The new Apple iPad browser may change the way visitors see your site. Your background, header, sidebars and other website elements may no longer be visible or may look very different to what they do in a normal desktop computer screen.
I recently redesigned Thesis Theme HQ and moved the header image to the left hand side only to discover that it didn’t appear in the new Apple iPad. Now the header is back in the default position.
If you want to check what your site looks like in the new Apple iPad – head on over to iPad Peek.
Below is a screenshot of Thesis Theme HQ in the free iPad Peek program.
Headers & Background Images
Lessons Learned
If your WordPress theme has a default position for a web element – there is probably a good reason for it.
Your header is an important design element that adds character and that unique look to your site. At all times, spend time making sure it will remain in view when more and more people start to use computers – other than personal desktop computers – to view your site.
Don’t spend too much time on your background because it doesn’t usually appear in mobile browsers e.g. mobile phones, small net-book and laptop computers and especially not in the new Apple iPad.
- Also, if a visitor likes to increase the size of the font by increasing the size of the page, your website’s background will be pushed out of view in favour of your content. Once again, your background becomes redundant.
An exception is when your site is viewed on an average PC monitor by average users or on a monster screen – the kind all desktop computer users get all excited about.
- In these cases, your background makes the experience and creates a mood just right for your website.
- Take the time making sure you have an appealing background image and or colour and that the image is either repeated (if it looks nice repeating) or blends into the background colour.
Your Thoughts
Check out your site in the Apple iPad browser and share with us any surprises you had, e.g. your sidebars disappeared.
Apple iPad Applications
There are thousands of applications – morphed from the former iphone and ipod applications – including the WordPress blogging app. The video below shows what it’s like to use for blogging.
Don’t throw your netbook/laptop away just yet!
There are also some fun ones like Marvel Comics…check out the video below.
{ 47 comments… read them below or add one }
The Ipad looks awesome and the videos make even want to get one more. I think this is a gadget that will really help the blogger who is on the move
.-= Keith´s last blog ..Short Prom Dresses =-.
I was buying Ipad in the first wave, then i got disappointed in it because i have Ipod Touch, so i saw that Ipad is a bigger version of Ipod and sold it on the next day 15% off. In my opinion that gadget is not worth any penny spent on it.
.-= IpadUser´s last blog ..Loans for Small Business =-.
This article is really show me the importance or we can say a relation with our blog design and mobiles. thanks for sharing.
I don’t know how much time I will be spending making sure my site looks good on the Ipad… I stick with standards and pray. The browser share for Ipad may be too small to worry with it. The Marvel app looked really cool though. I should start reading comics again.
.-= Donnie in Chattanooga´s last blog ..SEO TIP: Goodbye PageRank, Hello Trust and Authority =-.
ipadgeek.com is the best way to take a peek of how your site will look like on the ipad. And it’s for free. Great-looking site, by the way!
.-= Andrew@BloggingGuide´s last blog ..Sorry: I Am Not Replying To Comments (Temporarily) =-.
thanks for this helpful post on apple ipad browser…
It’s very good article, all of tips are to be considered to design a website that can be accessed by ipad browser.
.-= Golf Swing Trainer´s last blog ..Golf Swing Instruction =-.
Your site looks very nice. You have shared awesome article about Apple iPad Browser. but unfortunately yet Apple iPad is not available in Indian market.
I’m sure there will be a perfectly good substitute before long if not already.
Good to know.
I always tell people to develop for Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and Opera in that order. Now we must develop for the iPad, too. It’s just running Safari at a weird resolution though, right?
Thanks for sharing your experience with the iPad and for telling us about iPad Peek. I wasn’t aware of that before, and it’s good to see what our blogs will look like the device.
.-= Margaret (Nanny Goats)´s last blog ..Counting Crows (and Dead Celebrities) =-.
I am wondering if we need to install any kind of plugin or need to fix themes/design accordingly in order to make website look good (iPad Friendly) in iPad? I suppose iPad will get good marketshare soon.
.-= Joel´s last blog ..HGH Energizer Review =-.
Just be mindful of making your site too wide and make sure your theme is flexible width rather than fixed. Thesis resizes your site accordingly unless you use the default page width and put web elements and content outside the page area, e.g. floating twitter subscribe buttons against the side of the pc screen. These can then get hidden from view in mobile browsers.
Well the preview of the browser looks good and impressive.The functions of this browser looks nice.I m also thinking to buy an iPad so I will look forward to its more information.
Yes, i almost always switch the browser/theses on any device i get.
iPad is the most latest in demand gadget for now. Even bloggers use their iPad for their updates than using their laptops. The good thing about it is you can bring it anywhere you go just like your laptop.
.-= Nikky @ NLP Training´s last undefined ..Response cached until Sat 12 @ 1:57 GMT (Refreshes in 24.00 Hours) =-.
Seems now bloggers and designers have got one more application/browser to make their site compatible with. Oh Another headache :P
Your header is an important design element that adds character and that unique look to your site. At all times, spend time making sure it will remain in view when more and more people start to use computers – other than personal desktop computers
Seems to be a good idea of checking our sites compatibility with the iPad too since now many people have started browsing the web from the iPad
.-= Shiva | Web Magazine´s last blog ..25 Best Books for Wordpress Bloggers =-.
