Unfortunately, I think you are right. Otherwise, why wouldn't they install the plug in that would make using this site so much easier from a mobile device?

 

It would be nice if we could keep the discussion moving towards, users showing the desire for an app, it would be helpful to me in demonstrating the priority and need that this is, and has been for the past few years. At this point the focus is more on getting approval for the mobile support. There's some valid discussion points being made as to how a mobile site would be implemented, I just don't think we're at the point where that's the big concern yet. Not only do we need to show that NAM users would take advantage of mobile access, but also that out of IBs 100-150 sites, that we'd be prime candidates for being one of the first sites not one of the last sites for adopting it.

Those of you that are using mobile apps on other sites, if you could PM me the program you are using and some of the pros and cons of each app, that would be valuable information, with NAM not having the interface installed I really haven't used them, I think I may have one of the free ones on my phone, but to know the likes and dislikes of each from people who use them everyday would be useful info for me as we transition into the details of how something is implemented.

 

I think it's horrible that we all are requesting mobile support and essentially are getting nothing in return two years later. Mobile is huge now and for IB to ignore their users requests is horrible when the solutions are free for them other than implementation hours needed. Other forums aware using other solutions and users are using them without complaint really. Two great options wet presented here, why not just go with one and see what users say? At the very least the analytics will show what it does.

If IB needs help (which I doubt) I will gladly lend my hours to help get something implemented for free. It is part of my profession after all.

Seems like IB needs to just make up their minds.

 

Interesting this still comes up. I would think that IB knows full well wether or not they have a market for this solution or not.

I don't need to know the actual stats, but we all have heard the tech news for the last several years that
1. Desktop PC market is dead
2. Laptop sales are dying
3. Tablets are high in demand,
4 Smartphones are the leading seller
5. That mobile browsers are the leader or are stealing market share from all other browsers.

It goes on and on. Maybe if people stopped using services that decide not to cater to their requests, the service provider would get the message.

It's not a technical issue. And IB shouldn't try to say it is. That is baloney. There are hundreds of forums that run under tapatalk or forumrunner. They may not be MINI forums, but they serve the same purpose.

 

I feel like tapatalk should be a no-brainer, im sure theres some technical stuff that has to be ironed out first or w.e, but if the debate is whether or not it would be useful to us NAM users, theres no question here. There have been several times where i get an email that someone has responded to me and i'd like to respond back, without computer access, but its too much of a hassle to do on the regular mobile site on my phone. Or, i'll be working on my car or just have some kind of general question that i'd be able to find the answer waaaay easier with tapatalk. Not to mention that i cant even use the search forum function on my phone, idk if thats just me or not. My $0.02

 

Exactly what I was getting at. Seems like because IB owns so many other forums online that they simply do not have the resources to focus on what people really want other than site uptime.

Both are great use cases as to why something such as tapatalk is so useful to forum users. Doing anything on this table based site on any phone is a nightmare. I am sure the Mods have seen this too since they likely have to access the site from mobile phones more frequently than most.



As an aside to all of this. What seems interesting is that, after some research, IB apparently bought Forum Runner sometime in March of this year. Here is the press release: http://static.ibsrv.net/ibsite/pdf/2...m%20Runner.pdf

Also on the IB site and through a search on Google Play I have found a number of IB run sites (that all look similar or run a close version of what NAM uses) that have a Forum Runner app.

At this point I have no idea why NAM continues to not have a mobile solution. Pretty frustrating that IB cannot meet our requests.

*In no way am I suggesting that Mods of NAM are not doing what they can, just displeased in IB not doing their parts. Just my .02

 

How about this... IB could give a flying rats butt about the users here.

That about sums it up.

 

And unfortunately if we really wanted to make them understand...we'd have to jump ship elsewhere. or everyone install ad-blockers and avoid their ads until they offer this...

 

I haven't seen an ad in years.

Google Chrome +AdBlockPlus.

 

I know I sent you a PM. Did anybody else send you input? Is anything going to come of it?

I really don't understand why this is such a problem. NAM users want additional function that is free to add except for a little effort from the admins. Why doesn't IB make its users happy by installing support for Tapatalk or Forum Runner, or better yet, both of them?

 

Because it's much more important from a business standpoint to make advertisers happy, as long as the users keep using the site.

 

I got a PM from you and a few others, I've got them logged to show IB, should there come a time to decide between a tapatalk or forumrunner format. Unfortunately until we get approval for the mobile app in the first place, there's not much that can come of it either way (which is why I asked it be PM'ed to me so that we can keep this thread to show interest on having a mobile app in general); it's that whole cart before the horse thing, as well as keeping us moving toward the common goal of getting a mobile solution for the site, rather than being bogged down in a debate over which program is better and then not being able to show IB that this is something the community wants.

