12-01-2004, 12:00 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,350
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Browsing The Internet On Your Pocket PC
On PPCW.net Dr. Wolfgang Irber has written a very interesting column on the browsing experience on mobile devices. He describes the problems he encounters (like sites not rendering well, those that do use hidden URLs or link to larger sites, the cost of mobile data usage which esp. in those countries where flat fee data access is a thing of the future is a *huge* issue, etc.). He also describes the different solutions websites find to deal with those problems, and although these specialized sites make things bearable, he is not sure if this is a good overall solution. His final conclusion is that he might be better off with a subnotebook in the end:
"The outlook for the PDA-friendly "mobile Internet on the go" appears to be mixed. At least, the evolutionary progress is on hold right now, or shall I call it consolidation? Or did the wireless carrier loose interest in the PDA-friendly web world? With respect to the number of sold Pocket PCs with GPRS modem, I wonder if they are missing something, or do I? If my neighbor would ask me if browsing the Internet on a PDA is good idea, frankly, I would tell him no, not for what he expects, except he needs access to a few specialized sites, than yes. No doubt, it is nice to have the possibility of always accessing the Internet, as long as you are willing to pay the much higher prize. But technological limitations may often block access to the "normal" websites for PDAs. I personally already think about getting a UMTS/GPRS card for my subnotebook in combination with a volume tariff. If you are actively browsing the Internet, you never know how much volume the next click is going to generate, with a time based tariff, you are safe with respect to the costs. And with a notebook, you always know that you can access the site of your desire."
What do you think? Do you browse the net on your mobile device a lot? What is your personal experience with that? Do you have any suggestions on how to improve the mobile browsing experience?
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12-01-2004, 12:38 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 392
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i am in japan, and i browse the web a lot using my PPC - and it is not much of a hair-raising experience for me...
for one, mobile accesses here are on a flat-fee basis - use-all-you-can in speeds of either 32, 64, 128 kbps. well, for speeds higher than that, one would have to resort to packet-based rates which could get expensive.
as for me, i use a 6-months pre-paid service that allows me unlimited connection at 128kbps PLUS unlimited connection to FOUR of the country's major hotspot providers. aint it cool?
also, we the numerous sites specifically designed for cells here in japan (i-mode craze), it is but a simple step to use the browser's �signature� to access them - nicely formatted, simple, and fast!!!
-@PIE@Loox
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12-01-2004, 01:01 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 281
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I enjoy browsing the internet on my 2215. I pair it up with my Siemens 56 bluetooth phone and use my dial-up account that comes along with my home Bellsouth ADSL Fast Access account. No data charges that way just minutes which I have plenty of with a Cingular Rollover account. Almost all my surfing is on mobile friendly sites. There are plenty of them out there, enough to satisfy me.
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12-01-2004, 02:58 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 39
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I lug a laptop around with me everywhere I go, and have been doing so for several years (three generations of laptops). But about the only time I use it for web browsing is in a hotel or when in its docking station (one at home and one at work).
The PPC on the other hand is used a lot more than even I expected! At home it's easy and convenient when sitting in the living room or den to do a quick lookup. At work a quick VNC session allows me to remotely access my desktop. Outside these zones it's not as frequent due to the lack of free WiFi AP's, but when one's available it does get used.
What I use mostly is my Sprint PCS phone's Vision plan to access the internet. I've found sites to meet the most critical of needs. The phone is very, very slow but it does get the job done. I could/can/have connected the phone to the PPC using a special cable. But that inconvenience factor makes it a rare occurence. I'm more likely to find a WiFi hotspot than to dig out and connect the cable. But it's nice to have the option if an emergency does arise.
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12-01-2004, 03:05 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,185
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I wouldn't say I use my PPC for browsing, but do connect to the internet for directions on a (unfortunately) too frequent basis. I only say unfortunately because it seems like when I need directions, a T1 to the back of the PPC wouldn't be fast enough. I don't worry about it otherwise. I'm especially fond of a few sites that make getting news and other useful information quick and easy.
