Or you could, you know, just use the web browser...
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Thursday 7th February 2013 10:44 GMT AndrueC
Re: This
Other than off-line access, I don't see the point of separate apps for web sites.
Often it makes them more readable by having a better layout. Having bigger text and bigger buttons and being able to adjust properly for vertical/horizontal viewing can make life a lot easier - especially if you are over 40 and your eyes are starting to go.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 13:52 GMT AndrueC
Re: This
> You can do those things with css in a browser, it doesn't need an app.
Not many do though. So the gist of Jason 7's argument "Your browser is crap, mine isn't, nyah, nyah" is not appropriate. It would be more appropriate to say "Reliance on specific apps for web services just reinforces the fact that web designers rarely bother to design their sites for optimum use on a small mobile device".
For what it's worth I don't like the idea of 'apps'. Never have. Even the terminology stinks. I fundamentally agree that a web browser should be all you need. That was supposed to be what made 'the web' so wonderful. I've been working with computers since the early 80s so I thought we were making progress and moving away from dedicated applications.
Unfortunately the proliferation of different browsers, the corruption of (or failure to adhere to) good standards and possibly developer laziness mean that ship seems to have sailed for now. My experience is that in a lot of cases a dedicated 'app' offers a better experience than using a generic browser. Things shouldn't be that way - but they are, and I don't think it's because 'your browser is better than mine'.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 15:37 GMT Mark .
Re: This
True, though I think the thing that really makes things odd is all the people advertising "apps" for their website for ipads. Seems like at least one advert per ad break advertises an ipad app, whilst Sky have launched a whole industry for fishermen with ipads, and casinos.
So if the reason is for small devices, that doesn't apply to big ipads with high resolutions. And if there's some other reason why an application is better, I wonder why there isn't an application for Windows (Windows x86, not WP or RT), for you know, the majority of people who use those laptop things, rather than the minority of Apple users. (And maybe an app for OS X and Linux users too, if they want to be cross-platform.)
Perhaps it's that they only produce for devices with cut-down browsers (but so much for the idea of ios devices having good browsers - maybe good compared to a feature phone, perhaps). The only other explanation is that they're produced by managers who think an "app" is something special that only runs on Apple devices (or perhaps Android). At least once now, I've heard someone say "Windows 8 can now run apps" ...
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Thursday 7th February 2013 15:51 GMT Jim 59
Vulture and Robot
For some complicated sites, eg Ebay, an app is much more convenient. Better still would be if all sites ran good mobile versions. The fact that many don't must be down to cost I guess. The Register app looks okay but personally I will continue to use an RSS Reader.
Comments can be left using the app but there is no "My Posts" etc. etc.
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Friday 8th February 2013 10:25 GMT Vic
Re: This
> "An app is available for this website, do you want to install it? OK / Cancel"
There's a weather site I use that does that sometimes (not every visit, thankfully).
Trouble is, if you cancel it, the page reloads - together with the dialogue asking if you want the app.
The only[1] "fix" is to back right out and go in again :-(
Vic.
[1] Yes, I know I could avoid the site - but it is quite useful.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 11:46 GMT AndrueC
reinforces the fact your web browser isn't a proper grown up one with all the features.
What web browser features can fix the fact that my 46 year old eyes struggle to read text on my phone or that my fingers (not fat fingers either) sometimes hit the wrong link? I mean, yes, I can zoom in but the page layout doesn't always lend itself to that. It either mucks up the text(*) or else I have to zoom back out to navigate or to reach a button.
Do any browsers support orientation detection? Properly, I mean, not just re-flowing the text. A dedicate app will often adopt an entirely different layout in horizontal mode than vertical mode. Putting buttons along the top instead of down the side for instance.
Perhaps all of that could be done in a browser if HTML supports it but how many web designers actually do bother to think about that kind of thing? It's second nature for a phone developer but the most you can really expect a web page to do is flow properly so that page items aren't obscuring other page items.
(*)I don't mean corrupted, merely that the way it ends up being wrapped is unhelpful. Harder to read and/or puts hot links close together so it's a bugger to tap on the right one.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 11:55 GMT jason 7
Erm my other half makes responsive websites that automatically re-adjust. move content and resize depending on orientation and screen size. Took her about a day to learn that a few years ago and now puts it into all her sites.
But then again we've seen there are web designers and there are people who pretend to be web designers.
You get what you pay for.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 16:10 GMT jubtastic1
@jason7
Could you pass on a message for me?
