BBC mobile gets pimped

The BBC has launched a new beta of its mobile service, allowing punters to set up the kind of news coverage they are interested in displaying on the limited space available on a mobile phone. The BBC has always had a pretty good mobile version, but the latest beta (accessible at http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/betahome) adds the …

[Will Harris]

nice, but

shame there is no option for "remove the enormous marketing banner at the top of the screen that obscures the rest of the content..."

[Andy]

What a horrible colour

It does look an awful lot better than the old site, though. Oh, and the reason there's no link to the Now Show podcast is because it sucks – its sole function seems to be to take airtime away from the News Quiz. (And yes, I know, they're the same podcast, but that would spoil my point...)

[Anonymous Coward]

the afterlife

Although I don't consider myself a "spiritual" person, I suspect that, even after my death, I may continue to switch off the radio when thought for the day comes on.

[Anonymous Coward]

HTC TyTn II not supported

Well, I don't think my mobile is high end enough.

Paris: Because she likes things at the high end.

[Lewis Burgess]

Not on my iPhone

Oddly enough it's not working on my iPhone...

"Thanks for visiting the BBC customisable homepage beta. The service hasn't yet been optimised for your device, though we do hope to extend support in the future."

[Matt]

Why are they throwing money and time at this?

Hardly anyone wants this. I'd much rather they spent money on producing something worth watching.

[Pete]

But

I'm happy with the regular BBC layout on my phone, it looks fine using Opera. The mobile version just hides the features of the 'real' pages making it harder to find what you want.

[It wasnt me]

higher end handsets?

Sorry, that site looks shit on my HTC Touch Pro. It would look o.k on a pikey handset, but for anything with decent res just use the main site, its much nicer.

[Ian Ferguson]

I use the text only version

The Text Only option of the BBC News website (or Low Graphics, as it has the odd illustration) for screen readers is superb for mobile use. Nothing more required, unless you can't cope with simple, clean, efficient content and need something designer...

[Damien Cahill]

@Ian Ferguson

+1 there, whats punted as the PDA version has almost all the content of the main, full fat website, and the current one punted as Mobile is rubbish in comparision.

[Anonymous Coward]

What's the point in aiming this at high end phones

Why bother aiming this at high end phones?

I've got an old HTC TyTn I (T-Mobile MDA Vario II) from about 3 years ago, updated to Win mobile 6.0 (via T-Mobile) and installed with Opera Mini (thanks to the xda forums).

So I now access the full BBC site rather than the mini site and have no problems. Only thing it doesn't support is the flash contents, video etc.

[Malcolm Hall]

Most read?

I'd use it if it had the most read / most emailed list. Usually the most interesting/funny/stupid articles are in that list. At the moment it takes me an extra tap of the "take me to the desktop site" link on my iPhone and the wait is VERY annoying.

[W]

"Thought For The Day"

The most gut-wrenchingly sickly piece of regular broadcasting there is aside from Sugar Hour with DJ Treacle on Radio Golden Syrup.

I hate the way they have that bit of banter with the DJ before awkwardly segueing into their scripted piece of tripe that somehow manages to crowbar in some angle on a current affairs story in a vain attempt to make their fairy story seem somehow relevant.

And what's more, I've not once heard a Pastafarian Thought For The Day.

May you all be touched by His noodly appendage.

RAmen.

[Skinny]

Now Show

I'm just glad to see I'm not the only one who listens to the Now Show via that podcast....