Request: Mobile or WAP-Friendly DG

The number of people accessing websites via PDA's and smartphones continues to rise. Could DG have a mobile-friendly version available for those of us who not only browse with a regular computer, but with a handheld device?

Turning pictures off helps, but all the graphics placeholders and header information still loads for each page, slowing things down. Could DG please be made available in a text-only format, or in a stripped down version for quicker browsing and viewing on a small screen?

It would be so great to be able to access Plantfiles, forums and other resources here while on the go...At garden centers, especially. :)

Thanks for your consideration!

WOW, I had never thought about being able to access the plant files while I was actually at a garden center! That is a GREAT idea!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH DAAAAAAAAAAVVVVVVVE?????

An idea who's time has come or soon will! DG LITE??

I know, wouldn't it be great to be able to look up information on a cultivar right when you are considering a plant? With so many of us using our wireless carriers' data plans, gardeners could take DG on the go! :)

I started my own database for my Palm a number of years ago - it is quite handy to have this information at your fingertips, the problem is in knowing which plants and how much information :-) as every time I would want to look a plant up it was something new. After a while I ended up going to a couple of good reference books as I didn't have the time to continue adding new plants to the database.

This message was edited Dec 18, 2007 7:30 PM

I'm definitely watching this thread, tho I'd personally not use it.
Sounds like a wonderful idea!

Sasha

Oh boy, yes! Having PF available at the nursery would be great.

Kathleen

I just wanted to clarify something: DG, Plantfiles, and the other features here are available currently, but they are not mobile-friendly. You can still bring them up - just be prepared to wait quite a while while they load and to navigate through lots of pages. Wireless networks using EDGE load pretty quickly, but if you're not on a faster cellular network, it can be pretty slow.

Good point to clarify, GW.

Most people (me included) won't bother if it's slow and hard to access, so a "mobile-friendly" version would be a boon to DGers.

Hi, y'all -- pardon my bump. :)

GW:

What if you turned your idea on its head -- and requested DG-friendly garden centers?

It'd be a sight easier for the garden center/nursery to have a computer logged into DG and PlantFiles available for their customers to browse for info, and gain boatloads of good press for doing so.

Actually, streamlining a website so it's friendly for the wee screen isn't that much of a hurdle for someone like Dave. This site is already streamlined and very fast! But I'd love to see kiosks at garden centers, all with DG at the ready. :D

I usually have my laptop with me where ever I go and I have a mobile internet card that works off the cell phone towers . It's a bit slower than cable but mine is with Alltel so where my cell phone works, I can get internet. It's great for traveling and I take it to work so I can do things on my break time or lunch time that I can't use the work computer for.
Great for looking up phone numbers and directions on the road too. (LOL)

I occasionally access via my cell as well, and it does take forever to load, even with a fast connection.

Laura