IPad usability

[ned3000]

I can't hover with the iPad and get the mouse over text. Apple doesn't support any of the 50 ways to learn to hover. What should I do?

[chridd]

Have you tried http://m.xkcd.com/ ?

[joshz]

I can't hover with the iPad and get the mouse over text. Apple doesn't support any of the 50 ways to learn to hover. What should I do?

Try getting the app. (xkcd, by Josh Snyder, is the one I use).

EDIT: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/xkcd/id303688284?mt=8

And here's an iPad specific one: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/xkcd-hd/id369631343?mt=8

[YellowRex]

This isn't just for iPads; it's for any mobile device capable of decently rendering the real web.

For me, it's Android. m.xkcd.com is great, but I was using the mobile Google Reader interface, which brings over the comic image with the hover text, which is completely inaccessible on a touch device.

In general, mouseover and hover interaction on the web needs to die. Fingers are now a first class input device on the web.

[hintss]

m.xkcd.com works on my friends droid, BTW...

[YellowRex]

m.xkcd.com works on my friends droid, BTW...

Yes I know. It works great on my G1 too.

My point is that touchscreen devices shouldn't be relegated to the mobile device ghetto, particularly when they're capable of displaying the full web (as in a Droid, G1, iPhone, or iPad, or.... etc.).

Also accessing the comic through other means, such as the excellent mobile Google Reader web interface, brings up the "regular" comic with inaccessible hovertext and no caption.

The [Alt Text] link with the Javascript event should be on the main page. There should be no mouseover-only elements on a web-page. Fingers are a first class input device on the web.


A way to read the comic on a touchscreen device exists. Conceptual discussion of whether alt text should cease to exist or not can find a home other than S/FI. -Hodge.

[JohnHupp]

A dedicated applications nice, and the mobile site is a workable solution, but both omit the use of RSS. I use an RSS reader on my iPad, and something like a "mobile RSS feed" would be a nice complement to the mobile site.

[JohnHupp]

Or perhaps some AJAX funkiness that emulates ALT text when you tap the image on the regular site in a mobile browser?

[joshz]

There's a JavaScript bookmarklet that'll do that. See http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php? ... 4045906105

[mwoodling]

I was about to dash off an email to the web guy, but decided to look through the fora first. Yep, wish the mouseover would work on my Android Evo. I also get XKCD via Google Reader (which I access mostly from the Evo) and the XKCD link from the Reader article takes me to the main site, not the m.xkcd.com site, so I never see the "alt-text" link. It seems the simplest answers from my point of view are to: 1) have the main web site detect my phone browser and take me to m.xkcd.com, or better 2) put the alt-text link on the main web site (not as classy, I know, but certainly more functional).

Please?

Matt

[phillipsjk]

This isn't just for iPads; it's for any mobile device capable of decently rendering the real web.
...
In general, mouseover and hover interaction on the web needs to die. Fingers are now a first class input device on the web.

The XKCD comic does not use "mouseover" directly: it uses the "title" attribute. It used to be that the "Alt" text (mainly for non-graphical browsers or failed image loads) was abused for that purpose.

Is is really the website's fault if your mobile browser was not properly adapted for the touch interface?

[davean]

Is is really the website's fault if your mobile browser was not properly adapted for the touch interface?

And, any browser that can't fully display web content is relegated to the mobile ghetto. This means iPod Touches and iPads, with their deficient web browsers, are relegated to the mobile ghetto.

As an example, using a touchscreen on a normal computer browser works just fine.

We may redesign the front page a bit at some point, and how one can access the alt-text there might then also change at that point. We don't exactly have someone here that specializes in HTML/CSS/JS type stuff though so don't expect it soon (or, necessarily, ever).

[Reg Barclay]

I'm also using Google Reader on an Android phone (and a Kindle too) and being directed to the main site. Wouldn't it be a very simple thing to create a second RSS feed for mobiles that navigated to m.xkcd.com? Please?

[SecondTalon]

There are times where I *want* to go to the main site on my iPad and phone, and some sort of automatic redirection (something I completely loathe) would seriously screw with that.

Meanwhile, typing m.xkcd.com is almost as fast as typing xkcd.com. So I suppose I personally don't understand if there is still a problem, or why the solution provided is unnacceptable.