I only turn my phone sideways for two reasons, either I'm watching a video or the text was too small to read in portrait. If the clever CSS detects a landscape view and simply makes the column wider whilst keeping the text the same size I give up and close the tab. Also true for unzoomable pages, whatever turkey worked out that trick needs shooting and basting, preferably not in that order.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 21:21 GMT Anonymous Coward
Re: @jubtastic1
"Apps" are just one more peice of bloatware, one more security risk. Websites put out apps because it is trendy or they can't be bother to make a proper mobile page. Either way, an "App" puts a extra hook into you, and they want you hooked.
We all know that .js alone can manipulate the display any way an "App" can. That being said, it's not the websites fault for not being techie enough to have a proper mobile page, it is the "team" who suggested the app over the proper. That "team" is either too trendy or lacks skills.
"Apps" are a regression, a single user mode of sorts. A day will come where you where the majority will weed them out in favor of html, just like instant messagers.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 12:23 GMT PrivateCitizen
What web browser features can fix the fact that my 46 year old eyes struggle to read text on my phone or that my fingers (not fat fingers either) sometimes hit the wrong link?
This is a really good point - and all too often designers are too heavily focused on their massive displays to remember that accessibility is very important.
However, this isnt a problem solely focussed on web browsers or solved with apps. If they are going to the trouble of developing an android and iOS app to provide better accessibility, they should have just put a bit more effort in to the front end design in the first place.
Do any browsers support orientation detection? Properly, I mean, not just re-flowing the text. A dedicate app will often adopt an entirely different layout in horizontal mode than vertical mode. Putting buttons along the top instead of down the side for instance.
This isnt the browser - it is down to the design.
Good responsive layouts will identify that the screen dimensions have changed and reformat its CSS appropriately. There are lots of pretty good frameworks to make responsive design trivially easy (320andup is one of the better known) and these all allow for a full reformatting at breakpoints.
Perhaps all of that could be done in a browser if HTML supports it but how many web designers actually do bother to think about that kind of thing?
It does, but not enough developers think about it - they are too busy designing a website for browsers then coding an app for phones.
It's second nature for a phone developer but the most you can really expect a web page to do is flow properly so that page items aren't obscuring other page items.
Phone and web interface developers are, or at least should be, the same beasts.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 15:38 GMT Mark .
"Do any browsers support orientation detection? Properly, I mean, not just re-flowing the text. A dedicate app will often adopt an entirely different layout in horizontal mode than vertical mode. Putting buttons along the top instead of down the side for instance."
Actually I often find a reverse, an "app" will be hardcoded for one orientation, whilst the webpage will at least do some reasonable job at coping.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 18:07 GMT Dave, Portsmouth
The only problems I have with websites on my phone / iPad are those that try to be clever and detect my browser. A few examples:
- some sites detect an iPad as a "mobile device" and so by default I get a narrow very basic website and have to manually switch back. I don't use those sites anymore.
- many sites automatically redirect to a different mobile version. Often, if I'm trying to reach a specific page via a Google search I will be redirected back to the mobile homepage. Totally useless. I don't use those sites unless I really really have to.
- at least one site (ihg/Holiday Inn) I need to use a specific link to book a room. It's impossible to reach from a mobile, because it's being "clever" and redirecting me to its mobile site. I have to use a browser where I can fake the browser ID in order to book rooms using our corporate ID.
The only way around these is nothing to do wit the browser, but the way websites try to detect what you have. I shouldn't have to pretend to be IE8 in order to access a website!
David
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Thursday 7th February 2013 12:49 GMT Wize
And the plus side to a web browser, you can use your favourite one (as an example, Firefox + adblock) and drop all the adverts.
I don't have anything against websites having adverts. I have something against sites having annoying adverts. The ones that make sounds, flash images to get your attention or pop up over what you are trying to read.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 09:42 GMT Anonymous Custard
First%20impressions
Yup%20so%20far%20it%20looks%20better%20(writing%20this%20through%20it).%20Certainly%20better%20than%20the%20old%20mess%2C%20but%20that%20isn't%20saying%20much.%0A%0AWould%20be%20nicer%20to%20have%20more%20control%20over%20log%20in%20and%20what%20gets%20synched%20though%2C%20at%20least%20from%20a%20first%20impression.%0A%0AAnd%20yet%20again%20forced%20to%20provide%20a%20title%3F
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Thursday 7th February 2013 09:45 GMT Anonymous Custard
Re: First%20impressions
And that was an attempt at posting a comment via the new app (from a Nexus 7)...
