.mobi Does this debunk the annoying redirect argument?

[etimms]

I was reading about the IPhone and it says you zoom in and out to look at a .com site. Wait a second... I thought the .com was supposed to redirect to a mobile version of their website.... sometimes do I want it to redirect and other times do i not... what a mess!

 

[garrett200]

You know, it is just going to take some time for this whole thing to shake out.

Personally, I think that 'zooming and scrolling' is a novelty that is going to wear off real quick with users. Right now the iPhone is just a toy to show your friends "wow, I can see my favorite .com's...COOL!!".

When reality sets in that it's impracticle and cumbersome, I think that's when .mobi is going to start becoming more popular.

In the meantime, we just have to wait until the market demands what they want. I think what they will want for mobile browsing is going to be very different than PC browsing, and that's where I think Apple has got it all wrong.

When I have EVER asked anyone why they don't like browsing the web from their cellphone, the only answer I get time and time again is this: "The sites don't fit the screen, so why bother".

The old "elephant through a mousehole" argument is going to rear its ugly head once again, I assure you, it's just a matter of time.

 

[robertjr]

Wait a second... I thought the .com was supposed to redirect to a mobile version of their website....

Where did you see that? Link? Was the "redirect" supposed to be automatic, by request or predetermined setting?

 

[garrett200]

Where did you see that? Link? Was the "redirect" supposed to be automatic, by request or predetermined setting?

I think he's speaking in generalities??

 

[quasar1138]

The browser on the iphone is essentially the same compliant version that is on the Mac OSX desktop. The iphone browser is a variant version of Safari 2.0 but with some additional support for CSS. This allows it to view web content in the format in which it was originally rendered. It was Apple's intent to allow the iphone to view web content in its original format. This is the reason why a redirection does not occur.

Most phone manufacturers use special browsers to view web content which strips a lot of the rich content applets that now are used on Internet websites. Web Servers detect these browsers and then perform the redirection accordingly based on the rules set by the site developer. In ASP & using .NET, there are a variety of ways this can be done.

One ASP.NET example:
<%
user_agent = request.servervariables("HTTP_USER_AGENT")
response.write("The browser you are using is: " & user_agent)
%>
(This short piece of code will echo back the type of browser and OS that it is running on.)

As for the future of the iphone and its web browser, knowing how stubborn Steve Jobs can be, do not expect Apple to abandon this technology. As future versions of the iphone and competing products come out, there will be greater efforts to render website content for phones.

This is why DotMobi is so important. As more and more mobile devices have the feature of viewing websites in normal and mobile formats, more consumers will have the choice of determining how they view their content. Many will choose to use the faster rendering sites over conventional website content even if wireless technologies increase the speeds for WiFi and WiMax. But ultimately, the consumer will choose for themselves how and what content they view.

The iphone has brought enormous focus to content on the Internet for both desktop and mobile devices. That is always a good thing.

Some links on browser detection:
http://www.mozilla.org/docs/web-developer/sniffer/browser_type.html
http://techpatterns.com/downloads/php_browser_detection.php

ASP & .NET Browser Detection Summary
http://www.codeproject.com/aspnet/browsercaps.asp

 

[mjnels]

The browser on the iphone is essentially the same compliant version that is on the Mac OSX desktop. The iphone browser is a variant version of Safari 2.0 but with some additional support for CSS. This allows it to view web content in the format in which it was originally rendered. It was Apple's intent to allow the iphone to view web content in its original format. This is the reason why a redirection does not occur.

actually, thats not true.

if a website (.com, .net or .whatever) is set to redirect for mobile devices then it will redirect you when you're using the iPhone too, since of course, it is just a small-screen mobile device and not a laptop or desktop computer with a normal sized screen.


so, redirection does actually occur when using the iPhone if the website is set to redirect for mobile devices (normal cell phones, PDA, iPhone, ePhone, rPhone...all the same)

 

[scandiman]

actually, thats not true.

if a website (.com, .net or .whatever) is set to redirect for mobile devices then it will redirect you when you're using the iPhone too, since of course, it is just a small-screen mobile device and not a laptop or desktop computer with a normal sized screen.


so, redirection does actually occur when using the iPhone if the website is set to redirect for mobile devices (normal cell phones, PDA, iPhone, ePhone, rPhone...all the same)

And as an iPhone owner, you should know.

