I Don't Want Your Fucking App
May 12, 2013 5:45 PM Subscribe
Oh god. Almost nothing irritates me more about mobile web browsing than this. My mobile browser is fucking great! Your app sucks and updates every two weeks for no reason! I really, really don't want your app!
posted by uncleozzy at 6:00 PM on May 12, 2013 [17 favorites]
posted by uncleozzy at 6:00 PM on May 12, 2013 [17 favorites]
METAFILTER IS AVAILABLE ON TAPATALK
TAP CANCEL TO SEE THIS MESSAGE AGAIN EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE
posted by DoctorFedora at 6:03 PM on May 12, 2013 [66 favorites]
TAP CANCEL TO SEE THIS MESSAGE AGAIN EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE
posted by DoctorFedora at 6:03 PM on May 12, 2013 [66 favorites]
When we implement the RFC for cockpunch over IP, these bastards will be the first against the wall.
posted by wotsac at 6:03 PM on May 12, 2013 [14 favorites]
posted by wotsac at 6:03 PM on May 12, 2013 [14 favorites]
Bonus points for broken redirects/untraceable content.
Awful bandwidth hog "HTML5 app" mobile sites can die in a fire too.
posted by Artw at 6:05 PM on May 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
Awful bandwidth hog "HTML5 app" mobile sites can die in a fire too.
posted by Artw at 6:05 PM on May 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
This is the popup ad of the 21st century. Completely user hostile, and the apps are usually pieces of shit anyway.
posted by DecemberBoy at 6:06 PM on May 12, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by DecemberBoy at 6:06 PM on May 12, 2013 [6 favorites]
Heh. Yeah. And we're all being told how HTML5 is the future and it can do everything native apps can do anyway. Stupid. And then you've got the useless fuckers who make "native" apps using HTML5/Javascript in Phonegap.
posted by Jimbob at 6:06 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Jimbob at 6:06 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
WHY DOES CRACKED NEED AN APP?
ITS A STUPID HUMOR SITE.
I just want to read some dick jokes and learn historical facts!
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 6:07 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
ITS A STUPID HUMOR SITE.
I just want to read some dick jokes and learn historical facts!
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 6:07 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
You know what else sucks? The tiny little circled x to close the door slam where any misspress brings you to the signup page. That sucks too.
posted by shothotbot at 6:09 PM on May 12, 2013 [24 favorites]
posted by shothotbot at 6:09 PM on May 12, 2013 [24 favorites]
You know (most) sites don't do this because they are stupid, right? It's because they want to establish a communication channel with you over which they have complete control. It's not frustrating, it's terrifying.
posted by DU at 6:10 PM on May 12, 2013 [11 favorites]
posted by DU at 6:10 PM on May 12, 2013 [11 favorites]
Quora doesn't even give you a choice:
You need the app to read all the answers.
We only support reading ansswrs past the first one in our app.
posted by Room 641-A at 6:11 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
You need the app to read all the answers.
We only support reading ansswrs past the first one in our app.
posted by Room 641-A at 6:11 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Just wait until they start doing this to desktop users.
posted by ifandonlyif at 6:11 PM on May 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by ifandonlyif at 6:11 PM on May 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
Reading that page felt like the tumblr equivalent of being cornered by some emphatic boor at a party.
posted by JimmyJames at 6:18 PM on May 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by JimmyJames at 6:18 PM on May 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
The instant a site redirects me to its "tablet" site is my cue to close that tab.
posted by The Whelk at 6:19 PM on May 12, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 6:19 PM on May 12, 2013 [7 favorites]
Related: No [grocery store, pharmacy, convenience store, restaurant], I do not want to sign up for your customer card. Yes, I understand that it is free and that it will save me literally tens of cents on this purchase of a gatorade. But if I get your card, then I have to get everyone's card, and then my wallet will be six inches thick with cards.
posted by Pyry at 6:21 PM on May 12, 2013 [16 favorites]
posted by Pyry at 6:21 PM on May 12, 2013 [16 favorites]
What is the point of costly app development, exactly, as a channel to regurgitate exactly what a good mobile site has to offer? Seems like a more costly, higher maintenance option.
