Code:
chrome --user-agent="Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64) AppleWebKit/537.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/22.0.1207.1 Safari/537.1"
And now you have chrome always in desktop mode. That command seems to affect the stock browser too.
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Click to collapse
This works for chrome (thanks), but it does not seem to affect internal browser.
blulite said:
This works for chrome (thanks), but it does not seem to affect internal browser.
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Click to collapse
I've had a Xoom for the past 15 or so months, and this is an issue from the beginning and for which it seems there is no solution. It is an android issue.
I switched to Dolphin for a long time, until finding Boat browser, which I've found lighter and quicker.
I use dolphin too...
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda premium
Best browsers to DL files are Boat and Dolphin.
Type in the address bar about:debug and press go or the search button. Then goto settings-debug-UAString and select desktop. The debug settings will go away in time.
Great tip. Despite this it still reverts to mobile sites
---------- Post added at 08:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:54 PM ----------
Update: then go into settings and tick desktop view. Should stay checked now.
The thing that makes it hard for me to give up Dolphin is the way it handles bookmarks. Dragging the screen to the right and selecting a bookmark is just so cool and efficient. I also like how I leaves my bookmark trees as I last left them instead of closing all my folders every time.
The stock browser is pretty good at that as well but the bookmarks tree takes like 2 seconds to open each time which is qquite annoying.
Sent from my awesome Note 10.1
jaaka78 said:
I know there are other browsers (Quick ICS, ICS Browser+) where you can select the UA String and it sticks. I was hoping for a mod that does the same thing for the stock browser since I like having the split screen option. I've tried the about:debug method and it doesn't stay in desktop mode. Thoughts anyone? It gets tedious to always select desktop view every time you open the browser.
Sent from my GT-N8013 using XDA Premium HD app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After changing useragent my stock brouser stayed on desktop mode, but all of a sudden after a few days its started to show mobile sites. Strange thing is the useragent is still set to desktop. So im guessing it must be a bug or something.

Always asks to set default browser

I can't find this exact problem on here, so I'm risking posting a thread.
I installed Opera mini and mobile on my sidekick and now it always asks what browser to use when I click on any link (or when I search on google and it redirects). It never remembers if I check the box to set the default. Never ever. After a hundred tries. After deleting the default in the settings. Reboots galore. Nothing. Still asks. It's so annoying I can't stand to use web on the phone at all. At least I no longer even come close to my data cap these days.
In the settings it has the built in Web set the default, and none of the other Opera browsers are set as the default. So it's not got two browsers set, which was my theory at first.
I guess I should delete every third party browser.... any other suggestions?
rareasasparagus said:
I can't find this exact problem on here, so I'm risking posting a thread.
I installed Opera mini and mobile on my sidekick and now it always asks what browser to use when I click on any link (or when I search on google and it redirects). It never remembers if I check the box to set the default. Never ever. After a hundred tries. After deleting the default in the settings. Reboots galore. Nothing. Still asks. It's so annoying I can't stand to use web on the phone at all. At least I no longer even come close to my data cap these days.
In the settings it has the built in Web set the default, and none of the other Opera browsers are set as the default. So it's not got two browsers set, which was my theory at first.
I guess I should delete every third party browser.... any other suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want a good browser with data compression, I've found that UCWebrowser and Ninesky work great. I used to love Opera Mini but then came those damn reboots after the recent updates to the newer versions.
Sent from my SGH-T839 using xda app-developers app
I have the same problem with Dolphin Browser which updates virtually every week and with every update, the "Default Browser" setting needs to be re-selected. One of those quirky Android things. however if it is between updates, it may be an Opera thing.
de-installed opera, crossing fingers
ncmacasl said:
I have the same problem with Dolphin Browser which updates virtually every week and with every update, the "Default Browser" setting needs to be re-selected. One of those quirky Android things. however if it is between updates, it may be an Opera thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it was in between updates. And yes, opera's updates were annoying me, actually.
I de-installed both operas, then rebooted. Then when I went to a link (whilst already in the default web browser) it then asked about whether it should use Textonly, which is something I'd installed long ago, but it never asked about before on the list of possible browsers.
It seems to be remembering to use just Web now that opera is gone. Thank the goddess! And thanks for your help. The relief I feel really shows how aggravating this had become.

