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Web Development & Design => Technical => Topic started by: David on July 25, 2011, 08:23:38 AM

Title: Mobile Web sites
Post by: David on July 25, 2011, 08:23:38 AM
ok, any of you guys currently doing or have done Mobile web sites?
If so, who/what do you use to build the sites and who's your host.

Just getting into this and doing research.

thanks
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: Joe on July 25, 2011, 09:05:50 AM
What are you building the main site with? Software like Joomla has themes specifically designed to detect mobile browsers and switch to a mobile theme. You can code it all manually but it's no easy feat.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: gnubler on July 25, 2011, 09:17:14 AM
I have also used a Joomla extension to make a site mobile-friendly. Some templates come with that built in.

It's still kind of a treacherous task and takes some tweaking. Doesn't work great on all websites, depends on the layout. And then there's like a gazillion diff mobile devices to accommodate. Have fun.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: David on July 25, 2011, 09:23:55 AM
not actually building any mobile web stuff yet, just seeking info.
I was asked to find out about placing ads on mobile phones (cost, etc)
I'm stumbling across all kinds of stuff and I'm starting to confuse myself. (not hard to do, lately)

See my query in the Web Dev thread. I'm thinking in way over my head here and not sure where to start at.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: Joe on July 25, 2011, 09:32:10 AM
Quote from: david on July 25, 2011, 09:23:55 AMnot actually building any mobile web stuff yet, just seeking info.
I was asked to find out about placing ads on mobile phones (cost, etc)
I'm stumbling across all kinds of stuff and I'm starting to confuse myself. (not hard to do, lately)

See my query in the Web Dev thread. I'm thinking in way over my head here and not sure where to start at.

Studies show that mobile ads get clicked on more...due to the small size of the screen and people accidentally click them.

You need software, on the web site you are using, that will check the user agent of everyone that goes to your site. From the user agent they can determine the browser and whether it is a mobile version of that browser. If so it will switch to the mobile theme that you have created/installed. Goog for mobile detection.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: gnubler on July 25, 2011, 09:35:08 AM
Quote from: david on July 25, 2011, 09:23:55 AMI was asked to find out about placing ads on mobile phones (cost, etc)

Not even sure how that would work. An ad on a website?

Again it all depends if that website has a mobile device version of display.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: David on July 25, 2011, 09:48:54 AM
I think they were wanting to place ads on other peoples apps. There are some sites that do this exclusively. Greystripe for one, is a website, that you post your custom app (game, or otherwise), and they determine which ad would work with it to generate money.
Then there's this place called Netbiscuits, they help you develop, publish and monetize cross platform apps (from reading their website).

Since paper printing is going down the tubes, we're looking to expand into web and mobile markets. We're wanting to see if there's money to be had in selling mobile ads to clients, that would, if clicked on, send an order to us that could be converted into a direct mail piece that would be done on a X700 or whatever for a personalized coupon good for some product.

not sure how it would work, hence the research.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: Joe on July 25, 2011, 09:55:06 AM
So you already have the app? If you create the app you could just put the ad in to start with. If you make the ad with javascript like google ads you could just change the ad on the web server when the need arises and the ad would change on the mobile device. You really either need a good web developer or become one yourself.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: David on July 25, 2011, 10:17:39 AM
nope, don't have no app...  wish they could magically appear, maybe use Quark, PAP, or something.

Quote from: Joe, the omnipotentYou really either need a good web developer or become one yourself.

I would like to do option 2, do you have any free time for consultation?   :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: Joe on July 25, 2011, 10:39:27 AM
Quote from: david on July 25, 2011, 10:17:39 AMnope, don't have no app...  wish they could magically appear, maybe use Quark, PAP, or something.

Quote from: Joe, the omnipotentYou really either need a good web developer or become one yourself.

I would like to do option 2, do you have any free time for consultation?   :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

You don't want me consulting on web development! I'm a hack at best. Gnubler is your man.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: gnubler on July 25, 2011, 12:37:19 PM
Quote from: Joe on July 25, 2011, 10:39:27 AMI'm a hack at best. Gnubler is your man.

Just bring 5 gallon batches of margaritas for each tutoring session and it might work out.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: David on July 25, 2011, 12:39:04 PM
only 5 gallons?!

geez, you're easy, well, not really easy, well, maybe cheep, well, not really cheep, but you know.    :kiss:
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: gnubler on July 25, 2011, 01:04:23 PM
Easy, cheap, and a pleasure to work with. See you at 6 for Lesson #1.  :drunk3:
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: David on July 25, 2011, 01:11:28 PM
I guess lesson 1 would also involve a brief tutorial in SPELLING?    :laugh:

cheep or cheap, one's a bird sound, the other is not
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: gnubler on July 25, 2011, 01:19:58 PM
I thought it was the new way to spell cheap.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: David on July 25, 2011, 01:52:06 PM
Only if you have clumsy fat fingers that tend to fight each other while typing.    :laugh:
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: gnubler on July 25, 2011, 02:01:29 PM
I don't...but I have a clumsy fat brain that seems to be turning retarded.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: Slappy on July 25, 2011, 02:42:08 PM
Have you run across iFlyMobi (http://iflymobi.com/) yet? Aside from the unnecessary use of the lower case "i" in the their name, it seems like a good place to start if you don't want to be bothered with coding something from scratch. I'm sure I've seen others out there, but I don't deal with it so much and nothing else comes to mind. I'll try to keep watch & post more if I see 'em though.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: David on July 26, 2011, 07:12:12 AM
thanks Slappy, I'll check it out!
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: David on July 26, 2011, 08:13:51 AM
here's the PAP version of Mobile banner apps Banner Maker Pro (http://www.bannermakerpro.com/index.html)

Do you think this would be worth the money?

I'm almost googled out doing research on this...
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: Joe on July 26, 2011, 08:35:20 AM
I prefer using Photoshop for my graphics and prefer using .png files over .gif and .jpeg where feasible.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: gnubler on July 26, 2011, 08:39:19 AM
Photoshop doesn't have the Smear plugin. Your loss.
Title: Re: Mobile Web sites
Post by: David on July 26, 2011, 10:00:15 AM
I'm thinking I need the Smear 2.1.5 plugin, I want to upgrade before the upgrade is ready.