When we revamped ResourceShelf a few months ago we decided to build (what might be called in a library, special collections) of sites on a gradual basis.
Today, we launched a new one with more than 20 "mainstream" news sites designed for the wireless web. We are building all of these collections gradually so EXPECT much more.
http://www.resourceshelf.com/2006/10/14/resourceshelfs-guide-to-wireless-mainstream-news-sources-vol-1/
Other Special Collections:
Real and Near Real-Time Databases
http://www.resourceshelf.com/category/resources/real-time-information/
Art Museum Databases
Note: The Hermitage offers some CBIR and Query by Example tech.
http://www.resourceshelf.com/category/resources/special-collections/art-museum-databases/
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Gary, I like the DocuTicker function.. I have taken that feed and brought it into my Reader and then spliced the feed based on my own catogoriaztion
This Pharming is nice :)- |
<rant>
By the way, Google converts any site to a mobile optimized version using their mobile proxy. Opera Mini attempts the same.
http://www.google.com/gwt/n
I think it's the browser's job to adapt HTML to the specific client, not the site's job, as long as the site adheres to the W3C accessibility guidelines.
Another drastic example showing the irony of mobile optimization: on my phone, I have to switch my Opera Mobile user agent to a fake desktop user agent just to prevent to land on the mobile "optimized" version of Germany's biggest news site, Spiegel.de... 'cause their mobile version sucks. It doesn't provide me with the snippets and large overview of the actual homepage, which works just fine in Opera Mobile (I just swich off images in the Opera options).
I hope we don't start to create another redundant mobile web after the WML (WAP) web quietly died for similar reasons, being redundant technology...
Today, mobile optimized sites make some assumption as do screen optimized sites, and they're both not always correct. For example, mobile optimized sites seem to think tiny fonts and images help mobile browsers. This is silly, because mobile browsers can just turn off images, and ignore font sizes. Screen optimized news sites on the other hand make assumptions that this is the right place to clutter the page with millions of links and stories, which may be equally wrong. Who says I want a cluttered page on the desktop just 'cause I have the space available? Who says I want certain images I select to download on my mobile browser in very bad resolution? Who says I don't want to read long texts on my mobile phone? (I may sit in the train with my mobile phone connected to the news site, and have *more* time to read right now then when I'm in the office on my desktop screen.)
The right approach is to have mobile optimized stylesheets, IMO, and use accessible (X)HTML that works across all clients (yes, this also makes it unnecessary to create a print version, or a text-to-speech version, or a search-engine optimized version – even an RSS version, as per XHTML2 which allows this... remember as RSS is growing in its scope, so does its redundancy in mirroring XHTML become more clear). This will be even more important when all kinds of gadgets will be used to access the web, with monitor ranges fluidly changing from tiny to huge. We're just at the beginning of this all here. Maybe I have a screen the size of my thumb, maybe I have one the size of my hand, maybe I have one the size of my arm... I want to access the whole web, and developers just won't ever give me a special version for any resolution, nor is this desirable.
In short, while I think there are exceptions in "power apps" (like certain games), special mobile sites are unnecessary if the developers behind them spend some time thinking about accessibility and W3C guidelines in the first place. And even if they don't, the mobile site may be unnecessary because mobile browsers or proxies are doing such a great job in converting the desktop-oriented tag soup into a mobile-optimized page.
</rant> |
<<By the way, Google converts any site to a mobile optimized version using their mobile proxy.>>
Google should do one simple thing: add an option in their preferences "Optimize sites for mobile phones" (yes/no). Until then, there's a trick: instead of visiting google.com that redirects you to google.com/xhtml, you can go to google.com/pda. |
Btw, Ask.com Mobile (launched Friday) and Bloglines Mobile also autoconvert non-optimized pages for web browsers using Skweezer.
http://m.ask.com
http://www.bloglines.com/mobile/
Another service I use regularly is MobileLeap.
http://mobileleap.net/mainsite/
http://mlvb.net |
I use m.bloglines on my balckberry, its effective and fast. No compliants |
Also, many of our smart answers are available from the main search box.
Examples:
1) http://m.ask.com/web.jsp?fi_what=weather+in+boston+ma&fi_Search=Search&form=web
2) http://m.ask.com/web.jsp?fi_what=time+in+moscow&fi_Search=Search&form=web
3)
http://m.ask.com/web.jsp?fi_what=312+area+code&fi_Search=Search&form=web
4)
http://m.ask.com/web.jsp?&fi_what=100+euros+in+australian+dollars&fi_Search=Search&form=web
Also, some results include Wikipedia entries at top of page and Zoom narrow, focus, expand at bottom of results.
http://m.ask.com/web.jsp?fi_what=pink+floyd&fi_Search=Search&form=web
My favorite part are the walking and driving directions.
Especially Walking DIrections in the "list" form.
Regular Form
http://m.ask.com/dd.jsp?fi_st_addr=60093&fi_end_addr=60611&fi_method=Walk&form=dd
Turn Form, note the icons showing turns, directions, etc.
http://m.ask.com/tbt.jsp?&fi_st_addr=60093&fi_end_addr=60611&fi_method=Walk&form=dd
Also, note the remaining route distance as you move along.
MUCH MORE To come. |
