Member Avatar for andy1966

Hi,

I've developed a family browser that blocks adult content, it's been developed for Windows and works on PC's, laptops etc that have Windows XP, Vista, and 7.

Now I was wondering about getting it onto mobile devices but it's an unknow area for me, so can anyone help with some questions I have:

Which mobile devices use the Windows OS?
I have read the Registry is locked on these devices is that correct, and if so can you unlock it?
How can I simulate a mobile device on my PC?
Has anyone written software for mobile devices?

Thanks very much,
Andy.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by BigPaw

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Good summary from and a clear problem statement from . For a family browser the platform differences matter more than individual version numbers because they determine what kind of filtering is possible and where it must run.

Three practical approaches, with pros/cons:

  • Embedded app-level browser — ship a native app that hosts the platform WebView/WebBrowser and apply filtering in navigation handlers or by injecting JS/CSS into pages. This gives the tightest control over content and avoids tampering with system settings, but requires a separate port per OS and does not block traffic from other apps.

  • Network-level filtering — run a DNS blocker or HTTP(S) proxy at the router/gateway so every device is covered without installing an app. This is the simplest way to protect non-Windows devices in the house, but HTTPS complicates deep inspection: either block by domain/SNI or provide a trusted certificate on each device to allow TLS interception (with clear privacy and maintenance implications).

  • Hybrid — combine an in-app filtered browser for strict control with router/DNS filtering for devices that can’t run the app. That balance usually gives the best coverage with acceptable engineering effort.

Testing and implementation notes tied to this thread: emulators are useful for UI and basic navigation tests, but real devices reveal differences in networking, TLS behavior, and background restrictions. Desktop proxy tools (Fiddler, mitmproxy) are invaluable during development to emulate proxy filtering and to debug HTTPS handling — install test certificates on emulators/devices when validating TLS interception. Be cautious about modifying device registries or using unlock hacks: they may void warranties, break updates, and prevent store distribution. For a consumer-facing product, the in-app WebView + router/DNS fallback is the least risky and fastest path to working family-level filtering.

Member Avatar for BigPaw

There are different versions of Windows for Mobile devices. Some devices are integrated with a phone, others standalone.

They all hold to the titular "Windows" followed by their version. So, you have: 2003, 2003SE, (Second Edition) 5, 6, 6.1, 6.5, 7. All are generally backwards compatible except Windows 'Mobile' 7. WM7 is not very developer friendly.

The registry can be edited, but I've never needed to do this myself. I've experimented with writing for wm 6 (Windows Mobile 6) but I didn't take it very far. As for emulating a Windows Mobile environment on your PC, there are quite a few options out there if you Google "Windows Mobile Emulator".

As for writing a browser, there is some good Competition out there in the form of Opera 10, (The fastest WM browser out there) Dolphin, and UCB. All of the WM devices have a form of Internet Explorer... yes, I thought would make you chuckle... :)

You will see a big shift away from WM to the likes of Android, Tablet versions of Windows, etc.

Edited by BigPaw
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