Hi HN! I just threw this together in the last few days -- inspired by the TC Disrupt Hackathon.
I just got myself an iPad recently, and I really wanted to be able to send the page I was reading on my computer to the iPad. I didn't find anything that was easy and quick so I made it myself.
This is a "rough draft" of a web app. There are a few rough edges and browser quirks. I wanted to see if anyone else would use it. If so, I will put some more work in to cleaning it all up! Let me know what you think.
Google has a "chrome to phone" browser extension and android app (that manages the push notification) -- https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/oadboiipflhobonjjf... -- but I found that it didn't work well for me, because having multiple concurrent logins to google (for adgrok.com and mceachen.org) confused the extension.
* There's a problem with the header. It's distracting right now. Here's what it looks like when I scroll the page in Chrome 12 beta: http://awesomescreenshot.com/05ddvrz35
* The footer seems completely unnecessary and is only taking up valuable screen space.
* Try to find better pictures for the landing page. It may not sound rational, but the seeing the clearly old PC with a floppy drive makes me feel that this is outdated. And the white iPad looks weird to me. Especially on the whitish background. Try using a picture of the black iPad to add more contrast. Also, see if you can find a picture without the distracting glossy overlay.
* Try to move it higher above the fold. Use http://browsersize.googlelabs.com/ to visualize where the fold is for what percentage of people on the internet.
* Maybe try adding a login dialog? Not all users will remember the url, even if it is obvious. But many are familiar with what to do on a login page.
Some questions that I thought of while browsing it:
Thanks a ton for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
It doesn't support more than one page. If you pull something up on the computer and decide you want to go outside and read/watch it on the iPad, you Tap2Tab it.
The difference between Tap2Tab & Instapaper is that it works for YouTube, Netflix, PDF documents, ect. There is no reformatting of content, it redirects you to the page just like a URL shortener.
Yup, I use it an love it. Despite the similarity Tap2Tab serves a totally different purpose. I mentioned it above but Tap2Tab works on Videos, Netflix, Youtube, Google Maps, ect. It doesn't alter the content at all, it just redirects you to the page.
What does this offer me that Chrome2Phone doesn't already do. I can send links, YouTube videos, my clipboard, etc with a lighter interface and no personalized url.
Its interesting and I can see where you're going with this. I do highly recommend checking out Chrome2Phone. Its the most frictionless implementation of this idea, you click the extension and the page opens on your phone, super simple super easy. If you can get Tap2Tab to be just as simple you could have something really useful for iOS devices. I would consider making this into a Chrome extension, I never have my bookmark bar visible.
I didn't find your comment rude at all. I appreciate the feedback, and I am really excited some folks signed up and seem to like the tool. Stay tuned for the chrome extension - I like that idea a lot.
I don't have any tablet, but this is something I've wondered about -- getting something to tablet without having to email myself the frikkin URL (that's not how it works, um, does it?). I've asked two people with tablets to try it,
Good stuff Rob, simple & easy to use. This was always a minor pain point when looking at a google map on my laptop and wanting to view the same map on my iPhone.
I've been using QSQRCode to send data to my phone: select, send to Quicksilver and display QR code for the phone to scan. Tap2Tab sounds like an interesting approach, though, and I'm curious to see how much it could do.
26 comments
[ 3.2 ms ] story [ 76.6 ms ] threadI just got myself an iPad recently, and I really wanted to be able to send the page I was reading on my computer to the iPad. I didn't find anything that was easy and quick so I made it myself.
This is a "rough draft" of a web app. There are a few rough edges and browser quirks. I wanted to see if anyone else would use it. If so, I will put some more work in to cleaning it all up! Let me know what you think.
* There's a problem with the header. It's distracting right now. Here's what it looks like when I scroll the page in Chrome 12 beta: http://awesomescreenshot.com/05ddvrz35
* The footer seems completely unnecessary and is only taking up valuable screen space.
* Try to find better pictures for the landing page. It may not sound rational, but the seeing the clearly old PC with a floppy drive makes me feel that this is outdated. And the white iPad looks weird to me. Especially on the whitish background. Try using a picture of the black iPad to add more contrast. Also, see if you can find a picture without the distracting glossy overlay.
* Try to move it higher above the fold. Use http://browsersize.googlelabs.com/ to visualize where the fold is for what percentage of people on the internet.
* Maybe try adding a login dialog? Not all users will remember the url, even if it is obvious. But many are familiar with what to do on a login page.
Some questions that I thought of while browsing it:
* How does it support more than one webpage?
* How is this different from Instapaper?
It doesn't support more than one page. If you pull something up on the computer and decide you want to go outside and read/watch it on the iPad, you Tap2Tab it.
The difference between Tap2Tab & Instapaper is that it works for YouTube, Netflix, PDF documents, ect. There is no reformatting of content, it redirects you to the page just like a URL shortener.
Its interesting and I can see where you're going with this. I do highly recommend checking out Chrome2Phone. Its the most frictionless implementation of this idea, you click the extension and the page opens on your phone, super simple super easy. If you can get Tap2Tab to be just as simple you could have something really useful for iOS devices. I would consider making this into a Chrome extension, I never have my bookmark bar visible.
For example: i.tap2tab.com
Never got around to creating the bookmarklet since uptake was low and I find going to the website simple enough.
The integration is very nice though!