Less Distractions = More Pageviews. Go Figure.

I believe this is a case of correlation / causation mixup, as there are a number of variables aside from the design which could be affecting PPV, for example Location of the user - tablets and smartphones are used in different locations than desktops for web access - for example, I only use a desktop while working, and I only use my smartphone apps while away from my desktop (i.e. commuting on a bus/train). I am more likely to read more articles while commuting than working at my desk - regardless of what the website looks like.

Wow. I do not get the same conclusion.

For me, if I'm browsing via my phone or tablet, I'm in a completely different mindset than when I'm at the computer. See, the computer has a ton of things going on, and I'm usually trying to get something done with it.

The tablet/phone, on the other hand, is purely for entertainment. If I'm using that, I'm there to explore and browse. And that's pretty much exactly what they're seeing on their site.

Well, this is not surprising. If you put less content directly on the first page, users have to click on links in order to view the content that is directly accessible in the desktop version, which generates more page views.

The first thing I'm looking for on a news-site when I can't actually read the article from all the BLINKENLIGHTS is the print button, can't find that, or all I get is a pop-up to actually really print the article? - Either zoom in enough to be zoom past the crap, or leave.

Don't get me wrong: I have an adblock in all my browsers: But the new, hot, web 2.0 stuff means there's some Facebook crap loading, there's ~7 buttons to share and ~5 buttons like the article through different social channels -- all of which I couldn't care less if I'm interested in the actual content.

Less IS more. It's true. While users can be quite good at multi-tasking, when it comes to reading, concentration is key to retention. And even if the eye can "see it all" it really pays to edit what is seen, so that the user can quickly discern what to read (scanning) and what to pass on, so that they may quickly get through all the content they want. It's no wonder that in web design, there is a beauty in simplicity; the challenge is to make it simple enough to be efficient and user friendly, but not so simplistic it comes off as mediocre or boring.

My guess is that it was the change in performance that improved the # of pageviews as the correlation between the two has been well documented at this point.

Far from conclusive evidence here. And my intuition says something different to me. A controlled experiment would involve showing the mobile UI on the desktop and vice versa. You might also want to control for things like page load time (native mobile apps are often snappier)

Dammit, it should be "Fewer Distractions". Sorry, that's my peeve.

Let's not neglect the "tablet on the toilet" effect

The Google+ notification spot is introducing a lot of distraction to the search pages that are Google's Golden Goose... I wonder how much that's costing them.