Twitter Launches HTML 5 Version of Twitter.com Aimed at iPad Users

As time goes on, we see more and more companies embracing the fact that the iPad is a force to be reckoned with. They spend there time developing apps for Apple’s tablet, redesigning content for its form factor, and even creating special versions of their sites for it. We can now add Twitter to the list of sites that have versions specifically for the Apple iPad.

Announced by @twittermobile, there is now a HTML 5 version of Twitter’s website, twitter.com, aimed specifically for the iPad. While Twitter has had an iPad app for a while now, this new user experience is designed to be used in the tablet mobile browser. It appears to be a hybrid of the desktop site and the HTML 5 based app. It features a dual column design that is very reminiscent of the current desktop web experience.

If you prefer to use your iPad’s browser over using an app, then this is a great update for you. It is also a great example of how good a mobile web experience can be. I think other companies (Google+) could take a few notes from Twitter. The iPad offers a greater screen real-estate than the typical mobile phone, and it should be taken advantage of.

The timing on this release is pretty interesting. Facebook announced their own HTML 5 web app initiative, Project Spartan, a few months ago. While nothing has come out of that project yet, it is expected to show fruit any day now. Its possible that Twitter felt it was necessary to beat Facebook to a launch, and they have done just that.

According to Twitter, the new version of the site is not currently available to all users. I know that I could not access it just yet, but some users can. It is said to be rolling out to all users over the next week. When I manage to access the site, I will take some screenshots and post them (or someone could send me some.)


Author: Tony Price

Tony A. Price is a Nutrition and Dietetics Student from Louisiana in the United States. He has a deep passion for high end technology, mobile devices and applications, Mac hardware and software, and video gaming. His website is Tony's Brain, and his Twitter handle is @tony_price. Tony Price has written 41 articles for us.

Gmail Brings Desktop Notifications to Chat

The Gmail blog has announced a new feature today that will let users opt for desktop notifications of chat. This provides users with notification messages once they receive a new chat. It is very similar to the desktop notification feature for Google Talk and comes in handy for people who chat from the browser itself.

The Gmail blog announces this new feature as:

If you use Google Chrome, these days can be over since we just launched HTML5 desktop notifications which display pop-ups whenever a chat message or new email arrives.

The new notification system is based on HTML5 and can be turned on at Settings -> General tab. If you have tried this with a different browser other than Google Chrome, you would have seen this message:




Google has made the feature available only for Chrome users currently but has assured of supporting more browsers in future as it will roll out this notifications system as part of the Standard Web Platform.

In Google Chrome, you will see the option as:




As evident from Google’s plans of incorporating this into the Standard Web Platform, the feature will work not only for Google Chat, but also for AOL IM, Yahoo! IM and other chats. The notification appears as:

It took a while before the feature started working after turning it on, but the notifications look classy and are quite helpful because I have lost important conversations on multiple occasions. Chat is a method of instant conversation and once included into the Standard Web Platform, this will definitely improve the web as a whole.