Previously in class I blogged about some breakthroughs in the mobile market. Since then there has been a rush of more exciting news about new phone releases and more mobile barriers coming done. This will effect all of us either as developers or simply as users of mobile devices. One interesting problem still remaining is the vast diversity of mobile platforms out there. Operating systems such as Android, Apple's iPhone, Windows Mobile 6.0, and Palm are certainly the industry leaders when it comes to mobile OS's. But even among these main players, there is still a huge diversity in devices they are loaded on. Screen resolution, screen size, touch/non-touch screen, and hardware are just a few of the differences out there that can make mobile application development a headache for us.
One option is to provide services on the web whenever possible. In a similar way that desktop applications have moved to thin mobile clients, so too can mobile applications. As mobile browser standards evolve and a major player emerges as the 'go-to-mobile-browser', I think we can expect more robust web services on our mobile devices.
The W3C has a working "Mobile Web Best Practices" page to help get these standards established. While they are certainly far from simple instructions, I think this is a good solution to look to in the future. A simpler guide to web development can be found here: A Beginner's Guide to Mobile Web Development. What is important to keep in mind is that the devices with strong enough hardware capabilities are just now starting to be realized. As the iPhones, Palm Pre's, and Androids continue to advance, expect their web capabilities to significantly increase. Speaking of Android, check out the new Droid for Verizon!! A wicked fast processor, one of the thinnest QWERTY keyboards on the market, and a "Multimedia Docking Station" feature are just a few of the highlights. I'm personally looking forward to a bluetooth-navigation application that I can sync to my car :-)
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It will be interesting to see how the new Droid is received, but I have to tell you IMHO. . . the Droid doesn't look too good in appearance. The Verizon tab at the bottom of the phone is very unappealing, and the boxy look makes it look like an outdated iphone.
ReplyDeleteIt would be much simpler if there was a standard for mobile phones, although I know why there can"t be. It is frustrating to me sometimes when I cannot access a website on my phone due to all of the content. I currently have Windows 6.0 on my Treo so I will be interested to see how the sites are on Android.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment, I can't imagine how things will develop. But since I am here in the US, I realized that the Europeans have not realized yet how powerful the wireless technology and these devices are.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward seeing new trends at home that are common or then old-fashioned to you...
It's still hard to believe the evolution of cells phones.To go from only making analog phones calls, to having operating systems in the phone. Millions of people have computers on their hip. Just imagine what cell phones will do and look like 10 years from now.
ReplyDeleteGood post Colin