HTML and CSS Reference
In-Depth Information
14.1. The Mobile Web
With the World Wide Web now firmly entrenched as a part of normal
modern life, it is only natural that users want to access web content
wherever they may be, at any time. Responding to this demand, vendors
now offer an incredible array of devices and access methods to meet that
need. Although the types of devices number in the hundreds, the overall
market can be examined as a few key product categories.
14.1.1. Devices
Most of today's mobile devicesmobile phones and personal digital assist-
ants (PDAs)have digital displays, typically an LCD, and onboard process-
ing. So why not a built-in browser?
14.1.1.1. Mobile phones
The browser software resides in the cell phone's core operating system
and the end user cannot easily upgrade or extend it. And, as we discuss
in more detail shortly, it has far fewer features than are normally asso-
ciated with a typical desktop browser. Other features are available only
to the persistent user willing to endure horrifically bad user interfaces to
reach them.
The cell phone provider gives you access to the Internet by any one of
several different technologies, and some restrict the available content, or
make it difficult to access content outside of their proprietary web portal.
14.1.1.2. PDAs
PDAs arguably provide the best mobile web experience. The PDA mar-
ketplace is dominated by devices running the Palm OS operating system
from PalmSource, Inc. (originally Palm Computing, Inc.) and those run-
ning the Windows Mobile operating system from Microsoft. Regardless of
