The Essential Mobile WAP and Web Site Development Tools and Resources
If anyone is interested in designing or developing WAP sites for mobile phones, I have found some very useful information and put together this list of 11 essential tools for mobile Web development. You can also learn more about Punchkick Interactive’s mobile WAP and Web Site development capabilities.
Tools and Resources:
1. Mobi Ready score
Get your free page analysis and Mobi Ready score. This report tests the mobile-readiness of your site using industry best practices & standards
2. XHTML mobile phone emulator
Type in your .com / .net / .org / .biz, etc. site address and you can check how your site looks to a typical mobile phone user. Available handsets are the Nokia n70 and a Sony K750.
3. Submit Your Mobile Site to yahoo.com
This form lets you submit a mobile site to yahoo.com so that the mobile site will be included in search results when someone searches via their mobile handset at http://wap.yahoo.com.
4. The Mobile Domainatron
The Mobile Domainatron demonstrates a domain name’s mobile usability including: Calculating total keystrokes required to input the domain name on a typical i-mode mobile.
5. Mimic
Mimic (formerly i-Mimic) emulates either an N400i (European) or N505i (Japanese) i-mode mobile. Simply enter a URL and select the mobile you want to emulate.
6. YOSPACE.com phone emulators
You can either use the free online emulator for the 40+ handsets or you can use the standalone developer version on your PC. From here you can download the standalone version with a restriction of 5 minutes of use. Alternatively, you can buy a single user license is £299 + UK VAT.
7. WURFL – the Wireless Universal Resource File
The WURFL is an XML configuration file which contains information about capabilities and features of several wireless devices. The main scope of the file is to collect as much information as possible about all the existing wireless devices that access WAP pages so that developers will be able to build better applications and better services for the users.
8. Article :: The Mobile Web Top 10
Pukupi’s top 10 hints for building interoperable mobile web sites really spells out much of what has been questioned regarding mobile Web site development.
9. Article :: Making Small Devices Look Great
Opera has put together this wonderful resource that gives code examples, tips, and emulator advice for developing mobile XHTML pages.
10. Article :: Global Authoring Practices for the Mobile Web
This document gives general guidelines for web developers and content authors who are searching for directions to help create sites for the mobile web.
11. Blog :: http://www.handheldusability.com/
Handheld Usability is the first book to cover the emerging field of handheld product design. The book covers everything from product design cycles to optimum menu length and audicon (audio-icon) characteristics. Read the first chapter and preview other sections here.
As far as I can tell there is no way for a regular consumer to buy screensavers through their handsets. I’ve built working screensavers for my BREW enabled Motorola V3m with Verizon and loaded them using Qualcomm’s AppLoader—but I am not a regular consumer. That said, does anyone know for sure if Verizon supports Flash Lite screensavers and wallpapers for any of it’s phones? There was a great deal of talk about this at MAX last October, but it was never clarified if screensavers and wallpapers for BREW phones are a thing of the future-or possible today.
PunchkickInteractive.com is live
After several weeks of development, punchkickinteractive.com is officially live.
Punchkick Interactive is an advertising agency that works exclusively with mobile devices. Specializing in mobile technology and development, Punchkick Interactive utilizes a team of programmers and designers to create engaging mobile content. Underlying all that we do is a passion for combining fresh ideas and technical know-how with incredible design.
Founded in Cleveland, Ohio, Punchkick Interactive began as a freelance Web-development company headed by then design student Ryan Unger and his frequent collaborator, Zak Dabbas. Over time, Punchkick Interactive evolved into a mobile design firm, thereby keeping in line with the company’s objective of constantly creating within the cutting edge.
Our business relationships and the quality of our craft are possibly the two most important elements of who we are. It’s the relationships we make that fuel our creativity and keep us going—we suppose you could call it a compulsion to please. But quality of craft—that can never be compromised. Ever. We don’t do “half-finished.” And we don’t do “acceptable.” And we certainly don’t do “just fine.”
Back from MAX
This year I went to the Adobe MAX conference in Las Vegas. Everything was great (including the two poker tournaments that I placed 2nd in) but the best part was the focus that Adobe gave to mobile development and a new partnership with Verizon Wireless. Moving forward, Verizon Wireless in North America will be releasing Flash Lite 2.1 for BREW enabled mobile phones.
