View android version on phone

How to view Mobile Version of a Website on Chrome

By Jash Unadkat, Technical Content Writer at BrowserStack — May 10, 2021

• 
• 
• 
• 

Web developers have to test websites on specific browsers to ensure the site’s compatibility with said browser’s specifications. Tests are run repeatedly during development to help them verify how every change to the codebase reflects in the browser. This process ensures that web developers are optimizing their sites for the real world.

However, developers must bear in mind that 56.16% of all web traffic came through mobile phones. As a result, they need to ensure that websites are well-optimized to run on mobile browsers. Chrome is indisputably the leading mobile browser with a current market share of 64.73% worldwide. Hence testing mobile versions of websites on Chrome is crucial.

This article aims to explain how developers can open a website’s mobile view in Chrome browser via desktop. It also explains how one can test websites on real mobile devices online.

First, let’s understand how users can instantly view the mobile version of any website.

Using Device Simulation in Chrome DevTools for Mobile View

Users can view the mobile version of a website by using Chrome Devtools.

Listed below are the steps to view the mobile version of a website on Chrome:

1. Open DevTools by pressing F12.
2. Click on the “Device Toggle Toolbar” available. (Icon turns blue when the device mode is turned on)
3. Choose a device you want to simulate from the list of iOS and Android devices.
4. Once the desired device is chosen, it displays the mobile view of the website.

Note: This approach just lets you simulate different viewports on your desktop browser. However, this is not the most accurate way to test the mobile version of a website on Chrome, as it is just a device simulation. It cannot simulate all aspects of a real mobile device.

For web developers to gain accurate test insights, extensive testing on real devices is non-negotiable. It enables them to verify websites in real user conditions.

BrowserStack’s Real Device Cloud for Live Testing

The ideal way to test a website is to test it on a real device. This helps developers monitor websites on mobile browsers that are installed on real Android and iOS devices. By doing so, QAs can evaluate how a website performs across multiple mobile devices and browsers in the real world.

BrowserStack’s real device cloud provides 2000+ real devices and browsers to test on.
A few of its highlights:

1. Latest Android devices from Samsung, Oneplus, Google and Motorola
2. Latest Apple devices like iPhone X, iPhone 11 Pro
3. Multiple versions of leading browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera installed on real devices

QAs can test on any real Android or iOS mobile device directly from their browser. They do not have to download any browsers or emulators. To open a mobile version of a website on Chrome, QAs can simply log in, select the device-browser-OS combination and start testing. The image below is an exact representation of a live testing session (Chrome Browser Testing on Samsung S10+) on BrowserStack.

BrowserStack also provides the following features :

1. Upfront access to DevTools that enables inspection of web elements on the page
2. Geo-location testing
3. Integrations with popular bug reporting tools like Jira, Trello, and Slack
4. Testing of features like pinch to zoom and device rotation

The methods explained above can help developers eliminate their pain points while debugging any issue. These methods also help optimize a website’s performance across multiple devices. Knowing how to open a website’s mobile view in Chrome is an essential part of a QA engineer’s skillset, and this article will help them with mastering this skill.

Источник

How to install the Android 12 Beta 5 on your phone right now

Source: Alex Dobie / Android Central

After long months of testing, the Android 12 beta is here, which means that the build is now more stable and ready for use as a daily driver.

Along with a major change to the look called Material You, Android 12 comes with a bunch of new privacy features that may or may not be useful.

The public Android 12 beta is available for Pixel phones along with the best Android phones from the likes of Xiaomi, ASUS, OPPO, TCL, OnePlus, and more (full list below). The latest version is Android 12 beta 5, and here’s how you can install it on your phone, whether you’re using a Pixel or any of the 15 third-party phones that have joined the beta.

Which phones can download the Android 12 Beta?

There are ten phones from Google that are eligible for the Android 12 beta:

• Pixel 3
• Pixel 3 XL
• Pixel 3a
• Pixel 3a XL
• Pixel 4
• Pixel 4 XL
• Pixel 4a
• Pixel 4a 5G
• Pixel 5
• Pixel 5a

There are also 15 other devices from various manufacturers that require their own distinct way of installing the beta:

We have a detailed page on installing the Android 12 beta on non-Google devices if you want to install it on any of the devices listed above.

Install Android 12 Beta using the Android Beta Program

The easiest and simplest way to get the Android 12 beta is to enroll in the Android Beta Program.

Simply visit the Android Beta portal and opt-in to the beta, which will then prompt Google to send your phone or tablet an over-the-air update. Depending on the timing, your phone will get the latest beta and then an OTA for the final version, or it will just receive the final version of Android 12.

1. Head to Android Beta program portal on your Pixel phone.
2. Sign in to the Google account associated with that phone.
3. Scroll down to Your eligible devices.
4. Find the device you want to enroll in the Beta program and tap Opt-in.
5. Follow the prompts on your phone to accept the over-the-air download.

