Computers vs Phones for forum activity

[Bionic Rooster]

How many people use their phones while participating in forums/FB/Twit ect? Or do you prefer laptop or computers? Please explain why for each.

 

[\o/]

I prefer actual computers. Here's a list of reasons.

(Yes, technically, "a phone" is a computer these days. Still...)

 

[Pete]

Me personally, I'm a hybrid of desktop and tablet. Phone is too small for me for any amount of typing. But also I didn't have a mobile phone until I was 18, and that was the Nokia 3330 which didn't exactly do online (it theoretically could but it was stupidly expensive and painfully slow), I only got into a 'real' smartphone last year but I don't use it except when I need to make actual calls.

In my case I'm quite wordy and having an actual keyboard that's kind of the size of my sausage fingers is helpful.

 

[zappaDPJ]

I use my PC for connecting to forums and my iPhone or iPad for pretty much everything else e.g. email, WhatsApp, Zoom and other types of social media.

The main reason I still use my PC for forums is there's a lot on the technical side I simply can't do from a phone. If all the forums I own or admin were running SaaS via a dedicated app I would at least consider switching to my phone. I agree typing meaningful content of any length on a smart phone is not the ideal but that's how the overwhelming majority of my members connect and I would much prefer to be able to use my forums as they do.

 

[Bionic Rooster]

I'm a computer user myself for all my internet activities. I can't see myself reading or typing for any period of time on a small window and tiny keys available on the phones.

 

[Tiffany Bello]

I prefer my laptop or desktop rather then my phone, even though I have an android galaxy note ultra 20, or whatever it's called these days. Posting from a mobile phone is a challenge (far-sided) even with the best app design, in my experience. ALL of my friends, however, use their cell phones, which is why I had to work on developing mobile apps for my websites for both Android and Apple.

 

[KimmiKat]

I'm a computer person myself. The only phone I have is flip phone and been happy with that.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I prefer my trusty desktop computer. But everyone prefers mobile it seems. So when I make something, I make it for mobile first.

 

[Deathstarr]

I use both but according to analytics 70-80% of my forum is used by cell phone users.

 

[zappaDPJ]

In my case I'm quite wordy and having an actual keyboard that's kind of the size of my sausage fingers is helpful.

I can't see myself reading or typing for any period of time on a small window and tiny keys available on the phones.

That I completely understand, it's the same for me. In my case diminishing eyesight, loss of dexterity and sausage fingers all contribute to an unwillingness to use a smartphone on forums even though I really want to. However while I can still touch type at 35-40 words per minute on a decent keyboard, my 27 year old daughter can type considerably faster on her phone.

So here's a question that has some relevance to this thread. How do you type on your phone?

If like me you hold your phone in one hand and stab at the keyboard using poor eyesight and an ageing sausage finger is it any wonder we still prefer to sit behind a PC. On the other hand (no pun intended) if you have a pair of young slim, dexterous thumbs (because that's how the younger generation type on a smartphone, with their thumbs) plus good vision and predictive text, a small view-port size is not perhaps so much of a deterrent as we might think?

For me at least the importance of a topic like this cannot be underestimated. It goes to the very heart of forum activity levels and what we as owners need to do to get more people to engage while keeping our core membership onside.

 

[ThornInYourSide]

I used a desktop for years, pretty much forever. One day the one I was using gave up on me and I had to revert to my notebook. That's when I found out how much power desktops use. My monthly electric bill dropped considerably. I've been using this same notebook since, probably five years or more now. It's set up on a moveable platform with a USB keyboard and mouse to use. It has a 17" screen so I don't need another monitor to suck power.

Never figured out what happened to the desktop, so it sits unused.

This is great unless I lose internet for some reason. Then I have to switch to a phone with a tiny screen and KB. At least the new Motorola Stylus has a slightly bigger screen at around 6" that makes it a bit easier to see than my previous one. I stand it up where I can see it and use a Bluetooth KB that gives me a real keyboard. It's only mid sized, about 10" or so and no mouse or pointing device, but it's better than using my finger or a rubber tipped stick.

Need to look into a full sized BT KB and maybe a pointing device.

 

[ThornInYourSide]

if you have a pair of young slim, dexterous thumbs (because that's how the younger generation type on a smartphone, with their thumbs) plus

Years back, when mobile doohickeys first started infesting the world, I read a story about some girl winning a 'texting' contest at some blazing words per minute rate. Her stuff was all gibberish, broken word bits and groups of random characters forming disjointed abbreviations. There wasn't a real word in it.

I still see a lot of that today and it's a huge part of why I hate that method.

I make a LOT of typos and try to correct most. But that's less possible on tiny screens where the previous line scrolls out of view.

 

[\o/]

But everyone prefers mobile it seems. So when I make something, I make it for mobile first.

That usually makes the result look awful on large screens. Arguably, you might have more graphical skills than others.

 

[southernlady]

In this order:
desktop/laptop
ipad
phone

 

[Kaelon]

Absolutely mobile-first and many times, mobile-only.

About 11 years ago, more than 50% of all web traffic became mobile-first, and in 2021, ~93% of all global internet traffic was mobile. It's more convenient, casual, and fits with my consumptive lifestyle. And, pretty much everyone I know, in every sphere of life and at every success level, uses their mobile device as their primary digital interface.

I use desktop devices for intense data and business applications, gaming, and design/development. But as a user, there is no question: it's phone.

 

[\o/]

~93% of all global internet traffic was mobile.

I highly doubt that. Most traffic probably comes from Netflix et cetera - which is rarely consumed on a smartphone.
Correction: ~93% of all people who access the internet over a private connection own one or more internet-capable mobile devices - which is a quite different value.

 

[ThornInYourSide]

It's more convenient, casual,

Not for me. No way is that dinky little thing more convenient than a full sized keyboard and monitor.

Plus it's a lot less safe. Can't figure people suing them for banking and payments.

 

[AllanD]

PC for me, I just need a keyboard. I use my phone for calling and texting and paying for things.

 

[snerd]

Desktop
Laptop
iPad
Phone

 

[Kaelon]

I highly doubt that. Most traffic probably comes from Netflix et cetera - which is rarely consumed on a smartphone.
Correction: ~93% of all people who access the internet over a private connection own one or more internet-capable mobile devices - which is a quite different value.

If you factor only web traffic, and what devices drove web traffic, Statista shows that ~55% of all web traffic is mobile-only.

Mobile percentage of website traffic 2021 | Statista

Mobile accounts for approximately half of web traffic worldwide.

www.statista.com