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Home , Mobile content, Mobile web, World Wide Web

Chapter X1

On the Move with the : Libraries and Mobile Ellyssa Kroski

What Is the Mobile Web?

magine walking by a movie poster for the upcoming became widely attainable, the mobile Web is turning a Harry Potter film and scanning it with a click of your corner and becoming useful to the everyday . While Icamera phone in order to download associated ring- mass adoption is still in its infancy in this country, the tones, get showtimes, or even buy tickets. How about snap- landscape is developing quickly. Now is the time to get on a photo while browsing through a to get a board and on the move with the mobile Web. free sample of a new perfume? This may sound like right now, but in Japan, this type of mobile search is widespread, and in the similar The Mobile Web Defined services are already being developed, services that prom- The mobile Web, simply put, is the ise just this type of virtual engagement with the world accessed through a , ranging from a cellu- around us. Think about the convenience of scanning the lar phone to an iPod Touch. It includes the entirety of logo on someone’s Yankees cap to instantly receive the the Web and is not limited to Web sites that are specifi- latest score from the game. This is what’s coming. cally designed for mobile viewing. Handsets and mobile Today, most of us are using our cell phones primarily phones that have Web capabilities can search and browse to download and check our e-mail, but there www.techsource.ala.org TechnologyLibrary Reports July 2008 the from anywhere they can get a cellular signal. is an abundance of truly amazing services we can access Web sites that are made especially for the small screen through the mobile Web right now. Armed with a smart- appear as scaled-back versions of their desktop coun- phone, PDA, or other Internet-ready mobile mechanism, terparts, often with a numbered menu system for quick users can retrieve local traffic information; check bus, access to content. Web destinations that do not have train, and airline schedules; and look up weather reports. mobile versions appear as if they were squeezed onto the But more impressive, they can also access mobile social tiny screen, and oftentimes have overlapping menus and networks that will alert them when their friends are . If accessed by way of a , a Web site nearby, text in a pizza order to Domino’s, borrow e-books may be “transcoded,” or have some formatting applied to from their library, take a guided audio tour of a museum, it in an attempt to make it more viewable on a phone. and watch CNN. Through the mobile Web, people can download audiobooks, camera-phone photos to Flickr, receive turn-by-turn driving directions, and have Who Are the Early Adopters? in-store coupons delivered to them. The , media player, and cell phone are all Fifty percent of the world’s population, or 3.3 billion converging into a single device as manufacturers aim to people, have subscriptions, including 84% provide a complete experience for the consumer. This of U.S. residents.1 An era of mobile ubiquity has clearly evolution of handheld devices combined with new high- arrived, yet only 16% of American cell phone owners reg- speed data networks makes browsing the mobile ularly browse the mobile Internet, according to Jupiter Internet a more compelling experience. Much like the Research.2 This number is exceedingly low when com- transition the Web experienced when broadband access pared with other countries such as Japan, where over half 5 6 Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org July 2008 o proa raos acrig o orse Research. Forrester to according reasons, personal for much time on their cell phones as they do on the Internet 2007 (CharlesS.Golvin,“WhichGenerationsAre DoingMobileDataActivities,2007,”ForresterResearch,Jan. 4,2008). Percentages ofcellphoneowners amongU.S.adults.ource:Forrester’s North AmericanTechnographics® BenchmarkSurvey, Figure 1 groups older among lower be (see figure 1). to gen- tends across yet greatly lines, varies erational endeavors these in Participation messaging, picture and text downloading include ringtones, e-mail, activities , data-related andgames. for access mobile variety purposes, of althougha their currently most popular utilizing the are owners Handset Their MobileDevices? What Are PeopleDoingwith daily. pursuits data $30,000 per year, 44% of cell in than phone owners participate income less averaging incomes all with households spans in levels: tasks non–voice-related for devices mobile of use The data. of transfer the requires that ity - activ an for phones cell their use Americans African of 50% and averageLatinos an day,of On overhalf cations. desktop Web, the are adoptthe leading users to of handheld slower data appli- been have who Americans, as African such groups, other and Hispanics English-speaking own a cell phone. purchases. for pay and And not only access it, but wield it to pen bestselling novels Web. mobile consumers mobile consistently the access of tried their hand at these applications atleast once. applications handatthese their tried mobile Webaccessing the on a daily basis, and 58% having and photos, taking texting, as such activities data related non–voice-inAmericans parttakingof 32%shows which Project finds a slightly more optimistic outlook with its study, users who fall into the 18–27 age range. mobile Web adopters include many Y,from Generation or In the United States, 9 out of 10 college students students college 10 of out 9 States, United the In 5 Therefore, it’s earlynot that surprising 8 3 The Pew Internet & American Life Life American & Internet Pew The 6 Gen Y spends as 4 7

