Perth barcamp 2007 – Problems with the mobile web – Nick Cowie

Presentation slides are here Problems with the mobile web

• More internet phones sold than laptops
• Limit 1 – small screen on mobile
• Limit 2 – Interface of phone. Mouse and keyboard equivalent are a numberpad
• There are many different mobile web browsers.
• You should you build a separate web site for a mobile browser.
• Mobile users don’t want a complex experience – they want a brief, quick user experience…don’t want fancy graphics, just want core info.
• Touch screen vs. small keyboard.
• iPhone uses a different protocol to what is in Australia (??)
• Mindset of website design = presume interface used is a desktop.
• Workflow, mundane tasks – mobile devices are best for this. Phone numbers, opening hours. Very directed info.
• So – don’t squish all the info from website into the mobile website version. Pare it down.
• Dec 2006 – $100 for 1 G of traffic, 3 months later $50…now if you have the right plan with 3 then you can get $30 1G.
• Custom aps for mobile interfaces eg. google maps.
• Opera one of best mobile browsers for mobile – can conver java to links.