Looking at the web stats for this blog, this year so far 13% of visitors have been using a mobile device. This compares with 3% over the same period from 2011. This is a massive jump. In fact this is a larger percentage now accessing content using a phone than those sitting at a desk using a Mac. (The break down is roughly 8% usage on iPhone and 2% Android for the other mobile devices).
When delivering content to a mobile device, as an R+D team you have three choices:
- Do nothing to your website - let the user "double tap" and zoom and pan
- Design and develop a platform specific "App" - but then, for which platform (iPhone? iPad? Windows? Android?... the list goes on)
- Have a specifically designed UI that is optimised for use on a small screen through the web browser
One thing that you'll notice when visiting
RIBAProductSelector.com on a mobile is that it now automatically redirects to the website
m.RIBAProductSelector.com. This is a different user interface - but the same fantastic technical content. This approach is a principle that has also been recently adopted by
bbc.co.uk/news as shown in the screenshot below:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBUpJNyB4uAVa-W24NljlwrN9deJYrJX9OrOd2HxUAyfU3KF1e-q-xVyAymVPE4fnJrytC7vJzZ9K8yW0aEkW-ZLIJFN0g9gY4a3ZboCELgS7TUKoDdk7HgNDW7LvXYyqOitjooO849EVI/s1600/001.jpg) |
BBC News - now redirecting to mobile friendly version |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP99ymqtKGKVxO4IRkYU4uQknXf1qf9zmf-ZVcf0cFn1Xwmi5ZZ6oYjc4SqKpr5_Yp_aodkKRZCa0hrIr-icssVkJ-BZSo8XN-VIv7BTcFG69a4ROQgSVN-yPnBOqgX2ThtEGSqzxUV5oa/s1600/002.jpg) |
Home page |
When searching for product literature this works really nicely in terms of finding items and then storing them in your iBooks area of your device (or equivalent):
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0IjCAao3vDD6PPrJHJ47MB0uEcO15k2ewB9j6M8vDRZk4wSpux5cQzPwnbMExn3FZrxf4n76VZfLAml3uQz3kdKQzd9jO4ogO86SSMci4hXFYIP_SGSQ0i-x59QO4cxwr3511qyVbR-a/s1600/003.jpg) |
Quickly find product literature |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcfQek8m7bBB9Tc7yCZnk37uKbl7R_v1vKiwU4bsjYibCPlhdKzlCZetf-GYZzXZVnetwd135KBlGznnXx4ean3C9PFkwWH3IyyB9TWYUb2RqqYMhxgeGNR0R3oklTmF2UaPHbwq_o7MQ/s1600/004.jpg) |
Save product literature to your mobile device |
Also, if you quickly want to give a manufacturer a phone call or drop them an email - this is possible as the contact details link into the respective features on your device:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwz7N3BGysnVVUu_5zVvcq-U9zKS4-Jgps3x4aHuwGmfzwYfSqnSDrlWp9L-4vSZaQsnSsd0O5wGGY6AeVR5frCBiOiqO0vS2BlywtyzJGxNvPzb6dh122gMFZ-Ai6z1nY4EO9b6Om2aGF/s1600/005a.jpg) |
Search for a company... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA752vVUkZAnQDs03xTTYH0KDykTmXMtoK9fVSs6ThS4_wNRmlAGGyLfUvhVN-cJXId9ouOmeeiDAY-yeCKxK0HG2tkFR3OTOMzn1V0lgv3YrIY1eVb-vxC10L6I7rix9DSxpCRPJqvN0v/s1600/006a.jpg) |
...and here's my number, call me maybe? |
And of course
RIBAProductSelector.com is not just about literature, product specifications and contact details - there are also thousands of inspirational photographs and case studies. These can all be browsed really nicely on a mobile device.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCVeoXOluk3dTvYbQLPvqCU-m16P5rwTWuM_pf1GYSmB6PGI-ext3oPWPb30WoJxe_NoQwT7VscGQShD54u1N_NVOvoMTDLnkFCBqE3N6I8Fro8BQZf2mQ-2cCMAe32wGUDLHTpvCbdNF7/s1600/007.jpg) |
Browse inspirational architectural images |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheDF1PuC2gQZKAQi4LAHPk4rHtKdhPTu1oWPRzQQNzT68etJPtx1QJTCVpmGdva4Dgd53wuUaVF1GF0eHiVg7T0Hlak9XvEyY2VhHhMDONFo6xWwKz6-wHNj45qnV3lg_TPzT4UX5ld7FO/s1600/008.jpg) |
Zoom in on images that are of interest |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW185TDmEvWtmLHziPbQpzIXR310oZbKwLmKExDfAQKS9gxhPzmm4SOF_aiP-DkVIDtyOF0_RlYF4TIUrvOL0tkYRYIGfustn4SJk6f3QDOONwb9GSCCQAgeUmOXV7vdIcSERJzN0y7EYY/s1600/009.jpg) |
Browse case studies and learn how products have been successfully used |
Members of our R&D team have been working on this for a few months, but it wasn't until I had a good play around with it on my iPhone that I realised how nice the user experience this is on a hand held device.
Finally, finishing on software technology for those interested, there is a new hot topic that is worth looking into and that is "Responsive web design". A single style-sheet that responds to the screen width. Maybe that's a topic for another blog post. A 4th option for future developments?
Site doesn't redirect on a Samsung Galaxy S4 :(
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