Are users more inclined to open an app than seek out a website? Is there a way to facilitate more homescreen bookmarks instead?
posted by R a c h e l at 6:22 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Are users more inclined to open an app than seek out a website? Is there a way to facilitate more homescreen bookmarks instead?
posted by R a c h e l at 6:22 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
aaah, this drives me nuts. I have an app, it's called Chrome.
posted by octothorpe at 6:22 PM on May 12, 2013 [12 favorites]
posted by octothorpe at 6:22 PM on May 12, 2013 [12 favorites]
Hah, I had a similar idea and had been assembling screenshots for mine. I guess I should send them to him.
posted by ardgedee at 6:23 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by ardgedee at 6:23 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
JimmyJames, try pressing Ctrl+W to leave annoying pages.
It even works without a special app!
posted by IAmBroom at 6:23 PM on May 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
It even works without a special app!
posted by IAmBroom at 6:23 PM on May 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
DU It's not frustrating, it's terrifying.
Add to that apps that want to access your photos, address book and location for no good reason.
posted by nathan_teske at 6:23 PM on May 12, 2013 [7 favorites]
Add to that apps that want to access your photos, address book and location for no good reason.
posted by nathan_teske at 6:23 PM on May 12, 2013 [7 favorites]
Anyone who uses quora deserves all the stupid shit they put up with. I don't understand how a site that is so completely hostile to its users gets so much use.
posted by aspo at 6:26 PM on May 12, 2013 [19 favorites]
posted by aspo at 6:26 PM on May 12, 2013 [19 favorites]
Modal anything drives me so far up the wall I can't even see the ground. Ugh.
posted by migurski at 6:28 PM on May 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by migurski at 6:28 PM on May 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
Especially pointless on a tablet.. When I first got one I was falling for that all the time then i was like.. Why am I storing all these websites locally, this is pointless.
posted by bleep at 6:30 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by bleep at 6:30 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
This blog is terrific.
I just want to mention the Daily Show and Colbert Report's terrible mobile sites that don't let you watch full videos or see any of their archives. Even if you get their apps, you don't get access to their archives! Thanks a lot guys.
posted by JHarris at 6:31 PM on May 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
I just want to mention the Daily Show and Colbert Report's terrible mobile sites that don't let you watch full videos or see any of their archives. Even if you get their apps, you don't get access to their archives! Thanks a lot guys.
posted by JHarris at 6:31 PM on May 12, 2013 [3 favorites]
What is the point of costly app development, exactly, as a channel to regurgitate exactly what a good mobile site has to offer?
Presumably the app harvests more detailed, higher quality personal information compared to what they can glean from your mobile browser, which they can sell to advertisers for a higher aggregate price.
posted by ceribus peribus at 6:33 PM on May 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
Presumably the app harvests more detailed, higher quality personal information compared to what they can glean from your mobile browser, which they can sell to advertisers for a higher aggregate price.
posted by ceribus peribus at 6:33 PM on May 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
Half the dedicated apps I've installed, I never use because the Web or an RSS reader is quicker.
posted by arcticseal at 6:40 PM on May 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by arcticseal at 6:40 PM on May 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
I kowtow to the person who created this blog - it speaks so much truth!
posted by Anima Mundi at 6:43 PM on May 12, 2013
posted by Anima Mundi at 6:43 PM on May 12, 2013
And we're all being told how HTML5 is the future and it can do everything native apps can do anyway.
