Ask HN: Proxy Browser for Older iPads?

6 points by supahfly_remix 3y ago ↗ HN

I have an old iPad air that I used to browse which works great for most text-based sites (HN, old.reddit), but fails to render newer sites. I thought of setting up a browser in a cloud instance and VNCing to that via noVNC, but does anyone have any other suggestions?

8 comments

[ 5.1 ms ] story [ 37.4 ms ] thread

fsflover 3y ago ↗

Perhaps Linux on iPad could help: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31679293, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25172883.

supahfly_remix 3y ago ↗

Great suggestion. I'll check it out.

k310 3y ago ↗

Using a mac on your network:

1. I looked into Sidecar ( https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210380 ) to use an iPad as a second display with a mac, but it says that only iPads 3rd generation (2019) or newer are supported. Models: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201471#ipadair

2. The mac's built-in screen sharing is a VNC server.

3. When you search in the ios app store for "vnc" the list of other suggested apps seems to have a bunch.

supahfly_remix 3y ago ↗

Thank you for the research. I didn't know that the mac's screen sharing was VNC, but that makes sense.

tinglymintyfrsh 3y ago ↗

Is Dolphin still going?

https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id452204407?pt=5460...

It connects to a remote virtual browser.

supahfly_remix 3y ago ↗

Gave it a try, no luck, but I'll try again later -- thanks!

tinglymintyfrsh 3y ago ↗

Argh. Puffin was also on iOS but went Android only at some point.

Might have to find an VNC client and remote desktop into a mac (Mac Mini perhaps) running RealVNC Server.

tinglymintyfrsh 3y ago ↗

In general, a" vintage" iPad 7+ years old won't be able to get OS updates or install apps unless the IAS apps haven't been updated in many years. (Un)planned obsolescence by virtue of not supporting every OS and app version forever, which is a shame. Apple can also deny OS upgrades if they refuse to sign a certain OS version on certain hardware.