Methinks perhaps some work is still required here, as it initially came up as being an unsuccessful post within the app itself...
As a browser it looks an improvement on the previous one (which isn't saying much), but as noted aside from offline synching (of which more control on what gets synched would be nice) how much use it is over just using a browser is questionable.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 14:33 GMT Anonymous Custard
Re: First%20impressions
You're welcome :)
Just updated, and was going to come here and post second impressions. But now not only had the restart glitch, but the settings cog now also does nothing for me (it worked before) and when I try and get into this comment screen it just does the "loading" and time-out trick with the unable to connect box (leaving behind the white screen when you back out of it).
So all in all so far my second impression is even worse than my first, as there's not even an amusing bug to reveal along the way...
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Thursday 7th February 2013 23:26 GMT Ben Tasker
Re: First%20impressions
but the settings cog now also does nothing for me
Not just me then, I was beginning to wonder if they'd forgotten to link an event to it, or if my tired mind was being thick and mis-interpreting some new logo.
Think I'll stick to using my browser for the time being in all honesty
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Thursday 7th February 2013 12:26 GMT Anonymous Coward
Re: 17.07MB ?
It lives! 17.08 MB for the app on my SGS2, 724kb for data after reading a couple of articles, and mysteriously infecting the SD card with a further 320kb. Not to mention a reported 4.63 MB in the phone's cache.
To echo somebody else's comments, for somthing that is merely slighly more competent than an RSS client, how have they managed to make this so f***ing huge? I can remember when an entire OS was less than 18 MB, and even the time when a typical HDD was of this order.
How many lines of code are there in this abomination?
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Thursday 7th February 2013 11:21 GMT jason 7
Yeah that's the joy of having a proper mobile browser. Mates laugh at me when they say the Playbook has hardly any apps. Well when you have a proper browser you don't need that many.
Whist they are dicking around with some hokey third party app, I'm using the full meat and potatoes version on the web.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 12:09 GMT alain williams
Re: No luck here
I have a Desire Z, I asked HTC when they were going to provide an upgrade of Android. Their reply is below, but they refused to say what their reasoning/criteria were & then stopped replying. It seems evident that they have little interest in supporting kit once they have sold it -- so I told them that I would be unlikely to buy HTC again. Maybe this is one reason why they are losing market share.
''We only update our phones if it will provide an overall improved user experience as we balance features, performance and usability. Because of this, the current firmware you have has been decided to be the best for your device.''
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Thursday 7th February 2013 15:17 GMT Anonymous Coward
Re: No luck here
"A Register user who cannot load a custom ROM - SHAME ON YOU."
More like a Reg user who has the sense not to load unsupported firmware of unknown provenance, I'd guess. Or a Reg user who is wise enough not to risk bricking a handset that they don't want to have to pay to replace.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 10:07 GMT El Presidente
Installed ...
Unable to comment in this article via the app on my N7.
I'm getting either a blank white page or 'unable to connect, please check your network connectivity an try again' error messages.
Commented here:
http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/1/2013/02/06/virgin_media_to_be_acquired_by_liberty_global/
Last comment as AC .... Lots%of% L%O%L Fail icon because Epic Fail!
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Thursday 7th February 2013 14:47 GMT AndrueC
Re: Installed ...
As a software tester, can I say that
As a software developer can I just say that I hate you :)
Nah, I try to maintain a good relationship with our testers. After many years I've finally realised that they help produce a better product and even help improve my ability. Some of them are house trained as well :)
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Thursday 7th February 2013 12:11 GMT JDX
@Eugene
What a surprise, a web-designer suggesting a site should be redesigned.
I've never found a single site, even one brand new from a good designer, that other designers don't tear to shreds. It seems ingrained into being a web-designer that every site must be completely re-designed every year or two.
Of course this is unbiased professionalism, not blatant self-interest.
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Friday 8th February 2013 00:17 GMT Greg J Preece
Re: @Eugene
What a surprise, a web-designer suggesting a site should be redesigned.
Surely updating your site's interface to use CSS properly (which isn't necessarily the same as redesigning it) is much less effort than creating and support multi-platform apps?
I'm prototyping an RWD version of our website at the minute, and despite having barely any styling yet, it matches the layout of the original well enough that at first glance it looks like the same site - until you try to view it in a browser that isn't a fullscreen desktop app.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 10:22 GMT npupp 1
could we not...
