Help talk:Mobile access

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2004 – 2009

Indic Language support for m.wikipedia.org

Can we have support for indic languages ? --naveenpf (talk) 05:29, 18 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Work on language variants has not started yet, but it has been requested before and it is planned. The biggest problem is how to efficiently integrate it in the mobile interfaces. —TheDJ (talk • contribs) 10:32, 18 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Hi DJ, Can I know we can help you -- naveenpf (talk) 14:34, 19 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

No I don't think so. Not at this time. But if you want to help, the code is here: http://github.com/hcatlin/wikimedia-mobile and the bugs are here: https://bugzilla.wikimedia.org/buglist.cgi?cmdtype=runnamed&namedcmd=Mobile —TheDJ (talk • contribs) 14:51, 19 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Some ideas that will greatly improve the mobile version of wikipedia

The mobile version of Wikipedia is very nice (I actually prefer it over the regular version) but I have some ideas to make it better

(I use wikipedia mobile on an iPhone- but I assume that it's the same on any mobile device) (Some of these might be applicable for the regular version of Wikipedia as well)

1. The ability to EDIT articles from it. (It annoys me when I'm viewing an article and I see vandalism in it and there's nothing I can do but ignore it at the time) (I've read on the front page there that this isn't possible at the moment- But I think that would be a VERY nice feature.

2. Get rid of any tags "NPOV, Citation needed," and so on.. on the mobile version. They just make it look unprofessional and specifically, the citation needed template is extremely abused and overused (literally, i've seen an article where every sentence finished with a CN tag, or basic facts such as "Greg was born in San Diego" with CN tags among them- I'd suggest just getting rid of the tag on wikipedia completely but the idea would get rejected by a bunch of idiots.) If there is no intention for the mobile version to have editing in it, then the CN tag especially should not be viewed in the mobile version, since it's mainly a tool for editors- and means just about nothing to the casual reader- other then to imply doubt about a presented fact. Since all the tags are tools for editors (at least that's what they are supposed to be) they shouldn't be on a streamlined mobile version, if editing is not included. (possibly have an options to display the tags or not- it increases readability and makes it look more professional)

3. Categories should be viewable at the bottom of each page.

4. in regular wikipedia, External Links appear differently than Interwiki links. In Mobile version, I can't tell the difference between the two.

5. Red interwiki Links should have an option to be viewed as just regular black text.

6. The references column (and all numbered references throughout the article) should either have an option to be toggled off or just be removed from mobile version because[15] It can be kind of[16] annoying when you are trying to read a long article [17]. additionally, the references columns normally aren't readable on the mobile site due to long URL's

7. If I click on a wikipedia article, it loads the regular website for about 10 seconds, then toggles to the mobile version- wasting 10 seconds.. not sure if that's a technical thing that can be fixed or if it has to be like that.

8. basically, a panel to configure how you view articles on the mobile version could remove some of my complaints and get it so people could have it how they want to view it.

I don't know if there actually is a display preferences for the mobile version, but if there is, I can't find it.

Please respond on point by case. RF23 (talk) 04:57, 24 April 2010 (UTC)[reply]

If I may add my own suggestion, it would be some sort of conditional construct (does it already exist?) so that when I'm authoring content, I can specify different formatting for a mobile device. As I described on the Talk:C shell page, I've used blockquoting on some lists of features, where the lists were long and each item needed description. It works well on a laptop or desktop to let you see them as lists but it looks silly on my Droid. I wish I could fix that. Msnicki (talk) 19:48, 30 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Excellent wishlist to which can offer a few quibbles and an addition:

Yes. Tablet computers can go to the full version for editing but it's impractical on my little Samsung Intercept and most phones.
Yes, hiding warning flags would be a good option, though of course editing is the proper response to the general plague of excessive tagging.
Better to put Categories and other non discoursive elements in an auxiliary menu.
Your other points, I can agree though you have correctly prioritized them lower.

My addition: Maps. I love traveling around with the Wikipedia layer of Google Maps on my phone showing W symbols for every local Wikipedia article and clicking on it to see the article. But, having followed an internal link to a related article that also has coordinates (next train station, town's famous school or church, whatever), there is nothing to click to return to the map at the new location. That should also be on the auxiliary menu. Jim.henderson (talk) 12:10, 30 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Interlanguage links and Opera Mini

Hi! After the latest redesign of Wikipedia, interlanguage box expands via javascript and as a result it can't be expanded in Opera Mini. I had not that problem with old wikipedia design. Mobile wikipedia (m.wikipedia.org) doesn't offer interlanguage box for articles. I know it's possible to register and turn on the old design, but some users don't prefer to register, and in some cases loggin into account is unsafe. My request is to disable js for interlanguage box because it's very useful especially during mobile browsing... --94.27.92.188 (talk) 05:16, 27 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Prices for apps

?I just update the "wikihunt" app to 1.99 as that was the price when i followed the link. If someone could evry few days update the prices that would be great.Maz640 (talk) 00:03, 13 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Official Wikipedia app for Android?

