Time for the next round of upgrades and improvements to ATS... Mobile first...

It's about that time... two years since our last major upgrade.

I'm about 40% through the refinements to a new mobile site for ATS, and am getting to the point where suggestions are appropriate.

We first launched a mobile web version of ATS two years ago, and since then, our mobile traffic has grown from just over 20%, to 50% on most days. That's huge. But now that even more members and visitors are using the mobile site, it's time to consider more specific upgrades. Here's what's on my list, and the current status:

1) Improved menu -- slide-out full menu for phone form factors. No more dumbed-down, too-small menu. 40% completed.

2) Improved UX -- better/cleaner definition of posts/quotes/etc. with a tighter design and more contemporary look & feel. 30% completed.

3) Swipe Detection (phone only) -- Swiping to the right will take you backwards in your browsing history on the site. Swiping to the left within a thread will take you to the next page of a thread. 10%.

4) Mobile Member Portal -- A one-page summary of everything that has happened since your last visit. 20%.

5) Real Time Alerts -- While browsing in mobile, you get alerts for new replies, new private messages, and new threads in subscribed forums as they happen. Planned; not started.

6) Easier Picture Uploading -- Mobile users will have the option of taking a photo to start a thread, or using a photo in their camera roll. Planned; not started.

7) Smaller Footprint -- Smaller overall page file sizes for faster loading on mobile connections. 50%.


Things you may lose in the new mobile site: mobile avatars, desktop mode option, light/dark option.


All that being said, what are other mobile features you'd like to see as part of the incremental upgrade?





--- --- and yes, there's a list of smaller current issues that are being addressed

Loving the idea of easier picture loading...
Might actually try the mobile site thing.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

desktop mode option, light/dark option.

Please try your best to keep these options.

The all white background is an eyesore and the desktop version is so much better than the current mobile version that even with the new additions it's not a guaranteed improvement on the desktop screen.
That option would still be highly valuable IMO.



Avatars are already defunct on the current mobile desktop so that's not really a loss.

This may already be fixed - being able to subscribe to a thread without posting. I cannot currently do that on mobile and I don't like posting a "placeholder" to be able to follow a thread.

Glad you are doing the upgrades! I use my mobile a lot and this will definitely help me!


Thanks,

- AB

Damn, 5 and 6 are the best ones! Thanks, SO! I can't wait to see the new mobile version!

As for suggestions... all I can think (at the moment) is that we can't see any specific details when checking a profile. It's a truly small, tiny thing, but it sometimes bugs me, not being able to check things like "last time the person was online" or "location".

But maybe I'm just a too curious person with a stalking tendency.

originally posted by: AboveBoard
This may already be fixed - being able to subscribe to a thread without posting. I cannot currently do that on mobile and I don't like posting a "placeholder" to be able to follow a thread.

Glad you are doing the upgrades! I use my mobile a lot and this will definitely help me!


Thanks,

- AB

Yes, this. Please.

The easier photo upload is long over due.
From a Samsung note 3 running dolphin, photo uploads have been almost impossible. Most of the time it just hangs there, I got it once and the pic came in sideways.

Yay for the upgrade

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

It sounds like you've been busy. I'm sure the mobile users will appreciate it. Are you doing it alone?

a reply to: SkepticOverlord
While you're at it...
my Preview function doesn't seem to be working. Is that the same for everybody, or do you have such confidence in my postings that you assume I don't need it anymore?

a reply to: SkepticOverlord
I definitely agree with the subscribe to a thread option. That would make my experience more enjoyable. I subscribe to a lot, but can only do it when at the PC, but actually spend more time on here via mobile.

Well, if you want suggestions for the UI, I wont lie, the current UI is a bit awkward feeling.

I often hit the logout button confusing it with the more options arrow, its really annoying. Help text or a new icon would be nice, or change the ordering. You have (general buttons) - (My ATS) - (logout) - (More options for ATS members) then (member theme options) which to me seems sort of out of order, logout should be the last option in my mind.

Actually thats another point, if your going to use icons and verbs that are not really universal in meaning for page actions, help text would really be nice.

Using the tools on comments is also sort of weird, most people are used to a more office way of modifying text. Where you highlight text then use bold/italics/underscore ect to change text. The current way you have to copy paste what you want changed into a popup dialog (yuck). Youtube and Images I can understand since it seems like you want those to be a bit "harder" to use so they aren't abused. Also being able to use manual tags would be nice if the user knows how to use them.

I'm not a subscriber, so feel free to tell me to piss off.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

Being able to link videos, other threads/posts and pictures is the big problem I have on a cell. I won't even attempt a thread without a computer.

Other then that things are presently not that bad.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

I would really rather not see the desktop version option for mobile disappear. I appreciate being able to access it so check things that aren't available on the mobile version, like member karma, etc. I don't own a computer, personally, so to lose access to the desktop site would be quite a pain.
Other than that, it definitely sounds like you've got some good improvements in the works. Looking forward to seeing them in the future.

Please, please, PLEASE don't take away the desktop option. I prefer it to the mobile look.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord
Thrilled to see this and looking forward to the upgrade. PLEASE keep the mobile
site dark if we aren't going to have the option to switch back and forth! ATS belongs
dark, IMO.

originally posted by: gemineye
a reply to: SkepticOverlord
Thrilled to see this and looking forward to the upgrade. PLEASE keep the mobile
site dark if we aren't going to have the option to switch back and forth! ATS belongs
dark, IMO.

^^^ That, too!

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

Another upgrade? These two years went fast... Ah, well, the list you have made focuses on good points to improve, good points indeed.

I wonder if you could be so kind as to include better-looking edit tags?

No sweat, just a suggestion.

Thanks for the head-up!

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

I almost forgot:

I have to agree with other members here: please do not remove the desktop view - ATS is utterly unusable in the mobile view, that is why all my devices are set to desktop view.

While this isn't specifically about the mobile site, any chance you would consider adding Google Wallet as a method of donation? Personally, I really dislike PayPal, and I'm always leery of using my credit card on smaller sites. No offense, just personal policy.

Was wondering if there's an ATS app to download and found one but wasn't sure if it was just for reading or interacting with threads, the description kind of threw me off. If anyone knows the answer, it would be helpful. And I have a Nokia Lumia, windows phone, so I don't know if that makes a difference.