…needless graphics, as well as all other non-essential page elements. It forces the design team to clearly define or pinpoint what is most important to the target user group.
Dealing with user input
Another issue you face when interacting with a Web application via a handheld device is user input. A user may type on a miniature keyboard, use buttons for scrolling and selection, or use a pen-based device like the ones found with a Palm device. After all, including an input form is not a good idea when the user has only a few input buttons and no keyboard.
Testing
An important part of every development project is testing, but this can be quite a chore when targeting handheld devices. There are so many devices on the market, it is almost impossible to test with every conceivable application. Most manufacturers provide a Software Development Kit (SDK) to test applications on their platforms. A few notable platforms include Symbian, Palm, Motorola, and the BlackBerry.
Development options
A few years ago, there was a lot of hype around Wireless Markup Language (WML), but it has dissipated as devices now support HTML and CSS. While most mobile devices can easily handle regular HTML pages, there are other options available.
You may opt to develop a mobile application as opposed to a Web application. Mobile applications are installed on the device. They run inside the mobile device and use its memory and disk space. The difference between mobile and Web applications is they can run without Internet connectivity.
The .Net Compact Framework and Java ME are two examples of mobile development platforms. They allow you to utilise programming languages to deliver mobile functionality. While they may include Web functionality, they most often do not rely on it.
A whole new set of users
The mobile phone market has fuelled the explosion of the market for mobile devices. It was only a matter of time before Internet capabilities were extended to these devices. It began with email retrieval and now includes Web browsing. While it is great to have the Web at your fingertips, developing applications for these devices requires a different set of considerations from normal Web applications. The key is focusing on the content and screen size when targeting handhelds.
Tony Patton began his professional career as an application developer earning Java, VB, Lotus, and XML certifications to bolster his knowledge.