I have an Android phone (Motorola Droid), and an official Wikipedia app would be quite handy. Make it able to edit Wikipedia from mobile devices for logged-in users, and that would be even better... SchuminWeb (Talk) 23:11, 16 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Scroll down when editing a wiki page

Ok this may be dumb question but here goes: I like to view wiki as a normal webpage on my iphone. I touch edit, and I get the normal editing screen with the main text sub-window. I touch the sub-window with the text to edit, but I would like to scroll down in the sub-window. The problem is that when I touch the screen to scroll down, the whole page moves and not the text subwindow. how do i get down to the bottom? --DIREKTOR ^(TALK) 13:40, 15 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The only way I know of is to tap the edit box to activate it, then touch it again and hold until the "circle zoom" comes up. At that point you should be able to scroll down very slowly just by sliding your finger down past the edit box. It is not rapid or efficient at all. Probably a better solution is to enable section editing in your preferences so the content of the edit boxes are more manageable. –CWenger (talk) 15:04, 15 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

horrible. This turns any attempt to edit a longer talk section an hour-long process, with the annoying inch-by-inch scroll being required before each post. This effectively renders wikipedia un-editable via iPhone. I personally cannot believe this wasn't fixed somehow. I was sure I was just being thick about it :( --DIREKTOR ^(TALK) 19:19, 15 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah it is unfortunate. I wonder if this same difficulty exists on an iPad? These are prime Wikipedia editing platforms that are going unutilized. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that there are zero Wikipedia apps that support editing. –CWenger (talk) 19:37, 15 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Wait I've got it! Simply scroll down with two fingers, one above the other ^_^ --DIREKTOR ^(TALK) 22:53, 15 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Ah you're right! Thanks!!! –CWenger (talk) 23:00, 15 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I'd still love to see a free iPhone app that allows editing though! –CWenger (talk) 23:00, 15 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Its all for the reader, nothing for us poor editors... :)

This two-touch scroll stuff should be posted somewhere, though. I imagine others have met with this issue. --DIREKTOR ^(TALK) 23:18, 15 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I agree. I think either this page or a new one called Help:Mobile editing would be the appropriate place for that information. –CWenger (talk) 23:46, 15 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Have been struggling with this for a while. If I have to edit a largish block I'll generally activte the edit box, hold a finger down on text until I get a "Select all". Copy and paste into the notepad. The notepad allows for much faster scrolling. It does mean that there is no preview available until you cut and paste it back into the edit box, but it's a work-around that I use at times. PuppyOnTheRadio (talk) 03:17, 6 February 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Windows Phone?

Now that WinPho7 is growing, can it be added to the list of auto-redirects? The mobile site works fine on my Samsung Focus. User-agent is here; it looks like the key identifiers of the platform are the strings "IEMobile/7.0" and "Windows Phone OS 7.0". David Brooks (talk) 16:38, 29 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

New landing page for Wikimedia mobile efforts: meta:Mobile Projects

Just a note to highlight meta:Mobile Projects, the point of coordination of all Wikimedia mobile projects. I'm not sure how this should be announced in the main article, but it would be good to have it visible enough to help users finding the right place to report problems and make suggestions. For further discussion I'm watching this page, and you can also join us at #wikimedia-mobile IRC channel.--Qgil (talk) 15:57, 31 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Portals instead of today's featured article

On the official mobile version of Wikipedia, I suggest replacing today's featured article with main portals instead, similarly to the standard main page:

Welcome to Wikipedia,

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

6,989,249 articles in English

The today's featured article is seldom the information you seek when going to Wikipedia, so the portals would serve the reader's need better. Also, I think the mobile main page must be kept short, and the portals take less space. Mikael Häggström (talk) 06:52, 14 May 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I prefer to have the featured article myself, and then search for what I'm after. PuppyOnTheRadio (talk) 03:25, 6 February 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Symbian^3 redirect

At the moment I end up on the normal desktop version of Wikipedia on my N8 - I didn't even know theres was a mobile version until I tried an iPhone. Neither the default browser nor Opera Mobile appear to be redirected at the moment. They are not on the supported list, but work perfectly if I manually navigate to the mobile site. Could whoever is responsible (or knows how) add one? If not for Symbian, at least Opera Mobile.