And now it can, with platform-dependent DRM and binary code blobs! (previously)
HTML5 Premium, now with extra evil.
posted by XMLicious at 6:44 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
METAFILTER IS AVAILABLE ON TAPATALK
Okay, chorizo con pan, Espinacas con garbanzos, a glass of Rioja and a couple of interesting links por favor.
posted by ersatz at 6:47 PM on May 12, 2013 [10 favorites]
Okay, chorizo con pan, Espinacas con garbanzos, a glass of Rioja and a couple of interesting links por favor.
posted by ersatz at 6:47 PM on May 12, 2013 [10 favorites]
I don't have a smart phone, and I still find these really really irritating.
posted by carter at 6:48 PM on May 12, 2013
posted by carter at 6:48 PM on May 12, 2013
So is there any way to keep these things from popping up other than switching your user agent/going to desktop view mode? Maybe some Tasker thing that hits 'cancel' on any box immediately? Man I hate those popups.
posted by monkeymadness at 6:54 PM on May 12, 2013
posted by monkeymadness at 6:54 PM on May 12, 2013
How about: I don't want to use your fucking mobile website on my iPad because I have a 9.7" screen and I know how to fucking pinch-to-zoom and you didn't give me an option to switch to the full web site and why is an iPad considered a "mobile" device anyway do you see any fucking wheels on it no you don't you morons
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 6:59 PM on May 12, 2013 [20 favorites]
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 6:59 PM on May 12, 2013 [20 favorites]
Get a browser that can report itself as a desktop platform? They exist on android, at least.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 7:01 PM on May 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 7:01 PM on May 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
What is the point of costly app development, exactly, as a channel to regurgitate exactly what a good mobile site has to offer? Seems like a more costly, higher maintenance option.
You can, at least in theory, use a browser that implements security, privacy, ad-blocking and page-rewriting features that you like. An app prevents all that and furthermore can monitor your activities and cache data about you in a level of detail that they couldn't do even in a vanilla browser.
posted by George_Spiggott at 7:02 PM on May 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
You can, at least in theory, use a browser that implements security, privacy, ad-blocking and page-rewriting features that you like. An app prevents all that and furthermore can monitor your activities and cache data about you in a level of detail that they couldn't do even in a vanilla browser.
posted by George_Spiggott at 7:02 PM on May 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
Another relevant XKCD comic: "Want to visit an incomplete version of our website where you can't zoom?"
posted by Pseudology at 7:03 PM on May 12, 2013 [20 favorites]
posted by Pseudology at 7:03 PM on May 12, 2013 [20 favorites]
The worst, in my opinion: News sites that use the same engine as OregonLive, which ask me for my location every single time I visit them. I cannot fathom a benefit for the user.
posted by montag2k at 7:03 PM on May 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by montag2k at 7:03 PM on May 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
This never, ever happens on my Symbian phone.
:(
posted by 1adam12 at 7:04 PM on May 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
:(
posted by 1adam12 at 7:04 PM on May 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
motag2k: The sites are all run by Advance Digital, which is a Newhouse family operation. The Oregonian is a Newhouse paper. (This is the company that moved the New Orleans Times-Picayune to three days, while supposedly expanding its online operations, and recently announced plans to put out a smaller breaking news-or-something print edition on other days. Yeesh.)
posted by raysmj at 7:08 PM on May 12, 2013
posted by raysmj at 7:08 PM on May 12, 2013
I'm sorta on the opossite of this, since I think my site will work better as an app but its been hard getting one made.
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 7:08 PM on May 12, 2013
posted by Charlemagne In Sweatpants at 7:08 PM on May 12, 2013
I have an iPod touch version 2; it only supports iOS 4.2. 90% of these apps don't even exist for my iPod, but the websites aren't savvy enough to perceive this. Apple also gets some blame here for forcibly deprecating everything out of usability, but still. Mind-numbing.
posted by Going To Maine at 7:09 PM on May 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Going To Maine at 7:09 PM on May 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
What is the point of costly app development, exactly, as a channel to regurgitate exactly what a good mobile site has to offer? Seems like a more costly, higher maintenance option.
On high-traffic sites, if you can get on a user's home screen and you offer a genuinely useful mobile service via a genuinely useful mobile app, the lift in traffic (read: revenue) is enormous.
The problem is that most sites fail to offer one, the other, or both, and don't realize that a casual user browsing mobile on a whim is really not going to install the app, and their tone-deaf attempts to convince just drive traffic away.
Thats where HTML5 works really well, if done correctly: you leverage it to format your normal site's content properly for smaller screens, the users don't notice anything, and life goes on. The number of companies using HTML5 correctly is, of course, small.