Now that this thread is active again, I can in turn take it back to IB and show them there are more users making the request, and several users repeating the request to help demonstrate the interest. Unfortunately as it works out with the mobile site, and as it does with several other items, I'm only the messenger and shot so many times that I'm metaphorical Swiss cheese by this point.

And I will say, while that I understand better than most that this thread was started 04-16-2010, 05:51 PM; however if I pass this thread along, persuasion as opposed to ultimatums, may make it easier to get those making the decisions to be willing to work with us.

So if you're just coming across this thread for the first time, and this would be something helpful or of interest to you, please post up; if you've made several posts in here, and you come across times it would've been convenient to check in had you had the option to from your phone, when you get back to the computer, post about it. Demonstrate that the site is not getting that traffic everyday when you're on your lunch break or at the park or waiting in line at the DMV, etc. The more consistently active this thread is, the easier it gets for me to show those above me that this is something the community wants and will use, and the easier it makes it for them to justify installing it vs going without. A handful of requests every one to two months is different than a dozen requests per week. The same as there's people that join NAM post that they want an R56 and are comparing it to a few other cars and fade away after the intro thread, and there's people that post they want an R56 and everyday they're posting about the options in the configurator or which mods to order or what detailing supplies to have ready when it arrives, then track it on the boat.

 

Well, if it makes any difference, my last couple of posts to this thread including this one have been made from my iPhone. The only reason I can even get to them without giving up in frustration while fighting with the crappy navigation from a mobile device is because of the links in the email notifications I get from subscribed threads.

There are lots of times that I'd like to check a thread or search for something I know I've seen on NAM when I don't have access to a laptop, but I don't even try because using this site from my iPhone is so difficult. If you want me to keep posting regularly to re-request that this site get mobile enabled, I guess I could do that, but I'll get bored with that quite quickly. I understand that you don't have the authority to make it happen, and I don't blame you, but we have no feedback indicating that the people who can actually make it happen are even considering taking any action.

I'll try to post again periodically to ask again, but without any progress or feedback from IB, it's kind of like banging my head against the desk when I'm debugging code at work -- it shows that I'm frustrated, but it's not really helping to fix the problem.

 

I agree with you here, coming from a development background. It's really frustrating to not be able to use our phones with NAM.

MotorOn,
Is this something not worth being posted in the news thread on the top section of the site? Maybe make it a poll asking yes or no and if yes what app is preferred? The truth is I doubt many people come into the site feedback section of this forum, and if they do it is certainly not on their phone since it is so difficult to browse NAM on one. Hell, I had no idea this existed until a few days ago because I had to look when I was on my computer at work.

I will continue to post and get others to post about this too. I doubt it will accomplish anything based on what the process seems to be but at least I will try for now.

 

Well, when this came up this weekend, I passed it along to IB, the response was we will get a mobile solution, we will be one of the first IB sites to get it; and that it's a matter of time, but there is no specific timeline at this point. As I get more details I will pass them along, but that is the extent of information I have now.

I will say that NAM has gone from being on a vB version that couldn't support any of the mobile apps, to being in the first handful of sites to get one installed; so even if it is slow, the efforts of those in this thread are indeed making progress and not in vain.

 

Thanks for the feedback. It helps to know that there is some hope for progress for some point in time.

 

I heavily vouch for tapatalk !!!

The most useful thing ive done in my recent geeklife wit installing an ssd in my laptop was to setup tapatalk on my devices (mobile and google chrome). Speaking from experience i now consult almost exclusively tapatalk boards on my iphone.

 

I use the site all the time on my iPhone.

 

I try to use this site from my iPhone, especially when I am looking for a piece of information that I know already exists. It is so difficult that I almost always have to wait until I can get to a computer.

Thanks for keeping this thread active. I had already forgotten that I said I would try to post here every couple weeks or so.

 

If you want to use Forum Runner or TapaTalk to access MINI information there ARE alternatives.....I'm just sayin'....

 

Maybe the people at IB will start to worry about losing audience and add the features that their users are requesting if you list the competitive MINI sites instead of just hinting.

 

If I list it the mods just star out the name.

 

Are you talking about MA?

 

Yep!

 

+1 for something better

With my home laptop being out of commission for the next several weeks, the only web surfing device I have right now besides my work computer is my Droid. I don't even bother to come to this site on my phone since it gets so frustrating trying to zoom in just so I can click a link. Until there is a mobile solution, I will be only checking the site M-F on my breaks.

BTW, our local club uses Tapatalk and I have zero complaints about it.