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I noticed that Google has two different mobile versions of his pages. One for his default Android browser and one for the others. And the one for the others is much simpler. It's most noticeable when you try to display iGoogle. In the default browser you get fancy user interface with many features and widgets whereas in Opera Mobile 11, you get really simple HTML page with practically no settings. I set Opera to use the user agent of the default browser and suddenly I got the better mobile version too. And naturally with all functionality.
So I ask.. why Google does that? He thinks, that other browsers can't handle advanced features of his pages? Or is he simply trying to put off people from using alternative browsers? Or is there an official way turn on this better version? Because changing the user agent seems to break some other pages and even the Google search, although it looks much better and more modern, is for some reason displayed extremely wide.
I couldn't find anything about this weird behavior but maybe I just used the wrong keywords
Bump. I have wondered this too, and it forces me to use dolphin (which is essentially the default browser spiced up a bit). I like the google homepage with the default android browser because it uses my location. Withe firefox, its as if Im on a computer and is less helpful. Anyone have a solution/workaround?
Well, as I wrote before, I changed the user agent of Opera to the user agent of stock browser/Dolphin so basically Opera pretended to be stock browser and I really got the nice modern Google Homepage, including my location. However the layout was a little bit messed up, the viewport was strangely wide, so it was kind of useless. But I guess it's a problem of Opera. You could try it too in Firefox, but I don't know whether it is possible to change your user agent in mobile Firefox, maybe there is an addon for it?
Easiest way to get the stock browser user agent is to open stock browser, use Google to search "what is my user agent", go to first link and select and copy the text it displays. You can just past it then wherever you want to.
Btw. I tried Dolphin HD and I almost switched because I really liked the UI (Opera is a little bit old school I would say) but when it came to rendering real full webpages, Opera was way way faster than Dolphin. At least on my Nexus S.
I really like the Opera mobile also with the Google search from the stock android browser using the user agent. I really wish there wasn't so wide like others here have posted. Hopefully someone or Opera will come up with a fix.
The instructions found in the below post has seemed to fix all of the rendering issues I had with Opera Mobile.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1009719
I really wish that opera would fix the problem of Google search being to wide. I really like the opera browser but it is annoying when searching to have to scroll to the right in order the click the search button sometimes.
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
I personally think opera mobile (the newest version) is the best one out there. Absolutely zero lag. Compatible with everything I throw at it. I don't understand why people insist on hating it or not using it. It's the best one out there.
I like Opera but there are some things that bug me:
- Google always shows up in mobile view, its annoying to have to always scroll down to click classic.
- The tabs system is slow, I prefer the way the stock browser has them
- You cant always go back to the start page, most of the time you have to open a new tab instead of being able to use the speed dial.
The new Dolphin HD is nice but I don't like not having back and forward buttons, and that you have to scroll back to the top of the page to type in a URL. In the stock browser all you have to do is click the tab and the buttons show.
I don't like the blocks that happen in the stock browser when scrolling, but I really love the quick controls. It generally seems less buggy than the other browsers as well.
Opera actually almost is the best browser but on some pages they never load fully & on some pages even with flash enabled some things show up as a big arrow that would play just fine on Dolphin Hd.Opera is the only browser i can check my gmail just as i could on my desktop..Dolphin HD is lacking there.Opera needs another update to fix the bugs.Lastly why on earth does everything load on Opera halfway (for instance pictures).If you hold on the pic it will give you the option to "Reload image in full quality" !!! Wtf..how about loading that way in the first place lol...I'll stick with Dolphin Hd for now.
Toast95135 said:
I like Opera but there are some things that bug me:
- Google always shows up in mobile view, its annoying to have to always scroll down to click classic.
- The tabs system is slow, I prefer the way the stock browser has them
- You cant always go back to the start page, most of the time you have to open a new tab instead of being able to use the speed dial.
