[HOW TO] Get Adobe Flash Player & the best browser experience on your tablet

[janner43]

There have been umpteen threads about this subject & as the question gets asked over & over again, here is the definitive thread The information can be applied to either the Asus Transformer or Asus MeMo range of tablets.

It seeks to answer the following common questions...
"How do you get the desktop version of sites?"
"The stock browser on my TF keeps crashing - what can I do?"
"How do you get Adobe Flash?"
"How do I "sideload" or install Adobe Flash Player?"
"What is the best browser on the transformer (or Android)?"
"What about the "user agent"? What's my browser?


How to get desktop sites
This is much easier than it once was

Now that all the Transformer series are running at least Android 4.0.3 ICS, in the stock browser all you have to do is this.
1. Open the browser
2. Tap the 3 vertically stacked squares in the upper right of your screen
3. Select Settings - Advanced - Always request desktop site... and tick (check) it.

Now every time you go to a website, you will (or should, anyway) be given the desktop version, rather than the mobile version.

If you are running another browser, there should be a similar option in the settings of that app, somewhere.


The stock browser on my TF keeps crashing - what can I do?
Here is what you can try...

* Go to settings, apps, all & find the browser
* Clear cache, clear data, force close (this will delete any bookmarks, so ensure you either back them up or import them into Dolphin browser first)
* Do a cold boot (process linked in the signature at the end of this guide)
* Install a better browser - I suggest you install Dolphin for general use & Boat Browser or Firefox for those odd times you might need to visit a Flash enabled website (they are all free & available from the Play Store & linked below)


How to get Adobe Flash Player

Adobe Flash Player is no longer in the Play Store since Adobe dropped Android support in August 2012. (If you are in the UK - & possibly the EU - it is worth checking the Play Store first, as the Flash Player may still be available to you.) However, in any case, Adobe still have the Flash Player available for download - the section below gives a step by step guide & includes a link to the Adobe site where the Flash Player can be safely obtained.

Here is what to do...

* Go to:
Archived Flash Player versions
* Scroll down the page until you reach the Android section, specifically "Flash Player for Android 4.0 archives" choose Flash Player 11.1 for Android 4.0 (11.1.115.32). Download the newest version of the Flash Player listed, so if there is one with a number higher than 32 in the last two digits, select it to download. It will download on your tablet.

Note that even though Adobe list this section as for Android 4.0 - this is the version to use for Android versions from 4.0 and upwards, so it can be used for 4.1, 4.2 & so on.

Similarly, if you wish to update the installed version to the newest version that Adobe list, just download & then install (sideload) it. It will replace the older version. Please note, however, that even having the latest version of the Flash Player will not guarantee 100% success on every site that has Flash content. You can read through the A word about Adobe Flash & future versions of Android section below for further information on why this is. Mobile Flash is not the same as full Flash on your Windows PC.

You now have to install (sideload) it on your tablet. This is done by
1. Going to settings, security, and click to allow the installation of apps from unknown sources.
2. Open a File Manager and search for the Adobe Flash Player .apk file you just downloaded. It will have downloaded to wherever you have set your browser to download files. The standard location is "downloads". Click on Adobe Flash Player .apk when you find it. This will install the flash player on your tablet.
3. Go back to settings, security, and click to disallow the installation of apps from unknown sources. For system security reasons, you do not want your tablet to continue to allow apps from unknown sources.
4. Your tablet now has the Flash player installed and you will be able to use a Flash compatible browser to go to pages that require the Flash player plug-in.
5. When you open your Flash compatible browser next time - e.g. the stock browser - Flash objects will display automatically if you have selected "always on" & will require you to tap the flash object if you selected "on demand" in the browser settings (Plug-Ins).

If you are running another Flash compatible browser, there should be a similar option in the settings of that app, somewhere.


What is the best browser to use?

Well, of course, this comes down to personal choice & you will read many comments from posters preferring one browser over another. Here is a list - it isn't exhaustive, so feel free to add your personal favourite to the thread.

1. Stock browser - much improved but still has issues
2. ICS Browser+ - based on the stock browser, but with enhancements
3. Dolphin HD - many people's favourite which, with version 10 onwards, has reinstated Flash support under Jelly Bean.
4. Opera Mobile - sometimes, with demanding sites, only this browser will work
5. Firefox - now with tablet support & it supports Flash.
6. Chrome - perhaps the fastest browser on Android - but it does not support Flash.

Others are
Overskreen,
Boat, which also supports Flash,
Maxthon,

There will also be other browsers that members will mention further in the thread. The choice is a completely personal one.

Forum member Madmick has posted a very interesting thread on this subject, here...
http://www.transformerforums.com/for...-browsers.html

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A word about Chrome

At Google I/O 2012, Google announced that Chrome was out of its beta phase. It is now a very fast, clean browser.

Forum member RajunRajun discovered the following helpful setting...

You can clear browser history, cache, cookies and all that good stuff.
Tap the settings icon (three dots in upper right corner of browser)>advanced>privacy
Then at the upper right next to the settings icon you will see "clear browser history" press that, and the menu will come up.