User agents keywords: Opera: S60; SymbOS; Opera Mobi/SYB-1104051448 Default browser: Symbian/3; Series60/5.2; NokiaN8-00/014.002; Profile/MIDP-2.1

Thanks115.64.12.216 (talk) 16:24, 11 June 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Sub-section bug

I just saw a web page with a link to the URL http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rope_%28film%29#Long_takes while using the native Android browser on my HTC Desire HD.

On Rope (film), Long takes is a level-3 heading.

I followed the link, and was redirected to the mobile version, but landed at the top of the page, with the sections collapsed and showing only level-2 headings. I then had to open several level-2 sections before finding #Long_takes Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Andy's talk; Andy's edits 11:21, 18 September 2011 (UTC)[reply]

On checking the issue also occurs with URLs for level-2 headings, such as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QRpedia#Implementations / QRpedia#Implementations (though obviously level-2 headings are displayed, on the mobile version, so easier to find). Andy Mabbett (Pigsonthewing); Andy's talk; Andy's edits 19:15, 18 September 2011 (UTC))[reply]

the 7val site doesn't seem to support logging in or editing

http://en.wikipedia.7val.com no longer seems to support editing or logging in. I'm not sure if it's temporary or permanent but should a note about this be made? --Ron Ritzman (talk) 02:40, 15 October 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Not sure if this is fixed or not, but I'm a bit suprised WP is comfortable endorsing logging in through another site... especially for admin. I understand 7val may be a fine company, but I'm wary of giving logging in with my admin PW through that site. 7 04:59, 9 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

No editing?

I've been able to log in and make the edit shown in the picture using my Android device. Granted, I had to permanently disable the mobile site, but it is possible to edit from an Android phone. I thought it was because as a sysop I had WP:IPEXEMPT status, but then I realised I'd done it from an alternate screenname with no IPEXEMPT set. Matthewedwards : Chat 08:17, 14 November 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Help...

I have a 3ds and this needs information on how to use options like bold with one. Also I can't edit long pages or tons of text is missing. Scientific Alan (talk) 08:52, 29 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia iPhone app bug report

I have the app on my 3GS and it won't update. "The item you tried to buy is no longer available." Please help and fix!!!! --Zhane Masaki (talk) 23:20, 4 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]

E-book reader

Yesterday I met a Wikipedian who had a Kindle E-ink E-reader, not a Coby Android tablet like mine with color and backlight. Will there be a version for him and others similarly equipped? Jim.henderson (talk) 22:09, 22 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Move the "mobile view" link from bottom of page to the top

for the love of god can someone move the "mobile site" link from the bottom of the page to the top. Its a stupid place to put since one has to load entire damn page to get to it, THEN switch to mobile since I'm no longer automatically directed to the mobile wikipedia on my itouch anymore — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.118.60.18 (talk) 12:28, 15 May 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I agree. Today on my Samsung Intercept Android phone, every time I tapped the W in Google Earth for the Wikipedia article, the desktop view came up instead of the mobile view. I have no idea whether to blame Samsung, Google, Wikimedia or the Almighty for that, but surely blame for the "Mobile vew" link being on the bottom belongs somewhere in the Wikicomplex. Jim.henderson (talk) 01:55, 18 May 2012 (UTC)[reply]

There are ways to restore the mobile view as the default; first (updated 2012-08-15), try clicking the "Go to the mobile website" on the Wikipedia:Enable_mobile_version ~~superseded "Go to the Mobile Site" link~~ which attempts to clear the stopMobileRedirect cookie. If that doesn't work, the talk page for the Enable mobile versions has more workarounds. For a long term fix, Bug 38009 tracks this problem. sn‾uǝɹɹɐʍɯ (talk) 02:43, 15 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks but, umm, the "special" link leads my new Android phone (HTC EVO V 4G now) from the mobile version of this talk page to the desk version of en Main. Am I failing to understand? Anyway I shall be grateful when the phone can more easily switch back and forth between the two versions while keeping the mobile version as default when coming from Google Earth or elsewhere. For that matter Google ought to provide two buttons, not one, but that's definitely not Wiki's problem while I hope our own clever and industrious developers can do something about the switching method. Jim.henderson (talk) 12:01, 15 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Hopefully the new (2012-08-15) stop gap solution added by TheDJ solved the problem switching between versions. The Wikipedia:Enable_mobile_version page also has an updated "Go to the mobile website" link. Clearing the browser cache might help make the fix work sooner. sn‾uǝɹɹɐʍɯ (talk) 23:43, 15 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry I didn't get back to you; been out snapping photos and other activities. Yes, both versions are now bringing me to the en Main page under the default browser. Thanks; hope our developers can improve the actual Web pages to allow easy toggling. Jim.henderson (talk) 20:39, 17 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Bug in Opera Mobile 12

