I don't want your iPad-optimized web site
One is the tendency to auto-convert themselves into app-like interfaces. Google+, for all its attempts to catch Facebook, does this and it makes me hate their service (e.g. create a Page on my desktop and love it, go to my iPad and find 90% of the Page's capabilities are simply missing). Since I know the device can handle a normal web page, I am just angry when a site effectively hides itself from me.
A related "feature" is this assumption that there must be something wrong with me for using the web page: sites constantly popping up reminders that they have apps. If I wanted the app I would have installed it.
The second problem is sites adding arbitrary restrictions. Pinch-to-zoom is awesome until some bone-headed web site decides all by itself that its layout will actively fight this. Less available screen space, broken scrolling, the list goes on. You know what, I know what size I want my font to be, not you.
So please, web sites, fire your iPad "optimizers" and let your sites shine for what they are. Very few web sites are truly similar to apps, so stop making them that way.
2 comments
[ 3.7 ms ] story [ 18.3 ms ] threadEspecially the pinch to zoom lock is ridiculous: The pure web is still the best UI for tablets and even for smartphones WHEN READING content. In particular the word wrap feature coming with Android's stock browser reformatting text to the the exact screen width is the best feature ever: you can pinch to zoom to you preferred font size and read much longer and better than in front of a any notebook, even with smallest Android smartphones.
Or the optimizing-for-touch-mania leads to these new hybrid websites for desktop and touch where every button or form field is so bloated that the entire UI feels like a children's toy.
Exactly. I have the same pet peeve. It is such a nuisance.