I think SMS Text News needs a re-design.
I was chatting recently with a designer about this when, well, I realised I didn’t quite know exactly what I wanted. I have ideas and thoughts. Nothing firm though.
What do you think? If you’ve got a perspective on what should chop and change on the site, how it could look and the like, let me know here – as a comment – or whack me an email.
Ewan,
What is the name of the template your using now for SMSTextNews currently? I started a blog with WordPress and really like the look here but can’t find the same template.
Thanks in advance,
Jeb
Whilst it might not be relevant to a re-design, i think you have to blog less! Yours is one of the few mobile-related blogs which i read and you’ve got too many posts happening too often.
I don’t mean to sound cranky, and would appreciate other opinions as well, but so many posts are making me consider browsing your site in free time as opposed to subscribing via RSS.
Fahed, that is really useful feedback. It’s one of the biggest challenges we face I think. We get so much in — that is relevant — and everyone sending their stuff in does want it published as soon as we can, that we try and get it up quick.
I will think on that in-depth. Does anyone else agree that less-is-more?
I disagree with Fahed to a certain extent. I like some short snappy posts. However these seem to have come at the expense of longer, more comment oriented posts. More opinion, more analysis please Ewan.
In terms of redesign: loose the three columns to the right >>>>>>>>>>
Do I need to know the most recent comments? NOOOO!! Do I want to read the comments on the post I’ve just read? YES!!
To sum up: For content less is not more!! For layout, less clutter is more readable. Thanks
Agree with Mark! I like the recent posts, but recent comments on posts “not so much” (as Borat might say).
I think there are 1 to many columns as well. I think a nice web 2.0ish 3 column wordpress design would be good.
Thank you all for the super feedback and do keep it coming!
I am reading your blog with a Nokia N73 RSS reader, keep up the good work!
But if I want to read the whole story, not just the insert, I have to click to open the blog entry in the browser. After the last redesign, SMS Text News site detects my S60 browser and renders the page mobile-friendly, which is sort of nice. But if I click on comments, I get only empty screen. I cannot read comments with my N73 browser at all! Please fix this!
Hi Jukka, I checked the site on my E61 and you’re right – comments isn’t working properly. I’ve disabled the comments option for now for the mobile-friendly site, hopefully we’ll be able to work out what’s wrong with it shortly.
I think your blog is rubbish 😉
I’ve never read smstextnews through my RSS reader. There is too much content for that. This isn’t an issue though as you’ve got a top berth on my favourites list and are currently nestled between Google and Gmail. I find I dip into the site when I get a few spare minutes. Invariably something will have changed so my time was well spent.
Generally I think the comments are the very most important aspect of the blog. It’s one thing hearing the latest news, it’s another seeing a wicked debate open up – the ones that get 30 or 40 comments (I suspect one of my posts still holds the record for largest chain!) are ggggreat.