I've always speculated that speed-to-user issue on the PPC isn't an issue with bandwidth, but rather the processor and RAM and their ability to quickly process the inbound information. I submit the speed difference (or lack of proportional difference) in displaying information downloaded via WiFi vs that downloaded by GPRS. There's nowhere near an equal increase in performance as the bandwidth differences might lead one to expect.
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12-01-2004, 03:11 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,520
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I browse the internet on my PDA all the time. Today I tether it to my Audiovox smt5600.
The only frustrating thing is when my hp2200 runs out of memory and I have to soft reset.
That and the fact that its hard to do real work like making purchases.
Netfront is my friend.
__________________
Phone: Nexus one Backup Phone: AT&T Samsung Jack; Future Phone: I'm Watching WP7; Media Player: Platinum Zune HD 32GB; Home Server: HP MediaSmart Server LX195 Console: XBox 360, PS3, Wii |
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12-01-2004, 03:18 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 298
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I've been browsing the net on my various Treos (300/600) for over a year and have found the experience to be quite good actually. It's very dependant on which browser I use though.
PDA/cell phone friendly sites of course play best, but even "busy" sites like Wired scale down well thanks to CSS.
It is true, though, that you shouldn't go into it expecting to be viewing the web like you do on your desktop. in my experience, browsing on a pda is more info-centric and less browsing for fun.
I tend to focus on what i'm looking for and zone in on the text I'm reading on the small screen.
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12-01-2004, 03:20 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,183
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I use mine to browse regularly. Without Pocket IE Plus it is a pain. With PIE+ it is tolerable. Would be lots better with VGA or better screen, even allowing for PIE+ reflow mode.
I find using the PDA to browse slow and less rewarding compared to the laptop or PDA, but for true mobile use, in other words if NOT trying to replace the larger machines, it is a good tool provided you recognise the limitations - especially speed, formatting, and the fact that some web sites will automatically either kick you out "not supported" or give you a poor or badly-working site becuase you are not using IE6 or similar.
Wow - long sentence ... sorry!
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12-01-2004, 03:21 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 57
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PPC internet browsing
I browse using the WiFi capability of a new PPC. Quite fast for checking e-mails and quick look at the news and some shopping. The websites I visit more or less accomodate to the display format allowed by PIE. However, some site are not fully accesible because of data encryption which I understand and really prefer to check those in a capable PC/laptop. But for those that are mostly accessible should display better as I find somehow cumbersome to to navigate as items seem to be "all over the place". I must say that in those sites "designed" for PPC the information is more simple and easy to read. You get right to the point without much of the bells and whistles. This should be a standard to follow in the web but I guess that will put a lot graphic designers out of work....
Something I would like to have available one day is the capability of a laptop in a PPC size and weight with the simplicity of use of a PPC (of course with BT/WiFi/Phone built in). With the technology miniaturization it seems we are heading fast towards the first one. I hope they keep it simple to use...
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12-01-2004, 03:36 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 75
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Internet browsing on a Pocket PC
I have been browsing the Internet for the last few years using Thunderhawk. The latest version has significantly improved the experience and speed of access. Currently I use a converged device, the Samsung i700 PPC Phone Edition. On the road, I use 1xRTT with Telus Canada. At home, an SD wifi card speeds up the access.
Thunderhawk does a remarkable job rendering web pages on a QVGA device. It does have problems with complex pages that include a lot of Java etc, so I haven't been using it for online shopping or banking. Most web pages render rather well. Obiviously, VGA graphics would be better, but I am going to hold out for WM2005 before buying such a device.
Having "anytime/anywhere" access using 1xRTT is expensive (in Canada) but it sure is fun! When combined with a today add-in such as Journal Pro, and a news aggregator like News Break, you have remarkable mobile capabiliites. I use the WebIS @Mail program for access to all of my email accounts.
Hopefully the number wifi hotspots will increase, but they are not common in the Great White North, Edmonton. So for now, on the road, I must use the cell network. Opps, gotta go, here comes my bus stop!
JD
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iPhone GS 16 Gb
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