top counterpart: desk- its as rewards same the of many delivers therefore and screen small the for Internet the WebIS mobile The Benefits oftheMobile Web mobileWeb.can allbefound resources viathe reference and maps, news, breaking reports, Weather 4). figure (see information for search to devices as double which of MP3 players. many devices, mobile most onto be downloaded may files music for and play owners, phone offline cell and download for available widely are games Mobile phones. may mobile on use for that downloaded be tracks, music popular from ringers, made phone sometimes or sounds customizable 3). are figure Ringtones (see resources and information of kinds ous and send to devices receive buddy lists. messages instant from their mobile their on Messenger MSN or AIM as such accounts (IM) messaging instant access can users Web Mobile more. and servers Enterprise and through Web e-mail, Exchange, BlackBerryMail, phones mobile via accessed be can accounts E-mail ogy. accomplished another—is to through the phone messaging service (MMS) - technol mobile one from images messaging—sending picture cell while owners, other phone with characters 160 to up of messages brief exchange to way a is technology, (SMS) service saging mes- short or messaging, Text 2). figure (see munication • provide owners with around-the-clock access to the the to access around-the-clock with owners provide Connectivity Constant mobile their use owners phone increasinglycell And vari- download to used be also can phones Mobile com- for is technology mobile of use significant One —Web-enabled mobile devices mobile —Web-enabled

Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org July 2008 7 Figure 3 Figure and download or stream music Percentage of cell phone owners who use their phones to download ringtones and games 2007. Benchmark Survey, North American Technographics® and files. Source: Forrester’s Figure 2 Figure for , picture messaging, e-mail, and instant Percentage of U.S. cell phone owners who use their phones 2007. Benchmark Survey, North American Technographics® messaging. Source: Forrester’s 8 Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org July 2008 information. Source:Forrester’s NorthAmericanTechnographics® BenchmarkSurvey, 2007. Percentage ofcellphoneownerswhousetheirphonescheckweatherreports,readnews,andlookupvarioustypes Figure 4 Te oie e ofr users offers Web mobile —The Capabilities Interactive • • the participatory experience of the read/write Web read/write the of experience participatory the top computer. desk- their via find would they resourcesthat online same the all to access have phones Web-enabled of Users browsing. mobile for designed specially sites those only not Web, whole the includesWeb mobile Access Limitless andcontacts. and discover nearbyfriends content, location-based create destination, desired a to directions retrieve locations, their near nesses are Cell phone users can searchat all times. for busi- (GPS) which make “aware”capabilities, them system of where they positioning global have PCs pocket Location-Aware toafriend. aninvite andtext nearby restaurants, menusfind work,for from home bus tickets, buy the taking while times movie discover can They route. map and directions if they decide to take an alternate a access even and reports, traffic check airport, the to road on while flight a of status the on check can that is available on the World Wide Web. Mobile users of information provide wealth link to the a continual handsets store, grocery the to off just or business, on away home, At location. of regardless Internet, Mn o tdys mrpoe and today’s of —Many —As previously mentioned, the the mentioned, previously —As ite destinations’ ite mobile destinations’ versions or using a search engine, favoraddressesof - the guessing either by content mobile desktopWeb. enjoy onthe they that handsets their on experience caliber same the who anticipate users, Web mobile of expectations high the also developers Web Mobile impossibility. near a ibility compat- universal for applications and sites Web mobile testing renders uniformity of lack This browsers. mobile distinct 40 than more as well as sizes, and resolutions, screen capabilities, functional varying with types device mobile different of hundreds as well as from, choose to technologies and standards development numerous with confronted are Those channel new this Internet. for content create portable who the to comes it when lenges chal- encounter alike users and developers Web Mobile Mobile Web Challenges Mobile Web users are faced with finding made-for- finding with faced are users Web Mobile social networks. on connections and resources, posts, phones, share and rate media, make write comments, camera their with taken and photos as such content, create can Users hand. their of palm the in Library Technology Reports www.techsource.ala.org July 2008 9

