Mobile version of photo.net...check it out!

[joshroot]

<p>So, we've finally started work on a mobile device version of photo.net. This is our first crack at squeezing almost 15 years of photo.net into the small screen format of today's smartphones and mobile devices. It absolutely should be considered a "beta" feature and you can expect to see additions, changes, and improvements as user feedback comes in.</p>

<p>You should be directed to the mobile site (<a href="http://m.photo.net">http://m.photo.net</a>) automatically if you visit photo.net on your mobile device. However, not all of the site has been "mobilized", so you may see some pages that jump back to the normal non-mobile layout. The <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/unified/">Unified Forum View</a>, for example, is a page that I have already noticed needs to be set up for the mobile version. Also, if you do nto wish to use the mobile version at all, please see the last screenshot below and notice the "always show full version of the site" link. There is also a corresponding link at the bottom of normal photo.net pages (when viewing on a mobile device) to allow you to switch back to the mobile version if you want.</p>

<p>Questions, concerns, feedback, angry rants, and suggestions welcome.</p>

<p>Well, not the angry rants so much. But you get my point.</p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/14482337-lg.jpg" width="302" />..<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/14482336-lg.jpg" alt="" width="302" height="452" /></p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/14482334-lg.jpg" alt="" width="302" height="453" />..<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/14482333-lg.jpg" alt="" width="302" height="452" /></p>

<p> </p>

[pbalko]

<p>Beautiful, Josh and crew, thanks. I can actually read the posts on my outdated Android. Now, if I can only remember my login.</p>

[starvy]

<p>Just looking at it through my little smartphone Sony Ericsson Xperia mini and so far I like it!</p>

[mark_q]

<p>I have earlier visited PN with my Nokia C6-01 (latest Symbian Anna installed) and just now entered this <strong>m.phone.net</strong>. Unfortunately neither Nokia Browser nor Opera Mobile on my C6 did display your mobile version instead the normal web version. Knowing Nokia's small market share in USA this mobile version likely won't become reality, I am afraid.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Great initiative, here - cool!<br /><br />Now: do you really think that the iPad should default to M mode? I'm torn on that one. It's a nice big display, and seems to handle the traditional rendering pretty well ... and I'll bet you've got more and more people visiting that way. Aren't you shooting yourself in the foot on the ad display side if that larger tablet isn't shaking the money-maker? Just sayin'. <br /><br />While in M mode, and checking out the recent Nikon Wednesday thread, I noticed that the images and captions were left justified. On the iPhone, this looks just fine, but on the iPad (where the images can show at full resolution and still have leftover room), it feels awkward to have them hugging the left side of the display.<br /><br />Keep up the good work!</p>

[chris_letts]

<p>Well I just tried it on Ipad and I think I prefer the m. format to the normal one.<br />Only one thing missing (already mentioned in original post) is the UNIFIED link</p>

[joshroot]

<p>Matt,</p>

<p>I, myself, generally do not want the mobile version of websites to appear on my ipad. However, I wanted to see what the feedback was before I set that decision for photo.net. So far it appears we're running 1-1 between you and Chris.</p>

[joshroot]

<p>Markku,</p>

<p>Ideally, we would be able to get it working on Opera as well. I will look into it, but yes, as you surmise, the iOS and Android browsers are priority #1 due to market share.</p>

[richardsperry]

Can you program it so that one can resize photos in it?

 

It's very frustrating to try to enlarge a pic on the Iphone, and it's stuck the size of a stamp.

 

I was trying it earlier and it runs much faster than the full site, btw.

[joshroot]

<p>Blackberry and Nokia users should now be sent to the mobile site automatically as well.</p>

[joshroot]

<blockquote>

<p>Can you program it so that one can resize photos in it?<br>

It's very frustrating to try to enlarge a pic on the Iphone, and it's stuck the size of a stamp.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>When I view the mobile site on my iphone, I get an image that is just under 2 inches on the long size if I am viewing the image with my phone orientated opposite to the orientation of the photo (the first screenshot below). If I'm holding my phone orientated the same as the orientation of the phone, the image fills virtually all of the available screen (the second screenshot below). Now, of course, the usability of that is going to depend on the size of your screen and perhaps your eyesight. But that's just part of the deal with mobile devices.</p>

