iPhone Web App Overhaul
Time to start a discussion about what we're doing with the
iPhone web app.
What we currently have is an experiment... a late night hack from several months ago where we were just playing around with jQTouch to see what it could do. Rather than keep it as an internal toy we pushed it live to try it out in the real world. Clearly, it sucks. We know this. And now it's time to rectify the situation.
Note: This is the web app we're talking about here, not a standalone iPhone app. That's another project altogether.
So far, the best web app I've seen that deals with real cloud data is http://touch.facebook.com -- in fact I even prefer it over the standalone iPhone app. Another point, I believe touch.facebook.com works on Android and other devices as well. (can someone else confirm?)
Anyone have examples of good mobile web apps?
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2 Posted by josvandervoort on 05 Mar, 2010 04:02 PM
How about a discussion for the real Iphone (Appstore) app?
Support Staff 3 Posted by Elbert McLaughlin on 05 Mar, 2010 04:12 PM
Well, here's the deal. The web app precedes the standalone iPhone app from an implementation perspective for us, as the client end is only half the battle. The server/infrastructure end needs to be revamped to support both, and web app development is waaaaay faster than standalone app development -- different programming language, different frameworks, longer release cycles (read: AppStore approval process).
I'd rather that we cut our teeth and work out the kinks in the web app first where things are more easily malleable. Then the standalone app stand a better chance of being what we all want it to be.
Also, this would be the mobile implementation to serve all, not just the Apple fans.
4 Posted by Proximo on 05 Mar, 2010 06:46 PM
Elbert, I understand and agree. Although we really want an iPhone app, the Web App is something we can get working much faster, tweak and improve. Once you got a good idea of what works, then the iPhone app can be made.
We just need to make sure the Web App performs well under 3G.
I checked out the touch.facebook.com web app and it's actually very nice. I still think it's slow but it may be due to the rich content it has to display. It would be interesting to see how a new Nirvana web app will perform with a good web app engine/code. Not sure what to call it. :-)
Google also seems to have some very nice web apps.
5 Posted by Proximo on 05 Mar, 2010 06:54 PM
Let's start with the basics.
A web app or even an iPhone app does not need to have 100% of the features found on the website. It should have some of the most important features and I think this is where we should start the discussion.
Features:
Ten on the list to get things started. The current web app can do many of these already.
6 Posted by david_h on 05 Mar, 2010 11:44 PM
As much as I'd love to have a native iPhone app, an improved web app would certainly be a big step forward.
I have tried the current one, but found it not to be usable.
As well as the features that Proximo has listed, one shortcoming of the existing app is that when looking in the Today and Next lists (I'd still prefer these to be called Next Actions and Actions by the way) it isn't possible to see which project a particular item belongs to. No good for me where many projects have the exact same tasks.
One big thing for the real iPhone app is that people will pay for it - I'm sure the team would like to start generating some return on all the hard work at some point.
7 Posted by josvandervoort on 06 Mar, 2010 11:30 AM
"hot" "phone numbers: when I tap the number (at least on the Iphone) it should make the call without me having to key in the phone number
8 Posted by Ben Kopf on 07 Mar, 2010 03:31 PM
Hi All, I've been using OmniFocus on both my Mac and iPhone for about a year, and their iPhone app is far less than perfect. My main complaint is that they don't seem to understand the 80/20 rule. I am not going to be doing a lot of maintenance for my projects, contexts, and overall project folder setup on an iPhone. The mobile device is, IMO, a tool for the Collection process of GTD more than anything else. For example, they buried the recording and camera features at the bottom of a new item out of view on the iPhone, so I didn't even know you could record for some time. Their focus is lopsided. My advice to you is to make sure you make collection tools the priority on a mobile device. I would be happy with ONLY collection tools when I'm mobile, but I don't sit on a plane where I'd have the environment to fiddle with settings and the organization of my GTD app. I drive. I just want something I can talk into that collects my thoughts, todo's, and next actions while I am on the road and I want the UI to be as BIG as possible, as I don't want to take my eyes off the road. Evernote does this pretty well on the iPhone, but they have other issues and are not meant for GTD. I have a lot of ideas in the mobile arena, so I'd be happy to talk with someone rather than write lengthy emails. I develop apps (www.spinthought.com), and support GTD as part of our services, plus I've done UI design for many years, so please feel free to contact me as a resource. I just want to finally see GTD done right on an iPhone!
Thanks and best regards, Ben (***@spinthought.com)
9 Posted by Proximo on 07 Mar, 2010 07:09 PM
@Ben,
I understand where you are coming from. I believe a nice balance between having an easy mobile input interface and a functional app is best.
