Mobile phone version of the forum?

Please use the stickied discussion threads for information/questions about posting images to UAMF, to include PhotoBucket, PostImage, and others.
User avatar
JamesPerrin
Looks like his avatar
Posts: 13617
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 8:09 pm
Location: W. Yorkshire
Contact:

Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by JamesPerrin »

As a new dad and new smart phone user, thanks to being given my wife's iPhone 4 cast off, I've found myself having to navigate the forum single handedly whilst holding baby in the other. The full website requires a lot of pinch zooming to click buttons like 'last post', 'next page' etc. even with two hands it's not the best experience in the world.

There seems to be two extremes of what can be achieved with mobile versions of forums. A fully mobile specific interfaces such as that on BM or a low bandwidth version, same layout but text only on others.

I think that we should go for something in the middle which:

1) looks nice and can be styled to match the current theme, with our branding
2) provides a reduced text interface with 'touch screen' UI (ie big buttons)
3) Opt out button to view the full website

There are a few styles and plugins available for phpBB3 available and I think we should start testing some out. Part of the reason of hosting our own forum is so that we could have full control of it and can provide additional features that easier and better to use.

Popular and simple style:
http://www.artodia.com/phpbb-styles/mobile/;
http://www.colorizeit.com/browse/22/php ... tyles.html;

Interesting project but v2 not at release stage yet.
http://phpbb-mobile.com/;
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
(2024 A:B 5:1) (2023 13:8:7) (2022 21:11) (2021 15:8) (2020 8:4:4)
User avatar
AndrewR
In the basement lab
Posts: 23913
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 4:13 pm
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, The Great White North
Contact:

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by AndrewR »

While all that goes on James, try Opera. I find that it's much more small screen friendly for our website than Safari, on my iPod Touch.

cheers

Andrew
Up in the Great White North
User avatar
jssel
Still crazy after all these years
Posts: 11975
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 3:42 pm

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by jssel »

I utilize a Droid Bionic courtesy of my work. Check in and post often with it. Should be compatible for both iphone and Droid users.
Besting 60 years of mediocre building of average kits in the stand off scale
User avatar
bromo
On a long, long journey
Posts: 1249
Joined: May 2nd, 2011, 7:05 pm
Location: Wolverhampton,England

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by bromo »

And we are talking about what??? all that was way over my head guys sorry.
BEEN A WHILE
User avatar
JamesPerrin
Looks like his avatar
Posts: 13617
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 8:09 pm
Location: W. Yorkshire
Contact:

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by JamesPerrin »

When you visit a website you are often presented with a different version of the website that is more suitable for the small screen format of the device. Sometimes this is done by directing you to an alternative version of the website or more often nowadays by applying a different set of style rules which can change the layout.
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
(2024 A:B 5:1) (2023 13:8:7) (2022 21:11) (2021 15:8) (2020 8:4:4)
User avatar
Ian
Blitzbau hero
Posts: 5137
Joined: May 4th, 2011, 10:01 am

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by Ian »

I agree.

I have no idea about this sort of thing, so I have no idea what I am agreeing to........
I'm a mostly full-time modeller put a part-time poster....
User avatar
AndrewR
In the basement lab
Posts: 23913
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 4:13 pm
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, The Great White North
Contact:

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by AndrewR »

As an example, here's the mobile version of the BBC News website

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news;

and here's the "desktop" site - the normal format.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/;

If you have a small screen device, you are normally automatically directed to the mobile site, but you have the option of changing to the desktop site.
From a computer with a larger screen, you are directed to the desktop site.

At the moment we have no mobile site!

And now for the weather...
Up in the Great White North
User avatar
flakmonkey
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 3483
Joined: April 6th, 2011, 9:58 am
Location: Down in the tube station at midnight
Contact:

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by flakmonkey »

I'm trialling Tapatalk on the development forum. Tapatalk is available for both iOS and Android, and although it isn't free it isn't expensive either at £1.99. If you want to take a look, install Tapatalk on your device (NOT Tapatalk 2) then in the search facility enter the URL to the development site;

http://www.sensible-design.co.uk/forum;

This isn't a bad solution, and as I'm not sure quite when I will have time to develop a mobile version of UAMF it could be a useful short to mid-term solution for those members who regularly access the forum on their mobile device.
Would ya like to learn to fly? Would ya? Would you like to see me try?
User avatar
JohnRatzenberger
Why is he so confused ?
Posts: 15708
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 3:42 pm
Location: Living on a sandbar - Nags Head, NC.

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

What we're talking about is giving folks the opportunity to particpate on our site on a mobile device, say while they are driving :roll: :shock: :frown:
John Ratzenberger :???:
It's my model and I'll do what I want with it.
User avatar
Jagewa
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 2752
Joined: April 6th, 2011, 2:18 am
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Contact:

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by Jagewa »

I think that's a great idea, so many tabletish (Android/IOS) devices around now, certainly worth considering.
jssel wrote:I utilize a Droid Bionic courtesy of my work.
"Gentlemen, we can rebuild him we have the technology...." :ha:
User avatar
flakmonkey
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 3483
Joined: April 6th, 2011, 9:58 am
Location: Down in the tube station at midnight
Contact:

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by flakmonkey »

Ok, go here on your mobile device and let us know what you think.
Would ya like to learn to fly? Would ya? Would you like to see me try?
User avatar
coptermech
Active Participant
Posts: 674
Joined: August 21st, 2012, 4:39 am
Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by coptermech »

jssel wrote:I utilize a Droid Bionic courtesy of my work. Check in and post often with it. Should be compatible for both iphone and Droid users.
I also have the Droid Bionic. While not as easy as a desktop or laptop, I figured out long ago how to post pics into a thread. It can be a pain sometimes. It might be nice to have an easier way to upliad photos from a smartphone,. It may not be possible, but one can hope and wish....
Regards, Tony

Current Projects: Revell 1/48 F-15C, Hobby Boss 1/72 F-22 Raptor, Hasegawa 1/32 F-5E
User avatar
AndrewR
In the basement lab
Posts: 23913
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 4:13 pm
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, The Great White North
Contact:

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by AndrewR »

coptermech wrote:
jssel wrote:I utilize a Droid Bionic courtesy of my work. Check in and post often with it. Should be compatible for both iphone and Droid users.
I also have the Droid Bionic. While not as easy as a desktop or laptop, I figured out long ago how to post pics into a thread. It can be a pain sometimes. It might be nice to have an easier way to upliad photos from a smartphone,. It may not be possible, but one can hope and wish....
If you use Photobucket, there's an Android app to do that, I believe.
Up in the Great White North
User avatar
flakmonkey
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 3483
Joined: April 6th, 2011, 9:58 am
Location: Down in the tube station at midnight
Contact:

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by flakmonkey »

Ok, UAMF is mobile-ised. At the moment it's just in a standard mobile theme but it should be easier to use on tiny screens.
Would ya like to learn to fly? Would ya? Would you like to see me try?
User avatar
AndrewR
In the basement lab
Posts: 23913
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 4:13 pm
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, The Great White North
Contact:

Re: Mobile phone version of the forum?

Post by AndrewR »

flakmonkey wrote:Ok, UAMF is mobile-ised. At the moment it's just in a standard mobile theme but it should be easier to use on tiny screens.
Nice, but how do you get back to the full site if you are on the mobile one? :)
I'm used to browsing the full site on my iPod touch.

Cheers

Andrew
Up in the Great White North
Post Reply

Return to “Site Rules & Answers to Your Questions About The Forums!”