Mobile Smart Link [review]
Hey everyone! Normally I only do one article a day however I came across this new product which was just awarded product of the day by JVZoo and I just had to do a quick review. First off let me make one thing clear. Being awarded JVZoo POTD has absolutely no bearing what so ever on the quality of the product. Ill do a full article on that some time, but I just wanted to make that clear to start.
Ok so this new software is a WordPress plugin called “Mobile Smart Link” and what it does is take existing Facebook apps and create mobile URL’s so they can be displayed on a mobile devices. Normally Facebook apps do not display on mobile devices, but this will create a link that will detect if the user is on a mobile device, and if so it will display a mobile version of the app. Sounds great right! This thing fills a need that the normal Facebook platform does not. It allows apps to work on mobile devices. Awesome. Well not really and let me explain why.
This does not create apps. You need to all ready have the Facebook app. This just makes the smart link. Ok so since you all ready need to have the app where did you get the app from? 90% of the time people will be using a app service such as my own Tab Engine, or Pagemodo, or Heyo, or FanpageEngine, or one of many others. The thing is, if your using one of these services (or one of many others) to build your app, they all ready have smart URL’s built into them. That is by using just about any of the popular app building service you all ready have what this plugin provides. For 90% of the people out there this plugin solves a problem that does not exist, since the app service they are using most likely all ready generates a smart URL for them.
If you have a one off, custom developed Facebook app, then this might be worth while, but almost no one has these anymore because getting a one off app developed costs $1000 or more. If your like 90% of the people out there and you are using Tab Engine, Heyo, Pagemodo or any of the other popular app services you all ready have a smart URL that your app platform provides.
This product has a lot of hype and sounds great but of course they forget to mention in the sales video that it solves a problem that only exists for anyone not using an app service. Its only viable for people who spent thousands of dollars to get a one off app custom developed for themselves. Instead they are counting on you not knowing that almost every app service provides mobile URL’s for free for the apps you build.
My final review. Dont buy: You dont actually need it, since it solves a problem that for 90% of people does not exist.
A quick note about the reviews I do on this site. The product vendors give me access to their products for free in order for me to do my review. However I make no promises to them regarding the results of my tests or what I will write in my review. Should you click a link that takes you to a sales page for a paid product for sale this link will be an affiliate link and I will be paid a percentage of the sales price should you decide to invest in it.
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Thanks for saving us all money & TIME!!
This is why I follow your page. Thanks for the review.
Thanks, Brett. I considered it. So are you saying there’s automatic device detection and redirection built into these app URLs already? If not, where do we find these mobile-friendly URLs for our existing apps?
George, yea the big app creation services, Tab Engine (which to be up front I own). Heyo, Pagemodo, FanpageEngine .. etc. They have this functionality built in. They will create a URL that detects the device and displays a mobile version if need automatically. If your using any of the big name app services you dont need this as those services provide this functionality all ready. I believe the makers of this plugin are counting on people not knowing this to drive sales. This WP plugin does nothing new. It just emulates what you all ready get for free when you use one of the popular Facebook app services.
You should have posted this yesterday Brett… Lol! I knew I didn’t need this but I got it anyway because I was curious. 🙂
The only reason I didn’t get a refund is because it came with a shit ton of bonus plugins … a few of which, I can actually use. 🙂
Sorry Pearlie, I just heard about it today 🙁 Next time your considering buying something, feel free to use the contact form on here and Ill check it out for you 🙂 As most people know I dont review bonus’s since they can change at any time. I always judge a product on its front end. Still Im glad you got some value for your money in the bonuses.
I also grabbed my Post Promotions membership yesterday also….. so I guess 1 outta 2 ain’t bad 🙂
Thanks Brett, I’ll definitely let you know next time if I have any questions.
Hey Brett, thanks for the review… I also bit on the front end offer only. I was curious about how it differed from your TabEngine mobile detection link, but the hype made it sound like they actually had something that would give me a way to sell clients a downloadable app that people could have on their mobile device, which it didn’t. One more thing I would like to ask you about… how familiar are you with FirstSocial.com and how would you rate that on a scale of 1 to 5 as a service? It looks like it has a comprehensive set of apps for only $19.95 per month for unlimited Fb accounts. Curious to hear what you think of this service. Thank you in advance! Love your produts and your support.
Hey Bill, glad you liked the review. As for First Social, well Im sorry to say that I cant do a review on that product. Why you ask? Because I wrote and developed the entire system 🙂 It would be immoral of me to review my own work. However what I can say is I sold First Social about a year ago so I could raise capital to develop a more advanced and robust system. This is where Tab Engine came from. Just a FYI: Tab Engine is also $19.95 per month for unlimited everything.
Thanks for your review Brett!
Brett, thanks for the info as always. I have a question about the product. I did purchase at the $9.00 price and thought if nothing else it would be a good way to keep track of all the links for mt offline clients. Would you consider this a valid use of the program? Sometimes just keeping the info in one place is more valuable that what the product was advertised for as its main feature. I will say I did not purchase the OTOs, as I thought the first OTO was duplicating something I already had available.
It is getting to the point the IM world is not really trying to provide an answer to a problem as much as they are trying to turn a buck almost anyway they can. In the last year or so I have come to the place where there is only a handful of IM marketeers that I am willing to take a chance on for anything beyond the $15.00 range. I am glad to say you are one and have always been on my short list of the honest IM marketeers.
Keep letting us know when you feel a given product is something we should think long and hard before we purchase. You keep reviewing, and we will keep reading.
Hey Joe, not sure how your using it to track offline clients (are you sure we are talking about the same thing), but if you have some use for it, then by all means use it 🙂
As for IM and product creators. I think your correct on that, some of them are just trying to make a quick buck in any way they can. I have always thought that the best way to earn money through product creation is to produce a quality product that solves a very real and problem. This has worked well for me as I have been doing it for a long time and have not missed a supper yet 🙂 But some people are oh to willing to use hype to get a quick sale. This is actually one of the reasons I decided to start doing product reviews. I have a very logical and direct way of looking at things (which is what makes me a good programmer), hype has little effect on me. Also right back at ya, if you all keep reading .. Ill keep reviewing 🙂
Hey Brett
Just ran into your email…… glad I opened it!
Really appreciated your help and thoughts……saved me a few bucks.
Take care,
Scott