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Saturday, June 30, 2018

Apps vs. Browser Notes: Google Sheets

(This is a work in progress.)

Well, the app is supposedly not compatible with one device.  There is no install button in Play Store, and it will also not allow it going through Chrome.  The desktop site can be viewed on the browser, but editing the file is next to impossible.  (Zooms in too close when you make the keyboard appear, nothing appears in the highlighted cell when you type, can't seem to be able to see all columns, etc.)

Going through Drive (app is compatible) might be better. 

Monday, June 25, 2018

Apps vs. Browser Notes: Facebook/Messenger

(This is a work in progress.)

These are my notes comparing the use of Facebook and Messenger apps vs. using the mobile site via browser on phones.

I use Chrome as my browser.  My phones are old Android devices.

Apps:
- Facebook app can't be moved to an SD card.
- Messenger app can be moved to an SD card.
- You can put your FB and Messenger app icons on your phone's home screens for quick access.
- You can receive push notifications on your phone.
- For status updates, you can do all that you can do from the mobile site (see below), plus add stickers, gifs, tag events, ask for recommendations, add polls, and lists.
- You can like, comment, share posts that appear on your news feed.
- You can go to Marketplace by clicking on Marketplace icon on top (under Search line).
- You can check your notifications.
- From the 3-bar menu, there are more links, plus settings, and you can go to your profile and your pages.
- FB app will let you know you have a new message, but you can't read it or reply to it unless you have the Messenger app.
- In Messenger app, in messages, in addition to those listed below, you can also add voice (I think - mic icon).
- Similar to below, can't play my FB games from FB app.
- There is, however, something called Instant Games.  But I didn't try it because I think those are the ones you play against other people, and I prefer the solo games...
- On FB app, when in your page, you can post, add photos, check your messages and notifications under activity, and check Insights which shows the reach and engagement of your posts.
- Comments on your page have a Message option.

Browser/Mobile site:
- You can create a shortcut to the webpage on your phone's home screens for quick access.
- You can receive push notifications as well (as per your settings).
- For status updates (your posts), you can add photos/videos, tag friends, add location, add feeling/activity, choose backgrounds, choose privacy of post.
- You can like, comment, share posts that appear on your news feed.
- Unlike the FB app, there is no shortcut Marketplace icon on top, but you can go to Marketplace through the link under the 3-bar menu.
- You can check your notifications.
- From the 3-bar menu, there are more links, plus settings, and you can go to your profile and your pages.
- Can check, reply to, and create new messages on the browser (no downloads needed).
- In messages, you can add smileys/stickers, photos, likes.
- Can't play my FB games because Flash is not supported on my device.  (Must download individual game apps if you want.)
- Also saw the page with Instant Games on the browser (one of the links under the 3-bar menu), but it was blank.  Not sure if it was just not loading properly or something is not compatible again.
- On the mobile site, when in your page, you can post, add photos, check (and reply to) your pages messages (Messenger not needed) and notifications under activity, and check Insights.  But the Insights I saw are more simplified and general than those in the FB app.
- Also, there is no Message option in comments to your page, like there is in the FB app and on the desktop site.

So far, this is the info I have.  I'm not able to try everything, and my phone with the apps is running low on storage space.  This is probably the main advantage of using the mobile site through the browser, over the apps.  Apps take up a lot of storage space.

For me, most of what the apps have over the mobile site are not crucial.  The only things so far that would make me consider choosing the apps (specifically the FB app) over the mobile site is the detail shown in my page's Insights, and the presence of a Message option in page comments.

Personally, I see no compelling reason to choose the Messenger app at all at this time.

I think I will try the lite apps and see how they differ from the regular apps.  And I might also compare the stand-alone Pages Manager app to the pages section of the FB app.


Facebook app vs. Facebook Lite app

- 58MB vs. 1.6MB download size
- Similar to the original, Facebook Lite cannot be moved to the SD card.
- I want to compare these two.  Unfortunately, after several tries, Facebook Lite failed to connect, saying I should check my Wi-Fi, even though I am able to connect with Facebook app on the other phone, and the mobile site on the same phone.  I might try again later...


Messenger app vs. Messenger Lite app

- 42MB vs. 7.7MB download size
- Similar to the original, Messenger Lite can be moved to the SD card.
- Not really inclined to actually test the difference between these two, but it seems you can do the basic stuff with both of them, i.e., chat with friends and groups, send photos, even call and video call.
- I think what the original has that the Lite doesn't (these are mentioned in the Play Store description, and I may have seen them while clicking icons, but I did not actually try them) is the art and effects you can do with photos and videos, playing games with friends, and chat with businesses.


Anyway, with the FB Lite app not working for me, and being not that interested in Messenger (Lite or not), I would like to see, instead, the difference between Pages Manager and the pages section of the FB app.

- Pages Manager has Insights similar to the FB app (which is better than the mobile site).  It also has the Message option on comments, like the FB app, which the mobile site does not have.
- However, I did not see in Pages Manager the side-scrolling line of tabs which are shortcuts to different sections of the page, which is found in both the FB app and the mobile site.  This is an important feature not present in Pages Manager.

So, for page management, the desktop site is still the best.  The Offers feature can be seen from the mobile site and FB app, but can only be created from the desktop.  This feature is apparently not even present in Pages Manager.


Overall (and personally), for phones, I think the mobile site is best.  There are just limits to managing pages (simplified and general Insights only, and no Message option on page comments).
The FB app is next best for me, especially because I expect to be focused more on page management, and don't mind not having the chat outside of pages.
So, I don't expect I'll be needing Messenger, Lite or not.  I'll use the mobile site instead.
And I don't think I'll be using Pages Manager either, though I will probably keep it for a while for more testing.