Ubuntu Forums App for iphone and Smart phones

[zakshdw]

I was just thinking how much I like browsing the forums here, and how its such a great source for information provided by very friendly people

do you think it would be possible to make an application for smart phones for the forums so we can access it anywhere, any time.

what do you guys and gals think?

[Sporkman]

I was just thinking how much I like browsing the forums here, and how its such a great source for information provided by very friendly people

do you think it would be possible to make an application for smart phones for the forums so we can access it anywhere, any time.

what do you guys and gals think?

I think the iPhone browser works well enough for this.

[MichealH]

Like an Android app?

I was thinking of getting into Android development. Maybe If we get the Mac running in VBox I may make a iPhone app on it. It depends on how I feel (Not to good in the well-ness department)

[zakshdw]

ahhh, well i hope your wellnessometer goes up soon :)

and yeah that kind of thing :) iTunes app, android app

and i guess the safari does work ok, i just thought it would be pretty kl to have an application for it

[Dragonbite]

Chrome?

[jerenept]

I do not think that Apple will allow such a "pointless" app to the App Store.

PS. you can still throw cows around your screen.

[spupy]

It's called Safari?

Besides, this forum is based on vBulletin, which is proprietary software. An iPhone app needs (I guess) to parse the html returned by vBulletin. And that would suck.

[Paqman]

You don't need an app just to browse a website, all you need is a style sheet that formats it nicely for the small screen and touch.

Loads of wesbites have this sorted already. For example, you can install all sorts of Wikipedia apps from the Android Market (and no doubt the Iphone App Store), but all they do is point you to en.m.wikipedia.org and display it the same as your browser would. Pointless!

[sixstorm]

I'm apart of NVNews and we use Tapatalk. The app for Android is about $3 and the plugin for Vbulletin is free, admin just has to install it. It's a LOT faster to surf with the app versus a mobile browser. Just FYI.

[pwnst*r]

I do not think that Apple will allow such a "pointless" app to the App Store.

PS. you can still throw cows around your screen.

There's an AVSforum app for browsing that site. I don't see why it couldn't be "approved".

[pwnst*r]

You don't need an app just to browse a website, all you need is a style sheet that formats it nicely for the small screen and touch.

Loads of wesbites have this sorted already. For example, you can install all sorts of Wikipedia apps from the Android Market (and no doubt the Iphone App Store), but all they do is point you to en.m.wikipedia.org and display it the same as your browser would. Pointless!

^and this. A mobile version of this site would be ideal.

[pwnst*r]

just found this which is getting very popular:

http://www.tapatalk.com/

[zakshdw]

Ahhh now you've made me look sillly haha and that tapatalk is a very good idea! An app for a single forum would be pointless come to think of it but tapatalk is a great idea :p that could be any forums at all and maybe you can add extra URL's

[aysiu]

^and this. A mobile version of this site would be ideal.
Does anyone who's run a vBulletin website before have insights on how difficult it would be to create an m.ubuntuforums.org or a ubuntuforums.org/mobile?

[fatality_uk]

Does anyone who's run a vBulletin website before have insights on how difficult it would be to create an m.ubuntuforums.org or a ubuntuforums.org/mobile?

I think vBulletin already has a few mobiles styles.
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=228986

[whiskeylover]

I think vBulletin already has a few mobiles styles.
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=228986

Best idea so far. Use a mobile skin which shows minimal information in a mobile friendly way.

[Frak]

-app
+stylesheet

No need to waste application space when you could just replace the site's stylesheet with one more suitable for small devices.

@whoever said "can't do it because it's proprietary"
You don't need to worry about the engine, just scrape the output.

[Frak]

Does anyone who's run a vBulletin website before have insights on how difficult it would be to create an m.ubuntuforums.org or a ubuntuforums.org/mobile?
Any general web developer should know how to accomplish that. But again, all you need is a stylesheet. Just have m.ubuntuforums.org load an alternate stylesheet in place of the normal set.

[LowSky]

I run the site on my HTC incredible with no issue. Pinch-to-zoom works great and so does typing messages. Since the website has no ads it doesn't get bogged the phone network down at all, and the pages run quickly and smoothly.

[scienceandcake]

I have just installed ubuntu (about an hour ago) running from an external hdd through my macbook c2d. I used these forums a lot to get me through it and I'll be posting a ton so I second the request for Tapatalk!

I just got that on my iPhone and it's a great way to see all of your forums pretty easily, where you've participated, your favorites, etc. It's been easier than using the websites.

[Dr. C]

Does anyone who's run a vBulletin website before have insights on how difficult it would be to create an m.ubuntuforums.org or a ubuntuforums.org/mobile?

A mobile theme suitable for mobile phones is a great idea. You may wish to check this out http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=151186. On the other hand an app for Ubnutu forums that is subject to the approval processes and censorship of Apple or Microsoft is a terrible idea. Let us not forget that Ubuntu is a competitive product to major offerings from both of these companies. A well designed mobile version of Ubuntu forums will work with the existing mobile browsers in both these closed ecosystems without having to submit this site to a competitor for approval.

By the way Ubuntu forums as is actually works very well on my Android smart phone.