If you use Chrome on your Windows PC, then you may wish to sync those bookmarks with the stock browser on your TF. This thread tells you just how to do that - http://www.transformerforums.com/for...k-browser.html

But...
It defaults to the mobile version of sites & has to be switched to "desktop" manually for each tab. It does not support Flash. Many of the features you may be used to on a desktop version of Chrome are sadly not present in the Android mobile version of the browser.

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A word about Adobe Flash & future versions of Android

Since the announcement of Jelly Bean, Adobe has come forward reiterating that Flash Player will eventually not be supported on mobile devices. In fact, they just posted in their blog and made it clear that Flash Player is not supported at all on Google's new OS Android 4.1/Jelly Bean. Of course, older devices, or devices that come pre-loaded with Flash and have been certified by Adobe will still function with Flash. In the past, all you had to do was grab a copy of flash player from the Google Play Store and it would probably work with your uncertified device.

Unfortunately, Adobe confirmed that with the release of Android 4.1, they will not certify any device with that OS. Additionally, Adobe indicated that on August 15th 2012, it will configure Flash Player currently in the Play Store to only update devices that already have Flash installed. If the device does not have it installed, then it will not be authorized to download it from the Google Play Store. Additionally, Adobe shared that any device that is upgraded from Android 4.0 to 4.1 will still have Flash Player, they recommend uninstalling it because it will be buggy. It's possible this is mostly a scare tactic, and it may still be mostly functional. Of course when we get to that point in the road it will probably be possible to find the APK online.

Source: Phonearena

If you are looking for Adobe Flash Player - you can download it directly from Adobe.

Although the only versions that are available are stated as for Android 4.0 (ICS), those versions are the ones to use if you are installing on Jelly Bean 4.1.x or 4.2.x. The best version to use will be the newest - ie the version with the highest number in the last 2 digits. If you do install on a Jelly Bean device, you should also read the advisory note from Adobe reproduced below.

Adobe Direct Download

Scroll down the page until you reach the Android section, specifically, this part... "Flash Player for Android 4.0 archives" The download you want is... Flash Player 11.1.for Android 4.0 (11.1.115.27) If there is a newer version, ie with a higher than 27 number in the last two digits, go for that one.

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The official Adobe position on Flash & the Asus Transformer

FLASH PLAYER IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED FOR NEW DEVICE CONFIGURATIONS. FLASH PLAYER WILL NOT BE SUPPORTED ON ANY ANDROID VERSION BEYOND ANDROID 4.0.x

While Flash Player remains on Google Play for installation on Android devices that are certified by the manufacturer, installing Flash Player on an uncertified device may result in unexpected behavior and can potentially destabilize your device. A list of certified devices can be found at Adobe Developer Connection - Flash Player Certified Devices. Flash Player WILL NOT be supported on any device shipped with or upgraded to an Android version beyond Android 4.0.x

Asus Transformer devices appearing on the certified list are...
Eee Pad TF101
Eee Pad TF201
SL101

Installing Adobe Flash Player on any other Transformer, particularly when running Jelly Bean "may result in unexpected behavior and can potentially destabilize your device". Adobes' words, not mine.

Sources:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...shplayer&hl=en
Adobe Developer Connection - Flash Player Certified Devices

Thanks to flhthemi for finding the Adobe direct link for the Flash download.

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A word about the mysterious "User Agent" - or, when is a tablet a desktop or an iPhone?

Did some testing:

using whatsmyuseragent.com:

Browser:

(Unchecked): Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 4.1.1; en-us; Transformer TF101 Build/JRO03C) AppleWebKit/534.30 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Safari/534.30
(Checked): Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64) AppleWebKit/534.24 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/11.0.696.34 Safari/534.24

Chrome:

(Unchecked): Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A293 Safari/6531.22.7
(Checked): Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A293 Safari/6531.22.7

Dolphin Browser HD:

Android (Default): Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 4.1.1; en-us; Transformer TF101 Build/JRO03C) AppleWebKit/534.30 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Safari/534.30
Desktop: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; Intel Mac OS X 10_6_3; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.16 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0 Safari/533.16
iPad: Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; U; CPU OS 3_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/531.21.10 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.4 Mobile/7B367 Safari/531.21.10
iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_0 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/532.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0.5 Mobile/8A293 Safari/6531.22.7
iPad: Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; CPU OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3

Firefox Beta (Using Phony Add On):

Desktop Firefox: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64; rv:13.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/13.0
Android (Phone): Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 4.0.2; en-us; Galaxy Nexus Build/ICL53F) AppleWebKit/534.30 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/534.30
Android (Tablet): Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 4.0.4; en-us; Xoom Build/IMM76) AppleWebKit/534.30 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Safari/534.30
iPhone: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A405 Safari/7534.48.3
iPad: Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; CPU OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3
Microsoft IE: Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; MSIE 9.0; Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; Trident/5.0)

I went to Facebook.com with every one of those User Agent settings.

