LFGSS Mobile Theme Development

Ok, there i said it, mobile browsing of the site sucks balls.

There are plenty of people who use the site who have iphones (and whatnot). I know there has to be someone out there who can make an app for the phone to improve browsing.

I mentioned it to Gabes and asked how hard it would be to learn and i got an email back which confused me in the first line.. who can do it?

I'm sure people who pay a few quid for it even.

I don't think this is the way to go. Our companies experience was difficult, expensive, and Apple tend to take their sweet time about approving it, too.

I'd rather functionality for mobile browsers was improved site-end. This said, I have no problem browsing on my iPhone currently, where are your issues? (just curious).

I also think for those without iPhones, a general site-side makeover and/or java applet would be favoured. That's a no-brainer, though; it's just more democratic.

Blackberry app would be better. Or just a portable java applet that any platform can run.

How do you switch to the full site? Most of the time I'm around wireless and most of the r
time the threads are useless without pictures.

Blackberry app would be better. Or just a portable java applet that any platform can run.

except iPhone, Android or BlackBerry....

At the bottom of "Edit options" in the User control panel there is an option to disable the mobile theme.

I don't think this is the way to go. Our companies experience was difficult, expensive, and Apple tend to take their sweet time about approving it, too.

I'd rather functionality for mobile browsers was improved site-end. This said, I have no problem browsing on my iPhone currently, where are your issues? (just curious).

I also think for those without iPhones, a general site-side makeover and/or java applet would be favoured. That's a no-brainer, though; it's just more democratic.

i can see your point, and your right.A mobile site makeover would be better that an iphone specific app.

I use the mobile version of the site and its not difficult per se, but it can be irritating like the tiny page numbers and the "mark forums read" button so easily clicked accidentally. Its just a little awkward is all. I think that it could be a lot better after looking at some webpages designed for iphone.

I still think an app would be cool though.

How do you switch to the full site? Most of the time I'm around wireless and most of the r
time the threads are useless without pictures.

exactly, but the full site would be too much, maybe have thumbnails so you can see the pics on the m site?

exactly, but the full site would be too much, maybe have thumbnails so you can see the pics on the m site?

Good idea, small thumbs would save having to download the whole image, via the text link, which can be impossible if not in a 3G area.

If someone is willing to do all of the work and knows HTML intimately as well as the capabilities of mobile browsers, and additionally has mobiles upon which to test, then I'm willing to give them access to a copy of the software so that they can develop the addition.

Skills needed:

• HTML
  
• CSS
  
• JavaScript
  
• Knowledge of limitations of Mobile Browsers
  
  

I'm afraid I only have an old Blackberry, and no time... the combination means I'm out, but I'd support someone making a new mobile theme.

just disable the mobile phone option as someone said above

it then works really quite well

It's always operated fine for me on Android and Blackberry. I never bothered on the Sony.

Calling Lenni aka ehren_fried_chicken!

If someone is willing to do all of the work and knows HTML intimately as well as the capabilities of mobile browsers, and additionally has mobiles upon which to test, then I'm willing to give them access to a copy of the software so that they can develop the addition.

Skills needed:

• HTML
  
• CSS
  
• JavaScript
  
• Knowledge of limitations of Mobile Browsers
  
  

I'm afraid I only have an old Blackberry, and no time... the combination means I'm out, but I'd support someone making a new mobile theme.

Yeah I for one have no problems with the mobile site on Andriod at the moment. I sometimes feel that pictures would be helpful but I don't mind sacrificing them for better loading times.
In terms of building a new site I have knowledge of all the above but time is quite a factor at the moment.

I've always used the full site on my iPhone, works fine most of the time- there are a few issues with Safari never caching, so moving from browser page to browser page is a pain, but apart from that it's fine.

What I really need is a way to make the forum look like an Excel document for when my boss is looking over my shoulder.

What I really need is a way to make the forum look like an Excel document for when my boss is looking over my shoulder.

+1

i can see your point, and your right.A

Its just a little awkward is all.

You are sounding more Yankanadian every day!

I agree with the 'mark forums read' bit though.

It would be great to have an iphone app which listed all the forums / threads for easy finger pressing like this: http://brainmurmurs.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/iphone-mentat-project-list1.png

^ pretty much what i was thinking

Quick photoshop.....

http://www.lfgss.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20032&stc=1&d=1263427594

1 Attachment

good

Well yeah, that's the easy one to mock up.

Also, don't you want any of the thread details? Like who posted last, and the time it was last updated? And where would the arrow take you? The last post or the first? And how would pagination of 1,000 pages of a thread look (think of the Bike Porn thread)?

Show me what a thread itself looks like (list of posts).

Also show me the search page (bear in mind you can search multiple things).

I'll be getting an android phone in a couple of months so will likely make something then, but if you want something iPhone tailored someone with an iPhone is going to have to be involved at some level... I won't even be able to see what it looks like.

Well yeah, that's the easy one to mock up.

Also, don't you want any of the thread details? Like who posted last, and the time it was last updated? And where would the arrow take you? The last post or the first? And how would pagination of 1,000 pages of a thread look (think of the Bike Porn thread)?

Show me what a thread itself looks like (list of posts).

Also show me the search page (bear in mind you can search multiple things).

I'll be getting an android phone in a couple of months so will likely make something then, but if you want something iPhone tailored someone with an iPhone is going to have to be involved at some level... I won't even be able to see what it looks like.

i am an iphone owner who is technical and am happy to beta test any changes to the mobile site for you.

i am an iphone owner who is technical and am happy to beta test any changes to the mobile site for you.

I can see it now:
6.01pm: What about now?
6.03pm: And now?
6.07pm: And now?
6.09pm: And now?
...
2.37am: And now, does it line up now? Can you do a screenshot... well a photo of the phone?

I can't develop something on the basis that someone would check it occasionally. I'd need to have an iPhone to make it.

Which is why unless there is an iPhone user who is also a developer and who wants to make it, makes it... then I'll only put effort into a generic web theme that is optimised for whatever phone I happen to own, which at the moment is an old blackberry and in the future is likely to be an Android thing.