... perform the same basic function (well offline reading at least) through Google currents*?
Granted commenting isn't possible in-app, but for "train reading" etc. , where mobile network is too flaky to be useful, commenting wouldn't work anyways...
*disclaimer - I am NOT affiliated with the chocolate factory, but am:
For: having a multitude of offline articles to read from numerous sources
Against: separate apps for each website, each of the order 15mb and non installable on SD card
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Thursday 7th February 2013 10:44 GMT El Presidente
To cut The Register some slack?
No no and thrice no!
El Reg and its commentards are amongst the first to point and laugh when a tech related company has a complete and very public cock up with their new shiny tech.
More so when a Government procurement agency procures some software which doesn't work as promised.
it would be borderline criminal for us not to point and laugh. Then point and laugh some more!
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Thursday 7th February 2013 11:04 GMT 142
Re: To cut The Register some slack?
I'm inclined to agree... what the hell are they doing? The app is huge, and all it has to do download and display text. El Reg is the least visually complex online news site on the web - zero graphs in the articles, feck-all pictures, and no fancy fonts. All it needs for an app is a glorified RSS reader, with the ability to submit comments, something that's been done 20 million times before!
What is so special about El Reg that makes it so hard? Are they trying to do everything from scratch from first principles? The %20 bugs people are getting when commenting suggests they are...
It's as though they've reinvented the wheel and decided the best shape was a square.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 11:09 GMT El Presidente
Re: To cut The Register some slack?
"It's as though they've reinvented the wheel and decided the best shape was a square"
Good comment, Sir. The old adage 'if the app is free you are the product' might apply here. Just another way to serve up adverts? (I'm guessing the spinning thing in the grey box at the bottom of the app was an advert?)
I've never understood the argument for using an app instead of a browser except for more adverts.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 10:51 GMT DrXym
Some tips for sites
Browsing the web with a tablet can be a frustrating experience. Not because the browser is bad or renders the content wrongly. It's because sites see that I'm using a tablet and implement some intensely annoying behaviour.
With that in mind, here are some rules that all sites should follow.
1. DO NOT open a popup every time I visit the site asking if I want an app to view the content I'm viewing right this instance. If I said no the last time then there is a 99.99% chance you're just annoying me by asking again.
2. Instead, DO put a discrete "get our app" link somewhere in the main page, and potentially at the *bottom* of other pages where it can be ignored if not desired.
3. DO NOT redirect the user to the "mobile" version of your website. Most tablets are more than capable of rendering the full site. Even most phones are. If you absolutely must inflict mobile on a user, use a heuristic, e.g. user agent & screen res, and ASK ONCE.
4. DO remember this decision so future visits to the site pick the right site.
5. DO put a discrete "switch to mobile" link somewhere in the main page / bottom of content where a user can switch to the mobile version.
6. DO put a discrete "switch to desktop" link in the mobile site.
7. DO NOT maintain a www. and m. version of the same site or different urls to the same content. There is no reason for this at all. Use a filter to redirect a user based no their expressed display mode to one HTML template or another. Two links just confuses everyone and makes it a nuisance to bookmark content.
There.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 11:44 GMT frank ly
@DrXym Re: Some tips for sites
Thank you for saying what I've been thinking (with less technical detail) for the past two years. I get especially annoyed with ebay and Wikipedia who always initially deliver their mobile site to my 10" tablet.
Having said that, I am pleased that 'The Independent' newspaper delivers its mobile version, because then I get just the article text, with no fancy layout bars, no adverts and no big pictures; with simple links to other articles underneath it. I've tried the main site and it's full of crud that I don't want to download or look at. I use the Google RSS news reader for my newspaper and other regularly updated websites.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 13:18 GMT Cliff
Re: Some tips for sites
Another pet hate...
9) When I have followed an external deep link to a specific article, the 'mobile' version, if it is to be served up at all, really should take me to the same target article. Some sites seem to dump you back at their front page when they decide you want the m. instead of the www. version of the site, and this is frustrating beyond belief.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 11:12 GMT Khaptain
Samsung Note
As soon as I start the applicaiton, I get a nice
"An application restart is required".
I can get to the main screen, click on the articles and get to the comments section on "some" articles. On the others, this one for example, I get network errors ( which I think in truth means timeouts of some kind or other"...) and Yes I have a good network connection I can browse to this site without problem.