What if I want to leave the beta program?

You can easily opt-out of the beta program by going to the same Android Beta portal as you did to enroll, scroll down to your device, and tap Opt-out.

But be warned; doing so will get rid of all the data on your phone:

You may opt out of the program at any time to return to the stable, public version of Android. If you opt-out when your device is running a beta version of Android, all user data on the device will be wiped. If you choose to stay enrolled until the end of the program, you will graduate from the program and receive an update to the stable public release of Android 11. Your device will not be wiped.

Install Android 12 using the Android Flash Tool

Source: Daniel Bader / Android Central

You can also use the Android Flash Tool, a web-based version of the ADB developer tool, to install the Android 12 beta onto your phone.

1. Head to the Android Flash Tool site.
2. Allow the site to access ADB in your browser.
3. Enable Developer Mode on your phone.
4. Enable USB Debugging in the Developer Settings.
5. Enable OEM Unlocking on your device.
6. Plug-in your phone to a USB port on your computer.
7. Select the device from the pop-up and follow the instructions to install the beta.

Install Android 12 beta by flashing an OTA through the bootloader

Source: Andrew Martonik / Android Central

If you really want to, you can flash the Android 12 beta onto a Pixel using an OTA factory image. This means that you’ll need to have a version of Android 11 already on your Pixel phone that supports the OTA update. The Android 12 beta is not installable as a standalone full factory image.

Flashing the Android 12 OTA Image to your phone

If you want to try Android 12 on your Pixel but don’t want to lose data, the best option is to sideload the full OTA image. Doing so will install Android 12 over the currently-running Android 11 build but ensure that your data remains intact. Before you start doing this, make sure that no OTA updates are yet to be installed on your Pixel. Go to Settings > About phone > System updates and see no pending updates. Also, ensure that you have USB debugging enabled on your phone.

To get started, head to the Android 12 OTA images page, and download the relevant build for your Pixel. To sideload the build onto your Pixel, you’ll need to use ADB — I’m a fan of Universal ADB Drivers. Once installed on your Windows machine and the OTA image has been downloaded, you can start sideloading the build.

You’ll first need to put your phone in recovery mode. You can power off and then hold the Power button along with the Volume Down button for a few seconds to enter the bootloader menu and select the recovery option using the Volume Down button.

Here, you should see the Android mascot face down with an exclamation mark over it. Hold down the Power button and press Volume Up once to enter recovery mode. Next, navigate to the option that says Apply update from ADB by using the Volume Up button and confirm the selection by pressing the Power button once.

Now you are ready to sideload the OTA image. Confirm that your phone can connect to your computer and is detectable. For this, plug your Pixel into your computer and run the command:

You should see your phone’s serial number and sideload next to it. Now we can get to flashing the OTA build; just run the following in CMD:

adb sideload ota_file.zip

Here, you will need to switch out ota_file.zip with the filename of the OTA build for your particular device. I’m installing Android 12 on a Pixel 3 XL, so I entered the following: adb sideload crosshatch-ota-spp1.210122.020.a3-d0b7a955.zip into CMD. For this to work, make sure that the OTA file is in the same directory as the CMD path.

Once the OTA file is transferred to your phone, it should go back to the recovery menu. Navigate to Reboot system now and confirm with the Power button to restart your phone. The OTA update will be installed and your phone will switch to Android 12 without losing any data.

What comes next with Android 12?

Source: Google

As of September 8, 2021, we are on Android 12 beta 5, which means the software has reached Release Candidate status and the APIs are now final. Google promises to release the final version of Android 12 for Pixel phones in late September or early October, so we’re approaching that timeline now.

Source: Google

Have you listened to this week’s Android Central Podcast?

Every week, the Android Central Podcast brings you the latest tech news, analysis and hot takes, with familiar co-hosts and special guests.

• Subscribe in Pocket Casts: Audio
• Subscribe in Spotify: Audio
• Subscribe in iTunes: Audio

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Samsung needs to bring back its iPod competitor

I don’t want to buy an iPod Touch. Since I want a reasonably priced PMP with acceptable audio hardware that can install a few crucial apps, I might have to.

VoLTE: How to use it and why you should care

VoLTE — or Voice over LTE — is the new standard for calling throughout the U.S., Canada, and parts of Europe. Not only does it facilitate much higher call quality between cell phones, but it allows devices to stay connected to LTE while on a call, improving data speeds for everyone.

PlayStation reportedly planning service to compete with Xbox Game Pass

Sony is planning to create a service similar to Xbox Game Pass, according to a new report. The service could launch as early as sometime in the spring of 2022, with multiple tiers.

These are the best Google Pixel 6 car chargers right now.

In celebration of the new Google Pixel 6 hitting shelves, we’ve rounded up a list of the best USB-C compatible car chargers for Google Pixel 6 on the market right now.

