Useful Mobile URLs

Revision as of 14:35, 30 April 2013

Why use the mobile version or at least a simpler version of a web site when Maemo devices are capable of accessing the full version? Some reasons:

Speed -- simpler versions may be considerably faster because they lack Flash and JavaScript. Full versions of websites are sometimes designed to run on desktop processors using browsers with JavaScript optimizations.
Focus -- simpler versions are often to the point, more in keeping with the spirit of mobile apps vs. desktop apps.
Compatibility -- sometimes the full version of a web site doesn't support Maemo devices properly.

On talk.maemo.org, there are periodic requests for mobile versions of sites.

Mobile shopping sites
Site	URL	Notes
Amazon	http://www.amazon.com/mobile

Mobile application providers
Site	URL	Notes
Ovi store	http://www.ovi.mobi/

Mobile Google services
Site	URL	Notes
Google+	https://plus.google.com/app/plus/mp/
Google Calendar	http://www.google.com/calendar/m	Lists appointments.
Google Calendar (Domain)	http://www.google.com/calendar/hosted/[your domain]/m	Lists appointments.
Google Docs	http://docs.google.com/m	Some features are view-only. Spreadsheet can only view a column at a time. Opera Mobile user agent enables basic spreadsheet editing.
Google Maps	http://maps.google.com/m	Look up a place. View a map in simple HTML with links for zooming and shifting the display
Google News	http://news.google.com/m	May direct you to mobile version of news site
Google Reader	http://www.google.com/reader/m	Displays simple text version of article
Google Reader "Chunky"	http://www.google.com/reader/i/	More touch friendly
Google Search	http://www.google.com/m	May direct you to mobile version of searched-for site
Google Tasks	http://mail.google.com/tasks/m	part of Gmail
Google Tasks "Chunky"	https://mail.google.com/tasks/android	More touch friendly
Google Voice	http://www.google.com/voice/m
Gmail	http://m.gmail.com/	Can also click "Simple HTML" link for more functionality
Gmail "Chunky"	http://mail.google.com/mail/x/gdlakb-/gp/	More touch friendly
Gmail "Chunky" (Domain)	https://mail.google.com/a/[your domain]/x/1gjikl11t3cl1	More touch friendly
YouTube	http://m.youtube.com
YouTube	http://youtube.com/xl	Extra-large buttons

Mobile webmail/social sites
Site	URL	Notes
Facebook	http://m.facebook.com/	mobile site
Facebook	http://0.facebook.com/	mobile site without photos, free on some mobile networks (eg 3UK).
Facebook	http://touch.facebook.com/	Touch site
FriendFeed	http://friendfeed.com/iphone
Google+	see above
Gmail	see above
Hotmail Mobile	http://mail.live.com/m	Obsolete?
Hotmail Mobile	https://mssl.mail.live.com/m/?bfv=wm	Works with Outlook.com
Hotmail Mobile Alt	http://mobile.live.com/hm
MySpace	http://m.myspace.com/
Twitter	http://mobile.twitter.com/
Yahoo	http://m.yahoo.com/	"Mail" link is in upper right

Modile news/information sites
Site	URL	Notes
Ars Technica	http://arstechnica.com	recognizes some user agents
CNet	http://m.cnet.com
Google News	http://news.google.com/m	May direct you to mobile version of news site

A quick glance at this table shows you that mobile-friendly URLs often fall into certain patterns:

Knowing these patterns, you can discover other mobile-friendly sites.

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 On talk.maemo.org, there are periodic requests for mobile versions of sites.
-== Mobile Specifications ==
+== Shopping Sites ==
 {| class="wikitable sortable"
-|+ Mobile specifications sites
+|+ Mobile shopping sites
 |-
 ! Site
@@ Line 16: / Line 16: @@
 ! class="unsortable" | Notes
 |-
-| Mobile Specifications || http://mobile-specifications.com ||
+| Amazon || http://www.amazon.com/mobile ||
 |}