-2007 (accessed Jan. 18, 2008). -2007 (accessed Jan. 18, iPhone: iPhone Wins in a Blowout.” Forrester Research, 31, 2007. July 12, 2007. Feb. Research, Forrester 35% of US Tweens Own a Mobile Phone.” ReadWriteWeb, Dec. 3, _billion_mobile_phone_subscriptions. (accessed 2007, Jan. 24, 2008). www.readwriteweb.com/archives/33 Aug. 7, 2007, 20, 2008). Feb. (accessed _vs_mobile_web.php www.readwriteweb.com/archives/iphone Jan. 4, 2008). (accessed Mobile_Web 31, 2007. May Research, Research, July 6, 2007. 6, July Research, Tools for Online 19, 2007. Sept. Jupiter Research, Social Networking.” MobileCrunch, Feb. .com/2008/02/27/over-a-billion-mobile-phones-sold-in 27, 2008, http://mobilecrunch James Middleton, “Global Mobile Penetration Hits 50%,” Telecoms Blog, Nov. .com/2007/11/29/global-mobile-penetration-hits-50 29, 2007, http://blog.telecoms(accessed Jan. 25, 2008); “Mobile Phone Penetration 84%, Aug. Kagan, SNL End,” Year’s by $155B Revenue Wireless 24, 2007, www.snl.com/snlitn/scans/082407mobilmarcha 17, 2008). . (accessed March on Home at theBrowser Internet: “Mobile Leave Ask, Julie 3, 2007. the volume Desktop,” Jupiter Research, Niek Van Veen, “Why 7, 2007. March Research, Success,”Forrester Japanese Mobile Internet Is John Horrigan, a “Mobile Access to Data and Information,” www2008, 5, March Project, Life American & Internet Pew (accessed .pewinternet.org/PPF/r/244/report_display.asp 7, 2008). March “Telecom,” Student Monitor, www.studentmonitor.com/ telecom.php (accessed Jan. 28, 2008). Charles S. Golvin, “Which Generations Are Doing Mobile Data Jan. 4, 2008. Activities, Research, 2007,” Forrester Vidya Lakshmipathy and Jaap Adds Trust to Marketing,” Forrester Research, Favier, “Mobile Social Jan. 9, 2008. John Horrigan, “Seeding the Cloud: What Mobile Access Means for Usage Patterns Internet and & American Online Life Project, Content,” March 5, Pew 2008, (accessed .pewinternet.org/PPF/r/245/report_display.asp www 7, 2008). March 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Lakshmipathy, Vidya. “The Mobile Web Versus the Web on an Lakshmipathy, Vidya. “What’s Wrong with the Mobile Web?” MacManus, Richard. “3.3 Billion Mobile Phone Subscriptions; MacManus, Richard. “iPhone vs Mobile Web.” ReadWriteWeb, “Mobile Web.” , Strother, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Neil. “Mobile Media Forecast, 2006–2011.” Jupiter Golvin, Golvin, Charles S. “The iPhone Is A Win-Win-Win.” Forrester Husson, Thomas. “Mobile Social Networks: Complementary Kullman, John. “Over a Billion Mobile Phones Sold in 2007.” Notes handheld, cell phone, cell handheld, a cell phone with computing capabilities an alternate term for a mobile phone. Other phone. mobile a alternatetermfor an a mobile phone or provider ies.” ­ies.” http://web.simmons.edu/~fox/pda (accessed personal digital assistant, a handheld computer handheld a assistant, digital personal third-generation mobile phone technology that Connecting Dec. 21, 2007. Jupiter Use.” to Drive Research, ReadWriteWeb, Oct. 19, 2007, www.readwriteweb.com/ archives/is_the_mobile_web_finally_set_to_take_off.php (accessed Jan. 4, 2008). Librar 21, 2008). Feb. Libraries.” Dec. 5, 2007, http://web.simmons.edu/~fox/ 21, 2008). pda/semrls_07.pdf (accessed Feb. detect interaction, making the screen, rather than a the input methodkeyboard, handset: terms include interchangeable and mobile device. PDA: that also be a cell phone may : : high-speed connectivity for allows carrier: The mobile Web The is mobile stillWeb and evolving, this is an excit- touchscreen: a mobile device with a display that can • • • • • Ask, Julie. “Mobile Social Networking: Enable and Catone, Josh. “Is the Mobile Web Finally Set to Take Off?” Fox, Megan K. “PDAs, Handhelds and Mobile Technologies in Fox, Megan K. “Trends in Mobile Tools & Applications for Mobile Web Resources and Reports Resources Mobile Web Here Here are some key terms for understanding discussions of the mobile Web: Key Terms which may or may not present the mobile site at the top of the results list. The task is further by car- encumbered riers that sometimes make the browser very difficult to located,Web is the browser Once phones. some locateon When devices. mobile on navigate to oftentough are sites combined with the experience of slow connection speeds be may and an additionalthe access, for cost Web mobile too frustrating some. for ing time of early development, but need to be some overcome. As we see hurdles familiar brands such still as and MySpace porting their presences to adoptionwider a see will thisof we domain, mobile chan- the nel by the experiment and get mainstream. As developers comfortable creating for mobile, they will learn how to design usable, engaging experiences, increasing interest in the portable Web. And the continued development of through easier experiences these make will phones mobile proliferation the and iPhone the as such devices improved and 3G networks. screens, larger of QWERTY keyboards,