The internet looks better in portrait

If you didn’t know, I recently bought an iPad for myself. Yeah yeah, act surprised. I love it and I knew I would. In fact, I’m authoring this post on it using the WordPress iPad app.

Previously, I would work with a laptop and an attached LCD monitor on my desk. I always had the monitor rotated into a portrait, or a vertical, orientation. I loved viewing the entire length of documents, I loved how web pages looked. It just seemed to look better to me.

This is how the Adobe Flash homepage appears on the iPad. This is very clearly designed for the entire page, while also focusing on the 'fold'.

So, I’ve created a collection of screenshots of web pages oriented in portrait mode (think tall, not wide). The Internet Looks Better in Portrait. I hope you enjoy it.

Working in web design and development, I cringe when I hear requirements about ads or content needing to fit “above the fold.” People know how to scroll, the print metaphor does not apply to the Internet.

When these tablet devices become widely adopted the fold will move. I just hope the industry can continue to adapt.