Internet at the Speed of Touch

Mobile computing is hotter than ever right now. Touch screens have become a staple of many people's lives. Many people are migrating away from the traditional desktop or laptop computers in favor of using these devices as their primary source for web content. As web designers we must keep this growing segment of the population in mind when we design and build websites.

I have found myself turning to my iphone more and more to get quick answers, look up the status of an ecommerce order or check up on a friend. I have found it a lot easier than getting out the computer, starting it up and pulling up the content I am looking for. Many times I don't have the option of using a traditional computer as I am not at home or work. Although connection speeds on these devices are fairly quick there are times that they harken back to the days of dial up. I have been frustrated to the point that I have abandoned a website for taking too long to load. Just like the old days, websites that are image and processor heavy can take forever to load. This being said it is very important to consider making your website as streamlined as possible. There are many ways to do this, including good image compression techniques, clean html and css code, and fast loading scripts. The last thing you want is to lose potential customers because they cannot access your website.