The app by no means needs to do everything the site does. I do think it's important for the app to be functional enough to be considered a mobile compliment to my GTD system.
There are time when I simply won't have access to a computer and I want to be as productive as possible while mobile. The ability to go beyond capturing is essential for these situation, but we don't need a complicated app that tries to do too much.
Glad to have someone with your input on board for sure.
10 Posted by david_h on 07 Mar, 2010 11:22 PM
@Ben - for me personally, my iPhone app is used much more as a tool to be able to see my projects and next actions than it is to collect information; for that I use Evernote.
At the moment I use Appigo Todo (syncing with Toodledo) and can't remember the last time I entered a new action or project into it. I'm much more likely to upload info to Evernote and sort it later.
If I do want to send something directly to Toodledo, I either use Dial2Do or email. When I switch over to Nirvana, I don't see this changing much.
I hope that the Nirvana mobile app (and then the proper iPhone one) will give us both what we want and still be simple to use.
11 Posted by Proximo on 08 Mar, 2010 01:46 AM
This is just my opinion, but I don't think you can provide a GTD service and only offer minimal interaction with your iPhone/Web app.
Most people expect to be able to create task/projects, check them off and update their information. People also want a simple way to filter through the things you need to do while mobile.
Just some thoughts.
12 Posted by David on 11 Mar, 2010 05:30 AM
I often add tasks via iPhone app, but usually leave them in the inbox until I'm in front of my computer. The iPad will provide a bigger canvas for inputting and manipulating data, however, and that will change things for me and a lot of others.
13 Posted by schelske on 11 Mar, 2010 06:10 PM
I'm an active iPhone user, and organization junkie who has tried many systems. As for me, the iPhone client is all about two things.
First, I need a super-fast very easy inbox where I can capture next steps quickly. I'm a pastor and after service on the weekend is a huge issue for me. I interact with a hundred people in the space of an hour after service, and have some kind of conversation with probably 10-20 of them. Most of these conversations have some kind of next-step that I need to capture. Whipping out my iphone and having to enter a bunch of text, then scroll through wheels and boxes and three pages of options is a real problem. I need to be able to type a note, flag a date if its associated, and hit send. I will be sorting and processing all of these on Tuesday morning. I don't need the ability to do all the sorting and categorizing on the fly. I just need the app to open fast like lighting, and get the note and a date and be done with it.
Second, quick access to my lists. I use this app for lists of errands I'm running, grocery lists, phone lists that I need to check in with while I'm out, etc. So, I want quick, beautiful access to my lists, and the ability to check them off.
Everything else I do at my desk in the web client.
14 Posted by bernardo.fortes on 18 Sep, 2010 03:56 PM
I loved the Nirvana GTD approach.
As for the iPhone App, why not partner with an existing pure-GTD existing app to shorten this implementation cycle ?
I'd go with Action Lists, which is the app I currently use. The iPhone part is superb. simple, focused and GTD only. The problem is that it syncs with Toodledo, which is not that great.
A tweaked Action Lists syncing with Nirvana would be my personal Nirvana. you've got the web part, Action Lists has only the iPhone app.
This could generate a good combiantion
15 Posted by Mario Gil on 18 Sep, 2010 04:18 PM
I'd prefer Things or Taska.
16 Posted by Proximo on 20 Sep, 2010 02:51 PM
Appigo Todo is also great.
17 Posted by bernardo.fortes on 20 Sep, 2010 02:58 PM
Either case, the concept remains the same. The delivery time can be a lot shorter by buying / adapting something existant than creating an app from scratch.
I've messed around with Nirvana the past few days. It's wonderful, but I really needa simple and effective mobile platform.
Although the existing web app is good, it's far behind a dedicated app.
Just waiting for the iPhone app to fully switch to Nirvana
18 Posted by Proximo on 20 Sep, 2010 10:56 PM
@Bernardo
I totally understand. I make due with the mobile version of Nirvana for now, but I would sure love a native app.
I hope when the API is fully released, that other services as mentioned above would use it to connect to Nirvana. It's up to us to visit the developers from the other services and ask for them to use the API to connect to Nirvana.
19 Posted by Mario Gil on 28 Sep, 2010 10:25 AM
Appigo just release Todo online. Perfect sync with Todo 4.0
That's a good news for todo users, but a bad news for us at Nirvana.
I don't think they would consider using the Nirvana API.
David McLaughlin closed this discussion on 10 Feb, 2011 02:28 AM.