More people every day are using their iPhones, BlackBerries, smartphones, and cell phones to find companies, research products, and contact businesses. If you don't have a mobile presence you risk losing ground to your competition, failing to connect with users, and missing out on opportunities to extend and strengthen your services.

What is involved in developing a new mobile web site or "mobilizing" an existing site?

It is recommended that specifically designed mobile versions of some pages or the entire site be created  with either a link to it or the use of Javascript to identify the header information to redirect clients.

Why?

These pages must have small file sizes and focus on text, simple layouts and the elimination of graphics.

HTML content needs to be smaller to prevent horizontal scrolling.  Also, due to the narrow width, you may find that the vertical design of Web pages with navigation at the side may not be practical. Graphics need to be redesigned to properly to fit the screen.

Design and conversion limitations include no native support for Java, Flash, or other ActiveX controls plus limited versions of Javascript.  When selecting the colors of the site, we also need to keep in mind that the site will be viewed in dim and bright lighting.

The biggest challenge with mobile web design is the variation in browser support and how they render code. Also mobile phones vary greatly in both size and functionality. Common screen sizes range from 128 x 160 to 320 x 480. Other common screen sizes are 176 x 220 and 240 x 320 and often the actual resolution will vary slightly.

Testing mobile device design is difficult. Without purchasing dozens of mobile devices there are limited options for testing the code to see how it will perform on mobile devices.