The following redirected to m.facebook.com:

Chrome [Unchecked]
Dolphin Browser HD [iPhone]
Firefox [Android (Phone)]
Firefox [iPhone]

The following defaulted to the desktop version of Facebook.com

Browser [unchecked]
Browser [checked]
Chrome [checked]
Dolphin Browser HD [Android(default)]
Dolphin Browser HD [Desktop]
Dolphin Browser HD [iPad]
Firefox Beta [Desktop Firefox]
Firefox Beta [Android (Tablet)]
Firefox Beta [iPad]
Firefox Beta [Microsoft IE]

I also went to NexusTablets.net with every one of those User Agent settings.

The following redirected to the mobile version of NexusTablets.net:

Chrome [Unchecked]
Dolphin Browser HD [iPhone]
Firefox [Android (Phone)]
Firefox [iPhone]

The following defaulted to the desktop version of NexusTablets.net

Browser [unchecked]
Browser [checked]
Chrome [checked]
Dolphin Browser HD [Android(default)]
Dolphin Browser HD [Desktop]
Dolphin Browser HD [iPad]
Firefox Beta [Desktop Firefox]
Firefox Beta [Android (Tablet)]
Firefox Beta [iPad]
Firefox Beta [Microsoft IE]

Conclusion:

Some sites (like Facebook) will ONLY show the mobile site by default if the user agent shows that the device is a PHONE. The Stock Browser does not show itself as an Android Phone, but an Android Tablet. Some sites treat TABLET user agents to show the non-mobile version of the site.

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There you have it Happy browsing

[Frederuco]

What?

ANOTHER BROWSER THREAD?

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But in all seriousness, great thread.

I am going to add my thoughts on the browsers:

Browsers that support Flash:
Stock Browser App: OK, but missing some key features (like remembering the Desktop setting)
ICS Browser+: Much improved over the stock browser. Custom thumb controls, remembers the default browser settings.
Dolphin Browser HD: Lots of plug-ins. LastPass and XMarks plugins for password and bookmark sync. PDF plugin (using Google Drive), and many others.
Opera Mobile: Closest to a real desktop experience. Least input lag (mainly on Honeycomb). Tab management leaves a bit to be desired.
OverSkreen: Floats above other apps. Works well.
Maxthon: Good browser, I just prefer Dolphin, Opera Mobile and ICS Browser+.
Boat: Good browser, reports of privacy issues with this browser. May have been resolved, have not investigated.
Firefox Beta: Need to get the Phony add-on to enable User Agent settings. The latest is quite close to a desktop FF experience.


Browsers that do not support Flash:
Firefox: Need to get the Phony add-on to enable User Agent settings. Not even close to a desktop FF experience, but it does offer tab & bookmark sync.
Chrome Beta: Still pretty buggy, does not support flash or custom user agents (defaults to Mobile/Android)

Honorable Mention:
Firefox Nightly (this is the Pre-Beta version of Firefox).
I have been running this quite a bit lately. It DOES support Flash, but the latest Flash update seems to have added some bugs. Phony plugin works, but to change it you may have to disable and enable the plugin or it does not appear in the settings.

[Swipe]

Thank you for taking the time to put this information into a readily accessible form.

[sculptedstylus]

If you get an alert to update your Swype beta keyboard app in your notification area, first reverse the instructions, above, for setting you browser to Desktop, and set it to Android instead. If you don't, when you try to update, by tapping the update alert, it will take you to a page that says that you are not using an Android device. Once you update Swype, you can then return the settings to Desktop.

[Bishop]

I decided to give some of the other browsers a try (my main browsers are ICS+ and Dolphin). I would say I'm ok with both of them with the exception of the "pause" while the pages load. I was under the impression that .28 was supposed to fix that issue (?).... but I digress.... I downloaded Opera mobile then Boat. At first the Opera Mobile did load some of the web pages faster, but I wanted to see how it handled sites such as Amazon.com. The problem I am having is, a message on the site asks me to "enable Java scripts to view items from my video library". Trouble is... I can't figure out how to do so. I've looked in the settings tab for Opera and the choice to enable or disable Java scripts isn't available. Am I missing it somehow? As for Boat.... "ehh" it's "ok".

[Pakure]

Enter "about: config" in address bar in opera mobile browser for all settings

Sent from my HTC HD2 with WP7.5/android miui using tapatalk

[matejilic]

I use ICS +, and it seems that it is having problems with flash, it's choppy and laggy..any of you guys noticed that? Other then that, it's as fast as stock, but a little bit more stable.

[ThingODoom]

You forgot Splashtop HD. Yes I consider that a browser, since it always works!@#!@#!@#!@#@!#@!
rofl xD

[craigz]

Hello,
I have no doubt this question has been covered. Still! I want to be able to bookmark a site and then find the bookmarks' list. The star logo does not seem to work. So how do I effect this simplest of operations which my simple mind can't find a satisfactory solution for ? I have the TF300. Thanks for efforts and patience coming (I hope) my way. tom

[janner43]

Welcome

In the stock browser, two icons to the right, you will see the bookmark tag - after using the larger star to bookmark, tap that icon to view the bookmarks.

I have joined your post to this thread as it is best located here.

All the best.