Multiple Computing Devices: Do You Have An App For That?

How do people use your website? Do you have a mobile app specifically for smartphones? What about an app for tablets such as the iPad? When would a visitor access your site from a desktop or laptop?  Consider what you want people to do when they come to your site, and under what circumstances they would use each of these devices.  Consult your Google analytics to see which devices and browsers are used to view your site.  The answers will guide you in developing the correct web design strategy for each platform.

We don’t replace technology, we add devices

The other day I walked into my office and glanced at my desk, with the 2 large monitors connected to a MacPro tower desktop.   Next to the monitor was my laptop with my iPad sitting on top of it, and my smart phone on top of the iPad

It struck me, as I looked at the stack of electronics on my desk, that we don’t replace technology, we add devices.  Each one serves a unique computing purpose, depending on where we are and what we are doing. The device we use is dictated by need and location, not by the website we want to access.  In fact, we expect the website to deliver regardless of the device we choose!

Last month we visited Disneyland in California.  Before and during the trip, I used all 4 of my devices in distinct ways.  I used my desktop to map the route we would take, not to print and follow, but to calculate the budget we would need for gas.  I wanted to see the distance in miles based on the various routes we might take into Orange County.

Once on the road, my iPad was handy to show where we were en route, and possible places to make potty stops (very important!).  When we checked into the hotel, I used the laptop to look for details about the attractions and lore of Disneyland.
Did you know that after the place closes and everyone has gone home, the park is overrun by feral cats to keep the mice population in check? We trust Mickey had a Fast Pass to get away from them!

Once in the park my smartphone apps told us the wait time for specific rides, about places to eat, and of course, the weather.

When we adopt a new technology, we don’t replace the old stuff.  We just add capability.  Your website must deliver your message regardless of how it is accessed.  Otherwise, visitors will move on to someone’s who will.

Apple Event Notes

For those of you who weren’t following the live blogging, Tweeting and general online chatter yesterday during the Apple “Let’s Talk iPhone” Event. Here’s a brief recap (the first part is a lot of Apple stats):

• Mac has surpassed the PC market every quarter for the past 5 years, almost 6 times in the last year alone 
• Mac has 23% if the market shares, 1 of every 4 computers sold is a Mac
• 10 years ago iPod launched, currently has 70% of the market, Apple has cumulatively sold over 300 million iPods world-wide (for some perspective it took Sony 30 years to sell 220,000 Walkman cassette players!)
• iTunes has over 20 million songs, 10 times more than the 200,000 songs it had at inception 
• iPhone 4 make up 1/2 the total phones since it was first introduced in 2007, iPhone is the #1 smart phone in the world 1 in 5 people in the world have an iPhone
• iPad has been a huge success in the last 80% of hospitals and 92% of Fortune 500 and over 1000 US schools are rolling out iPad programs “Despite everybody and their brother trying to compete with iPads 3 out of 4 tablets in the US are iPads” Tim Cook, Apple CEO
• iOS system devices have surpassed a quarter of a billion dollars in sales iOS has 43% of the mobile market, 60% of the mobile browsing market
• In 3 years there have been 18 billion app downloads, now averaging 1 billion app downloads monthly New developments of Cards, iPod Nano and iCloud The iOS 5 will be available October 12 free download, including over 200 new features

The big announcement, the reason everyone was watching Cupertino, California, was the new iPhone. Much to the chagrin of geeks everywhere it was not the iPhone 5. The iPhone 4S is an improvement on the existing iPhone 4, sporting the following features:

• New technology for the wireless system, with 2 antennas
• Downloads up to 2x faster than iPhone 4
• Up to 14.4 mps download, HSDPA speeds
• World phone, with GSM and CDMA
• New A5 chip, dual core processors, dual core graphics
• 8 hours of talk time on 3G, 14 hours talk time 2G 6 hours browsing
• 9 hours Wi-Fi
• Upgraded still camera, improved IR, white balance, 1/3 faster capturing than iPhone 4, 60% more pixels, it’s basically a digital camera
• Upgraded video camera, best features, 1080p HD video with real-time image stabilization
• The biggest feature is Siri, the personal assistant, you speak and it will answer. From reading your messages, to checking your calendar, to finding a Greek restaurant or checking the weather. All the way you speak you can ask “what is the weather forecast?” to “do I need an umbrella?” it’s unlike any voice activation we have ever seen.
• Available for preorder 10/7 and for purchase 10/14 in the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Germany and the UK

There you have it, the big announcement or the big let down depending on your perspective. Are you going upgrade, switch to iPhone, or are you going to wait for iPhone 5?

Coppermoon is a full service Web Design & SEM firm which aims to help businesses compete in this digital age. Follow us on twitter or facebook for updates.