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04-12-2012, 03:51 AM
#5
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Ok, so a few things that'll help work through some practical issues inherent with mobile.

1. The footer is not really a footer. You're mimicking a toolbar that is available mainly in mobile apps, not in actual websites for mobile. If you want to use navigation that's fixed at the bottom, you'll also run into support issues. Here are few links that'll help you understand why this is not a practical option:
http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/show...3GS-%28iOS4%29
http://www.position-absolute.com/art...ition-problem/

2. I'm not a big fan of serif fonts on mobile sites or apps for one main reason reason: readability issues related to scaling. It's just something I've experienced from a couple of sites that use a font like Times or Garamond on their sites. Consider some web-friendly serif options that are bit easier on the eye while keeping with the overall feel from screen to portable device.

3. I personally love the noise texture, when it's used well. I'm not a big fan of it in this example because it lacks consistency. Some places have heavier noise than others and that is hugely distracting to users.

4. These examples are also lacking dimension and attention to detail. Try and work in some depth by adding shadows and highlights that accent the textures.

5. Pay attention to the icon sizing. Even though I am recommending you do away with the toolbar at the bottom, if you decide to use icons at all, you should make sure that they are consistently sized and styled. While it's difficult to make sure that they are always the same width, height plays a big role in adding some consistency visually.

I can provide more feedback based on style alone, but I wanted to be sure to touch on the items that I feel will give you a more solid grasp in designing for mobile. This is not a bad first try, but don't stop there. Keep at it. Emulate great sites that degrade well. Good luck!