Mobile site

[Edward Hamilton]

In the rest of my spare time, not filled by writing the next book, maintaining this site, and working on the import end of the business, I'm looking at the options for a mobile site.

In order to be usable I'm looking at moving the right and/or left menu columns. I'm also looking for your ideas and suggestions.

What would you like to have in a MoR mobile site?
Forums?
Detail Pages?
Other features?
Let me know what you're looking for and I'll add it to the wish list before I start working on the new architecture.

[thrall]

Well one om my biggest problems is when you ask for opinions...i give them....lol

OK...my two cents worth of "ideas and opinions"

First question Ed is..what do you mean by a mobile site?

I dont like the two side menu bars..with one exception....i think they detract from the forum and make it to busy looking..distracting..i think a drop down menu at the top for forum listings would be a better option because the way its looking to me next to the actual forum is just something redundant.

I like the right hand column with the pics of the rums...but think that maybe it would be fun not just to have the 2009 winners. Now this is just me...as someone who isnt in the business of rum....but along with the pics...and description of the rums... a flavor profile on each one would be great....some of them have them and others dont......and for me that part of the information about the rum is very important.....But i think this is a really good job,this element of the forum is a great resource ...

the rest of the right hand column... again..is just redundant stuff from the forum and to me is just busy and distracting...

Dont take this one wrong...but i think the logo (the barrel) is a bit...to cartoonish....i think something more classy looking would be a nicer more professional image...

As to arrangement of what is said...i think "welcome to the" should be centered above "Ministry of Rum"......the "welcome to the" and the "dedicated to the understanding and appreciation of the noble spirit...rum"...i think should be in one font.....

The way the settings are now...we cant change the "user title" (where it says member, senior member, administrator along with our nics) ...can we have custom user titles?...im used to finding it in the user cp..edit details...optional information box..custom user title....

I think that a section called "rant and rave" may be a good topic place for people to review rums in general....not specifically white or dark rums....

One of the things i like and a way to relax is word games.....its an element of interaction between members....i don't know if that is something you want this forum to have or not......it seems very stream lined "rum" now...and nothing else.....

ok...that's what i think...*runs*

[Edward Hamilton]

Thank you for you input. The lower half of the right column is redundant. I want to promote those who have contributed to this forum and helped build it into the resource you see today.

If you want more information on any of the rums in the right column just click on them and you'll be taken to the rum detail page for that rum. More information means more coding and I've got enough to do right now.

I'm not in love with the user titles. What alternative titles would members like to have?

You're absolutely right thrall, three fonts next to the logo are too much. I'll put that on the to do list.

[thrall]

sorry....yeah i know if you click the bottles it goes to a great detail page...i meant adding the flavor profiles there.....

As to the user titles...lol...i sure don't feel like ...or think i deserve the title...senior member. For me i think i would put in...."learning"...i like them because they are descriptive. lol....i think "teaching" or something fun like rumoter (rum and promoter together) rather then administrator.....would be a great ones for you...

[Edward Hamilton]

I was thinking more along the lines of Rum Bum instead of administrator but that's the default for now.

As for the taste profiles, that may happen when I get everything else done.

[forrest]

Thrall seems to know a lot more about this than i do so . . .
As far as i am concerned-- you rock!
(and thank goodness for people like Thrall who know what is really cool. . .)

[itsme_timd]

Ed, I don't have any suggestions on what to take to the mobile site but some other forums I'm on use Tapatalk (http://www.tapatalk.com/en/plugin) with vBulletin and many of the mobile users love it. Just something to look at while you're planning.

[Edward Hamilton]

Thanks for the tip on Tapatalk. I've installed it, please let me know how it works. I'd like to remove the side bars for the mobile site if that would make this forum easier to access.

I'd appreciate your feedback on this service.

Here's some more info on Tapatalk.

Tapatalk is a mobile forum app for iPhone / Android and soon to be on Blackberry and Nokia.
Tapatalk supports all the usual forum functions plus full screen image viewing, image upload, caching (less reload) and private messaging.

Check out http://www.tapatalk.com for more information!

[Jason]

I just installed Tapatalk on my iPod. Looks promising.

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http://www.dsilva.ca/IMG_0015.PNG

[Edward Hamilton]

Thanks for the feedback. That does look promising.

[Jason]

I only installed the "RO" version (free), so I can't post from it. I have an issue with paying someone for an application that rides on someone's free application. If I really want to post from my iPod I'll use the browser. I've already been using it to view the forums and while not ideal it does work.

[Edward Hamilton]

I agree with you Jason, the app does allow you to post on any number of forums where this app has been installed. I'm looking into ways to buy credits for this app for forum members.

In the mean time please let me know if Tapatalk is much better than viewing this site in a Safari browser.

[itsme_timd]

I've got Tapatalk on my iPhone as well, just the free version. Seems the full version is free on Android but not for iPhone.

However, it does make navigation much easier. I'll probably spring for the full version as many of the forums I'm on use it.

[Edward Hamilton]

After the server upgrade I reinstalled Tapatalk and discovered that the price on Android is down a dollar to $1.99. So far I'm quite pleased with the ease of installation and capability of this app.

I'm still looking for a way to offer free downloads of this app through Tapatalk (http://www.tapatalk.com) and they are looking into it as that is something that many other forum admins would like to see.

[martybmccabe]

I'm of two opinions:

1) on my Blackberry, the most significant use for the website that I have is "on the spot" research of a rum I might not be too familiar with, i.e., in a liquor store and I stumble on something and want a little more info before I buy it. With that in mind, a mobile site that only had reviews would be fine with me.
2) the coolest mobile site I've ever seen is BlackberryOS (http://www.blackberryos.com), a tech website. They actually have a mobile app with different sub-icons to access different parts of the site. you can see a screen cap here (http://www.blackberryos.com/index.php?pageid=mobilelauncher) if you want. That may be WAY more than you want, but it sure is cool.

In the end, though, no matter what you do (or don't), I know I speak for a lot of us when I say we REALLY appreciate the site and all the work you put into it!

[Edward Hamilton]

I'm thinking along the lines of reviews.ministryofrum.com that would be a stripped down site with just rum details and reviews from members with the bottle shot at the bottom of the page.

Tapatalk has a Blackberry app but Tapatalk is designed for forums and not websites.

I've been using a Droid less than a week so I'm still figuring out what works and doesn't seem to work at all in regards to mobile web site browsers.

[Edward Hamilton]

Tapatalk is now free for Nokia mobile phones (http://www.tapatalk.com/nokia/tapatalk.dm) and there is a free download for Blackberry (http://www.tapatalk.com/bb) users as well.