Oh well, everyone has to start someone, I know a coder who is profusely sweating at this moment in time...
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Thursday 7th February 2013 19:57 GMT Alain
Re: An application restart is required
Indeed, I get "an application restart is required" every bloody time I go back to the welcome screen from the app using the home key and want to enter it again. Then, 3 times out of 4, I'm greeted by an "Unfortunately, The Register has stopped"... and back to the welcome screen where I have to start the app once again. Won't stand this for long, the app is likely to be heading towards the recycle bin soon and me back to the mobile site, I guess.
Ployer Momo9C tablet, Android 4.0.3 stock.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 11:29 GMT Lee Dowling
Can't say I'd use it.
Can't you just provide an RSS feed, or decent CSS on the website? On the few occasions I might be tempted to keep an eye on The Reg from a phone, I'll just load up Opera thanks, even on my (apparently ancient) Galaxy Ace. No installs taking up more space than I have, no separate program to be security-audited (i.e. don't use it for a year and see if it breaks for others), no specialist hassle to see the content, and no waiting for the app to come out / be fixed / get updated.
Like Slashdot, I'd just much rather you practised what you preached and did the right "IT" thing - just provide a website that isn't locked into a 1920x1600 viewing in only a particular web browser and was designed properly. The entire WAP generation passed us by because of exactly this - by the time people worked out how to do it properly, websites that hadn't bothered but just made their content more accessible actually out-performed and out-classed them. Hell, I've never even loaded up the BBC website on a mobile, even back in the WAP-compatible days, except to laugh at the technology. Just load up a "proper" browser, which isn't beyond the means of any modern device, or even an ageing smartphone, and look at the "proper" webpage.
How about we forget the Android stuff and finally publish an AAAA record in your DNS, eh? But I guess you'll write at least another 10 "IPv4 is gone, everyone should scramble to IPv6" articles before that happens - just like Slashdot do about once a month.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 17:21 GMT Ocasta Studios
Re: Oh dear...
Once the settings work... you'll be able to turn on a full offline sync mode that'll download all articles for offline reading.
Whilst we fix up the settings, if you quit the app and go back to it then the setting will work. Peculiarly this only happens on the app when installed via Google Play. Installing the build we submitted without using Google Play doesn't have this behaviour. We're investigating the bugger now!
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Thursday 7th February 2013 11:33 GMT Shippwreck1
Settings...
In the top right corner there is what looks like a settings icon, however when I tap it, it does nothing... not sure if it's meant to be a settings menu or not...
Also every time I open it I get a message saying the application needs to restart and then it exits and re-loads the app
HTC One X+ Running stock Android 4.1.1
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Thursday 7th February 2013 11:35 GMT Irongut
Why?
I've never seen the point of these website in a box apps. El Reg works perfectly in Android Chrome and if I want to download stories to read offline I can open them in tabs. I'm almost never out of wifi or 3G reception when I would actually want to read the site anyway.
I tried the last Reg app and it was so bad I've never used a website in a box app since!
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Thursday 7th February 2013 11:35 GMT Doogie Howser MD
Careful!
The dude moderating this is called Phil Mitchell, so if you are having trouble distinguishing real life from soap operas, you might get two sweaty, balding cockney types coming around your house to give you a good old fashioned knuckle dusting. That being said, didn't one of them call the police in real life when his ex-wife beat him up? Hmm..quaking in my boots now? Not so much.
Oh, and +1 for Google Currents, great suggestion for whoever said it.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 11:53 GMT ShaolinMonkfish
Not good
Like others - comments and settings not working for me. Network connection is fine thanks! Needs some work. Hard to believe this passed muster really.
Also like others have said, if you're providing an "app" it's got to do more than just provide the web-in-a-box. Otherwise why bother. Pocket more than adequately provides my offline reading capabilities already.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 12:14 GMT Nick Ryan
...and there I was thinking that HTML 5 offline storage could be a good solution to reading articles offline rather than (yet another) app.
I'll admit that I haven't tried using this functionality in anger, only in noddy test environments. Apps can do smarter things though, such as fetching content in the background even when the browser is not running, but that tends to upset user's data plans.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 12:15 GMT BenM 29
Not good is an understatement
Galaxy SIII - stock OS 4.0.0, kernel 3.0.15-1029495-user
Installed ok,
Needed an immediate restart on application startup.
