[Hypnoboy]

Does anyone know a way to set the Playbook to only access the full versions of sites, rather than the mobile versions? I know that some sites give you an option on the screen, but some don't and they just go to the mobile site automatically. The mobile sites are usually crappier versions of the full because it's seen on a smaller screen of a phone. (or a device that can't use a full site, not naming names.)

Anybody have any ideas on this? Thanks in advance.

(sent from my Playbook)

[Jean-luc_Picard]

what websites automatically go to mobile? I haven't had that problem yet. Are you accessing bookmarks from your bb? Many of those would probably link to mobile. If all else fails, most websites have a "view desktop version" link at the bottom, and (on my Torch at least) the browser remembers that for next time.

[leo1055]

Generally I get right to full sites, but there are a couple, notably msnbc.com that goes directly to mobile. I guess it knows when you're accessing it from a wireless signal? In any case it is kind of annoying but generally rare.

[GapBoyPCS]

Someone posted that Twitter was doing the same thing. I just tried it for the first time getting my PB. It defaulted to mobile, but I was able to hit the "standard" link below to get the regular website.

[IIJBII]

i know UFC.com is one (posted in another thread with a work around). Playbookdaily.com is another. I know there are others as well. In those 2 cases you can click on the full site or desktop version to change it but it doesnt stay.

Hopefully an OS update will give us an option for this.

[amboy83]

mlb.com is doing this and i cant find a desktop option on the page.

[Hypnoboy]

As mentioned, msn.com does it, thechive.com does it and a few other sites that I have found. What's more annoying is that, once I've switched it to the full site, if that was even an option, after clicking a link, it will go back to the mobile version. So for every page I visit, I have to change it back to to the full site. There HAS to be a setting for this, and if not, it should be worked into an update for the browser.

[nycspaces.]

cnbc does it as well, I emailed them and they said m.cnbc was the only site for "phones" i think they missed the non-event of the PB Launch. I seem to remember stumbling across something online that said PB browser was showing it's user agent (i am sure there is a more correct term) the same as the phones rather than something more like iOS.

It would be a big plus if this got changed and PB's browser would behave like a desktop browser. I suggested all m. sites should have an option to view the full site but apparently Cabletown doesn't think so. They also have a CNBC Pro version of their service they are selling subscriptions too for BB users so their user-friendlessness quotient may be clouded by dollars. Their CNBC RT iPad app is very good, it would be nice to get a native version of that if not the full site.

[cburke501]

This needs to be added as a feature in the browser asap. If we could just make sites recognize it is chrome/mozilla that would be great.

The biggest problem I have is with marketwatch.com. It comes up as the mobile site, and i cant find any link for the full desktop site. Its ironic that the PB browser has flash, but a flash heavy site like marketwatch dumps us to their mobile site.

[onlyadollar]

The website needs to be changed. shouldn't need a browser setting. The playbook provides its user agent to the website and the website redirects you accordingly.

something like this:
Mozilla/5.0 (PlayBook; U; RIM Tablet OS 1.0.0; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.8+
(KHTML, like Gecko) Version/0.0.1 Safari/534.8+


The site needs to know that the playbook is capable of 'full web fidelity' (according to Mike L) so they need not redirect these devices to the mobile version of their sites. Just keep filling up the mailbox with rants and hopefully they change the redirection!!

[nycspaces.]

The website needs to be changed. shouldn't need a browser setting. The playbook provides its user agent to the website and the website redirects you accordingly.

something like this:
Mozilla/5.0 (PlayBook; U; RIM Tablet OS 1.0.0; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.8+
(KHTML, like Gecko) Version/0.0.1 Safari/534.8+


The site needs to know that the playbook is capable of 'full web fidelity' (according to Mike L) so they need not redirect these devices to the mobile version of their sites. Just keep filling up the mailbox with rants and hopefully they change the redirection!!

You may be right, can anyone here with technical chops actually test this, I believe from going through my google analytics PB's browser is set to "Not Set" only one BB specific user while what looks like my Playbooks visits to our site seem to be coming in under OS "not set" but showing up with a 1024 x 600 resolution, which i can't be certain of, but i believe is the palybook.

Obviously we can't blame content providers if RIM has not set the user agent correctly or at all, this is a pretty significant and easy fix but i don't know how to check.

