“A complete continuum of screen sizes is actually a blessing for Web designers and developers. It forces us toward adaptive solutions that respond to diverse capabilities instead of being able to draw arbitrary cut-off points for separate mobile, tablet, and desktop sites. So I for one, welcome our six inch fonblet/phablet friends and look forward to further diversity in screens that allow us to access the Web.” Hadn’t thought of it this way yet. Clever. Aside from this, I’m happy with all these sizes – it means there’s something for everyone. Just because I prefer 4.3″, doesn’t mean everyone should, or that I’m going to ridicule those that prefer larger or smaller displays.
Minimum resolution. Text can scale, but images and embedded video? A zoom function is useful on smart phones, but it’s just assumed that you’ll constantly be using it because the screen isn’t big enough to display the whole web site. Desktop browser though assume you’ve got a resolution that’s plenty large enough. The fact that desktop browsers haven’t accommodated lower resolutions in any fashion means that there’s still a minimum resolution that you must build around, with laptops (not phones) usually being the limiting factor, ironically.
‘there is something for everyone’
Not true.
Software sould adapt to all screen shapes.
Where are the sleek oval displays ? Why is there no hexagonal displays which are optimal for tiling…
😉
They are not optimal for my pocket.
Well, there is the Pyramid Tablet…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xwu6IncTewY
There are a number of ways we could render generic content (web pages, email, movies) on a triangle/octagon/circle/etc, but none would be as optimal as a simple rectangle unless the content was specifically designed to take up the unique shape of the device. Who knows, it could sell but it would primarily be for novelty.
The web has gotten awfully funny of late. One of the prime purposes of HTML was to create a device-independent display mechanism. Your site would be usable on any output mechasim, be it screen reader, small device, text-oriented, graphics oriented, etc. Now, sites are not only designed for specific devices, but even specific screen sizes. It reminds me of the old days of desktop programming. Concrete easy, abstract hard, but concrete no likey change!
Actually a proper site, will adapt based on the screen size. Even the design will be different based on screen size. On a smaller screen the number of columns for example will be different or everything might even be one column.
The problem is that there will also be designers that want everything to pixel perfect on their screen.
But people are adapting, existing sites change over time.
The funny thing is, webdevelopers thought smaller screens would mean touchdevice, thus needing bigger buttons you which can easily hit with your fingers. Now it turns out we have touchscreen devices which are as large as a laptop (or are a laptop also).
It just takes time to transform the web. Many sites don’t get re-designed over night you know ?
“Apps should conform to any screen size.”
It is an easy thing for consumers to request, but hard for developers to deliver.
App development time will increase, and may take away resources from other important aspects of development.
-Robust
-High Performance
-Runs anywhere
-Feature Complete
Pick any 3. You’ll unlikely to get all four.
It is very, very easy to make a web page work regardless of screen resolution. It is another thing all together to make it work optimally.
The problem is that “optimally”, using todays common UI concepts, is dependent on multiple things – not just screen size. Is it touch or not, and then is is multitouch or not? Does the user use a mouse? If they have a keyboard, are you giving them a good way to use it? What is the orientation and aspect ratio? What is the pixel density? What capabilities does the user agent have (varying CSS support levels, CSS transforms, 2D, 3D)???
So yeah, it is certainly possible to make something that scales from tiny screens to large ones seemlessly – but that doesn’t mean it does so well…
Im not saying it isn’t worth trying – for some things you can make it work very well. But it isn’t a panacea – this shit is hard to get right.
That’s what she said.
…and remember kids, always use virus protection.
I agree Thom. I also use a 4.3″ device, the maximum size I can probably use before I go two handed.
Its very nice seeing people trying out different form factors and choosing what they like.
I also have a twitch when ever anyone mentions ‘the fold’, its like people asking about web safe colours.
…when clients ask you to do things that are completely idiotic, you can just say “sorry, that would break the responsive design.”