As
you start to hop around to your favorite websites, you might notice
that some look different on your phone from what you’re used to seeing
on your PC. Probably they look a lot simpler. In fact, some sites are different on a phone. Welcome to the Mobile Web.
Many popular news and
shopping sites have mobile versions, including Amazon.com, MSN, and
CNN. These stripped-down sites are primarily designed to make the Web
easier to digest on slower cell connections and the primitive browsers
found on basic cell phones. It’s a great idea—and on an older phone it
can mean the difference between having some Internet access or none at
all.
But in recent years cell
networks have gotten faster, and smartphones such as Windows Phone come
with browsers that rival the ones found on desktop PCs. Some sites,
however, can’t distinguish between a smartphone equipped with a
powerhouse browser (like the one you’re using) and the primitive
browsers on a basic cell phone. The result? Every phone gets served the
stripped-down version of a site.
There are ways around this. If
you look closely, you’ll find that some mobile sites have a link to the
desktop version. Windows Phone also provides a way to make your website
preference known. In Settings, under Internet Explorer, you’ll find a
desktop or mobile option. Once you select this setting, most sites you
visit will oblige.
