Ray Van Eng (07/03/97)
That company and Geoworks, a smart phone software vendor are hard at work to make it possible for cellular users to access the Internet and not only have their e-mail messages displayed on their handsets but also have web pages that can be simplified, configured, and formatted to fit the tiny screens of these mobile devices. Spyglass' Prism content conversion technology is said to be able to reduce web pages download times, extend the usefulness of the vast amount of information found on the web and help in delivering the otherwise graphics rich material from 2 to 10 times faster. The first generation of smart phones, the Nokia 9000 Communicator digital GSM phones are currently in use in parts of Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia with wide-spread availability in the U.S. and Canada coming soon. Meanwhile, AT&T Wireless Services, Rogers Cantel, Swedish Telia and New Zealand Telecom have pledged support for the Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML) that was submitted to World Wide Web Consortium for approval. HDML is also optimized for use in displaying web pages on cellular devices. E-mail by phone could easily prove to be the killer application for mobile workers. When Compuserve UK announced the service in England, it attracted 2,500 users in just ten days time. Compuserve developed the Global Connect Card system to allow users to dial in to the online service provider, punch in their PINs and have their e-mails read to them by computers. Messages can also be forwarded to fax printers. Available only to Compuserve subscribers, the special service also offers voice and fax mail boxes, news and sports updates, weather reports, and substantial savings on long distant phone charges. |