Detect mobile browsers and redirect your visitors to mobile version website

http://localstreamer.posterous.com/javascript-code-snippet-how-to-detect-all-mob

by orfeo • 15 years ago

2 4 15 years ago

localstreamer.posterous.com

drdaeman• 15 years ago

Two words: PLEASE DON'T.

I just hate when I get redirected to some "mobile version", which lacks some important points I want to see, and there's no easy way to visit "normal" version (like in the proposed example), so I have to change the user-agent or - even worse - use proxies (if some smartass had implemented mobile device detection by checking whenever IP's in range belonging to popuar cell operators).

DjDarkman• 15 years ago

If you have to that please include a way to disable or, it or simply do a proper job with media queries.

ydant• 15 years ago

If you're going to do it on the client-side with JavaScript, then you've lost half of the point of redirecting to a mobile site - to reduce the bandwidth and complexity the device has to deal with. You're also not helping out the devices that need the help the most, since a lot of the older non-Android and non-iPhone phones (although I imagine this is becoming less of an issue) don't support JavaScript consistently and have more resource constraints and slower processors.

If you really want to do this, it needs to be done on the server-side, be optional (at least offer a "full site" link, and should ideally just be a different skin on your site (that is, as much functionality should be present as possible). And most importantly, it shouldn't lose context. I shouldn't click on a Google link on my phone and get taken to your main site (which usually doesn't offer half of the functionality of the desktop version).

These days, you can make a desktop and mobile webkit compatible version on the same page largely with smart CSS decisions - most content providers just need to position things without the assumption of large screens and it'll work fine on Android/iPhone.

orfeo• 15 years ago

Thanks to all for the feedback, i make a note of your suggestions.

Detect mobile browsers and redirect your visitors to mobile version website

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