How to test your website on Mobile Platforms and Desktop Browsers

It used to be that Internet Explorer was used by about 98% of web users. That number now hovers around 50% and falling. Why? With the advent of the iPhone/iPad, the resurgence of the Mac platform, and the bursting Android market, browsers such as Safari, Chrome, and Firefox have taken a front seat on the action.

According to the Forrester Research "Interactive Advertising Models 2009" report, “Mobile marketing investments in the U.S. are slated to more than triple in the next five years.” The Morgan Stanley research chart below further demonstrates the staggering growth the mobile industry has in store over the next five years. Bottom line is, mobile is here to stay. We'd all better prepare for it.

Mobile Desktop Users within the next 5 years

If you haven't tested your website across lots of browsers and platforms, mobile included, in the last six months, you may want to consider doing so. Don't blame your web firm for the issues either ... I'll tell you why. The only thing that is static on the internet is a website that doesn't get maintained. Your website may be fresh on the day it launches, but the entire virtual world around it is constantly changing. Browsers are updated, new browsers are created, and your site slowly falls out of compliance as a result. Just in this past year, we have seen the launch of Windows 7, Windows Phone 7, Android 2.2 and iOS. If your website is six months old and never maintained, then it probably needs a technology audit.

Never in browser history have we seen so much innovation being released in such a short period of time. More and more, people are using their mobile phones or iPad, rather than desktops, to surf the internet. Chances are these folks are using a webkit browser like Safari, Firefox or Chrome rather than Internet Explorer.

Before you jump on your phone to check website compatibility, make sure you understand that a three-year-old Blackberry without a mature browser is not the same as the smart-phones that have been created in the last year or two. These phones feature mature browsers that allow you to view your website as it was intended to be seen. When you think of the mobile revolution, think of the Apple iPhone and the Google Android. Thus far, these platforms are the ones truly changing the mobile game.

So, how do you check compatibility over such a vast number of platforms and devices? Obviously, you can't buy one of each!

Instead, using Idea Engine's process for testing the sites we create, I will show you how you can run your own compatibility audit. Watch the following video to see all of the tools we use and how we use them to test a site across the following browsers types:

Mac Firefox

Mac Chrome

Mac Safari

iPhone

iPad

Android OS's

Windows 7 Internet Explorer

Windows phone 7

Windows Firefox

Internet Explorer 6, 7, 8 and 9

Windows Chrome

Windows XP Internet Explorer

Watch this mini-course that demonstrates the live testing environment for Idea Engine. In this example we show you how we look at a website that we are launching to make sure it appears as intended.

Tools that we used for our testing environment

-Dan Carbone, CTO http://ideaengineinc.com 11/15/2010

ScoreFeeder Gets Embedded App and User-Focused Improvements

February 06, 2012 by Erin Kerrigan

ScoreFeeder.com, the web application for high school sport scores and stats originally developed by SyncShow Interactive for ScoreFeeder, LLC. (the creation of Founder, Dave Petno, of Hudson, Ohio), is expanding with it’s newly launched Syndication System. The system allows third party sites to embed a ScoreFeeder app displaying custom data feeds within their own websites. The data can be filtered by sport or by school, and is organized chronologically, serving up the latest scores to users. Check out a sample app: To interact with the app, visit: www.highschoolsportsite.com. "SyncShow Interactive did a great job building the Syndication module. Now web sites and media organizations can embed ScoreFeeder, and get real-time game results", said ScoreFeeder Founder, Dave Petno. In addition to the Syndication System, ScoreFeeder has rolled out a new and improved ‘Fans’ section of the site including the subscription area and the score browsing. The ‘Sub

Lineweaver Financial Group Website Launch

January 31, 2012 by Libby Hancock

One of Northeast Ohio's most respected financial advisory firms, Lineweaver, turned to SyncShow Interactive in search of a more user-friendly software for their website. The new site, launched on January 26, 2012, will make life much easier for the team at Lineweaver, and includes tools such as easy form creation, a resource module, and hassle free video uploading. Click here to view the Lineweaver Financial Group website.

RBB Systems Website Launch

January 31, 2012 by Libby Hancock

RBB Systems specializes in small batch custom electronic assemblies and electrical control panels, so it seemed only fitting that their home page display three interesting circuit boards. Launched on Thursday, January 26, 2012, the new website will showcase some of their skills, as well as make interacting with their customers easier through all the forms built into the website. The site will also assist RBB Systems with: Custom user interface design Graphic enhancements Video production Search engine optimization Click here to view the RBB Systems website.

Authors

Staff (18)Dan Carbone (11)Libby Hancock (4)Chris Peer (4)Erin Kerrigan (1)