Getting Gmail's "tablet optimized view" working on the Touchpad

Pr0crast · 09/03/2011, 04:48 PM

The problem is the same one described on this thread on Google's help forums, requesting that Google recognize the Touchpad as a tablet device for the purposes of Gmail (the thread was started by some Redditors I believe).

Can we get the iPad-optimized Gmail interface on the HP Touchpad? - Gmail Help

In my research the only solution I have found is in the following thread, which advocates editing your WebOS user-agent string. This method has it's own problems, specifically that ALL sites will load their mobile versions, when that's not necessarily desired.

http://forums.precentral.net/webos-p...perfectly.html

I've also tried getting the URL to the tablet version, which you can discover by editing your Chrome user-agent string to be an iPad and then noting the URL that Gmail takes you to. However, when loading this URL directly on a Touchpad, Google shows a 404 error.

I think the ideal solutions, pending any intervention from Google (which I don't have my hopes up for) are:

1) A "patch" that selectively changes the user-agent string to be like an iPad *only* on the mail.google.com domain.

2) An "app" that is just a copy of the main browser but just loads Gmail and uses the iPad user-agent string.

Does anyone know how to do this?

dcbo89 · 09/03/2011, 06:03 PM

I would like this as well, though not entirely sure why, the native app is more than good enough for my purposes. Guess I just miss the conversation view.

Pr0crast · 09/03/2011, 07:41 PM

The native app is unusable for me for these reasons:

1) I can't deal with non-threaded email
2) I need an archive button
3) I need labels
4) I need to be able to "send as" all the outgoing accounts that are installed in my gmail settings
5) I need priority inbox

mc_gusto · 09/04/2011, 01:46 AM

I've been using the html version which is acceptable, but a tablet version would be real nice.

string158 · 09/04/2011, 03:41 AM

+1
but this also applies to other tablet optimised google sites, such as google maps, google+.... It would be nice to have a plugin for the browser where you could add domains to a list which then use a tablet optimised user agent.

Cube1701 · 09/04/2011, 04:51 AM

https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/131/?mui=ca

URL for iPad display. Unfortunately it doesn't scroll. So a simple app that changes the user agent won't work.

sinistersai4d · 09/04/2011, 05:52 AM

html view of gmail works great for me... I just add the bookmark to the launcher and the dock in place of the native email app

Cube1701 · 09/04/2011, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sinistersai4d

html view of gmail works great for me... I just add the bookmark to the launcher and the dock in place of the native email app

It still lacks many features.

sinistersai4d · 09/04/2011, 11:44 AM

^Well obviously, compared to an optimized app, yet it still has many more features than the native email app.

azitek · 09/05/2011, 12:28 PM

I got it to work with Cube1701's link here
https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/131/?mui=ca

I also found out how to scroll with this. You know how when you select text, and go near an edge, a page will scroll as you continue selecting text? I think that's how it works here: start from just inside one of the big blue horizontal bars (the top one has the compose and archive buttons, and the bottom one works too) and drag into the blue bar and hold. Hopefully that makes sense, but it's pretty obvious once you get it.

So far I don't think HTML5 offline storage works; can anyone confirm/get it to work?

CGK · 09/06/2011, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azitek

I got it to work with Cube1701's link here
https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/131/?mui=ca

I also found out how to scroll with this. You know how when you select text, and go near an edge, a page will scroll as you continue selecting text? I think that's how it works here: start from just inside one of the big blue horizontal bars (the top one has the compose and archive buttons, and the bottom one works too) and drag into the blue bar and hold. Hopefully that makes sense, but it's pretty obvious once you get it.

So far I don't think HTML5 offline storage works; can anyone confirm/get it to work?