Don't blame the technology; blame the complacency and myopia of people who have been building these things for browsers for so long that they've forgotten how to think of the user instead of thoughtlessly conforming to existing "standards."
posted by davejay at 7:14 PM on May 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
On high-traffic sites, if you can get on a user's home screen and you offer a genuinely useful mobile service via a genuinely useful mobile app, the lift in traffic (read: revenue) is enormous.
The problem is that most sites fail to offer one, the other, or both, and don't realize that a casual user browsing mobile on a whim is really not going to install the app, and their tone-deaf attempts to convince just drive traffic away.
Thats where HTML5 works really well, if done correctly: you leverage it to format your normal site's content properly for smaller screens, the users don't notice anything, and life goes on. The number of companies using HTML5 correctly is, of course, small.
Don't blame the technology; blame the complacency and myopia of people who have been building these things for browsers for so long that they've forgotten how to think of the user instead of thoughtlessly conforming to existing "standards."
posted by davejay at 7:14 PM on May 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
What is the point of costly app development, exactly, as a channel to regurgitate exactly what a good mobile site has to offer? Seems like a more costly, higher maintenance option.
From the perspective of the MBA who's often making this decision, there are two primary reasons. First, the theory goes that you're building customer loyalty. A customer is more likely to shop at CVS when he needs "a drugstore" if he's carrying a CVS card. You're more likely to visit Barnes & Noble when you need "a bookstore" if you have a Barnes & Noble card. Similarly, the Internet is wide and you can hit their website the same as any competitor's; but if they can convince you to install their app, then it's more likely you'll think of them.
Second, there's a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses mentality. Your two primary competitors have an app. You don't?! Well, apps are the new thing. What the heck are you doing, that your company hasn't even gotten on that train yet? You might as well be the company in 1999 that didn't have a website, or the company in 2009 that didn't have a Twitter.
posted by cribcage at 7:15 PM on May 12, 2013 [6 favorites]
From the perspective of the MBA who's often making this decision, there are two primary reasons. First, the theory goes that you're building customer loyalty. A customer is more likely to shop at CVS when he needs "a drugstore" if he's carrying a CVS card. You're more likely to visit Barnes & Noble when you need "a bookstore" if you have a Barnes & Noble card. Similarly, the Internet is wide and you can hit their website the same as any competitor's; but if they can convince you to install their app, then it's more likely you'll think of them.
Second, there's a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses mentality. Your two primary competitors have an app. You don't?! Well, apps are the new thing. What the heck are you doing, that your company hasn't even gotten on that train yet? You might as well be the company in 1999 that didn't have a website, or the company in 2009 that didn't have a Twitter.
posted by cribcage at 7:15 PM on May 12, 2013 [6 favorites]
Oh, and the correct place to advertise your mobile version is on your desktop version, because your hardcore users will visit both, your hardcore users are the only ones who will want the mobile version, and mobile device interactions are finicky enough that taking up real estate and/or interaction time to deal with these advertisements are much, much more burdensome than the desktop (where they're relatively trivial to dismiss or ignore, and where users are much more likely to have cookies or LSOs activated for suppressing the ad on subsequent visits.)
posted by davejay at 7:20 PM on May 12, 2013
posted by davejay at 7:20 PM on May 12, 2013
To their credit Apple has recognized this problem and come up with Smart App Banners as sort of a less obtrusive compromise, and it's smart enough to show the banner only if the app is compatible with your hardware.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:25 PM on May 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:25 PM on May 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
Oh, and the correct place to advertise your mobile version is on your desktop version
Or maybe add a small link to the top of the page in the mobile version, one that users can see but can also scroll past easily.
posted by monkeymadness at 7:27 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Or maybe add a small link to the top of the page in the mobile version, one that users can see but can also scroll past easily.
posted by monkeymadness at 7:27 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Just want to add a FUCKING RIGHT ON
posted by fungible at 7:36 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by fungible at 7:36 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
What is the point of costly app development, exactly, as a channel to regurgitate exactly what a good mobile site has to offer? Seems like a more costly, higher maintenance option.