Источник

How to run a new Android OS on your dated Android smartphone

Topics:

Android is an open source operating system. What this means is that smartphone manufacturers have the freedom to tweak the operating system, before loading them onto their smartphones. Because of this, they have complete control over the look of the OS, features and the bundled apps. The bigger problem is that they also have control over the OS updates and as a result, very few phones get them. Manufacturers usually release an OS update for their flagship phones. Even then, most Android phones only get access to a single update. As a result, you don’t get the latest features launched on latest Android operating systems. If you have a two year old phone, chances are that it’s running an older OS. However there is way to get the latest Android OS on your old smartphone by running a custom ROM on your smartphone. It’s a slightly complicated process, and we’ll show you how to do it.

Be advised that running a custom ROM can be a difficult task. We recommend it at your own risk. It requires you to unlock the bootloader on the phone, which will void its warranty. Reliance Digital is not responsible for any damage done to your device. If not done right, there is also the risk of turning your device into a brick, which means it won’t work. Hence it’s important to be well prepared. This article is a good beginner’s guide to get you familiar with the process but you might have to go further and do a little more research before setting out to do it yourself. You will find resources online that teach you how to flash a ROM, specifically for your device.

What is a custom ROM?

A ROM is essentially a modified version of Android. It is designed to run better than the stock Android which smartphone manufacturers carry. It has more features and is largely customizable. You can tweak the look, enhance the battery and even improve the general performance. There are plenty of ROMs available online. XDA Developers Forum is a good place to start if you would like to learn more.

One of the primary reasons to run a custom ROM is to get your hands on the latest Android OS update. If you don’t own a flagship phone, chances are that you won’t have access to the latest OS updates. However, by running a custom ROM, this can be overcome, even on phones which are a couple of years old!

Most Android versions on smartphones are filled with unwanted bloatware, in the form of apps and heavy interfaces. Running a custom ROM allows you to get rid of them, leaving only the useful apps. Such a light custom ROM will not only improve the performance but also enhance the whole Android experience.

Running a custom ROM also gives you access to features beyond the ones manufacturers offer. For example, you can customize your device by adding shortcut gestures which can be accessed right from the home screen. Some Custom ROMs also let you overclock your device speeds, making it much faster and more powerful.

If you’re bored of your current operating system, running a custom UI is a good idea. Every custom ROM, comes with a unique look and there are plenty of options to choose from. You can opt for something that looks good, or something simple such as the stock UI. You can also simply run a beefed up version of your existing OS, but do make sure that you choose the right ROMs.

Step 1 — Unlock the Bootloader

The bootloader decides whether to run the Android system or the recovery whenever the device is switched on. Hence, the custom recovery can only be run once the bootloader has been unlocked. This is probably the trickier part of the process and hence must be done carefully.

On the phone, enable both ‘Developer option’ and ‘USB debugging mode’. This can be done by going into ‘Settings’ – ‘About phone’ and tapping seven times on the ‘Build Number’. The ‘USB debugging’ option will show up in the ‘Developer option’.

1. ‘adb reboot bootloader’ – This will reboot the smartphone into the bootloader

If all goes well, you would have successfully unlocked your bootloader.

Step 2 — Run a Custom Recovery

Recovery is a part of the Android system and can act as a mini operating system by itself — running backups and updates, deleting user and cache. It also does major task – installing ROMs. However, the default recovery on most smartphones has its limitations and that’s where a custom recovery is useful. For instance, it allows the system to run Custom ROMs amongst other features.

There are plenty of custom recovery tools to choose from, but the two most popular ones are TWRP and ClockworkMod (CWM). We recommend using one of the two as most devices are compatible with them. Visit the respective website and download the version that is compatible with your device.

1‘adb reboot bootloader’ – This will reboot your device into bootloader mode

Step 3 — Backup the existing Operating system

The next thing to be done is to back up your OS. One of the features of the custom recovery besides running a custom ROM is the ability to make a ‘Nandroid’ backup. This is a backup of your existing OS and allows you to go back to things the way they were, in case you run into trouble. We highly recommend doing this. To do this, reboot into the custom recovery. Different devices have different ways to do this, however a combination of pressing the power button and a volume button after switching on the phone should work on most devices.

Be advised, before you get to the custom recovery menu, that the only way to navigate on some phones will be with the help of the volume keys and power button. In the custom recovery, you can use the touchscreen. Now go to ‘Backup’ or ‘Nandroid’. If possible, name the backup for safekeeping and wait until the backup is complete. This may take a while.

Step 4 — Flash the Custom ROM

Step 5 — Flashing GApps (Google apps)

Note: We’d like to stress again that there is a risk involved in installing and running a custom ROM, but as long as you’ve done enough research you shouldn’t have a problem. XDA Developers Forum is a good place to start.

Источник