You are a star!

yukonhijack · 09/06/2011, 04:56 PM

I hate even asking this question (i.e. NOOB!) but how do you compose a new message in this optimized view? I actually like this view better than the native WebOS app.

yukonhijack · 09/06/2011, 05:19 PM

Never mind. Rotating the display revealed the compose button.

yukonhijack · 09/06/2011, 06:45 PM

Anyone else having a hard time getting a bookmark of this page to show up in the launcher?

yukonhijack · 09/06/2011, 06:48 PM

God, I am dumb. Never mind again.

vexx786 · 09/08/2011, 10:12 PM

Google Music Beta crosses the aisle, launches for iOS via web app (hands-on) -- Engadget

Is there anyway to get google music working now? Haha
The URLs are the same between my iPod touch and desktop version so I don't know...

sincitybronze · 09/10/2011, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azitek

I got it to work with Cube1701's link here
https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/131/?mui=ca

I also found out how to scroll with this. You know how when you select text, and go near an edge, a page will scroll as you continue selecting text? I think that's how it works here: start from just inside one of the big blue horizontal bars (the top one has the compose and archive buttons, and the bottom one works too) and drag into the blue bar and hold. Hopefully that makes sense, but it's pretty obvious once you get it.

So far I don't think HTML5 offline storage works; can anyone confirm/get it to work?

is there any way to view and manage contacts in a window like this?

Pr0crast · 09/13/2011, 10:30 AM

Thanks all for the help on this. Something is way better than nothing!

Google, if you're watching... This still isn't a good solution, because:

- Scrolling is messed up
- If an HTML email is wider than the right half of the screen, it's impossible to scroll left/right to see all of it
- The compose window is glitchy
- This interface is only usable in landscape view

dougieshizzle · 09/13/2011, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azitek

I got it to work with Cube1701's link here
https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/131/?mui=ca

I also found out how to scroll with this. You know how when you select text, and go near an edge, a page will scroll as you continue selecting text? I think that's how it works here: start from just inside one of the big blue horizontal bars (the top one has the compose and archive buttons, and the bottom one works too) and drag into the blue bar and hold. Hopefully that makes sense, but it's pretty obvious once you get it.

So far I don't think HTML5 offline storage works; can anyone confirm/get it to work?

How did you retrieve the full URL? This must be attempted for the iPad web app for Google Music. If you let me know I'll give it a try I've got an iPad at work sitting right in front of me. The community must stand behind web apps and come up with a solution / patch to allow what the OP has stated. At this point even if native developer support dwindles the emergence of Webapps should keep the TouchPad usable. Creating a work around for this should be appealing to many; not sure why it isn't talked about more.

Theoretically this should be possible using a method similar to the link below...

Use Gmail for iPad in Google Chrome

hmmmm any thoughts or suggestions?!

09/03/2011, 04:48 PM	#1 (permalink)
Pr0crast Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 3 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Getting Gmail's "tablet optimized view" working on the Touchpad The problem is the same one described on this thread on Google's help forums, requesting that Google recognize the Touchpad as a tablet device for the purposes of Gmail (the thread was started by some Redditors I believe). Can we get the iPad-optimized Gmail interface on the HP Touchpad? - Gmail Help In my research the only solution I have found is in the following thread, which advocates editing your WebOS user-agent string. This method has it's own problems, specifically that ALL sites will load their mobile versions, when that's not necessarily desired. http://forums.precentral.net/webos-p...perfectly.html I've also tried getting the URL to the tablet version, which you can discover by editing your Chrome user-agent string to be an iPad and then noting the URL that Gmail takes you to. However, when loading this URL directly on a Touchpad, Google shows a 404 error. I think the ideal solutions, pending any intervention from Google (which I don't have my hopes up for) are: 1) A "patch" that selectively changes the user-agent string to be like an iPad only on the mail.google.com domain. 2) An "app" that is just a copy of the main browser but just loads Gmail and uses the iPad user-agent string. Does anyone know how to do this?
	Liked by noseph and mc_gusto like this.

