If you’ve been keeping an eye on your 404 errors recently, you will have noticed an increase in requests for nonexistentmobile files and directories, especially over the past year or so. The scripts and bots requesting these files from your server seem to be looking for a mobile version of your site. Unfortunately, they are wasting bandwidth and resources in the process. It has become common to see the following 404 errors constantly repeated in your log files:
http://domain.tld/apple-touch-icon.png
http://domain.tld/iphone
http://domain.tld/mobile
http://domain.tld/mobi
http://domain.tld/m
So some bot comes along, assumes that your site includes a mobile version, and then tries its hand at guessing the location. In the common request-set listed above, we see the bot looking first for an “apple-touch icon,” and then for mobile content in various directories. If this only happens once in awhile, it’s no big deal. But these days I’ve been seeing many different bots requesting these nonexistent resources.
Even worse, these mobile-hungry bots can’t seem to remember where they’ve been – they typically request the same resources repeatedly, and in multiple locations within the directory structure. I frequently see hundreds of these types of requests in my weekly error-log analyses. Needless to say, this is an incredible waste of time, bandwidth, and server resources.
More people are surfing the Web via mobile device than ever before. It’s just so convenient to have that mobile access to anything you need. Sadly, most websites have not yet considered their mobile visitors, who probably move on to the next site before trying to make sense of a jumbled mess. Those of you who surf the Mobile Web know exactly what I’m talking about here: sites that “get it” are a joy to visit, but those that don’t are a total pain. What’s to get? Well, for one, if you do nothing else for your mobile visitors, take five minutes and implement a basic stylesheet to make your site readable via mobile device. This tutorial will show you how to retain visitors and reduce bounce rate with a super-easy 5-minute mobile makeover.
One of my goals for the new Perishable Pressredesign was to achieve cross-browser, pixel-perfect precision [ 1 ]. Of course, due to many variables (platform, operating system, browser, extensions, fonts, etc.), it is virtually impossible to achieve complete 100% perfection, but I am certainly interested in examining the design on as many different configurations as possible. Thus, last week after launching the new design, I made an open call for screenshots. Graciously, many of you responded with some great screenshots. Thanks to you, I was able to see Perishable Press “in the wild” on many operating systems and browsers to which I simply don’t have access. Sure, I could have just went to browsershots.com or some similar service, but as Rick Beckman correctly pointed out, it is much more fun to get everyone involved in the process. So without further ado, here is the Perishable Press Quintessential Screenshot Gallery:
This unfeatured post provides information for (re)establishing wireless Internet access from AT&T/Cingular Data Service (via WAP or MEdia Net) for the HTC/AT&T 8525 mobile device. Or something. This information is useful if you are unable to connect to the Internet and receiving error messages similar to the following:
Error: Your Internet connection is not configured properly. Please verify your settings in Data Connections.
Note: Use of the following settings enables the AT&T 8525 to access MEdia Net (WAP) pages using the MEdia Net connection profile. Additional features such as Wi-Fi and device based e-mail along with other 3rd party applications may not be compatible with the proxy settings associated with the MEdia Net profile. If there are connection issues with e-mail and/or Wi-Fi, configure and use the My ISP profile to resolve connectivity issues. Please note that, configuring the AT&T 8525 to use My ISP will disable MEdia Net (WAP) web pages when My ISP is used for connectivity. However, regular Internet (HTML) web page browsing will function as normal.
The amount of time I spend surfing the Web from a mobile device has steadily increased since the acquisition of my new favorite mobile device. Unfortunately, many sites have yet to implement (or even consider) support for mobile devices. Without proper formatting, such sites are virtually useless, requiring unnecessary download times, displaying unreadable pages, and serving unusable content. Given the inevitable ubiquity of mobile access to the World Wide Web, providing reasonable support for handheld browsers is becoming increasingly important. Without it, your site is left looking incomplete and unprofessional when viewed from mobile devices.
So, with that said, today I am happy to announce new mobile CSS styles for Perishable Press. Before today, browsing Perishable Press via mobile device was a royal pain, as the default CSS screen styles would transform the content into an unusable expanse of scrolling text and links. Staying current with site maintenance, comments, and updates was very difficult and time-consuming thanks to the improperly implemented screen styles. If your site is loading screen styles instead of an optimized set of styles for handheld devices, chances are high that your mobile visitors are few and disappointed.
Many changes around here lately — new styles, new software, new hardware, and a whole lot more. I will be covering several of these items in greater depth in future posts, but for now, here is an overview of some of the recent happenings unfolding here in Perishable land..
New Mobile Styles
I finally took the time to throw down some tuff mobile CSS styles for Perishable Press. Before, the site was virtually impossible to use via mobile devices because of the comprehensively applied screen styles, which completely overwhelm the screen real-estate and system resources of the average mobile device. The new styles are clean, lightweight and minimalistic. If you have mobile access, please drop by and share your experience with us. Even better, if you are able to capture screenshots, send ‘em along with your system stats and I will include them in an upcoming article focusing on the new styles.
Bad Behavior Upgrade
After streamlining the mobile CSS styles for Perishable Press, I discovered that mobile users were not able to leave comments on the site. After investigating the mysterious “Precondition failed” error associated with each mobile comment attempt, I traced the issue to an older version of Bad Behavior. After upgrading from version 1.2.4 to the currently fresh version 2.0.10, the “Precondition failed” error was resolved and mobile commenting was enabled. Next time you are in the mobile neighborhood, drop a shout and check it out ;)
The AT&T 8525 is the first UMTS/HSDPA smart phone to be offered in the United States. It has integrated Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi, and supports AT&T’s new music, video, and location-based services. The Windows Mobile device also has push e-mail capabilities, a 2-megapixel camera, a spacious QWERTY keyboard, and good call quality. — CNET Editors’ Review of the AT&T 8525
Perishable Press via AT&T 8525 (click image for more..) Thusly inspired, I recently purchased an AT&T 8525 Pocket PC by HTC. The device now serves as my virtual satellite, keeping me connected to the internet, networked to the office, and prepared for serious business. With its many features and streamlined functionality, the AT&T 8525 enables me to operate in maximized fashion, increasing efficiency and improving productivity. This article presents a concise rundown of how each of the phone’s primary features helps me to succeed as I fight a hellish battle everyday.
If you’ve been keeping an eye on your 404 errors recently, you will have noticed an increase in requests for nonexistent mobile files and directories, especially over the past year or so. The scripts and bots requesting these files from your server seem to be looking for a mobile version of your site. Unfortunately, they are wasting bandwidth and resources in the process. It has become common to see the following 404 errors constantly repeated in your log files:![[ Image: HTC 8525 ]](http://perishablepress.com/press/wp-content/images/2007/misc-chunks/8525-pocket-pc.jpg)