URL on large number of mobile devices: Stakes around Remote Preview JavaScript based tool.

Since November 11, 2012, we have an opportunity to run Remote Preview from viljamis.

For those unfamiliar, Remote preview aims to be a tiny JavaScript based tool, which can allow you to preview any URL on large number of mobile devices simultaneously.

It supports platforms like Android, Blackberry, iOS, Maemo, Meego, Symbian, Windows Phone and WebOS.

According to the author: ‘’Remote Preview works by making an ajax call every 1100ms to check if the url in the ‘url’ file is changed. If it is, the script will then change the src attribute of the iframe and load a new page into it. If there are no changes, the script will just keep polling the url file until something changes. Remote Preview allows very fast previewing of different URL’s to check for possible layout problems, which can then be debugged using various other tools depending on the platform where they occur.

There are some issues and limitations with the way it’s being done, but as there currently is no other tool which allows you to preview web pages on all these platforms, I think this can be a handy addition to any test lab’s toolset.’’ Besides as basic usage, you can copy and paste all files to a public Dropbox folder/server/localhost, edit ‘url’ file and wait for devices to refresh. You might also want to bookmark Remote Preview to your device’s home screen for fast & easy application like access later on (bonus: If you moved all files to a server or localhost, you can control the devices via web browser by pointing your browser to the directory named ‘control’).