7 steps to better handheld browsing (CSS tutorial)

Alexander Turcic · 04-03-2005, 01:55 PM

Simon Collison wrote a quick guideline for Web masters on how to improve Web content to make it more accessible to people browsing with handheld devices. I bookmarked this one for later when we begin our redesign of MobileRead.

hacker · 04-03-2005, 06:11 PM

This doesn't take into account that less than 1% of mobile pda/phone browsers support CSS, and if you don't have a proper fallback for those that do not, which still looks good, all of this is moot.

Chaos · 04-04-2005, 12:33 AM

It'd probably be better to just create a mobile-specific HTML-only version of your website... If it's something with a database, you wouldn't have to replicate all your content - just access the database. Simple, effective, and more usable for everyone.

Traecer Prime · 04-04-2005, 05:30 PM

I am in agreement that the lack of CSS support renders most of these tips useless. For example, step #1 is indeed the standard way to specify stylesheets for different media types, and, if it worked, would be the best way to serve up specific stylesheets to handheld devices. Unfortunately, few mobile browsers support the "handheld" media type, including my Tungsten|T3's. In fact, no version of Web Pro 3.x, the default browser on the majority of Tungstens and (I believe) Zires, supports the handheld media type.

04-04-2005, 05:30 PM	#4
Traecer Prime Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 27 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Time and Space, the perfect escape Device: Sony PRS-T2	Good suggestions, rarely work in practice I am in agreement that the lack of CSS support renders most of these tips useless. For example, step #1 is indeed the standard way to specify stylesheets for different media types, and, if it worked, would be the best way to serve up specific stylesheets to handheld devices. Unfortunately, few mobile browsers support the "handheld" media type, including my Tungsten\|T3's. In fact, no version of Web Pro 3.x, the default browser on the majority of Tungstens and (I believe) Zires, supports the handheld media type.

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04-03-2005, 01:55 PM	#1
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,163 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	7 steps to better handheld browsing (CSS tutorial) Simon Collison wrote a quick guideline for Web masters on how to improve Web content to make it more accessible to people browsing with handheld devices. I bookmarked this one for later when we begin our redesign of MobileRead.

04-03-2005, 06:11 PM	#2
hacker Technology Mercenary Posts: 617 Karma: 2561 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: East Lyme, CT Device: Direct Neural Implant	This doesn't take into account that less than 1% of mobile pda/phone browsers support CSS, and if you don't have a proper fallback for those that do not, which still looks good, all of this is moot.

04-04-2005, 12:33 AM	#3
Chaos Evangelist Posts: 418 Karma: 281 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canada Device: Assorted older devices	It'd probably be better to just create a mobile-specific HTML-only version of your website... If it's something with a database, you wouldn't have to replicate all your content - just access the database. Simple, effective, and more usable for everyone.

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