# SDMB on the iPhone, Android, etc.? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 12, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723 "2010-01-12T23:03:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/1 "2010-01-12T23:03:03Z")
I personally wish the SDMB interfaced a little better on my mobile device. Although I can read it okay in _landscape_ mode, it just leaves a lot to be desired. After a little digging, I found an iPhone app called [Tapatalk](http://www.tapatalk.com/) that can read vBulletin boards in a much more optimized fashion BUT the board in question has to be listed in the Tapatalk Network (which is free). I’ve also heard about “iPhone-friendly themes” for vBulletin boards, but know far less about them. I’ve added a poll to this post to see how big or small the appeal of such a feature would be. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/2 "2010-01-12T23:30:06Z")
One of the first places I went on my new Droid is the SDMB. It looked fine, under the constraints of small screen size, and it zoomed in okay. I doubt I’ll post much that way unless I’m really bored and not near my laptop. How does Tapatalk improve the experience? ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/3 "2010-01-12T23:32:28Z")
I just have no desire to try and cope with the Dope (heh) on a screen that small. It’s too much hassle to scroll that much. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/4 "2010-01-12T23:46:07Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > How does Tapatalk improve the experience? 1. The type is large enough to read without straining (or having to “zoom in).” 2. It loads fast. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/5 "2010-01-13T00:16:34Z")
It works just fine on my iPhone. Pretty much any vB site does. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/6 "2010-01-13T00:38:16Z")
Looks and works fine on my Samsung JET in horizontal mode. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/7 "2010-01-13T00:47:40Z")
I love having the SDMB on my iPhone and wouldn’t change a thing about how it looks or how it interfaces. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/8 "2010-01-13T00:56:49Z")
I use quite a few forums on my iPhone. None of them are Tapatalk compatible, I didn’t even know it existed. It’s a royal pain to read SDMB and other sites on my iPhone, and I’ll probably convince at least a few of the other forum owners to use this. I’ve just downloaded it to my iPhone, it looks pretty nice. Instead of the basic format, which is designed for a computer, it re-themes the entire vB forum to fit onto an iPhone screen, and when you go back to your computer you don’t have to switch back to a regular theme that doesn’t look ridiculous on a large monitor. I’ve had some experience with iPhone friendly vB themes, and all in all, thy’re mediocre. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/9 "2010-01-13T01:41:53Z")
Here’s what I use. Strongly recommended: [**iPhone app to make scrolling through SDMB threads way easier**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=546206) It offers the convenience of better-than-portrait-mode-scrolling with landscape mode readability. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/10 "2010-01-13T01:47:09Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > It works just fine on my iPhone. Pretty much any vB site does. Viewing is fine; typing posts could be improved a lot. Particularly when it involves selecting/manipulating large amounts of text in a quoted post (say, for deletion). Or maybe there’s a way to scroll downward while selecting text that I’m unaware of. For large deletions, I’ve only been able to select a visible chunk, delete, select another chunk, delete, etc. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/11 "2010-01-13T01:54:21Z")
> [@xash](#): > > Here’s what I use. Strongly recommended: > > [**iPhone app to make scrolling through SDMB threads way easier**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=546206) > > It offers the convenience of better-than-portrait-mode-scrolling with landscape mode readability. Is it true that I’d need to jailbreak my iPhone to use this? If so, I’m going to have to pass. Also, scrolling isn’t my qualm with the way it reads on the iPhone, it’s the small type and long line length (back in typography class, we learned that the optimal line length for reading copy is roughly 40 characters). ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/12 "2010-01-13T01:56:11Z")
A bit odd, just went to download the free version of the Tapatalk app and saw it marked as: You must be at least 17 years old to download this game[sic]. [ul] [li]Frequent/intense sexual content or nudity[/li][li]Frequent/intense cartoon or fantasy violence[/li][li]Frequent/intense realistic violence[/li][li]Frequent/intense alcohol, tobacco, or drug use or references[/li][li]Frequent/intense horror/fear themes[/li][li]Frequent/intense simulated gambling[/li][li]Frequent/intense profanity or crude humor[/li][li]Frequent/intense mature/suggestive themes[/li][/ul] What the hell? Does Apple put a warning sticker on all of their Macs too? That pretty much describes the Internet. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/13 "2010-01-13T02:05:03Z")
> [@B.Serum](#): > > Is it true that I’d need to jailbreak my iPhone to use this? If so, I’m going to have to pass. Yes, it only works on a jailbroken phone. Apple does not give access to these APIs to AppStore apps. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/14 "2010-01-13T18:28:23Z")
Doesn’t jailbreaking an iPhone remove the warranty? ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/15 "2010-01-13T20:19:23Z")
> [@B.Serum](#): > > Doesn’t jailbreaking an iPhone remove the warranty? Yes and no. Replacing your Apple factory RAM with non-apple RAM in your macbook (or pro) voids the factory warranty, too. However, if you bring in your macbook for service with the factory RAM, no one bothers caring any other way. If something was to happen to my iPhone, it probably wouldn’t be covered under warranty anyway, and if there’s a factory defect in the hardware, my assumption is that Apple doesn’t dig through the contents since I’ve had a friend who Jailbroke his iPhone, sent it in for warranty (something was wrong with the Screen, the lower half wasn’t working and it wasn’t due to damage), and got back an entirely new iPhone, or a refurb’d iPhone, or something. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/16 "2010-01-13T21:25:00Z")
> [@B.Serum](#): > > Doesn’t jailbreaking an iPhone remove the warranty? As **Todderbob** has explained, jailbroken phones are not covered under warranty, but if you restore the phone to a state that is covered by the warranty there is no way to determine that the phone was previously jailbroken. It is trivial to restore the phone to factory settings (unjailbroken state) in the event that a hardware issue causes a need for warranty service. Note that jailbreaking a phone in no way modifies or affects the hardware. Here’s an excellent GQ discussion on the pros and cons of iPhone jailbreaking: [**Pros and Cons of jailbreaking iPod Touch?**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=543626) ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/17 "2010-01-13T21:37:15Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > A bit odd, just went to download the free version of the Tapatalk app and saw it marked as: > > You must be at least 17 years old to download this game[sic]. Pretty much anything that can access user-created content (blogs, forums, etc.) on the internet unfettered gets slapped with the 17+ age label unless the developer wants to fight about it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/18 "2010-01-15T19:53:22Z")
I frequently read the Dope on my BlackBerry, but I only post brief messages because I don’t have a spell checker and I don’t like editing on the Blackberry keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/19 "2010-01-21T12:20:58Z")
I read the Dope on my iPhone, but not with Safari. I use an app called PerfectBrowser. It has a few features Safari lacks. You can lock the browser orientation to either portrait or landscape so the screen doesn’t flip when you turn the phone. There is an onscreen scroll bar that you can slide your finger along to get to the bottoms of long pages fast. You can also search for text within a page. It’s sold in the app store. It’s only 99 cents and you don’t need to jailbreak your phone. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723/20 "2010-01-22T18:37:27Z")
On your iPhone, add the following bookmarklet to increase the font size of any web page in Safari, including SDMB threads. Makes reading threads much easier javascript:for(i=0;i%3Cdocument.getElementsByTagName%20(’_’)%20.length;i++)void(document.getElementsByTagName(’_’%20)%20%5Bi%5D.style.fontSize=‘18pt’); Google “bookmarklet” if you don’t know how to add one to your iPhone’s browser [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-on-the-iphone-android-etc/524723.md?page=2)