Misc The Internet of Things / mobile apps

[Big G]

Shower thought this morning: are apps going to replace traditional website outlets almost entirely?

There's nothing new in that thought, but it suddenly sank in that over the past 6 or so months that I've found apps to become mature to the point where I'm steadily using website versions a lot less. A lot of apps were clunky, or not feature rich, but I feel they're getting much better lately? Mobile banking, eBay, Etsy, ASOS, Paypal, Pinterest, authentication via Facebook, Snapseed coupled with the iPhone 7+ dual cameras - my phablet has become very powerful for the 'every day.' In the news this week, the DVLA announced they were beta testing a mobile app to carry your driving license electronically and HMRC are currently beta testing 'digital only' tax documents. How long before we see an HMRC app?

Just this morning, I was sitting going through my lens filters and realised I needed two 'step up' filters to complete my set: I opened the eBay app, searched, purchased, automatically paid via Paypal in about 4 clicks of the phone.

What's your experiences, still prefer the full-fat websites? Still prefer to go into your bank branch?

 

[Embattle]

I can get away with using mobile apps quite a lot of the time if I want but I prefer full sites on my computer if doing anything more complex.

 

[Raven]

Proper sites are still so much faster, especially if you are comparing things. Even the Amazon app is a load of bollocks.

 

[Ormorof]

Ive been to an actual bank branch 5 times in last 7 years

Use many apps but prefer web on desktop for actually getting things done

 

[DaGaffer]

Shower thought this morning: are apps going to replace traditional website outlets almost entirely?

There's nothing new in that thought, but it suddenly sank in that over the past 6 or so months that I've found apps to become mature to the point where I'm steadily using website versions a lot less. A lot of apps were clunky, or not feature rich, but I feel they're getting much better lately? Mobile banking, eBay, Etsy, ASOS, Paypal, Pinterest, authentication via Facebook, Snapseed coupled with the iPhone 7+ dual cameras - my phablet has become very powerful for the 'every day.' In the news this week, the DVLA announced they were beta testing a mobile app to carry your driving license electronically and HMRC are currently beta testing 'digital only' tax documents. How long before we see an HMRC app?

Just this morning, I was sitting going through my lens filters and realised I needed two 'step up' filters to complete my set: I opened the eBay app, searched, purchased, automatically paid via Paypal in about 4 clicks of the phone.

What's your experiences, still prefer the full-fat websites? Still prefer to go into your bank branch?

If you're in the iOS ecosystem apps are increasingly useful and for some things, better than the web experience. It all goes a bit to pot on Android though, where device and version fragmentation makes development and test hellish (test environments are the fastest growing cost of any online business IT right now). I still have the feeling that apps are an interim step and development, content management, test and analytics environments are far from mature, which is a cost and customer headache for all but the largest organisations.

I have the feeling apps are very much a stepping stone to something else, probably based on agents/AI (for all its flakiness, Siri and Alexa feel like the future). How much of what you do could be automated taken off your hands? Probably quite a lot.

 

[Big G]

If you're in the iOS ecosystem apps are increasingly useful and for some things, better than the web experience. It all goes a bit to pot on Android though

An interesting point and I did wonder if this was the case. Android apps have always felt behind, but the iOS ecosystem is just leaps and bounds ahead for some of the major players.

 

[DaGaffer]

An interesting point and I did wonder if this was the case. Android apps have always felt behind, but the iOS ecosystem is just leaps and bounds ahead for some of the major players.

There are plenty of ways to develop iOS and Android on a common platform these days (which usually have compromises, but save a ton of cash), but you can't get away from the testing problem. Android is so fragmented, in devices, versions and screen sizes, a degree of dumbing down for the platform is inevitable. FYI, if you want Android and decent apps, buy a Samsung Galaxy Swhatever, its the nearest thing to a reference standard on Android, because its one of the few devices with double digit market share (if you look in most people's analytics, it will be the latest Galaxy S at number one, and the previous version at number two).

 

[Big G]

I guess this is why I went gay for iOS again!

 

[Job]

Of course the apps can rape your personal data, thats why they are so popular with developers.
I couldnt live without my RBS bank app now, even use the cardless cash part so the wife and daughter can get cash out anywhere.
Got caught out at petrol station, my current account ran out of money and payment refused, just logged in, transfered funds, card works straight away.

 

[dysfunction]

The new Samsung G8 will allow you to dock the phone and use it like a PC

 

[DaGaffer]

Of course the apps can rape your personal data, thats why they are so popular with developers.
I couldnt live without my RBS bank app now, even use the cardless cash part so the wife and daughter can get cash out anywhere.
Got caught out at petrol station, my current account ran out of money and payment refused, just logged in, transfered funds, card works straight away.