<p>Could we set it up so that you could zoom into the image as you do with the full site? Maybe. But then we would have to load up a larger version of the image with every page load, and that would slow down the overall performance. Given that cell data networks are still significantly slower than what most of us are used to with other connections, I don't think that is the best way to go. As always, this sort of thing is something of a compromise between being feature-rich and operating quickly and looking good on a mobile device. It's sort of one of those "pick two of the three" things.</p>

<p>And don't forget, if there is an image that really calls out for closer inspection on a mobile device, you can always switch to the full site and zoom in that way.</p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/14486813-lg.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="600" /></p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/14486812-md.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="400" /></p>

[dawnheath]

<p>Looks great on my Droid! Great work!</p>

[mark_q]

<p><strong>Josh,</strong></p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Blackberry and Nokia users should now be sent to the mobile site automatically as well.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I just tested your claim: Nokia Browser on my C6 did indeed forward me to <strong>m.photo.net</strong>, but unfortunately with following message:</p>

<blockquote>

<p><strong>Server Error</strong><br>

The requested URL cannot be accessed due to a system error on this server.</p>

</blockquote>

 

[joshroot]

<p>Markku,</p>

<p>Please give it another try.</p>

[Charles_Webster]

<p>Looks great on my Droid II. I'd like a customizable Unified View such as we have on the non-M version.</p>

<p>Thanks a lot,</p>

<p><Chas></p>

[mark_q]

<p>Josh,<br>

Yes, I did - and it works. Thank you so much!</p><div></div>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>What a cool idea, Josh. Nice work on this. Good to know Photo.net has risen in stature to mobile device consideration. I've been in PN discussions with those who post from their cell phones with some type of email client/message board? and was wondering how that integrated with PN's interface.</p>

<p>Not sure how that worked but misspellings and odd grammar made for some interesting misunderstood exchanges that lead me to find out as divulged by the poster that they were actually posting on their cell phone from their car while driving.</p>

<p>That's stretching Photo.net addiction to the extremes I'm afraid! Yikes!</p>

<p>Guess I'm going to have to try out those new fangled cell phones one of these days. Right now I don't need it, but it's nice to know PN has the means and ability to advance in that direction.</p>

[mark_q]

<p>Josh,<br>

I did sign in but somehow the "<em>always show full version of the site</em>" link doesn't respond at all, yet I tried several times...? If only there were a link to <strong>My Workspace</strong> on this mobile menu as well (dreaming).</p>

[joshroot]

<p>Hmmmmmm,</p>

<p>I'll have to look into that. It's working fine for me on iOS.</p>

<p>Is anyone else having issues with the "full version of site" switch?</p>

[gsphotoguy]

<blockquote>

<p>If only there were a link to <strong>My Workspace</strong> on this mobile menu as well (dreaming).</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I would agree with Markku's thought. I use "My Workspace" a lot and would find it useful. I like this beginning to make photo.net easier to use on a mobile device. A big thank you to all involved!</p>

[MarcelRomviel]

<p>I've tried the mobile site just a few moments ago and it looks and works great on my old I-phone 3G.<br>

Thank you for making this possible.</p>

[steve_t.1]

<p>I'm new to smart phones, and I'd recently jumped into the deep end with a new Motorola Photon w/Android. I logged into the new mobile version easy as pie. Did a little surfing, responded to a discussion thread, all working very well!</p>

<p>One suggestion- after submitting my response and the confirmation screen popped up saying my message is part of the thread, the link that would take me to the thread is blue colored text, and so close in tone to the gray background that I could not read the blue text (even though I knew what it said). So, I'd just offer up to make text and background colors more contrasty to each other. Otherwise, job well done! (Writing this message from my desktop computer- easier keyboard to use than on the phone...)</p>

[joshroot]

<p>Mark & Markku,<br>

 <br>

The "workspace" link is something I want in there. However, because the workspace itself isn't mobile optimized, it makes things a bit weird if we have the link there that leads to a non-mobile page. The goal is to bring as much of the total site functionality over as possible. But it's going to be done in stages.</p>

[joshroot]

<blockquote>

<p>One suggestion- after submitting my response and the confirmation screen popped up saying my message is part of the thread, the link that would take me to the thread is blue colored text, and so close in tone to the gray background that I could not read the blue text (even though I knew what it said). So, I'd just offer up to make text and background colors more contrasty to each other. Otherwise, job well done! (Writing this message from my desktop computer- easier keyboard to use than on the phone...)</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Steve, I'll look into that.</p>

[joshroot]

Testing something.