We are thrilled to introduce a groundbreaking addition to the mobile app platform – the all-new Flatten Themes! 

In our continuous pursuit of improvements and innovations, we understand the pivotal role aesthetics play in delivering exceptional user experiences. 

In today’s dynamic online community landscape, staying ahead means embracing innovation. Our latest mobile theme is designed to revolutionize your phpFox experience and empower you to connect with your community like never before!

phpFox version 5 (Metafox) Flatten makes customizing activities in your phpFox community a breeze. From effortlessly searching to managing events, photos, blogs, polls, quizzes, and members, phpFox version 5 (Metafox) Flatten puts the power in your hands. And the best part? It’s free, ensuring you have access to the tools you need to build thriving online communities.

Flatten Theme UI Highlights

phpFox version 5 (Metafox) Flatten introduces a range of exciting new in UI to enhance user experience:

1. New Login Page

Hello to a neat and modern login page designed to streamline access to your phpFox App.

2. Border Items for Grid View on Feed

Enjoy enhanced visual clarity with border items for grid view on your feed, making navigating and engaging with content easier than ever.

3. User Profile Shortcut

Access your profile page with ease right from your feed, ensuring that you’re always just a tap away from connecting with your profile page.

4. New Emoji Layout and Icons:

Express yourself in style with an updated emoji layout and a fresh selection of icons, adding a touch of personality to your interactions.

5. …And more

Experience the Demo

Ready to see phpFox version 5 (Metafox) Flatten in action? Follow these simple steps to try it out for yourself:

1. Download the Demo App: Head to the App Store or Google Play and download the phpFox version 5 (Metafox) Flatten app.

2. Access the Demo Site: Enter the Server Address “demo.metafox.app” to access our demo site.

3. Login: Use the provided demo account credentials to log in and explore all that phpFox version 5 (Metafox) Flatten has to offer:

   – Demo Account: metafoxtest2@phpfox.com

   – Password: QwertyUI1

How to get it?

To incorporate the Flatten Theme into your app, simply select your desired UI theme when filling out the form to build your phpFox version 5 (Metafox) application. If your app was previously built using phpFox version 5 (Metafox) Default themes, you can request a rebuild with the new Flatten Theme. Kindly be aware that this entails an extra build process. For guidance on integrating the new theme into your app, please initiate a support ticket, and our team will be happy to assist you further.

Are you ready to take your phpFox apps to a different visual?

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to try phpFox version 5 (Metafox) Flatten today and unlock a world of possibilities for your online community. Get started now! Please feel free to contact us for more details.

Note that the Developer Release will be limited to all 3rd-party experts for testing and experimental purposes only.

A little bit about phpFox iOS app, our target is to deliver you a completed native app solution. Your phpFox app will be not only fast and responsive but also robust and interactive to any task on iOS.

Let’s talk about user experience first. We expect to bring a progressive mobile experience to users on your social network. Conveniently now right on the app, you can register, login, make friends, post status, view posts, and comment… Or in short, just imagine it’s a portable solution for your network.

In term of functionalities and features, definitely, all Core components such as Page/Group, Forum, Event, Photo/Video, Marketplace, and so many more… are also available in the app with well-designed and logic interfaces. Users can manage and control their profiles and many other personal settings right on the app.

Indeed, the app is an almost full replication of your social network on the desktop version. You can bring Apple devices with the app installed and access your social network anywhere.

PS: the Android app is expected to be available in November. Please stay tuned to receive our latest updates.

Should your site have a specific view for Mobile?

Without a doubt, UI/UX is the first thing to impress the new users before they can be impressed by functionality. As a Site Owner, we know that you have to consider the display of every block on all pages on the different views. Also, the user experience consistency is very important whereas your users should have the same experience on all devices. In this topic, we will discuss few rules of thumb in design adapting with the business of your sites, in order to keep your user experience consistency:

• Responsive Design, should all blocks display the same on all views (Desktop, Tablet, Phone)?
• Pagination vs Load More

You might already be familiar with Responsive Design, especially when phpFox supports responsive Bootstrap framework by default https://www.phpfox.com/blog/2015/phpfox-v4-1-0-released/; your phpFox site already has a specific view for Mobiles (Tablet and Phone). Of course that you can have Mobile App specified for your users but it is very costly and hard to determine what the users really need on mobile from the beginning.

Moreover, not all the functions working on Desktop view are suitable for Mobile users due to different purposes of devices. Mobile is a data-consuming device, where itʼs used to view, interact with existing information. Of course that you can post a photo, simple blog; but not really suitable to create complex content such as Business Profile, product description, … With feedback from our users as well as our observing many websites, we found out many blocks are better not to display on Mobile. Therefore we will add this option into default basic blocks, and so admins can configure on their owns.

Also, any 3rd party developers should follow this rule and inherit the setting. Ex: few blocks on an event, etc. will not display. So if your site is for simple content posts such as photo, music, blog, the creation blocks should be displayed on Mobile Devices. However, if your sites are Business Orientated such as Listing, Business Directory, Job Posting, you have to choose carefully which ones to display.

This feature will be available in phpFox 4.6.0, and so will the following feature …

Scrolling Or Pagination? Whatʼs your choice?

Why Pagination and Scrolling related to Responsive Design? The link is quite loosely, but for those who have been using Facebook or Pinterest app in mobile, the experience should be the same with mobile when accessing the activity feed, why? Simple reason: users keep scrolling to read activity feeds – important action – no matter what devices they are using. Simple rule: scroll is good for mobile devices, users prefer to scroll than to click on a touch screen.

Pros and Cons of Scrolling and Pagination are quite easily to find out, many articles out there discussing on this. Here is an example for your quick reference: UX: Infinite Scrolling vs. Pagination

Yet to balance and overcome “Cons” when using Scrolling:

• Either make the footer accessible by making it sticky or relocate the links to a top or side bar.
• “Load More” button when reaching the maximum number of autoloading

For your reference, we quote here the part indicating when you should use Infinite Scrolling or Pagination?

“There are only a few instances where infinite scrolling is effective. Itʼs best suited for sites and apps that boast user-generated content (Twitter, Facebook) or visual content (Pinterest, Instagram). Pagination, on the other hand, is a safe option, and good solution for sites and apps that intend to satisfy the goal-oriented activities of the users.”

In response to this urgent call, phpFox will introduce options for you to choose in 4.6.0:

• Scrolling auto loading with number of “Read More”
• Pagination for site wide

So, it will be definitely easy for you to choose whatʼs suitable for you.

To be continued … so stay tuned for more update on phpFox 4.6.0.