HTML and CSS Reference
In-Depth Information
be attractive browser options for all those cell phones that sport built-in
cameras by allowing users to upload pictures to a web server.
14.3.1.5. Tables
Web designers commonly use tables to structure content display. While
you may achieve similar effects for the mobile browser, be judicious. Al-
though not explicitly stated, the XHTML standard bearers frown on the
practice and want you to use tables for tables of information, not layout.
XHTML Basic supports only the core table tags:
<table>
,
<tr>
,
<td>
,
<th>
,
and
<caption>
. Fancier things, such as spanning columns and even nes-
ted tables, are specifically not supported by the XHTML Basic standard.
Complex tables may not be rendered correctly, and the narrow display
size can easily disrupt your intended table presentation. Subtle table
effects, such as varying cell margins and rule widths, will almost cer-
tainly be handled inconsistently between mobile browsers and are best
avoided to ensure broad compatibility of your content.
14.3.1.6. Document header
XHTML Basic supports a few of the common tags found in the document
<head>
; specifically, the
<meta>
,
<link>
, and
<base>
tags. The primary
intent of the
<link>
and
<base>
tags is to allow you to link to your
stylesheets from within your mobile documents. Be somewhat cautious
with the
<meta>
tag, though: the mobile browsers do not support all vari-
ations of its attributes.
14.3.2. Design Versus Intent
While the XHTML Basic standard defines a specific set of tags that should
work on any compliant mobile browser, do not be misled into thinking
that you can push the elements of XHTML Basic to the limit in designing
your content. The mobile device market is too young and the browsers
too immature to provide consistent support for every possible tag vari-