I gave this some thought myself, and many companies may believe that notifications of new content may pull back users who would pull away otherwise, so there's that.
I know that most apps regurgitate web pages, but some do it so much more usefully - yelp or ESPN are so much more useful than instructables, at least to me. (also, ahahahaha to that taste.au that has the nerve to ask you to buy their paid app instead of visiting their webpage!)
posted by R a c h e l at 7:39 PM on May 12, 2013
I gave this some thought myself, and many companies may believe that notifications of new content may pull back users who would pull away otherwise, so there's that.
I know that most apps regurgitate web pages, but some do it so much more usefully - yelp or ESPN are so much more useful than instructables, at least to me. (also, ahahahaha to that taste.au that has the nerve to ask you to buy their paid app instead of visiting their webpage!)
posted by R a c h e l at 7:39 PM on May 12, 2013
Can we at least have some new turd-licking curse words on these tumblr sites?
posted by thelonius at 7:42 PM on May 12, 2013
posted by thelonius at 7:42 PM on May 12, 2013
putrid chudnuggets
posted by ashbury at 7:56 PM on May 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by ashbury at 7:56 PM on May 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
Add to that the fact that in iOS Chrome, I get banner ads at the bottom of the screen that have TEEEENY goddamn killspots on them, and my fingers don't quite hit them right. I'm considering going back to Safari.
(I'm sure there's some way to block these things, but I can't figure it out and I'm not sure I even know the right terms to, heh, google it.)
posted by mephron at 8:53 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
(I'm sure there's some way to block these things, but I can't figure it out and I'm not sure I even know the right terms to, heh, google it.)
posted by mephron at 8:53 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Or maybe add a small link to the top of the page in the mobile version, one that users can see but can also scroll past easily.
If we were in a conference room, I'd say okay...but at the bottom. ;)
posted by davejay at 8:57 PM on May 12, 2013
If we were in a conference room, I'd say okay...but at the bottom. ;)
posted by davejay at 8:57 PM on May 12, 2013
You know (most) sites don't do this because they are stupid, right? It's because they want to establish a communication channel with you over which they have complete control. It's not frustrating, it's terrifying.
How true. While reading the judging criteria for the Hackathon (mentioned here recently), I noticed that apps were being judged by "how well they are able to learn about their users." (As opposed to, you know, the other way around)
That's some Tron MCP shit right there.
posted by ShutterBun at 9:10 PM on May 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
How true. While reading the judging criteria for the Hackathon (mentioned here recently), I noticed that apps were being judged by "how well they are able to learn about their users." (As opposed to, you know, the other way around)
That's some Tron MCP shit right there.
posted by ShutterBun at 9:10 PM on May 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
I think we've found next year's april fool's prank.
posted by pwnguin at 9:18 PM on May 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by pwnguin at 9:18 PM on May 12, 2013 [5 favorites]
No [grocery store, pharmacy, convenience store, restaurant], I do not want to sign up for your customer card... if I get your card, then I have to get everyone's card, and my wallet will be six inches thickThis is why you start up an account with your company's main front-desk number, then you can just enter that and not carry a card. Seems I wasn't the only one; when I ring up in Portland it thinks I'm our old IT guy; in Seattle it thinks I'm our old Photoshop add-on product manager (and Safeway must think that guy lives on Breyer's peach ice cream!)
posted by blueberry at 9:49 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Mr. Roquette can't be talked out of his two wallets filled with endless cards. I only carry what will fit in one of those binder clips now.
I dislike carrying stuff. Trucked kids and groceries around. I am not a pack animal. Not even remotely built like one. And cards are another damn thing to look for.
These stupid mobile apps really are annoying. Certain sites, Raw Story, AlterNet, and a few others jack my iPod over to the mobile, where it proceeds to crah. Usually when I really would like to read the story and am too tired for bullshit from the mobile app.
I have systematically complained to each of these places. I am sometimes simply too tired to even sit at a desk top. I only do it for some really important reason.
