Impact of mobile browsing on the forum

[surenj]

I think many people are using mobile browsers on their phones, ipads or what ever to view the forum.

I wonder whether this has a negative effect on the quality and quantity of replies as the interface for typing isn't as convenient as using a full sized keyboard. Also images etc are viewed on the fly and people may not take the time to think through about their replies or critiques.

Please discuss...

[Wink]

I look at the forum on my iPhone all the time (like now) but I don't comment on images until I've looked at them on my PC at home. Everything looks sharp and clear on an iPhone 4's screen.

[bigsarg7]

i don't use my phone for browsing, so I only look on my imac. But I understand what your getting at. I think that browsing on the phone is popular but I wouldn't think its something people would do a lot of in regards to viewing the forum to comment a lot. I think people might view but they'd comment once on a PC or mac IMO. Especially for CC others shots etc. Wouldn't it cost a fortune to regularly view the site on the phone with all the downloading? Where have the days gone when a mobile phone was simply a phone!

[Marvin]

I use my phone very occasionally for browsing the forum but I hate it for commenting as it's too small so I usually just read.

[biggerry]

I wonder whether this has a negative effect on the quality and quantity of replies as the interface for typing isn't as convenient as using a full sized keyboard. Also images etc are viewed on the fly and people may not take the time to think through about their replies or critiques.

I am not convinced it has a negative effect, my own experience with tapatalk in in particular, has been very positive and resulted in me viewing forums faster, more effectively and being able to cover more sites, not to mention the ability to find new sites and forums, the ability to utilise what would otherwise be dead time to browse the forum whilst waiting for a plane or bus is great.

I use it to reply often, however for more detailed comments and image critique i always refer back to the PC.

[aim54x]

I will browse the forum on the mobile, but always prefer to comment from my PC.

[sirhc55]

I no longer have a mobile.

[Murray Foote]

I've got one but I've never used it.

[aim54x]

I no longer have a mobile.

I am sure there is a story behind this.....care to share?

[sirhc55]

Years ago I could walk around town or the country without anyone knowing where I was. I could feel the warmth of the sun and be amazed by what nature has to give.

Today - you’re never alone with a phone. So I got rid of it.

[Mr Darcy]

I use it occasionally for browsing, but like others do not use it for critiquing images. Like BG, I use Tapatalk, and find it an excellent tool with just a few shortcomings.

If there is an image I would like to comment on, I look at it again later on the big screen. Though I must admit I sometimes forget.

Wouldn't it cost a fortune to regularly view the site on the phone with all the downloading?

I have the "Browse with 3G" turned off. I only connect when I am in range of a WiFi hub. So it doesn't cost me anything extra to use it this way.

Where have the days gone when a mobile phone was simply a phone!

I'm not sure. Until I got this new beastie, I was firmly in the "A phone is a phone is a phone" camp. But it is so easy and convenient to use for other things, so has quickly taken on a whole new role.

Things I have loaded on it and use:
Tapatalk to visit this and other forums
Consume. A tool for tracking stuff. I use it for tracking deliveries and my ADSL usage.
A spirit Level. Surprisingly useful
A Spanish-English Dictionary
A whole swag of podcasts & some music - it replaces my MP3 player: One less gadget to carry.
A solar panel planning tool
A geocaching app
An (Argentinian) Spanish language course.
I also use the built in compass, mail if away from home, voice memos - for practicing Spanish

I rarely use the camera - mainly only for contact photos. Hell I have other, better, cameras if I want to take a photo, but it's handy if none of the others are with me when the light is just right.

[Wink]

Wouldn't it cost a fortune to regularly view the site on the phone with all the downloading?

It can if you're not on the right plan. I've got 2GB of included data on my phone, so it's not a problem for me.

[biggerry]

I could feel the warmth of the sun and be amazed by what nature has to give

that don't change no matter what...phone or no phone..camera or no camera.... well i suppose if they cut all the trees down in tassie it could be a issue but hey...

Wouldn't it cost a fortune to regularly view the site on the phone with all the downloading? Where have the days gone when a mobile phone was simply a phone!

nah, I only have a 200mb limit which I rarely reach and as Mr Darcy mentioned, I just pick up on the wifi at home or where ever else.