 

[mjnels]

:bingo:

 

[quasar1138]

The iphone OS is based on the original OSX kernel which has its foundations in BSD. It is believed by many UNIX engineers that the OS in the iphone is a Leopard OSX variant. Wikipedia talks on the iphone OS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone

The safari browser used on the iphone is a variant of the OSX Safari browser.
This was confirmed also by Wikipedia and Arstechnica.

http://arstechnica.com/journals/app...nt-safari-3-0-and-other-development-surprises
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone

Since the iphone OS needs to support Ajax, which is a client to server based programming tool, it was necessary for Apple to make the browser compliant with Java based SDKs. This is why you can used AJAX ASP.NET, POSH, HTTP and XMLHttp, and the CSS framework and they all work on the iphone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajax_framework

If you look at the iphone file structure, it is very reminiscent of the structure used in OSX. Apple recompiled many of the applets for mobile so that their programmers can develop code for the system in concert with Leopard OSX.

http://iphone.fiveforty.net/wiki/index.php/SystemFileAndDirectoryList#Applications

Perhaps you may have more information concerning Safari browser but there is more evidence pointing to a OSX Safari Variant.

 

[newdomainer.mobi]

DotMobi = "Webbus differentius" Not "Webbus Vulgaris"

You know, it is just going to take some time for this whole thing to shake out. (Absolutely)

Personally, I think that 'zooming and scrolling' is a novelty that is going to wear off real quick with users. (Too true)

When reality sets in that it's impracticle and cumbersome, I think that's when .mobi is going to start becoming more popular. (Oh yes!!!)

In the meantime, we just have to wait until the market demands what they want. I think what they will want for mobile browsing is going to be very different than PC browsing, and that's where I think Apple has got it all wrong. (Silly Mr Jobs

When I have EVER asked anyone why they don't like browsing the web from their cellphone, the only answer I get time and time again is this: "The sites don't fit the screen, so why bother". (Same here - every time!)

The old "elephant through a mousehole" argument is going to rear its ugly head once again, I assure you, it's just a matter of time. (& I can't wait!)

-----------------------------

I could not agree more.... despite what the doomsayers keep telling me; it is my opinion that .mobi will not fail because it isn't the same as .com etc... or because of its limitations or because it's different or not as complex or comprehensive etc...........

In fact IT WILL SUCCEED for entirely the reasons that the doomsayers believe it will fail..... it is entirely because .mobi sites AREN'T .coms that .mobi will be the 2nd most important extension after .com within 5 years or so....

Why?

Because you cannot fit a full size web-site on a small screen without having magnifying eyeglasses or exceptionally good 'Superman' eyesight or the patience of a saint....
There is the one thing that technology can NEVER CHANGE & that is peoples eyesight - people who will use the mobile web will generally be wanting to find something - & find it fast, simply & without getting a headache.... they may have a scratched screen, there may be too much light reflecting off it, they may not have 20/20 vision they just want the latest scores for Gods sake.... or a contact number for a taxi or a plumber..... or a flight time, tide time, weather report... buy some flowers..... check a stock price... email a colleague, use an online directory etc.... infinite uses but each uniquely suited to the mobile web.............. to all you doubters; the mobile web is a different animal to the large screen web..... stop trying to compare them!!

You can't drive an truck through the back streets... but you can get anywhere with a scooter! (bigger isn't always better)

In the words of the Pointer sisters..... "I'm so excited"


Regards


Gary :imho:

 

[garrett200]

In the words of the Pointer sisters..... "I'm so excited"

So am I, and there is a lot more excitement to come :imho: .