I figure they want my eyeballs on their site, don't make it a miserably annoying experience.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 10:27 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
I dislike carrying stuff. Trucked kids and groceries around. I am not a pack animal. Not even remotely built like one. And cards are another damn thing to look for.
These stupid mobile apps really are annoying. Certain sites, Raw Story, AlterNet, and a few others jack my iPod over to the mobile, where it proceeds to crah. Usually when I really would like to read the story and am too tired for bullshit from the mobile app.
I have systematically complained to each of these places. I am sometimes simply too tired to even sit at a desk top. I only do it for some really important reason.
I figure they want my eyeballs on their site, don't make it a miserably annoying experience.
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 10:27 PM on May 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
You know (most) sites don't do this because they are stupid, right? It's because they want to establish a communication channel with you over which they have complete control. It's not frustrating, it's terrifying.And that will let them upload all the pictures you take with your camera, plus give basically full user-level access on the iPhone (on android they may need to ask for separate permissions). What actually requires permission on the iPhone at this point? Is permission required to turn on the microphone, for example?
posted by delmoi at 2:05 AM on May 13, 2013
But if I get your card, then I have to get everyone's card, and then my wallet will be six inches thick with cards.There's an app for that.
posted by snakeling at 2:10 AM on May 13, 2013 [9 favorites]
What is the point of costly app development, exactly, as a channel to regurgitate exactly what a good mobile site has to offer? Seems like a more costly, higher maintenance option.
Developers gotta eat you know. Also marketing managers need projects too.
posted by Dr Dracator at 2:17 AM on May 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Developers gotta eat you know. Also marketing managers need projects too.
posted by Dr Dracator at 2:17 AM on May 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
Why am I storing all these websites locally, this is pointless.
Not everyone has always on networking. Either due to the cost of always data or because coverage sucks.
Writing an app to hawk ones wares seems pointless to me also. Things like a 'fill this out for your insurance' seems like a good idea, except for the "Here Mr. Policeman, have my phone so you can copy the insurance info." is ripe for the insertion of the phone into a phone dump system some police have.
It seems like apps are being pushed, from a development side, for the ability of the app to mine your phone for info to resell.
The problem is that most sites fail to offer one, the other, or both, and don't realize that a casual user browsing mobile on a whim is really not going to install the app,
And what if you have a bargain smartphone that is loaded up with crapware you can't remove and have very little space to install apps on left over? If the phone is already bitching "low on space" - what's the incentive to install something else?
posted by rough ashlar at 4:45 AM on May 13, 2013
Not everyone has always on networking. Either due to the cost of always data or because coverage sucks.
Writing an app to hawk ones wares seems pointless to me also. Things like a 'fill this out for your insurance' seems like a good idea, except for the "Here Mr. Policeman, have my phone so you can copy the insurance info." is ripe for the insertion of the phone into a phone dump system some police have.
It seems like apps are being pushed, from a development side, for the ability of the app to mine your phone for info to resell.
The problem is that most sites fail to offer one, the other, or both, and don't realize that a casual user browsing mobile on a whim is really not going to install the app,
And what if you have a bargain smartphone that is loaded up with crapware you can't remove and have very little space to install apps on left over? If the phone is already bitching "low on space" - what's the incentive to install something else?
posted by rough ashlar at 4:45 AM on May 13, 2013
The upside of a dedicated app is that they, conceptually at least, use less data.
My experience, however, is that what they really do is just eat up battery life.
The upside of apps for the developer side is that, again conceptually, it is easier to whip up an app with the developers' kit for all the operating systems, than it would be to cobble together a single mobile site that does what you want.
But in general, yes, apps suck and I hate them.
posted by gjc at 5:35 AM on May 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
My experience, however, is that what they really do is just eat up battery life.
The upside of apps for the developer side is that, again conceptually, it is easier to whip up an app with the developers' kit for all the operating systems, than it would be to cobble together a single mobile site that does what you want.
But in general, yes, apps suck and I hate them.
posted by gjc at 5:35 AM on May 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
This is the popup ad of the 21st century.