Problem : iPad (and other touch displays lacking a mouse) cannot display title text, secondary joke is unavailable.
Primary Solution : Use m.xkcd.com. Does not rely on title text for secondary joke.
Secondary Solution, iPad/iPhone Specific : There exist a host of apps in the iTunes store of varying quality ranging in price from Free to Less Than A Cup Of Coffee From Starbucks that will allow you to read the comic with the title text secondary joke added in in various ways. If using another device, check your equivalent app browser for similar applications. Do note that the xkcd staff is not responsible for any of those applications and cannot support them.

Problem solved?

[GhostWolfe]

Meanwhile, typing m.xkcd.com is almost as fast as typing xkcd.com. So I suppose I personally don't understand if there is still a problem, or why the solution provided is unnacceptable.

Also: bookmarks, if typing bothers you.

/angell

[Reg Barclay]

Problem solved?

Nope. No way to land on m.xkcd.com from Google Reader. Why is it so hard to add a secondary RSS feed?

[SecondTalon]

Ah. This isn't an iPad problem, this is a Google Reader on mobile devices problem.

[scikidus]

I added the following bookmarklet to my mobile Safari bookmarks on my iPod Touch, and it does the trick for me:

Code: Select all

javascript:function popTitle(imga){alert(imga.getAttribute("title"))}imgs=document.images;for(i=0;i<imgs.length;i++){if(imgs[i].getAttribute('title')){imgs[i].setAttribute("onclick","javascript:popTitle(this);")}}void(0);

Now, when I want to read the title text, I open the comic's page, run the bookmarklet, and tap the comic.

[Jere]

Problem solved?

Nope. No way to land on m.xkcd.com from Google Reader. Why is it so hard to add a secondary RSS feed?

Here you go (I can't seem to post URLs?):

RSS Feed: http://www.miserez.org/ws/xkcdmobile/rss.xml
Atom Feed: http://www.miserez.org/ws/xkcdmobile/atom.xml

The site grabs the feed live from the xkcd site and replaces the URLs. Let me know if it suddenly stops working and don't hack my server please

[StickFigure206]

Problem solved?

Nope. No way to land on m.xkcd.com from Google Reader. Why is it so hard to add a secondary RSS feed?

Here you go (I can't seem to post URLs?):

RSS Feed: http://www.miserez.org/ws/xkcdmobile/rss.xml
Atom Feed: http://www.miserez.org/ws/xkcdmobile/atom.xml

The site grabs the feed live from the xkcd site and replaces the URLs. Let me know if it suddenly stops working and don't hack my server please

Jere, this is very cool I had never heard of anything like this before. I checked out the RSS one and it has worked like a charm so far albeit 10 minutes Thanks for sharing your knowledge this whole smart phone thing is new to me...gotta figure out how to make this expensive data plan worth it.

[WeAllKnow]

I really like the idea of the IPad, but I'm going to have to see how the app development goes in the next few months. As for phones, I'm working on upgrading myself. I'm looking at smart phones and trying to decide what would be best. I'm really torn on features.

[dalore]

I don't know about the iPad, but I found on android if you press and hold in reader you can view the caption

[Carmour24]

This probably isn't ideal for anyone but it is a pretty easy way to access the alt text: if you set up voice over to activate on triple click of the home button in the iPad's accessibility settings you can quickly triple click on home and then tap the comic image to get the alt text read to you by voice over.


Moderator's Note: Just because an idea is impractical, doesn't mean it isn't also awesome. -Hodge.

[Crabik]

thanks, the iPad/iPhone app is great.

[Denae Floch]

This isn't just for iPads; it's for any mobile device capable of decently rendering the real web.

For me, it's Android. m.xkcd.com is great, but I was using the mobile Google Reader interface, which brings over the comic image with the hover text, which is completely inaccessible on a touch device

[VectorZero]

This probably isn't ideal for anyone but it is a pretty easy way to access the alt text: if you set up voice over to activate on triple click of the home button in the iPad's accessibility settings you can quickly triple click on home and then tap the comic image to get the alt text read to you by voice over.


Moderator's Note: Just because an idea is impractical, doesn't mean it isn't also awesome. -Hodge.

Awesome. Best 1st post ever.
Once again, we remind everyone that S/FI is not a general discussion forum. This post of VectorZero? Don't do this. Ever. -ST

[Thomas18]

I don't know about the iPad, but I found on android if you press and hold in reader you can view the caption

Thanks a lot for the help

[lanceheld]

The feedly app displays a "show image caption" button that, when touched, will display the alt text. Now that google reader is going away, this seems like a good option for those reading via RSS feed on touch devices.