If anything I would have thought the inclusion of tapatalk and mobile browsing would have increased the membership and participation...

[surenj]

If anything I would have thought the inclusion of tapatalk and mobile browsing would have increased the membership and participation...

Common sense would dictate that but, my thoughts were that people were just reading on their phones. Since it's difficult to type, they may not respond immediately; which translates to never. So the lurker:active member ratio is shifted.

[Wink]

I don't have a problem typing on my phone. I typed an email when I was in Europe that, when printed was 4 pages at size 12 font.

The viewing of images is limited on the phone. They're just not big enough, but as we've already said, we look again on a computer.

[surenj]

I just pick up on the wifi at home

I have found that it's easier to walk to the computer. I have resisted getting tapatalk on my phone perhaps I should consider it.... I can always uninstall...

we look again on a computer.

One could say that it's easier to just look in the computer; once.

I don't have a problem typing on my phone.

I am not convinced that this extends to the majority of the members. I bet some of them are reading this conversation on their phones and moving on... [too lazy to type] Although, one could argue that those people would be too lazy to type even if they were on a computer.

[DanW]

Forum looks fine on my iPad. Onscreen keyboard is great - just have to be patient when I'm in a slow network area. Only problem is I think the forum doesn't like me being logged in with both my PC and the pad. Took a lot of effort logging in/out to get it sorted!

[Mr Darcy]

always uninstall...

we look again on a computer.

One could say that it's easier to just look in the computer; once.

Speaking for myself, even when only looking on my computer, I nearly always look, go away, think, look again, think, then and only then post a comment. So looking once on the phone and again on the computer is not a great deal different.

[gstark]

Speaking for myself, even when only looking on my computer, I nearly always look, go away, think, look again, think, then and only then post a comment. So looking once on the phone and again on the computer is not a great deal different.

I do pretty much the same. It's somewhat a rare event for me to immediately post a comment against an image

[biggerry]

It would interesting just to see the percentage of visitors that are using certain browsers - this should be a simple matter of quering the site statistics which will undoubtly list user browsers. The one to look for (for android users) would be..surprise surprise..Android browser! Obviously there are some that fall between teh cracks is users that use opera or anotehr third party one installed on teh phone - nonetheless it would be interestign to know.

ie sample stats from my site

MS Internet Explorer 59.6 %
Firefox 28.7 %
Mozilla 5.4 %
Opera 2.8 %
Netscape 1.4 %
Android browser (PDA/Phone browser) 1.3 %
Acrobat Webcapture 0.4 %
Google Chrome


on another related note, one real impact if you use is tapatalk.

quoted from this thread http://www.dslrusers.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=40109&p=420778

Gary, something to be aware of and this thread has probably highlighted the issue - if you sign up to the forum (or any other forum using the same soft) using tapatalk and start browsing you do not see the 'pink' bits. Whilst you need to complete your registration by activating via the emailed link you are by no means guaranteed to see the 'pink' bits or for that matter ever see the FAQ's.

[phillipb]

Years ago I could walk around town or the country without anyone knowing where I was. I could feel the warmth of the sun and be amazed by what nature has to give.

Today - you’re never alone with a phone. So I got rid of it.

Why not get a phone with an on/off switch?

[aim54x]

I dont mind typing from my phone. it more the passing nature in which i browse the web whilst on the go.

[surenj]

Gerry, no one went on a safari to navigate into your website jungle?

[surenj]

Gerry, no one went on a safari to navigate into your website jungle?

Also the iphone doesn't have flash AFAIK. I haven't missed it but your website might mind....

[biggerry]

Gerry, no one went on a safari to navigate into your website jungle?

Also the iphone doesn't have flash AFAIK. I haven't missed it but your website might mind....

yeah it is a jungle...and i delibrately block safari users...damn punks Are you serious that iphone still does not support flash based sites?

[Valerie23]

I think that it's very inconvenient for iphone and ipad developers that these gadgets don't support flash generally there's no unity so every gadget has it's own platform allowing its options and ultimate web site visitor loses from this...