Apps can no more "rape your personal data" than websites can. Its up to you and what you let them do in both cases. And a lot of developers would rather apps didn't exist and everything was html based, but the reality is customer desire (a lot of iphone users don't go near the browser at all) and in certain cases apps can do things that aren't available to the browser (like use the phone's accelerometer for example)

 

[Job]

Not if youre savvy, most people just click install for a newspaper app, not noticing it has full access to txt messages, camera, mic, contacts, gallery..etc.
Websites cant do that.

 

[DaGaffer]

The new Samsung G8 will allow you to dock the phone and use it like a PC

This is what Microsoft should have done with WinPhone to make it relevant. Problem with the Samsung is it will still run Android. A ChromeOS version might actually make sense.

 

[DaGaffer]

Not if youre savvy, most people just click install for a newspaper app, not noticing it has full access to txt messages, camera, mic, contacts, gallery..etc.
Websites cant do that.

Yes but unlike a website, where you have a make a request to change those things, with Apps you're in control yourself and can switch them all off. The point I was making is that the user is the issue, not the app or website.

 

[Ormorof]

i especially like the newer way of doing permission on android, can specifically tailor what you want to allow the app to do on the fly

 

[Job]

Yeah..only the latest android, cant face upgrading and bricking my phone as usual.

 

[Ormorof]

then you need a better phone

 

[Moriath]

All banking is done via apps for us. Only go to a branch three times a year when i get cheques from my mum and have to pay them in. Such a pain

Amazon website is better than its app. Games app is a bunch of shite.

 

[Big G]

Only go to a branch three times a year when i get cheques from my mum and have to pay them in. Such a pain

Mobile cheque scanning is available via Barclays, other banks will follow suit shortly.

 

[Shagrat]

Yep im with you @Big G vast percentage of my browsing etc is now done with apps sat on the sofa on my phone. Can definitely only seeing going more this way on the future

 

[Moriath]

Yep im with you @Big G vast percentage of my browsing etc is now done with apps sat on the sofa on my phone. Can definitely only seeing going more this way on the future

I couldnt use a phone for all that shit the screens just too small. I use my ipad for all. My iphone is just used as a phone and sometimes a camera.

 

[Raven]

Can you alt+tab on a phone?

Can you open in a new tab and quickly switch?

No.

Phones are shit until proved otherwise.

 

[Big G]

Can you alt+tab on a phone?

Can you open in a new tab and quickly switch?

Double click home button, swipe and select.

 

[Raven]

Melons

 

[Moriath]

Can you alt+tab on a phone?

Can you open in a new tab and quickly switch?

No.

Phones are shit until proved otherwise.

Can you sit on a bench or a bus and access your bank account.

And i can switch between open apps with a couple of touchs of the screen.

 

[Raven]

Can you sit on a bench or a bus

No, because I am not a peasant.

And the serious answer. If I am at home, there is a PC, if I am at work, there is a PC. Anywhere else then bank accounts and the internet are not even remotely interesting to me.

Although both depressing and surprising, I am planning a week long wild camp in the summer and for a little while I was worrying about batteries, solar chargers and phone shit...until I realised it meant fuck all and I would manage without.

 

[Big G]

No, because I am not a peasant.

And the serious answer. If I am at home, there is a PC, if I am at work, there is a PC. Anywhere else then bank accounts and the internet are not even remotely interesting to me.

Although both depressing and surprising, I am planning a week long wild camp in the summer and for a little while I was worrying about batteries, solar chargers and phone shit...until I realised it meant fuck all and I would manage without.

Nokia 150 - Full phone specifications

That's what I have for wild camping - 25 days standby time for emergencies.

 

[Raven]

Nokia 150 - Full phone specifications

That's what I have for wild camping - 25 days standby time for emergencies.

Yeah I was looking at long life phones but it occurred to me that this reliance on phones was a very new thing. I surprised myself it was even a consideration. They basically do nothing at all, sat in your pocket draining power unless you need to make a phone call, text, browse porn or play Pokemon Go.

Having said that, a week on my own in the woods, there might be a large requirement of porn.

 

[Moriath]

No, because I am not a peasant.

And the serious answer. If I am at home, there is a PC, if I am at work, there is a PC. Anywhere else then bank accounts and the internet are not even remotely interesting to me.

Although both depressing and surprising, I am planning a week long wild camp in the summer and for a little while I was worrying about batteries, solar chargers and phone shit...until I realised it meant fuck all and I would manage without.

My ipad draws less power than a pc and i can do anything from the sofa rather than getting up and going to my pc and doing it.

But your just a pc master race zealot.

 

[Raven]

But your just a pc master race.

Agreed, I am superior. I can game, watch a TV show/film and like random crap on facebook, all at the same time.