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Question 1

Should we give the access to mobile version to all users on desktop. by having a differetn url like http://m.yahoo.com/or it's good to keep mobile version and desktop version access only from mobile and desktop like http://sl.dk. Although advanced user can see by changing UserAgent?

Question 2

If we decide to give different url to mobile version and will redirect from main domain to mobile version if user is accessing from mobile then how i should keep url ? though desktop user can also see the mobile version by typing mobile url.

1) Keeping mobile version in sub folder like http://bagcheck.com/mobile

2) With m. subdomain like yahoo http://m.yahoo.com/

3) or like http://mobile.twitter.com/

4) or a totally different url http://website.mobi

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All of the above! Really how hard is it to create one mobile version of the site and redirect a couple of URL's that way. Make the shortest one to type the one thats shown everywhere. – Barfieldmv Sep 15 '11 at 7:13
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As mobile user I like 'm.site.com' url most of all, because it does not take up much space in url bar. Also, 301 redirect from 'mobile.site.com' and 'site.com/mobile' to 'm.site.com' would be great. – Dmitry Semenov Sep 15 '11 at 7:37
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@Dmitry - and would u like to acess m.site.com from desktop if you find mobile version better than desktop for you? – Jitendra Vyas Sep 15 '11 at 7:55
Though site.mobi can be shorther than m.site.com and site.mobi has only single period. – Jitendra Vyas Sep 15 '11 at 7:56
@Jitendra It's hard to imagine for me when mobile version is better for desktop. But I like to know that mobile version is avaliable. – Dmitry Semenov Sep 15 '11 at 8:57
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1 Answer

up vote 2 down vote

Question 1 Answer: The goal here is to provide the most suitable information to each purpose.

The http://m.subdomain.com/ url typically means that there is a unique website - typically a subset of the full website - that was purpose-built for mobile devices. You'll see it used quite a bit nowadays as it is the 'easiest' way to implement a mobile strategy across a website.

When an Advanced user switches their User Agent to a mobile device, they know what to expect. Switching User Agents isn't something a regular visitor will partake in.

Question 2 Answer: The answer to this question may fall outside the scope of this board (also, I don't see a difference between your examples 2) and 3) - they're both sub domains.).

The ideal solution here is to have a Responsive Web Design (more info: http://www.alistapart.com/articles/responsive-web-design/) as this means 1 source of content, 1 source of templates and a device agnostic design that suits desktop, tablet and mobile.

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difference between 2 and 3 is less character to type. Responsive webdesign is not for all cases lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?1390 – Jitendra Vyas Sep 15 '11 at 6:27
Very good read, thank you. – rlsaj Sep 15 '11 at 22:07

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