Settings gear does nothing
Go to comment on this story "Check your network connection" dialog box displayed (if the network connection is dead why did it manage to load the story? and BTW its the same network connection over which I am posting this)
Hit phone back button
Returned to El Reg. app but page blank and no buttons work - other than the phone back button.
Exit application
Restart
Rinse and repeat.
Uninstalling.
El Reg, you fail in product testing. Galaxy SIII isn't exactly uncommon and nor is 4.0.4 android.... though the latter may be amongst other commentards :)
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Thursday 7th February 2013 13:35 GMT Kubla Cant
Where?
Immediately I read about this I went to Play Store and searched for "the register".
There were two results shown in Apps: The Register (Unofficial Feed) , which described itself as "not maintained or updated", and (tee hee) The Moron Test . If it's the latter, I think El Reg should keep its opinion of its readers to itself.
Can anyone explain how "the moron test" is a valid search hit for "the register"? I know they both contain "the", but I would have though that was a noise word.
There were a further 12239 results in Apps, but I don't expect to live long enough to check them all. I guess I'll just stick to reading El Reg on a computer as nature intended.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 14:06 GMT Anonymous Custard
Re: Where?
There's a link to it at the end of the first line in the article.
Or click here to go get it.
That said given how many issues have been found in it, you may be better to hang on a bit?
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Thursday 7th February 2013 14:00 GMT peter 45
Yuck
Just tried in on my Transformer. Each time it opens, it requires a restart, It crashes on opening 'bout 30% of the time, and the opening splash is the wrong aspect ratio. Settings icon doesn't seem to work (but the refresh button next to it does). There is no arrow showing that a comment is in reply and the ttile in the reply message does not do "Re: <title>.
Apart from that a nice simple app (for how many Megs?)
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Thursday 7th February 2013 14:25 GMT El Presidente
After the update ...
The %ages are gone, the settings cog button now works but I'm still unable to reply in *this* article's comments which is ironic, really, but at least the log in un/pw is now being retained.
"Unable to Connect
Please check your network connectivity and try again"
Back button then takes me to a blank white page. Back button again takes me to the article.
I am able to comment in other articles.
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Friday 8th February 2013 21:59 GMT Ocasta Studios
Re: After the update ...
Not all the bugs were caused through Google Play, the %20 comment issue was our fault, and we've released a fix for that. Ironically that created a rather unfortunate second issue; any comments that had been made with the broken encoding the app produced, then couldn't be read by the app. This was due to the double encoding that occurred. Great fun, we've fixed that too and there'll be a second update soon.
"The application requires a restart" message. This only became apparent once the app was installed via Google Play, When the app is installed through Play it can be opened from the notification bar's message 'The Register Successfully Installed' or the Google Play listing changes to [Open] instead of [Install]. When launched this way, Google has, Rather kindly, introduced a bug that then launches the main activity on top of the current app, causing it to be launched twice. Once from the notification and once from the app. To get around this, the app asks to restart, so it can relaunch and open the single activity. However, this was firing more often than it should on some devices, and not at all on others. We'd then end up with two activities running at once, which would cause some major irregularities, the main one being the setting button not responding to touch, as it didn't know what to do. We've put in some workarounds now, you shouldn't see the message again, and best of all, settings will work consistently!
We've taken the forthcoming update as a chance to address some other feedback. The font size will change the article lists as well as the articles, syncing will be quicker and you'll be able to read comments on all articles (no more blank screen). Once you can get in to your settings I recommend turning on article syncing, it's pretty fast now!
- Ben
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Thursday 7th February 2013 14:58 GMT GregC
Seems very l-a-g-g-y too...
It should scroll nice and smoothly, especially on a N4 (everything else does...) but it's really very jerky. Not as bad as the old app, granted, but even so it feels like I'm back on Gingerbread....
Also, as per El Presidente's post - following the update I also get the "Unable to Connect" error when I hit the comments button for this article specifically - others are fine.
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Thursday 7th February 2013 18:46 GMT tekHedd
I'm not saying that apps can't be nice but..
Am I alone in thinking that (maybe) a week of playing with the @media selector and a handful of tablets and phones for testing (or simply resizing the browser window) and the app would be made entirely unnecessary? I mean, yes, on some sites the layout is hopeless, but this is the reg, the basic page design is a natural for simple CSS restyling.
Or I suppose you could make an app. Hey it's not my money. It's certainly more *fun* to make an app. Although in that case I'd be inclined to include some fun third-party frameworks with flashy transitions etc.
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Biting the hand that feeds IT
