OT - Is the mobile app a thing of the past now?

Submitted by trueblue262 on

Any info would be appreciated. I did a search and couldn't find anything

evenyoubrutus

June 13th, 2018 at 9:59 AM ^

I'll throw my hat in the ring and say I think mobile versions of websites suck in general. I understand the reasoning but please just give me the website. This isn't 2016 anymore FFS. Our smart phones actually have processing power. 

JHendo

June 13th, 2018 at 10:50 AM ^

I wouldn't say redundant, at least to the audience.  A mobile app still has many more benefits when it comes to ease of use/access than a mobile "optimized" site.  A mobile optimized site is a must in this day and age, not a perk.  Releasing an app to go with the site is redundant only to those who running the site who don't want to invest resources and money into the development of an app.

I personally think going away from an app has adveresly impacted the experience of MGoBlog for me, and I imagine some others feel the same.  There's a reason a lot of sites with similar traffic and impact as MGoBlog have not just a better mobile version of their site, but an app to go with it.

I've said it before, but I hope Brian and Co. seriously reconsider their stance here.

KC Wolve

June 13th, 2018 at 11:17 AM ^

Agree. I think they will get less views and clicks without an app. I am hopeful they change their minds and bring the app back. I despise using the browser on my phone, especially for a message board. No matter how “optimized” it is, an app looks and functions so much better. 

BoFan

June 13th, 2018 at 12:43 PM ^

Optimized?

The new site uses responsive design but the mobile version is far from optimized.  I am mostly on mobile and it’s not very good.  I did venture over to the new website once and that new version is actually quite good.  But the mobile version looks like an after thought.

Responsive design is a cheep way to address all the different screen sizes that are out now but it’s far from optimal.  An Optimized experience can only be executed via app.  

Gentleman Squirrels

June 13th, 2018 at 9:33 AM ^

The mobile app never worked for me anyway. I miss the MGoBlog app that wasn't created by Brian. That worked really well and had a beautiful user interface. I'd love an app that was actually created by Brian but did the exact same thing as that app. Hell, I may even pay for it

JHendo

June 13th, 2018 at 12:17 PM ^

I'll upvote him for you.  I used to love my Blackberry Curve.  My kids use it now as their pretend phone.  Even though the Curve was a sleek, more fragile device compared to other Blackberries of it's time, I really miss smartphones that could take a beating and keep going.

CWoodIsMyBoiii

June 13th, 2018 at 10:41 AM ^

I know the moderators are incredibly smart people, so I'd love to hear the rationale for this decision.  I mean, it's 2018.  People are generally on their phones way more than their computers and nearly everything is done on apps now.  

I personally used to do 90% of my mgoblogging on the app and find myself using mgoblog way less now than I did before the launch of 3.0 and elimination of the app.  Maybe the app wasn't the best to post content, but it was certainly easy to read new posts and get information quickly.  Accessing the blog on my phone now is a pain. several times I've picked up my phone and remembered there is no app anymore and simply decided to not go to the site at all.  It's really too bad. 

LSAClassOf2000

June 13th, 2018 at 11:31 AM ^

I never used the app but to read comments that weren't appearing on the main site - it had no ability to edit or delete comments and posts, so the few times I actually posted from it were times when I was waiting at a station or sitting on bench in the mall or something like that. I also hate typing on my phone more than I absolutely need, because I feel like all those hours in front of Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing back in the day go to waste if I try to use the phone's keyboard.

I'll be honest - I've been treating the site when accessed via Chrome on my phone the same way, to merely read it and not post from it. 

CarlosSpicyweiner21

June 13th, 2018 at 9:45 AM ^

Seems the MgoBlog Leaders aren't aware that Apps are the future. It is just such a task to go to an actual site on a cell phone which is where 60-70% of people access online boards and such.

maizenbluedevil

June 13th, 2018 at 11:36 AM ^

I use an ad blocker and haven’t whitelisted this site bc of previous issues with malware, so they aren’t getting any ad revenue from me anyways. I would, however, gladly pay for a GOOD (read; a clone of the HD app, not the official app that didn’t function) app. 

I am far from the only one the above would be descriptive of..... 

samsoccer7

June 13th, 2018 at 10:26 AM ^

The fact that there is no thread on the World Cup location for 2026 shows that this board is almost dead now. I used to visit the site for all kinds of sports and non sports news and things used to pop up so fast. Now it’s just clunky and harder to use IMO. I can’t believe I long for the old site plus an app. 

Gentleman Squirrels

June 13th, 2018 at 10:34 AM ^

If there isn't one, just start one yourself. I've noticed that there's less content posted on a daily basis as well, but I peg that towards adjustment to the new site, people taking breaks to spend the summer with their family, and a general lack of sports to talk about. I bet come fall practice, this place will start to hum again as everyone gets excited for the start of the new season.

samsoccer7

June 13th, 2018 at 10:48 AM ^

Of course I can. Just saying that I’m the past I would wake up and see a ton of posts and this would have been one. It was also a way for me to sorta keep in touch with random things going on back in Michigan. The redesign definitely changed things but I’ll be surprised if everyone starts posting like crazy again even during the season. Just too clunky. I hope I’m wrong.

MH20

June 13th, 2018 at 10:35 AM ^

Yep. Threads on 3.0 have a fraction of the number of replies that the 2.0 site had. I'm sure it will pick up a little but people are being turned away by the clunky UX and I truly wonder if it will return to pre-3.0 levels if significant tweaks aren't made.

mGrowOld

June 13th, 2018 at 10:50 AM ^

Bingo.  The canary in the coal mine is the raw number of comments on any given thread which is way, WAY down.  That can only mean one of two things IMO

1. As a group we have suddenly decided to become lurkers en masse.  Instead of posting comments we've all decided, simultaniously to stop posting.

2. It's really become hard to engage in a conversation now so most people are just going "fuck it" and are spending less time here.

FWIW something not mentioned, (and certainly not in the top 10 of problems) is the presence of a spell check technology that somehow lacks the ability to correct the error.  I've know, for example, I've misspelled "simultainously" cause it has a red line under it.  But i'll be damned if the site will tell me how to fix it. 

That's just mean IMO.