What is a mobile device?

[John Fligg]

I know this sounds silly but ....

The templates have the checkbox just fine. But is a mobile device a smartphone? My clients tell me the iPad is a mobile device!

I want my information to be limited on a smartphone.

So is a mobile device defined by a set screen size? I suspect it is.

John

[Bruce]

as I mentioned on the webinar, there is no clear definition of "mobile". It is, in effect, whatever you want it to be.

Some define it based on screen size (in which case, it's unclear if a 7" tablet is mobile, or a 5" or a 10"?)
Some define it based on the interface (touch versus mouse).

Clearly the iPad is "mobile" in the sense that it is touch based, and well, it travels around easily enough. On the other hand it has a screen large enough to be similar to some desktops.

Question is - why do you care? The pages work on iPad, so why is this an issue?

cheers
Bruce

[DonRidley]

EDIT:  Bruce posted at the same time I did..   

I hope Bruce jumps in on this one but I'll tell you what I think it is within the context of NetTalk 6.

In NetTalk 6, a device is considered "mobile" when its screen size is smaller than say 7 inches.  I'm not sure what the actual number is.  So, on an iPad, which has a decent sized screen, your NT6 app would display in desktop mode.  On a smartphone, it would display in mobile mode.

Bruce actually talks about this in the NetTalk 6 webinar. (Webinar 135)

http://www.capesoft.com/accessories/netsp.htm (scroll down)

Don

[Bruce]

I should point out that it's trivial for the customer to decide. If you're supporting both, then they can swap between the modes regardless of the device they are on.

cheers
Bruce

[John Fligg]

Bruce in aswer to your question why?

Well the amrtphone can only show a list of names let us say in a browse. However if running on the iPad it can show more such as a list alongside. So do I use the mobile checkbox or not on the extra information that cannot be shown on the phone.

I know you can swap between but how do you do that. Sorry not read up on any of that yet. Can you put a button on the main page (index) to swap between small and large?

John

[DonRidley]

NetTalk "detects" the difference automatically.

However, you can force the your web app to be in mobile or desktop mode by clicking on the actions button for the WebHandler procedure.  Click on WebHandler settings.  Select mobile or desktop.

Don

[Bruce]

yes, you can force it at the server, but you can also force it per session as well, which is probably what you want to do here. Give the user the choice, that way you get the best of both worlds.

Any URL with the parameter _mobile_=x sets the mobile value for that session. if set to a positive number, then the site will be in mobile mode. If set to 0 then in desktop mode. You can create a Hyperlink with this parameter, or a button, or put a field on a form, pretty much anything you like.

Cheers
Bruce