I've found popup ads to be the popup ads of the 21st century.
No, I don't want to subscribe to your magazine or "Like" you on Facebook or join your "community" or whatever. I just want to read this article. We hated this shit back in the early 2000s and built pop-up blockers and stuff to stop them. Just because you can do it in HTML5 now and the screen is "witty" doesn't mean we like them now. I still want them the hell out of my face.
posted by Legomancer at 5:37 AM on May 13, 2013 [7 favorites]
I've found popup ads to be the popup ads of the 21st century.
No, I don't want to subscribe to your magazine or "Like" you on Facebook or join your "community" or whatever. I just want to read this article. We hated this shit back in the early 2000s and built pop-up blockers and stuff to stop them. Just because you can do it in HTML5 now and the screen is "witty" doesn't mean we like them now. I still want them the hell out of my face.
posted by Legomancer at 5:37 AM on May 13, 2013 [7 favorites]
JimmyJames, try pressing Ctrl+W to leave annoying pages.
It even works without a special app!
Not if you're on a phone it doesn't!
posted by limeonaire at 6:03 AM on May 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
It even works without a special app!
Not if you're on a phone it doesn't!
posted by limeonaire at 6:03 AM on May 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
(Sitting in a nice cool puddle of schadenfreude right now because in my developer career, I chose to sit out the whole "app" thing. Server-side coding FTW! )
posted by Artful Codger at 6:22 AM on May 13, 2013
posted by Artful Codger at 6:22 AM on May 13, 2013
From the perspective of the MBA who's often making this decision
The taste.com.au app is actually trying to charge $1.99 for the shockingly valuable access it offers to...recipes? In 2013? That's some quality MBA decision-making right there for sure.
posted by mediareport at 6:58 AM on May 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
The taste.com.au app is actually trying to charge $1.99 for the shockingly valuable access it offers to...recipes? In 2013? That's some quality MBA decision-making right there for sure.
posted by mediareport at 6:58 AM on May 13, 2013 [2 favorites]
Seriously, I would pay cash money for a checkbox in any of my mobile browsers that simply said "Allow mobile app upgrade dialog boxes".
So I could uncheck the fuck out of it.
Hell, I'd be happy if their cookies remembered my choices. That'd help too.
posted by quin at 9:10 AM on May 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
So I could uncheck the fuck out of it.
Hell, I'd be happy if their cookies remembered my choices. That'd help too.
posted by quin at 9:10 AM on May 13, 2013 [1 favorite]
I have like 3 apps I use consistently. Apps are mostly not worth the trouble. I'm fine with making apps available as there are some heavy users who will benefit from the app (as long as it's not absolute crap, always an important consideration); but don't make it so hard for the rest of us to get to the content because then we... just... won't.
posted by Mister_A at 9:21 AM on May 13, 2013
posted by Mister_A at 9:21 AM on May 13, 2013
My favorite is checking Linkedin emails on my smartphone. I have the app installed, but if I get an email about somebody who wants to connect, it takes me to their webpage, which requires a login, and then it asks me if I want the app. Beautiful.
posted by Chuffy at 10:57 AM on May 13, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Chuffy at 10:57 AM on May 13, 2013 [5 favorites]
> Oh, and the correct place to advertise your mobile version is on your desktop version
Where AdBlock Plus can deal with it properly. Yessssss!
posted by jfuller at 11:21 AM on May 13, 2013
Where AdBlock Plus can deal with it properly. Yessssss!
posted by jfuller at 11:21 AM on May 13, 2013
The upside of a dedicated app is that they, conceptually at least, use less data.
My experience, however, is that what they really do is just eat up battery life.
Really? My experience (on Android) and from talking to app developers is that most apps use a lot less phone battery than your mobile Web browser would.
For stuff like checking public transit arrivals and other such "simple data" tasks, I prefer the app to the Web site. I find they don't use nearly as much of my (very outdated) battery.
posted by mrgrimm at 11:33 AM on May 13, 2013
My experience, however, is that what they really do is just eat up battery life.
