speedtest.net redirects to app store

[TJs11thPre]

hi droid folks,

i'm a webOS user since it's debut. so i apologize but i am android illiterate. QUESTION: HOW do you stop the phone from forcing you to go to the app store when you're trying to go to a website (either typed directly in to the browser URL bar, or clicking the site's link from google)

I tried several different android phones today and none would go to speedtest.net's site like my Pre does. instead they all automatically opened a "Play" app thing, and tried to force me to install speedtest's app.

Of course i couldn't download/install on the store's locked-down demo phones, but i didn't want to; i wanted to compare my Pre3's results with other phones using the same web-based test procedures using their online flash test module.

fyi: some results:

1. my ATT Pre3 (HSPA+ phone) on T-Mo, with their faux-G svc on the 1900 band: ~5.5Mbps downloads consistent over 4 tests inside the ATT store. the browser easily goes to the site and the test launches no problem.

2. an (i forget which) ATT 4G LTE phone with the speedtest app already installed, tested consistently ~20Mbps.

3. an ATT crackberry (last BB HSPA+ on display) would not load the website's test because it didn't have Flash.

4. an ATT LG-something (last Droid HSPA+ on display too) would not load the website either typing it in, or trying to link from google. every single time, it would open the phone's APP catalog and try to coerce me to use their app instead. Of course i couldn't, because it requires some kinda acct to log into.

I gave up after waiting an hour for assistance from ATT staff. 3 diff. reps couldn't help me with this. they all said 'oh just DL the app'

5. Later i went across the street to a Sprint store. I tried 4 diff Androids there. All 4 would not go to speedtest.net either. They also automatically opened the "Play" app thing and tried to force me to use the app. I gave up after an hour of that too. so i couldn't compare ATT's LTE with Sprint's; I couldn't compare ATT's HSPA+ with T-Mo's. but i waited in line a lot!

by the end of the day i was frustrated. if i type in a web address then i want to go there, whether flash is available or not. I don't want the phone redirecting me to an app store. how do i stop that?

thanks in advance for any insight.
Tj

 

[B. Diddy]

Try going to the browser's settings and check "Request desktop site." Then go to speedtest.net. Works on my Razr Maxx.

 

[Devinator]

Go into manage apps and clear defaults for Play.

 

[TJs11thPre]

Try going to the browser's settings and check "Request desktop site." Then go to speedtest.net. Works on my Razr Maxx.

under browser/more/settings, i do not see a choice for "request desktop site".

The phone settings/about phone says this is Android 2.3.3

thanks though.

 

[TJs11thPre]

Go into manage apps and clear defaults for Play.

this did not work either. thank you also. oh, on this particular phone it's still called Market, but it's doing the same thing as the phones i tried yesterday that had Play.

i've gone to settings/applications/manage applications/market and cleared everything clearable including clear defaults. it does indicate 'no defaults set'.

SAME PROBLEM STILL EXISTS: type in speedtest.net, phone doesn't go to the site; instead it opens the market app.

just to contrast, my Pre- will go to the site, but the test module simply says i must not have the current version of flash. BUT THE WEBSITE LOADS. it doesn't keep forcing me to the app catalog without explanation.

how am i supposed to send this phone to my mom and help her use it over the phone when i can't figure it out myself? jeez i dont want to send my mom an obsolete Palm Pre, but what the heck? I can reinstall my comm board and get a verizon phone to work on sprint, but i can't figure out how to make an android go to website that it has an app available for???

ALL OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR HELP ARE DESPERATELY WELCOME. i am bewildered.

 

[TJs11thPre]

AHA! THE WEBSITE IS DOING IT!!!

i've found the answer, and i'm posting it here in case some other clueless person like me has this issue.
FROM THE SPEEDTEST SUPPORT PAGE, https://support.speedtest.net/entri...s-when-opening-the-website-on-my-phone-tablet

"Speedtest.net uses a technology called Adobe Flash for consistent, accurate speed measurements. Unfortunately, this technology is not supported or poorly supported by many phones and tablets today. Our Speedtest.net website interface is also designed for a mouse or trackpad, and not touch screen interfaces.

To ensure accurate results, if you visit the Speedtest.net front page on your iOS or Android device, we automatically redirect you to our apps."

