Automated mobile device template switching and version checking with the all-new sh404SEF®

This post is the second in a 4-part series.

Last week we talked about the new pageId feature in sh404SEF® that generates tiny URLs for your Joomla web site. This is a really convenient feature as the pagId is generated automatically without the need to cut-and-paste URLs into a separate web site.

sh404SEF® v2 has additional features that ‘just work’ similar pageId. For example, when using a mobile device like an iPhone or Droid, sh404SEF® can seamlessly switch to a different template.

Why is this important? Mobile device usage on the web has grown exponentially and is only becoming more popular. Optimizing your web site for mobile devices (i.e. a simpler template with less module positions and a suitable layout for reading on a mobile device) AND traditional/desktop web browsers will provide the best possible experience for your users.

Mobile device template switching in sh404SEF® is configured in the Joomla administrative backend: Components > sh404SEF® > SEO Configuration > Mobile configuration tab

Simply enable the feature and specify the desired template by name. Visiting your site on your mobile device should then display the desired template.

Another automated feature in sh404SEF® v2 is new version notifications. When a new version of the extension is available, you’ll see a notification in Version and Updates tab of the sh404SEF® dashboard. Links are provided to both the sh404SEF® changelog and download page so you can explore available releases quickly and conveniently.

While the notification of new versions is automated, you will still need to download and install the new version. Auto-installation is avoided of course so that users can test the new version on their development servers prior to implementing on their live sites.

PageId generation, mobile device template switching and new version notification round out the new features in sh404SEF® v2. Be sure to tell us how you like it!

In the next post in this series, we’ll dig into some of the usability improvements that really make SEF management easy and efficient (to tell the truth, its now actually quite FUN!).

Last modified on Apr072011