[FineWolf]

You may be right, can anyone here with technical chops actually test this, I believe from going through my google analytics PB's browser is set to "Not Set" only one BB specific user while what looks like my Playbooks visits to our site seem to be coming in under OS "not set" but showing up with a 1024 x 600 resolution, which i can't be certain of, but i believe is the palybook.

Obviously we can't blame content providers if RIM has not set the user agent correctly or at all, this is a pretty significant and easy fix but i don't know how to check.

Technical person here. The user agent is fine, stop blaming it. What's wrong are websites automatically assuming that "RIM" or "BlackBerry" automatically means mobile. Blame websites for not doing their detection properly (and the Browser Capabilities Project for not including the PlayBook yet).

UA definitions is an actual standard (RFC 2068, here is an easy to digest version for non-techies) which RIM is following to the letter. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PLAYBOOK'S USER-AGENT STRING.

[nycspaces.]

Technical person here. The user agent is fine, stop blaming it. What's wrong are websites automatically assuming that "RIM" or "BlackBerry" automatically means mobile. Blame websites for not doing their detection properly (and the Browser Capabilities Project for not including the PlayBook yet).

UA definitions is an actual standard (RFC 2068, here is an easy to digest version for non-techies) which RIM is following to the letter. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PLAYBOOK'S USER-AGENT STRING.

If you have read the thread, the question is can anyone like yourself tell what the browser string is? Rather than just complaining to sites that force PB to mobile i would rather be able to supply some details that might help get it fixed. Obviously if the UA is the key to differentiating PB from BB browsers, any details that would force this out of the marketing and customer support departments would be helpful in getting it on to the IT side where it might actually get addressed.

See CNBC's response below to my inquiry asking if CNBC.com would be opened up for the Blackberry Playbook browser:


Dear CNBC valued customer,

Thank you for your submission to the CNBC customer Care Team.
Mobile phones cannot view CNBC Mobile Home but are redirected automatically to the mobile site: www.m.cnbc.com.
We are unable to assist with technical support regarding this issue.
If you have any further questions or comments, please respond to this note and provide as much additional information as possible. We will make every effort respond to your email within 24 hours. Thank you for choosing CNBC.

Regards,
K XXXXXX
CNBC Customer Care
[email protected]

I t will take real details to help them realize this should be elevated out of the customer support department.

[nycspaces.]

So I am little slow, but here's the string for the current browser:

Mozilla/5.0 (PlayBook; U; RIM Tablet OS 1.0.0; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.8+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/0.0.1 Safari/534.8+

So it is clearly Playbook and RIM Tablet - can anyone help by clarifying the files on the server side?? Is this browscap.ini in all servers or just Win systems? Is there an equivalent or generic term to the file that needs to be updated for Unix servers?? That might help direct Customer Support to push the request up the line ?

Thanks

[jpoulin587]

what websites automatically go to mobile? I haven't had that problem yet. Are you accessing bookmarks from your bb? Many of those would probably link to mobile. If all else fails, most websites have a "view desktop version" link at the bottom, and (on my Torch at least) the browser remembers that for next time.

msnbc.com defaults to the mobile site. Sometimes even when clicking the desktop site link, the PlayBook will show the mobile site. Annoying but not the end of the world.

[rbenjami]

fail. even my 9700 lets me fake the browser identification to ie.

[FineWolf]

If you have read the thread, the question is can anyone like yourself tell what the browser string is? Rather than just complaining to sites that force PB to mobile i would rather be able to supply some details that might help get it fixed. Obviously if the UA is the key to differentiating PB from BB browsers, any details that would force this out of the marketing and customer support departments would be helpful in getting it on to the IT side where it might actually get addressed.

See CNBC's response below to my inquiry asking if CNBC.com would be opened up for the Blackberry Playbook browser:


Dear CNBC valued customer,

Thank you for your submission to the CNBC customer Care Team.
Mobile phones cannot view CNBC Mobile Home but are redirected automatically to the mobile site: www.m.cnbc.com.
We are unable to assist with technical support regarding this issue.
If you have any further questions or comments, please respond to this note and provide as much additional information as possible. We will make every effort respond to your email within 24 hours. Thank you for choosing CNBC.

Regards,
K XXXXXX
CNBC Customer Care
[email protected]

I t will take real details to help them realize this should be elevated out of the customer support department.

The user-agent string does nothing to identify a mobile vs a non-mobile browser. They just identify the browser and version, period. Nothing more, nothing less.