Always Force Desktop Website Version

Is there a way to go past the website's UA checks and always load their desktop versions instead of mobile? Asking because I already set in the preferences of all my phone browsers to always load the full desktop version and still, many websites somehow know I'm using a mobile device and force the mobile version.
Anyone found solution for Dolphin or Boat browsers? I've read about "about:debug" and "about:useragent" showing extra UA menu elements which in my case does nothing (android 6). I was also unable to find an user agent switching app that could always force Desktop parameters to the websites.
Even if there's no immefiate solution, I would like to know the principle websites choose which version to load irrespective to browser settings. Is it network/data/service provider settings, or specific browser/resolution signature? Thanks a lot for any ideas.
Menergy said:
Is there a way to go past the website's UA checks and always load their desktop versions instead of mobile? Asking because I already set in the preferences of all my phone browsers to always load the full desktop version and still, many websites somehow know I'm using a mobile device and force the mobile version.
Anyone found solution for Dolphin or Boat browsers? I've read about "about:debug" and "about:useragent" showing extra UA menu elements which in my case does nothing (android 6). I was also unable to find an user agent switching app that could always force Desktop parameters to the websites.
Even if there's no immefiate solution, I would like to know the principle websites choose which version to load irrespective to browser settings. Is it network/data/service provider settings, or specific browser/resolution signature? Thanks a lot for any ideas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the problem is website's UA check, often you can choose an AdWay or something similar, on my phone i'm surprised to see as "auto check" some pop up, check and box.
But for what never stop working, that's need update every day...
There isn't much you can do in this case.
Sometimes in some browsers you've an option with whitelist or other but I do believe they can be related to the mobile display or desktop of a particular site.
Maybe there is an add-on xposed or plugin that I don't know
My problem is that some websites force the mobile version no matter what, as well as lack on services that I need in there, and you couldn't circumvent that in any way.
Yesterday I had to verify an email address and tried with all the browsers I have on my phone (like 5 different). They were all set to display the desktop version and all were forced into the mobile. But on the mobile you couldn't verify the link, probably on purpose (security if on mobile device), and I would not have access to laptop/desktop browser by the evening. The same is with many other features/missing services on forced mobile websites so I want to find a way to have full functionality when on the go.
Does AdWay have options for influencing data the browser notifies to the websites? Anything similar to Mozilla-code based Random Agent Spoofer browser add-on where you can basically force the browser to inject any incorrect data and prevent other data leaking while browsing? Any special cookie mechanisms inherent to mobile browsers only?
Alternatively, can I access browser settings with something like about:config/debug or else? Dolphin, Boat, others? I am sure the browser notifies the correct desktop user agent, there's something else, probably very simple, that tells websites the connection is from a portable device...
Menergy said:
My problem is that some websites force the mobile version no matter what, as well as lack on services that I need in there, and you couldn't circumvent that in any way.
Yesterday I had to verify an email address and tried with all the browsers I have on my phone (like 5 different). They were all set to display the desktop version and all were forced into the mobile. But on the mobile you couldn't verify the link, probably on purpose (security if on mobile device), and I would not have access to laptop/desktop browser by the evening. The same is with many other features/missing services on forced mobile websites so I want to find a way to have full functionality when on the go.
Does AdWay have options for influencing data the browser notifies to the websites? Anything similar to Mozilla-code based Random Agent Spoofer browser add-on where you can basically force the browser to inject any incorrect data and prevent other data leaking while browsing? Any special cookie mechanisms inherent to mobile browsers only?
Alternatively, can I access browser settings with something like about:config/debug or else? Dolphin, Boat, others? I am sure the browser notifies the correct desktop user agent, there's something else, probably very simple, that tells websites the connection is from a portable device...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use "user agent switcher" for chrome and it always works. It requires root though.
Can you provide an example of a website that refuses to show the desktop version?
And additionally, your build.prop contains your device's information. The browser might be transmitting that information to the website.
Thank you, the build.prop info was very helpful. I am not rooted yet as I've got my new phone just less than a month ago so still exploring, but can't really find the file, even among the hidden files on the internal memory. I will explore more and see how it goes.