MY APOLOGIES TO THE DROID COMMUNITY for insinuating it was the OS. it's the stinkin' webpage itself!
which does make me feel better about sending my mom this phone now. (she's never had a smart phone)

ok thanks everyone!

 

[TJs11thPre]

here's what i sent to their support link:
"...A little message stating it was YOU that was redirecting me would have been REALLY helpful for people like myself who don't know AndroidOS. I've been looking through the phone's settings, searching Android forums, etc. etc. The BBerry on display WOULD go to the site, but just said it required Flash. Ok, no problem. So it seemed it was Android's doing.

But i'm not here complaining; I'm suggesting a solution: perhaps a dialog box first, to let the user confirm the redirection to the app catalog? Here's the text you are welcome to copy/paste:

"Androids CANNOT access this web page. You MUST use the mobile app available through your catalog. Click OK to proceed"

p.s. your regular website works just fine on webOS 2.2.4. Just like Firefox or any other browser. I wanted to use the same test method to compare 'apples-to-apples' which is why I'd been trying so hard to do it from the site and not the app.

thanks for listening, and thanks for a great web service."

i don't want to merely gripe, i want to help minimize problems from recurring in the future. if people keep stepping in the same pile of dog poo, it means more n' more shoes to clean, instead of only that one original turd.

 

[B. Diddy]

Glad you found out what the problem is. I can't be sure, but I think Gingerbread phones (Android 2.3) still had some option in the stock browser to render a webpage as a desktop site. Is there anyone with a GB phone who can confirm this?

 

[Devinator]

Glad you found out what the problem is. I can't be sure, but I think Gingerbread phones (Android 2.3) still had some option in the stock browser to render a webpage as a desktop site. Is there anyone with a GB phone who can confirm this?

I thought there was too, but, just checked on my X2 and I'm not seeing one. Checked all the settings. Only way I can see to get a mobile site is if it's a link on the website itself, or, knowing the mobile URL.

 

[B. Diddy]

I think the problem is that mobile browsers default to mobile sites. It can be hard to get a desktop site, even if you put in the desktop URL, unless there's an option in the browser to request the desktop site.

 

[Devinator]

Well, the other option I was talking about is when a site has a link at the bottom for regular/mobile site.

 

[B. Diddy]

Right, but the interesting problem with the speedtest.net site is that it automatically diverts you to Google Play to encourage you to download the Speedtest app, without giving you the option to tap a link for the regular site. This is the first time I've seen this behavior--usually, you just get a popup asking if you're interested in downloading the app, but which also gives you the option to say no and proceed to the website. The only way I can access the full speedtest.net desktop site on my phone is to go to Browser Settings and check "Request desktop site."

 

[Devinator]

I Googled it, and, underneath the speedtest.net link were several other links for the speedtest page. I was able to get to the speedtest site, just couldn't get to anywhere to take the test from without it opening play. Close though, lol.

 

[B. Diddy]

The speedtest website actually works and can measure download/upload speeds on the phone (at least, on my Razr Maxx), as long as you can force it to go to the desktop site.

 

[Devinator]

Yea, I gotcha. I was just saying I was able to get to the desktop site VIA google. Once I went to the page where you can run the test, it opened Play. Was trying to circumvent the main page and still do the test, but, couldn't.

Regardless, could have asked the employees at the store to install it, they probably would have been okay with it. And I doubt the results would vary from website to app.

 

[B. Diddy]

I think with all of our discussion, we've overlooked one significant question--why is it important to check Speedtest on the phones in the store? Speedtest really only measures the speed of the internet service, not the speed of the phone. The 5 MBPS download speed on 4G HSPA+ vs the 20+ MBPS download speed on on 4G LTE is to be expected, because LTE is superior to HSPA+ (in fact, many tech writers don't consider HSPA+ "true" 4G).

 

[Devinator]

I dunno, that wasn't really my concern. My concern was to get the speedtest working for them.

But, if the OP just wanted to see how fast the phone would be in comparison to theirs, it would give them some numbers. Maybe they wanted to make sure it would be as fast as their current phone.

I just recently used speedtest to compare the speeds on my WiFi of my Prime and my X2 to see if my Prime was suffering from the WiFi issue. My Prime's speed consistently measured significantly slower speeds than my X2, so, it clearly has an issue. It was definitely handy.