| Chapter 6: Getting Started with the Mobile Web | |
| Ellyssa Kroski | |
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| Abstract |
Today, most of us are using our cell phones primarily to download ringtones and check our e-mail, but there is an abundance of truly amazing services we can access through the mobile Web right now. The mobile Web, simply put, is the World Wide Web accessed through a mobile device, ranging from a cellular phone to an iPod Touch. It includes the entirety of the Web and is not limited to Web sites that are specifically designed for mobile viewing. The mobile Web is the Internet for the small screen and therefore delivers many of the same rewards as its desktop counterpart—constant connectivity, location-awareness, limitless access and interactive capabilities. Mobile Web users are faced with finding made-for-mobile content by either guessing the addresses of favorite destinations' mobile versions or using a search engine, which may or may not present the mobile site at the top of the results list. The mobile Web is still evolving, and this is an exciting time of early development, but some hurdles still need to be overcome. This paper examines the constitution of various components of the mobile web and explores how they can and have been utilized by librarians. |
Learning about the mobile Web and keeping abreast of new developments is easier than ever, as there are scores of resources available on the Internet pertaining to upcoming application launches, newly designed Web sites, emerging technologies and standards, and cutting-edge devices.
Many of today's major mobile devices have associated user forums for exchanging tips and information within the community of owners. These are incredibly useful resources for finding out about everything from compatible memory cards to how to customize wallpaper and themes for your model phone. The Everything family of Web sites offers guides to specific phone types, including the Treo, BlackBerry, Q, iPhone and Touch, and Centro. It has excellent forums dedicated to specific models. A Google search for message boards related to a specific phone type will often yield relevant results. For example, searching for “N95 forum” will yield the Nokia N95 Users Forum.
Forums
EverythingQ www.everythingq.com
EverythingTreo www.everythingtreo.com
EverythingCentro www.everythingcentro.com
Forums (cont.)
EverythingiCafe www.everythingicafe.com
Nokia N95 Users Forum www.n95users.com/forum
These blogs are of interest to libraries thinking of establishing a mobile Web presence:
- MobileCrunch—Part of the TechCrunch network, this blog reports breaking news from the mobile realm about devices, carriers, applications and more.
- Engadget Mobile—Weblogs, Inc's mobile offering, this online journal delivers cutting-edge mobile news on a daily basis.
- Gizmodo—Part of the Gawker Media family, Gizmodo reports on gadgets and mobile technologies.
- Handheld Librarian—Written by multiple librarians, this blog details mobile happenings of interest to libraries and librarians.
- MSearchGroove—This blog is dedicated to bringing news about mobile search, advertising, and social media.
ReadWrite Web's Favorite Mobile Feeds—This OPML file contains a compilation of RSS feeds from recommended mobile Web blogs and can be subscribed to via your news reader.
MobileCrunch http://mobilecrunch.com
Engadget Mobile www.engadgetmobile.com
Gizmodo http://gizmodo.com
Handheld Librarian http://handheldlib.blogspot.com
MSearchGroove www.msearchgroove.com
ReadWriteWeb's Favorite Mobile Feeds http://feeds.feedburner.com/RwwFavoriteMobileFeeds-Aiderssbest
You may also find these Web sites helpful:
- Windows Mobile Owners Circle—A place for phone owners who have Windows Mobile devices to download free software, ringtones, games, and themes.
WAP Review—A mobile Web site directory, WAP Review provides detailed evaluations of portable Web sites along with information about what technology they were built in.