The new Dolphin HD is nice but I don't like not having back and forward buttons, and that you have to scroll back to the top of the page to type in a URL. In the stock browser all you have to do is click the tab and the buttons show.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Weird. Nothing has shown up as mobile view for me for a month now. I think you need to play around more with settings.
Toast95135 said:
I like Opera but there are some things that bug me:
- Google always shows up in mobile view, its annoying to have to always scroll down to click classic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can solve this by setting the User Agent to Desktop in Advanced settings.
---------- Post added at 09:32 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:28 AM ----------
Arun01 said:
Opera actually almost is the best browser but on some pages they never load fully & on some pages even with flash enabled some things show up as a big arrow that would play just fine on Dolphin Hd.Opera is the only browser i can check my gmail just as i could on my desktop..Dolphin HD is lacking there.Opera needs another update to fix the bugs.Lastly why on earth does everything load on Opera halfway (for instance pictures).If you hold on the pic it will give you the option to "Reload image in full quality" !!! Wtf..how about loading that way in the first place lol...I'll stick with Dolphin Hd for now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look like you have Opera Turbo enabled, which means that Opera loads the pages though a proxy server which compresses pages for faster loading over slow connections. This will speedup your loading over slow connections, but if you've got a fast connection you should not use it.
You can disable Opera Turbo in the settings.
I find the Dolphin for Pad browser very good:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.dolphin.browser.pad&feature=search_result
None
The day I can go to vimeo.com or youtube.com and play an HD 720p video without having to maximize the screen (without ANY stutter) is the day I'll name a best browser. As it stands, none to me are the best. They all have flaws with flash.
Argh nevermind the part about "reload image in full quality ".I see what it is now lol.Dolphin for pad needs an update bad!!!
Sent from my Xoom using XDA App
I like dolphin for pad. Opera is not bad, but for me it's a bit slow to start showing the site, and some site I use quite a lot has a little bug in the render. Also, I don't like the tab system.
You can go to the top in Dolphin HD by using the gesture button on the bottom left. Just make an upside down V and it'll bring you right up.
All the browsers need to add some better swipe gestures however...like Atomic Browser for ios. It has 2 Finger swipe left or right to switch between tabs or 3 finger touch to maximize screen. They're customizable as well.
Goodintentions why dont you put a poll on this thread of the top ten browsers?
Opera
dolphin
skyfire
miren
uc
mozilla beta
etc etc
Sent from my tf101 using xda premium 1.59Ghz
I have to say opera mobile hands down. Not to be confused with opera mini. They are 2 different browsers...especially in terms of performance. But yes, opera mobile is an absolutely fantastic browser both on my nexus s and transformer. Blows every other browser out the water. Very fast UI. Very smooth scrolling and zooming. Flash content etc. It must have deep gpu / hardware acceleration i think. It behaves like a dream. What every browser should be.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using xda premium
Toast95135 said:
I like Opera but there are some things that bug me:
- Google always shows up in mobile view, its annoying to have to always scroll down to click classic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then change the UA to Desktop (you have Mobile, Tablet and Desktop) it's in the settings...
How card can it be?
---------- Post added at 11:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:42 AM ----------
voyager_s said:
It must have deep gpu / hardware acceleration i think. It behaves like a dream. What every browser should be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It does, and it's the only browser to do so (which is why scrolling is silky smooth on Opera and crap on everything else). Even the stock Android browser doesn't have it yet...
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2370756,00.asp#fbid=7tE7TmefXx2
The browser will be available for all versions of the Android OS. New features in this version of Opera Mobile include hardware acceleration and pinch-to-zoom. According to the company, hardware acceleration leverages the power of the mobile phone to allow for increased speed, faster navigation, and more fluid interaction with the phone. It also makes possible full pinch-to-zoom functionality for all sites.
CrazyPeter said:
Then change the UA to Desktop (you have Mobile, Tablet and Desktop) it's in the settings...
How card can it be?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do have it set to the desktop user agent, and Opera does the same thing on my phone. Typing a search in the URL or search bar always brings up the mobile version. I have gone through and changed the user agent in the about:config page without any luck either.