I never had a problem with my site how it appears on my iPad. Actually, its just the same as with any other platforms I used. In fact, I feel like my site runs faster on an iPad rather than on regular PCs. Apple has always fascinate people, including me.
.-= Heaven´s last blog ..600 Gram Powder =-.
That’s really amazing! this is the wonderful browser to use and it’s really comfortable. I always enjoy browsing through this new browser. I am looking for some plugin if any.
Wow, I like the ipad simulator! No idea if it’s actually true in its emulation or not though, all the sites I looked at in it were exactly the same as the IE equivalent…
Without the inclusion of flash on the ipad and iphone, all those pretty sites are going to have a big cavernous gap where there should be something! Means if you want pretty spinning things, jquery will be the way forward…
Sounds like the birth of another new coding language soon ;-) Agree with you by the way. If you don’t have content in the form of words, your site may suffer – not only in the search engine results but in people’s opinions. Focus on content rather than bells and whistles….then add some smart bling aka jquery….way out of my league. Find a programmer or a great plugin with it built in!
if a visitor likes to increase the size of the font by increasing the size of the page, your website’s background will be pushed out of view in favour of your content. Once again, your background becomes redundant.
iPad is an awesome innovative product. It has a good web browser and it is good for almost any kind of stuff … except flash.
Apple Ipad browser was been the most successful as the apple user like it a lot.They like its all features as well as its functionality and many more functions is well.so it was the boom in the market.
I have always liked the apple Because it is beautiful and powerful!
Header is an important element of design that adds character and unique look to your website. At all times, to spend time ensuring that she remains eligible if more people start using computers – apart from personal computers – to see your site.
The sis changes the size of your site accordingly, unless you use the width of the default page and a set of web content and elements outside the page area, for example, subscribe twitter floating buttons on the side of the screen PC. You can then go out of sight in mobile browsers.
I haven’t even thought about this yet! It took me ages to design my site and get it just how I wanted that I don’t think I really want to start shifting things around again but I guess with a lot of people wanting an iPad it’s inevitable.
Hi Somone, I actually have enjoyed having a look around your site here, as a fellow Aussie, it is great to see others, I haven’t got an ipad yet myself but this link was a great little find to see how my blog looks on there. I have an iphone which I love!
I only started my blog about 3 months ago and am getting over 5000 a day visiting now, It is a true crime blog and I love doing it, not sure if or how I can ever make money from it.(Maybe something I can research on your site soon!) Anyway better get back to what I was looking for. Which was researching if wowzio was any good for blogs.I liked their widget that displayed pics from the blog and linked to them.(damn, more research need to see what commentluv widget below comment box is…)
Cheers
Robbo
An exception is if your site is seen on a PC monitor on average by the average user or a monster display of all types of desktop users get all excited.
header is an important design element that adds character and that unique look to your site. At all times, spend time making sure it will remain in view when more and more people start to use computers – other than personal desktop computers
These all are looking really very amazing. I really want to start shifting things around again but I guess with a lot of people wanting an iPad it’s inevitable. These all are great to know about it.
This blog is really showing me the significance or we can say a relation with our blog design and mobiles. Thanks for sharing this blog.
Hey Thanks for sharing your knowledge with the iPad and for effective us about iPad Peek. I wasn’t conscious of that previous to, and it’s good to see what our blogs will look like the machine.
This is all really quite amazing. I really started to change things back, but I think a lot of people want to ipad, it was inevitable. These are all great to know about it.
Yes. Compatibility between different platforms is so vital in keeping your content visible to as many people as possible.
Safari has IPAD, a mobile web browser that supports the latest web standards – including HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript. Here are some sites that take advantage of web standards to deliver content that looks and works great on IPAD.
You have shared awesome editorial about Apple iPad Browser. but regrettably yet Apple iPad is not available in Indian market.
I’m quite surprised my website looks good on the iPad actually since I use old fashioned html instead of Wordpress or another CMS. I find it difficult though to optimize for older browsers and wonder if it’s worth it at all.
Well, if it’s not broken some would say don’t fix it. On the other hand, changing over to WordPress before your site gets too big is always preferable.
It is wonderful features of ipad.You post great information with us.I was not familiar about this.It is really enjoyable reading for me.
It was dissapointing to see that after checking my site on mac and pc; and in the 4 major browsers that it didn’t look right on the iPad. It appears as though my background image has moved. the blue line that i have going across the screen appears right below the header logo on all of the browsers but lands in the middle of the logo on iPad and iPhone. Trying to figure out if there is some way I can correct this.
I see what you mean. I’m not an expert on the full-width layout. You might want to post a query on the official Thesis forum. You could try extending the blue up above the line in your background image, but the MacOSX on the ipad will still resize. you can probably use some command to keep the image a fixed size and fix it in the top left for example. I’m afraid I can’t help you on this occasion.
I found such nice videos here.. They provides genuen information through good sense and its really appreciated. Last one video for the iPad is aewsome.