Windows Mobile Owners Circle https://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/domore/default.mspx
WAP Review Directory http://wapreview.com
The First Ten Sites to Visit on Your Mobile Phone
These Web sites should get you going and give you a good idea of what's possible with the mobile Web as far as functionality and design:
- BBC—www.bbc.co.uk/mobile
- Facebook—http://m.facebook.com
- Moviefone—http://wap.aol.com/moviefone
- NPR—http://m.npr.org
- History Channel—http://mobile.history.com
- YouTube—http://m.youtube.com
- USA Today—http://m.usatoday.com
- Yelp—http://mobile.yelp.com
- JetBlue—http://mobile.jetblue.com
- NBC—www.nbc.com
One of the first questions I asked when I was introduced to computer technology was, “Well, what can I do with it?” I grew frustrated quickly when I was told repeatedly, “Anything you want.” For me, there is nothing more overwhelming than having access to a powerful new tool and not having any concrete goals to get me started. Here is a list of starter activities that you can approach on a daily or weekly basis to enhance your mobile experience. Please note that you may be charged for texting and data usage for accessing the Web if you don't have an unlimited plan. See chapter 2 for more information.
Visit the Yahoo! Go Web site on your computer and check the list of nearly 300 mobile phones to see if your device is compatible. Get started by entering your mobile number, which will text the Web link to your phone, or type get.go.yahoo.com into your mobile Web browser's address bar. Follow the instructions to download and install the application. You will now have one-touch access to your Yahoo! Mail, Calendar, and Flickr accounts, as well as personalized weather, maps, finance information, and news without ever having to open a Web browser.
Yahoo! Go http://mobile.yahoo.com/go
Check out the e-books, free e-book reader, and tutorials on the Mobipocket Web site on your desktop computer, then browse to the mobile Web site and download and install the e-book reader for your phone type. Download a free e-book from Mobipocket, or browse to OverDrive Media on your computer and see if your local library is one of 7,500 library partners around the world that are offering e-book titles for loan.
Mobipocket www.mobipocket.com
Mobipocket Mobile http://m.mobipocket.com
OverDrive Digital Media Locator http://search.overdrive.com
Experience what it's like to send information to your mobile device. Visit the Yelp review Web site on your computer and search for a restaurant near you. Find one that you'd like to visit, choose the Send to Phone option, and see what type of information you receive. Visit the Simmons College Library, search the OPAC for a title you may be interested in, and select the Send via Text Message button.
Yelp www.yelp.com
Simmons Library Catalog http://library.simmons.edu
Browse the mobile Web with your camera phone with the help of quick-response 2D barcodes. Navigate to the Semapedia Web site on your personal computer and look up your phone model in the section “Find and Install a 2D Barcode Reader.” Enter the URL for the reader into your mobile phone, and follow the instructions for installation. Start the application on your phone, flip to the appendix at the end of this LTR, and wave your phone in front of any of the QR barcodes. Within seconds, your phone will convert the graphic into a clickable URL so that you can browse to that Web page without typing. Next, visit the Semacode : Tag page and enter a URL to create your own 2D barcode.
Semapedia www.semapedia.org
Semacode : Tag http://semacode.com/tag
Browse to the Ball State University Libraries' mobile Web site on your mobile phone. Navigate around the Web site, noticing what types of information they offer. Search their mobile catalog to find titles you may be interested in.
Ball State University Libraries www.bsu.edu/libraries/mobile
Navigate to the Radio4PDA Web site on your cell phone, and browse to your favorite radio station. Click on the link and listen to free radio through your mobile device. Head over to the NPR Web site at and check out their top stories. Click the Call link next to a story to dial in to NPR and hear a recording of it. Search the OverDrive Media Web site on your computer to see if your library is one of thousands partnering to provide free audiobook loans for patrons.
TUNED.mobi (formerly Radio4PDA) http://tuned.mobi
NPR Mobile http://m.npr.org
OverDrive Digital Media Locator http://search.overdrive.com
On your home computer, browse to the PhoneZoo Web site and sign up for a free account. Browse the Ringtones section for the most popular sounds and send one to your phone. You will receive a text message containing a link to the ringtone file. Once you have downloaded it to your phone, assign it to one of your contacts. Next, venture into the Create from File section and upload one of your MP3 files. Drag the shaded area to the portion of the song you wish to use as your ringer, save it, and send to your phone.
PhoneZoo http://phonezoo.com
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