Toast95135 said:
I do have it set to the desktop user agent, and Opera does the same thing on my phone. Typing a search in the URL or search bar always brings up the mobile version. I have gone through and changed the user agent in the about:config page without any luck either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Spoken like a true ipad user. Complain rather than try to find a solution.
The search bar is a mobile search bar, yes. Would it kill you to not use it? Just put google homepage (the desktop one) in your favorite and go there whenever you want to search for something.
Many of us have already written to opera about this. I'm confident they will fix this in upcoming updates.
To me, this is one drawback that is easily avoidable. With built in hw acceleration and functions... screw it.
Just don't use opera at all. If you prefer the lagginess of other browsers, be my guess. Don't ever try to go around anything. Just complain.
goodintentions said:
Spoken like a true ipad user. Complain rather than try to find a solution.
The search bar is a mobile search bar, yes. Would it kill you to not use it? Just put google homepage (the desktop one) in your favorite and go there whenever you want to search for something.
Many of us have already written to opera about this. I'm confident they will fix this in upcoming updates.
To me, this is one drawback that is easily avoidable. With built in hw acceleration and functions... screw it.
Just don't use opera at all. If you prefer the lagginess of other browsers, be my guess. Don't ever try to go around anything. Just complain.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Excuse me? Im complaining because I don't like a bug that lots of other people have reported? Ive tried every "solution" in the book to try and fix it but none work. I like Opera and have been using it for a year but it doesn't mean the mobile bug is any less irritating.
Toast95135 said:
Excuse me? Im complaining because I don't like a bug that lots of other people have reported? Ive tried every "solution" in the book to try and fix it but none work. I like Opera and have been using it for a year but it doesn't mean the mobile bug is any less irritating.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Already told you the solution. Its the same one I use. Just put Google homepage in favorite and go there when you want to search. How hard can it be?
I use the stock browser because it provides what I want (tabs, chrome bookmark sync) and performs reasonably enough for browsing; I still remember surfing at 3.4K/s .
Opera is what I use on my phone because it seriously kicks the Froyo stock browser to timbucktu on performance. I do think Opera Mobile's UI is much better suited to a tablet than the HC stock though.
Opera mobile is indeed faster and smoother in terms of scrolling compared to all the other browsers. UI response is also very quick. However, Opera has serious issues with Flash. Opera would crash on my TF for some flash content and flash videos are really slow to load and would stutter while Dolphin HD and even stock would play much smoother.
I like Opera, its my usual web browsing browser. But if I need flash content, I switch to Dolphin HD.
Is there a way to get the default browser to always request desktop sites. I can temporarily select "request desktop site" from the menu or use about:debug to reveal advanced menus and set the useragent to desktop. But neither of these methods are persistent.
Given the Xooms relatively large screen size for an android device - should not the default be desktop with a "request mobile site" being the option.
This is about the only thing I find annoying with Jellybean. I frequently visit URLs that open mobile websites when the Xoom can readily display their full desktop sites. It becomes a drag continually having to request the alternative format.
I agree. My old ICS ROM had it as a setting in that you could choose from a list and that was it set. That was Bugless Beast ROM. Hopefully that Dev is working on a new JB ROM.
Opera has a setting for it, I prefer the stock browser as my main one, although still annoys me it fails when downloading certain file types.
Sent from my Xoom using xda app-developers app
T-bonez said:
If I am not mistaken, EOS has the UA string as desktop by default working on their ROM....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately I think you are mistaken. I have only used EOS Jelly bean ROMs. Currently on EOS build JRO03L Nightly 110 and it still requests mobile sites.
About the best we've come up with is to use about:debug to gain access to settings>debug>UAStrings & then setting it to destkop. You now get desktop sites. BUT, Thereafter if rebooting leads to getting served an unwanted mobile site - simply typing about:debug and enter is all you need to do to get the desktop sites again, without having to access the settings menu. Better than nothing I guess.
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...