posted 06/29/09 04:53 PM | updated 06/29/09 04:59 PM
Featured Post! | Views: 384 | Comments : 11 | Community

Help us Prioritize Features: iPhone or Not?

We've got an ever-growing list of potential neighborhood blog features over at Neighborlogs , our little software product that runs CDNews and a bunch of otherneighborhood blogs . But we need more hard data to help us decide what to work on next. 

More mobile tools is an obvious place that could use some focus. But we're not sure how deeply some of the fancy new phones have penetrated into the neighborhood.

Do you have an iPhone? Plan on getting one? No interest in ever getting one? Let us know in this poll:

Tags: Meta
Please don't make an app..
What is the question?

Whether to make an optimized version of the page? Or whether to make an iPhone app version?

There is a pretty ridiculous tendency for people to release apps in the App Store for things that are perfectly suited for the excellent iPhone browser. It is actually incredibly silly because for things like websites it is both far easier to develop an iPhone specific HTML version and far faster to update said 'app' without going through the Apple QA process etc..

I feel I can say this with some authority since my job is making games and apps on smart phones. :)
Comment by nicpottier
June 29, 2009
( 0 votes )
RE: Please don't make an app..
We're just generally trying to gauge the penetration of iphones among our readers. A mobile HTML UI is definitely our first priority for general browsing, commenting, etc. But mobile newsgathering is also important, and mobile Safari's lack of HTTP upload is a big frustration there.
Comment by scott
June 29, 2009
( 0 votes )
RE: Please don't make an app..
x500. dont make an app to replace something you can browse up, cant say it enough.

uhh and winmo ftw!
Comment by bpm2000
June 30, 2009
( 0 votes )
applications
Although I voted the last one, I want you to know I don't have anything against any of the new phones. It isn't a priority at the moment. Never say never is my philosophy.
Comment by joanna
June 29, 2009
( 0 votes )
RE: applications
Ditto.
Andrew
Comment by Andrew Taylor
June 29, 2009
( 0 votes )
No love...
...for an android-based phone?
Comment by kb
June 30, 2009
( 0 votes )
Yes, iphone!
Yes, iphone, twitter, facebook, all of it!
Comment by Anita
June 30, 2009
( 0 votes )
ning model
I like my.greatcity.org (sorry for the shameless plug) and other ning sites, which allow you to do this:
Add By Phone
Add photos and videos to Seattle Network from your phone by sending them to this email address:
NateColeDa550@seattlegreatcitynetwork.ning.com
Comment by Nate
June 30, 2009
( 0 votes )
oh and the phone
I almost forgot to say I use a windows mobile device but I voted for #2, even though its more like "hope" than "plan" at this point. I'd love a better interface than the way it looks now, although going through google reader helps.

Thanks for asking!
Comment by Nate
June 30, 2009
( 0 votes )
I'd focus on other features vs. iPhone specfic development
I have an iPhone and love it, but find that I get most of my news from you via twitter, and then come to the site at night (and plan to do more of the latter -- I just love the local content).

My hunch is that you'd be better off focusing on site development/features, and making sure it works well in Safari & other browsers.

That said, it's hard to vote, when I'm not sure what you're thinking about enabling in the iPhone. If you had a simple list of features/capabilities, the idea of an iPhone app might get more interesting (i.e. the ability to read the feed of info... the ability to submit stories/photos/videos...)

Great job,

Dave
Comment by Dave Schappell
June 30, 2009
( +4 votes )
I wouldn't bother with custom iPhone HTML
Have you looked at stats on how many people follow your blog via Twitter or an RSS aggregator vs. actually visiting the front page?

Second, the iPhone is more capable than any other phone of making regular pages usable. Thus, the iPhone needs a custom HTML version less than any other device. I haven't yet seen a mobile dumb-down that I liked.

Now, a news reporting app sounds interesting.
Comment by Maarten
July 15, 2009
( 0 votes )
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