I am in the UK so for example one of the websites that always loads the limited mobile instead of desktop version is the one of my service provider, EE, ee. co. uk (apologies for the intervals, I'm otherwise not allowed to post it). This mobile version is too basic and 60% of what you could do on a desktop version is cut. I've been on Three Mobile and sometimes I could get their full website working, sometimes not. Other websites are let's say bbc. co. uk and other media/news/bank websites that know, no matter browser settings, you are accessing them from a portable device.
Unfortunately I do not trust Google and any of their products so avoid voluntarily and (un)intentionally handing any personal data over to them. I would have used Mozilla for Android if it was close to the functionality Boat and Dolphin browsers provide. I even contacted the Dolphin team having previously assisted them but have got no feedback whatsoever. There must be a way for editing these unusual browser settings, but as pointed out above, I suspect it has something to do will submitting device ID info from within system folders. Thus probably only browser developers could tell us how the problem could be circumvented (and hopefully at least for now, with no root).
Or the developers of addons such as the Random Agent Spoofer or the user agent switchers.
Menergy said:
Thank you, the build.prop info was very helpful. I am not rooted yet as I've got my new phone just less than a month ago so still exploring, but can't really find the file, even among the hidden files on the internal memory. I will explore more and see how it goes.
I am in the UK so for example one of the websites that always loads the limited mobile instead of desktop version is the one of my service provider, EE, ee. co. uk (apologies for the intervals, I'm otherwise not allowed to post it). This mobile version is too basic and 60% of what you could do on a desktop version is cut. I've been on Three Mobile and sometimes I could get their full website working, sometimes not. Other websites are let's say bbc. co. uk and other media/news/bank websites that know, no matter browser settings, you are accessing them from a portable device.
Unfortunately I do not trust Google and any of their products so avoid voluntarily and (un)intentionally handing any personal data over to them. I would have used Mozilla for Android if it was close to the functionality Boat and Dolphin browsers provide. I even contacted the Dolphin team having previously assisted them but have got no feedback whatsoever. There must be a way for editing these unusual browser settings, but as pointed out above, I suspect it has something to do will submitting device ID info from within system folders. Thus probably only browser developers could tell us how the problem could be circumvented (and hopefully at least for now, with no root).
Or the developers of addons such as the Random Agent Spoofer or the user agent switchers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The build.prop is a text file which should be located in system/ folder. And you usually can't view the contents of that folder without root, so that's why you haven't been able to find it.
I visited ee.co.uk using chrome, and I was able to switch between the mobile and desktop version of the site without any issues, even without using the UA changing app. All I did was select "request desktop site" from the side menu.
I tried using CM's stock browser though, and just like you experienced, the same website refused to load in desktop mode. I even went as far as changing the UA in its settings menu and even that didn't work.
So all that you wrote in the last two paragraphs have been confirmed.
Right now, it's either chrome or root until the devs fix/properly implement their UA changing feature.
I was testing other browsers the whole morning here and finally reluctantly tried Firefox. Somehow its Android version never impressed me or was too buggy for me when tested before. Probably because just before going for it I tried Pale Moon and have seen that I can readily edit just about everything via about:config. The Pale Moon's UI settings menu was however completely missing (probably a bug), along with no other controls, so I had to skip it.
So I am glad to report that using Firefox's "Request desktop website" option I finally was able to load desktop versions of websites that were forcing me to always have their mobile one instead. This means that Firefix for now becomes my main browser. As suggested by you, I tried first with Chrome but with no success (using its internal user agent options). There were a few Chrome user agent switchers in the market but although some of them did not explicitly require root, upon starting them they did so I had to uninstall them.
My question yet remains, what exactly tells websites not to load full version, even if browser's user agent reports the correct values. I will leave this to me as I go deeper into this. Glad to have got what I wanted
Thanks a lot for all your help.
Just to add for all having my problem and using Firefox for Android.
By default Firefox will always load the mobile website version and every time you will need to tick "Request desktop site" if you dislike it. As I do, there is an addon called "Desktop by Default" that will always keep the tick on for you. You may instead try creating a new string called "general.useragent.override" adding a desktop OS signature but it won't work (tested by me) for exactly the same websites I had issues with above, so do use the addon instead. It will however work for all other websites that don't have issues with Desktop mode on other browsers.
There is another string that I disabled also called general.useragent.site_specific_overrides.
Tweaking with the Chrome for Android settings seems to require root so Firefox in my case is a God bless. I hope this is helpful to all others with my issue...

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