iOS/Android: Do you use site-specific apps?

**Taosaur** · 06-20-2011 12:41 AM

A lot of blogs, forums and social networking sites have Android apps, and so far every one that I've tried is considerably inferior to just going to the site in a browser. I haven't spent much time on iOS, but I imagine the situation is similar. Does anyone really find these apps useful?

I do use Pure Messenger to run a combined Facebook/Twitter/gmail feed on my home screen, which is far than the widgets provided by any of the Facebook or Twitter apps. Otherwise, I've uninstalled all my site apps and replaced them with bookmark shortcuts.

I am using a 7" tablet, which probably improves the browser experience vs. a phone, but even on my 2.5" dumbphone, desktop view in Opera Mini was better than the vast majority of mobile sites, and in my experience most site-apps are a slight improvement over the mobile page, but not nearly as good as the full page.

What do you think?

**khh** · 06-20-2011 07:02 PM

Short answer: No.
Long answer: It'd probably use dedicated twitter and facebook apps if I used either site.

**ninja9578** · 06-21-2011 06:05 PM

I don't think the app itself is what most people want. I think they want the services. iOS uses services, for example, when you install the FB app, the camera will add a "Post to Facebook" button. I think that is the major reason install the FB app, I'm not sure if Android has a service system.

**ilovefrootloops** · 06-25-2011 08:16 AM

I use iOS. I use the facebook app for iOS because it is very good compared to the mobile site. I don't use twitter at all. Other than sports sites like ESPN, business sites like Bloomberg, and publishing sites like Wordpress, the special app is, in my experience, either useless or inferior to the browser version.

**Taosaur** · 06-25-2011 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by ilovefrootloops

I use the facebook app for iOS because it is very good compared to the mobile site.

But why would you be going to a mobile site on any iOS or Android device in the first place? There's got to be a setting in the iPhone browser to get you standard sites.

**khh** · 06-25-2011 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by Taosaur

But why would you be going to a mobile site on any iOS or Android device in the first place? There's got to be a setting in the iPhone browser to get you standard sites.

Many websites redirect you to a mobile site automatically, but on most you can turn this off. Opera Mini is also available for iOS, with pretty much the same functionality as Opera Mobile for android.

**Taosaur** · 06-25-2011 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by khh

Many websites redirect you to a mobile site automatically, but on most you can turn this off.

I just did some googling, and apparently you can't change the user agent in Mobile Safari without jailbreaking :/ This is the default browser on devices with 10" displays, and has never been on a display smaller than an iPhone, and you cannot tell it not to send you to sites designed for 2" screens, hard-key navigation and pay-per-kb data plans?

I guess there are alternative browsers on the normal app store, and on any Android other than Honeycomb, you pretty much want to trade in the stock browser first thing, too (for a better interface--you can change user agents in the stock browser), but you've got to wonder what Apple is thinking.

**ilovefrootloops** · 06-25-2011 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by Taosaur

But why would you be going to a mobile site on any iOS or Android device in the first place? There's got to be a setting in the iPhone browser to get you standard sites.

Well facebook defaults to the i.facebook.com while on an iDevice, but of course you can always go to the regular site if you so choose. There's a link at the bottom.

EDIT: But no if you're really looking to save on data I don't think there's an option to load the WAP site.

**dakotahnok** · 07-03-2011 07:02 AM

Originally Posted by khh

Many websites redirect you to a mobile site automatically, but on most you can turn this off. Opera Mini is also available for iOS, with pretty much the same functionality as Opera Mobile for android.

Have you used opera on iOS??? It makes everything look like shit. And messes with formatting of sites.