While it may seem counter-intuitive like you say, the mobile tools module actually does create a mobile-anonymous role which can be used for panels selection. I'm using it on several sites and works quite nicely.

It does take some time to get the hang of Panels and Views, but it's worth hanging in there. I definitely recommend hanging out in the Drupal IRC chat rooms to get some insight on their functions if you have any questions. The issue ques on both panels and views are also very active and you can ask questions there. Ultimately, if you're a coder, the best way to understand them both is to dive into code. Earl Miles is one of the most innovative coders in Drupal and you can learn a lot from studying his work.