Really? My experience (on Android) and from talking to app developers is that most apps use a lot less phone battery than your mobile Web browser would.
For stuff like checking public transit arrivals and other such "simple data" tasks, I prefer the app to the Web site. I find they don't use nearly as much of my (very outdated) battery.
posted by mrgrimm at 11:33 AM on May 13, 2013
Really? My experience (on Android) and from talking to app developers is that most apps use a lot less phone battery than your mobile Web browser would.
Depends on how well they're coded. Many apps have a relatively low power drain but continue operating in the background until you deliberately close them. Installing Steam to my phone immediately dropped my battery life by something like 15% until I realized I had to close it whenever I was done with it.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 11:38 AM on May 13, 2013
Depends on how well they're coded. Many apps have a relatively low power drain but continue operating in the background until you deliberately close them. Installing Steam to my phone immediately dropped my battery life by something like 15% until I realized I had to close it whenever I was done with it.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 11:38 AM on May 13, 2013
A customer is more likely to shop at CVS when he needs "a drugstore" if he's carrying a CVS card.
This customer is more likely to shop at CVS after figuring out that the self-checkout stations have a "courtesy card" button--basically, a "here, enjoy our member discounts anonymously!" option which is head and shoulders above all alternatives.
Similarly, the Internet is wide and you can hit their website the same as any competitor's; but if they can convince you to install their app, then it's more likely you'll think of them.
...and yet, what we've learned here is that if they convince you to install their app and you discover it's a PITA, you very quickly gravitate to their competitors, no?
posted by psoas at 1:38 PM on May 13, 2013
This customer is more likely to shop at CVS after figuring out that the self-checkout stations have a "courtesy card" button--basically, a "here, enjoy our member discounts anonymously!" option which is head and shoulders above all alternatives.
Similarly, the Internet is wide and you can hit their website the same as any competitor's; but if they can convince you to install their app, then it's more likely you'll think of them.
...and yet, what we've learned here is that if they convince you to install their app and you discover it's a PITA, you very quickly gravitate to their competitors, no?
posted by psoas at 1:38 PM on May 13, 2013
Your two primary competitors have an app. You don't?! Well, apps are the new thing.
One of the nice things about being in charge of internetty things for a poor charity rather than a business is that whenever these things roll around I just plead a lack of money in the budget and lack of time in the developers' schedules and by the time either of those things are addressed, if ever, the fad has gone away! And I'll have spent the meantime concentrating on trying to make our website come up to some basic level of 'not shit', instead.
It's too bad this place managed to piss five grand away on a completely useless iphone app that never even got finished before I got promoted far enough to stop it. Oh, and before that there was the time where were really keen to make our mark in Second Life. But from now on...
posted by Slyfen at 9:44 AM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
One of the nice things about being in charge of internetty things for a poor charity rather than a business is that whenever these things roll around I just plead a lack of money in the budget and lack of time in the developers' schedules and by the time either of those things are addressed, if ever, the fad has gone away! And I'll have spent the meantime concentrating on trying to make our website come up to some basic level of 'not shit', instead.
It's too bad this place managed to piss five grand away on a completely useless iphone app that never even got finished before I got promoted far enough to stop it. Oh, and before that there was the time where were really keen to make our mark in Second Life. But from now on...
posted by Slyfen at 9:44 AM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
This is the "HTML5 app" mobile site solution I particularly despise.
posted by Artw at 6:36 PM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 6:36 PM on May 14, 2013 [1 favorite]
Dear "Marketing Assholes" and "Social Media Consultants Cunts" - you suck. You are not making the world a better place. I do not want your app. I do not want 'social' in my employers intranet. I do not want ads on every surface upon this earth. Leave me the fuck alone.
-Consumers Everywhere
posted by Monkey0nCrack at 10:10 AM on May 18, 2013
-Consumers Everywhere
posted by Monkey0nCrack at 10:10 AM on May 18, 2013
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with Tumblr for iPhone
AAAAAAAAAAA
posted by bq at 5:50 PM on May 12, 2013 [52 favorites]