I use Opera Mobile on an HTC Sensation (Android 4) and since the recent update to Opera 12 mobile Wikipedia isn't working correctly. Expanding subsections takes many taps to register and when subsections are opened they only open for about 1.5 inch of screen space, with remaining text cut off sometimes showing the top half of the letters on the next line. I haven't been able to find a fix or workaround other than using desktop mode or using the stock browser.

Any ideas? I suspect the problem might also be with Opera. thefunkygibson^T¤C 16:57, 23 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Really would like to edit wit hit.Dennydoo4 (talk) 03:55, 24 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Mobile search

Tracked in Phabricator
Task T41375

(no idea if this should go here) Recently, the search function added a search suggestion list as you type. This is nice, but the site now forces the user to click a suggestion when one used to be able to just hit the Enter key. Having to unnecessarily take your hands off the keyboard, or keypad in this case, is pretty annoying. It also makes searching for things that don't have their own articles impossible-- for example, there's information about Vivaldi's "Gardellino" flute concerto in the article about his Opus 10, but since it doesn't have its own article you can't search for it on the mobile site anymore. Prior to the change (and on the regular Wiki site), you'd end up on the Search Results page, where you could select an appropriate article.

Also, it would be nice if one could use the arrow keys to scroll through the suggestion list and hit Enter to select.

If it matters, I'm using a Windows Phone 7.5 with Internet Explorer. 24.252.205.85 (talk) 16:19, 24 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Either way I wouldn't know the answer but it may help if you say whether this the Wikipedia App, or the .m. version of the URL seen with the default Safari Browser. Jim.henderson (talk) 21:20, 24 June 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I presume this is a windows phone 7.5 issue.. On my iphone it just takes me to the search results when I hit enter. —TheDJ (talk • contribs) 12:57, 15 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Android coords bug?

Waiting two hours at DMV this morning I downloaded the Android official app to my new HTC EVO V 4G phone. I was pleased to see coordinates, for example in Governors Island where the coords appear twice. Unfortunately, tapping either copy of the coords merely brought me to the same article page, differing only in that the title was followed by a # sign. Shouldn't it open the built in Google Maps application to show the location of the island?

In the .m. Mobile Version of the Web page, the coords appear only once, and tapping brings me the same Geohack page as when I'm using my desk computer, which is difficult to use on the small phone screen. Seems to me, this too ought to go straight to the Google Maps app or whatever similar map program may be installed. But at least this one isn't broken; it's merely poor. Am I reporting this in the right place? Jim.henderson (talk) 04:14, 27 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]

The best place to report any Wikipedia App bug is here —TheDJ (talk • contribs) 12:54, 15 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Go back to the old mobile site

I absolutely hate the new version. Everyone already knows of the problems accessing the mobile site, and yet somehow it was a smart idea to add at the very bottom of the page a 'more' option, so that if I have trouble with the mobile site loading and want to switch to the desktop version and I have wait for every section and opening pic to load. What a bright idea. Let's try moving the option to go desktop at the. top. of the page. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.118.60.18 (talk) 04:21, 17 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Disable wikipedia mobile

How do you disable the Wikipedia mobile so it never comes up in your browser? Hawkeye7 (talk) 05:49, 10 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Me too. I really want to see the full layout on my android tablet.

If you look at the bottom of your screen you will see an option for "desk top version" - click it and this will take you away from the read-only version or mobile web version of Wikipedia to the normal (non-mobile) version. You can also do a goggle search for Wikipedia and chose the web version (en.wikipedia.org/) over the mobile version (http://m.wikipedia.org).Moxy (talk) 21:49, 6 February 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you, I found it now. But I had to unfold the last section first. In my opinion, the option should be in the setting (top left menu). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.226.182.109 (talk) 22:19, 6 February 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Tag: Mobile edits

Just noticed on my watch list, a tag of Tag: Mobile edit on an edit by someone else. Other than using the normal version of wikipedia through a mobile or tablet browser (which I am doing right now), how is mobile editing possible? I just tried the Android and en.m versions and didn't seem to be able to edit - and the watchlist functionality of en.m must have been designed by someone who had never used wikipedia, it is completely useless. So, has mobile editing been implemented in an app yet? The-Pope (talk) 03:06, 9 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]