Websites like MSNBC are probably checking for "RIM" or "BLACKBERRY" and just assuming it's mobile. It's the equivalent of saying that all people called "Valery" are female. It's an assumption, a false one.

Again, THERE IS NOTHING RIM CAN DO, THEY ARE NOT AT FAULT. You need to contact websites owners and make them fix their detection mechanisms.

[FineWolf]

So I am little slow, but here's the string for the current browser:

Mozilla/5.0 (PlayBook; U; RIM Tablet OS 1.0.0; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.8+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/0.0.1 Safari/534.8+

So it is clearly Playbook and RIM Tablet - can anyone help by clarifying the files on the server side?? Is this browscap.ini in all servers or just Win systems? Is there an equivalent or generic term to the file that needs to be updated for Unix servers?? That might help direct Customer Support to push the request up the line ?

Thanks

Depends. Depends if they are using "make your own" browser detection or the Browser Capabilities Project (browscap.ini).

[jSkiLLzZz]

mlb.com is doing this and i cant find a desktop option on the page.

googling the website and then clicking a random link thats from that main page usually works. eg google mlb.com and then click link for the scoreboard. you can then click on the top left for low bandwidth page...then when that opens, scroll down and choose return to full homepage then bam...mlb.com. save that link to homepage as mlb.com and you have the best app out. im listening to streaming video in another tab from the site as i type this. works w many other sites

[bpgui]

marketwatch also goes to the mobile, and there is no link for the desktop version.

[mdkirstein]

anyone know how to get mlb gameday video to work? i used the suggestion above to google mlb and launch and it works you get the full mlb site. Gameday works well to track pitch by pitch but in game video highlights in gameday pop up then disappear. any suggestions?

[Schlymer]

The website needs to be changed. shouldn't need a browser setting. The playbook provides its user agent to the website and the website redirects you accordingly.

something like this:
Mozilla/5.0 (PlayBook; U; RIM Tablet OS 1.0.0; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.8+
(KHTML, like Gecko) Version/0.0.1 Safari/534.8+


The site needs to know that the playbook is capable of 'full web fidelity' (according to Mike L) so they need not redirect these devices to the mobile version of their sites. Just keep filling up the mailbox with rants and hopefully they change the redirection!!

This is unacceptable, it should be RIM's add on as they were the ones that promised us all an uncompromised browsing experience. The only possible way that will happen is if they add at least two main browser IDs like IE or Firefox etc. The quick fix will answer this question head on. I know for a fact companies in Japan will be the slowest in the world to change their IT policies. My trading account redirects all browsers that are not IE, Firefox or Netscape. Does netscape even exist anymore?

RIM has to provide this or let the consumer know that it offers uncompromised browsing just so long as the website will allow the playbook access. This is my only complaint about the playbook. If I can't access my trading account without using aVNC, I will eventually have to buy a piece of crap windows tablet, which I don't want to do for such a small detail for RIM to answer to. Get it done RIM. I am sure I am not the only one who expects the option, so we can view all sites uncompromised.

[mickeyboat]

mlb.com is doing this and i cant find a desktop option on the page.

I like to listen to ball games. Got address using laptop and was able to go to that exact site. Bookmarked it. It does not go to a cell phone alternative when detailed address is used.

[strouduser]

If you have read the thread, the question is can anyone like yourself tell what the browser string is? Rather than just complaining to sites that force PB to mobile i would rather be able to supply some details that might help get it fixed. Obviously if the UA is the key to differentiating PB from BB browsers, any details that would force this out of the marketing and customer support departments would be helpful in getting it on to the IT side where it might actually get addressed.

See CNBC's response below to my inquiry asking if CNBC.com would be opened up for the Blackberry Playbook browser:


Dear CNBC valued customer,

Thank you for your submission to the CNBC customer Care Team.
Mobile phones cannot view CNBC Mobile Home but are redirected automatically to the mobile site: www.m.cnbc.com.
We are unable to assist with technical support regarding this issue.
If you have any further questions or comments, please respond to this note and provide as much additional information as possible. We will make every effort respond to your email within 24 hours. Thank you for choosing CNBC.

Regards,
K XXXXXX
CNBC Customer Care
[email protected]

I t will take real details to help them realize this should be elevated out of the customer support department.

Just keep sending message after message to them and sooner or later the DF's may wake up to the fact that the Playbook is a not a mobile phone.

Here's the link: http://register.cnbc.com/email/EmailSupport.jsp