Where can I find information on developing my own mobile sites?
We believe the mobile web is becoming increasingly important, but it's not always easy to know where to start. So, we've put together this page of tools available for developers of mobile content, to help ease the way.
Mobile markup
Mobile web pages come in several markup dialects, including WML, XHTML Basic, XHTML MP and cHTML. WML is an older standard that is supported by many browsers, and still widely used in some markets.
cHTML is used primarily in Japan, but also some parts of Europe. XHTML Basic and XHTML MP are almost identical subsets of HTML, used globally, but particularly in North America and Europe. XHTML dialects are the newest and most expressive of markups, and are gaining usage. XHTML Basic 1.1 and XHTML MP 1.2 are a good choice for new development, but your choice will vary according to your target market.
Validation
Valid pages are likely to render correctly on more mobile devices.
Published mobile markup standards include:
XHTML Basic 1.1
XHTML MP 1.2
cHTML
WML 1.3
Validators include the following:
Mobile-friendly XHTML Validator (W3C)
Mobile-readiness checker (.mobi)
mobileOK Basic Checker (TAW)
WuRML (shadowplay.net)
Emulation
You may be confident that your page is valid XHTML or valid WML, but are you certain that it's going to look right on a real phone screen? Use an emulator to test your page, and avoid the hassle of buying them all.
Phone Simulator (Openwave)
Mobile emulator (.mobi)
i-mode emulator (DoCoMo)
User-Agent Switcher (Firefox plug-in)
wmlbrowser (Firefox plug-in)
XHTML Mobile Profile (Firefox plug-in)
Google resources
About mobile sites and the Google index
Best practices for mobile developers
Other resources
W3C Mobile Web Best Practices
.mobi Switch On! Guides
The Wireless FAQ
mobileOK Basic Tests
WURFL (Wireless Universal Resource File)
