August 4th, 2011

Twitter revamping mobile site for iPad users

Twitter is enhancing its mobile site to make it more friendly for iPad users.

Tweeting the news earlier this week, Twitter said it plans to roll out an HTML5 version of twitter.com to iPad owners over the next week or so.

Though Twitter was mum on any further details, TechCrunch offered a peek at the mobile site’s new look and feel. Taking advantage of HTML5, the new design uses a dual-pane approach, improving on the current mobile site’s single-pane display.

Twitter did not immediate return CNET’s request for further details. But company spokeswoman Carolyn Penner told TechCrunch that “the HTML5 app provides a great option for people who prefer to use the browser over native apps. Its two-column view is consistent with the Twitter experience you’re used to (on Twitter.com), and it takes advantage of touch gestures and other device capabilities.”

Beyond using the mobile site, iPad users can of course access their tweets via a variety of dedicated apps, including Twitter’s own iOS app, Twitterific, TweetCaster, and Echofon, to name a few.

*Lance Whitney/CNET

August 4th, 2011

Dumb IE study a hoax

UPDATE: The person behind the hoax, a web developer, has revealed he did it because he was “frustrated” with Internet Explorer. “So, frustrated with IE (and the fact that you cannot have all the 4 versions on one computer to test your website), I went on to create a meme that would result in some awareness and hopefully convince a few IE users to stop using it”.

Remember the recent study from a Canadian company showed users with lower than average IQs are more likely to use Internet Explorer than other browsers? It might be a (very elaborate) hoax.

News site Computer Business Review found that AptiQuant’s — the supposed company behind the survey — website contains large chunks of text and images identical to the material found on the site of a psychometric testing company called Central Test. Compare these two pages, for example, and you’ll see that at least one of these companies is fake.

However, CBR got a statement from Central Test claiming they don’t have any connection to AptiQuant, which pretty much cements the entire story as a hoax.

What’s amazing about this hoax is the attention to detail on AptiQuant’s website. For example, you can find earlier studies (also copy/pasted from Central Test’s studies), FAQ and the company’s full address — in short, everything else you would normally find on a website of such a company.

Furthermore, after releasing the initial article and the “study” behind it, AptiQuant did not remain silent, publishing a follow-up article saying it’s been threatened by a lawsuit from loyal IE users.

Mashable contacted both Central Test and AptiQuant but have not yet heard from either company.

[via CBR]

Mashable.com is the world’s largest blog focused exclusively on social media news.

*This post was originally published on Mashable.com