09/03/2011, 06:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
dcbo89 Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 428 Likes Received: 26 Thanks: 4 Thanked 26 Times in 19 Posts	I would like this as well, though not entirely sure why, the native app is more than good enough for my purposes. Guess I just miss the conversation view. __________________ Proud Canadian owner of Palm Pre- WebOS 2.1 Sept 2009 HP Touchpad WebOS 3.0 July 2011 Palm Pre3 AT&T October 2011
	Liked by

09/03/2011, 07:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
Pr0crast Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 3 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	The native app is unusable for me for these reasons: 1) I can't deal with non-threaded email 2) I need an archive button 3) I need labels 4) I need to be able to "send as" all the outgoing accounts that are installed in my gmail settings 5) I need priority inbox
	Liked by sohell likes this.

09/04/2011, 01:46 AM	#4 (permalink)
mc_gusto Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 461 Likes Received: 22 Thanks: 73 Thanked 65 Times in 27 Posts	I've been using the html version which is acceptable, but a tablet version would be real nice. __________________ SWW for 1.4.5
	Liked by

09/04/2011, 03:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
string158 Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 22 Likes Received: 5 Thanks: 1 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	+1 but this also applies to other tablet optimised google sites, such as google maps, google+.... It would be nice to have a plugin for the browser where you could add domains to a list which then use a tablet optimised user agent.
	Liked by

09/04/2011, 04:51 AM	#6 (permalink)
Cube1701 Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 32 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 3 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/131/?mui=ca URL for iPad display. Unfortunately it doesn't scroll. So a simple app that changes the user agent won't work.
	Liked by

09/04/2011, 05:52 AM	#7 (permalink)
sinistersai4d Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 31 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	html view of gmail works great for me... I just add the bookmark to the launcher and the dock in place of the native email app
	Liked by

09/04/2011, 11:44 AM	#9 (permalink)
sinistersai4d Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 31 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 2 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	^Well obviously, compared to an optimized app, yet it still has many more features than the native email app.
	Liked by

09/05/2011, 12:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
azitek Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 1 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 0 Thanked 8 Times in 1 Post	I got it to work with Cube1701's link here https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/131/?mui=ca I also found out how to scroll with this. You know how when you select text, and go near an edge, a page will scroll as you continue selecting text? I think that's how it works here: start from just inside one of the big blue horizontal bars (the top one has the compose and archive buttons, and the bottom one works too) and drag into the blue bar and hold. Hopefully that makes sense, but it's pretty obvious once you get it. So far I don't think HTML5 offline storage works; can anyone confirm/get it to work?
	Liked by Thanked by bcrawford, CGK, Dis, dougieshizzle, Panhandle, sincitybronze, sketch42, sohell

09/06/2011, 04:56 PM	#12 (permalink)
yukonhijack Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 31 Likes Received: 4 Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I hate even asking this question (i.e. NOOB!) but how do you compose a new message in this optimized view? I actually like this view better than the native WebOS app.
	Liked by

09/06/2011, 05:19 PM	#13 (permalink)
yukonhijack Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 31 Likes Received: 4 Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Never mind. Rotating the display revealed the compose button.
	Liked by

09/06/2011, 06:45 PM	#14 (permalink)
yukonhijack Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 31 Likes Received: 4 Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Anyone else having a hard time getting a bookmark of this page to show up in the launcher?
	Liked by

09/06/2011, 06:48 PM	#15 (permalink)
yukonhijack Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 31 Likes Received: 4 Thanks: 3 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	God, I am dumb. Never mind again.
	Liked by Nightburn likes this.

09/08/2011, 10:12 PM	#16 (permalink)
vexx786 Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 1 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Google Music Beta crosses the aisle, launches for iOS via web app (hands-on) -- Engadget Is there anyway to get google music working now? Haha The URLs are the same between my iPod touch and desktop version so I don't know...
	Liked by jantenhove likes this.

09/13/2011, 10:30 AM	#18 (permalink)
Pr0crast Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 3 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks all for the help on this. Something is way better than nothing! Google, if you're watching... This still isn't a good solution, because: - Scrolling is messed up - If an HTML email is wider than the right half of the screen, it's impossible to scroll left/right to see all of it - The compose window is glitchy - This interface is only usable in landscape view
	Liked by

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode