.mobi MOWSER... the online mobile browser!

[eyedomainous]

I've been watching Mowser since they went online a couple weeks ago. It had some (left side) display issues but that appears to have been worked out. And the guy just added a "shortcut" feature that will come in URL handy!

MOWSER

"Mowser lets you view the Web on your mobile phone. Mowser takes HTML pages normally viewed on a computer and translates them so that you can see them when you're on the go. During this translation process, Mowser converts the page in a predictable, linear manner, details of which can be found here. In order to ensure that the highest quality and most useful web page is displayed on your mobile phone or device, Mowser may alter images, text formatting and/or certain aspects of web page functionality, or forward to a publisher's mobile version instead."​

And YES... there is a .mobi and a .com (the .mobi must detect a mobile device in order to show).

edit:... did I mention the FREE part? And, you can make money by adding your ADMOB code to the MOWSER header on pages you convert! $weet!!

 

[-REECE-]

I've been watching Mowser since they went online a couple weeks ago. It had some (left side) display issues but that appears to have been worked out. And the guy just added a "shortcut" feature that will come in URL handy!

MOWSER

"Mowser lets you view the Web on your mobile phone. Mowser takes HTML pages normally viewed on a computer and translates them so that you can see them when you're on the go. During this translation process, Mowser converts the page in a predictable, linear manner, details of which can be found here. In order to ensure that the highest quality and most useful web page is displayed on your mobile phone or device, Mowser may alter images, text formatting and/or certain aspects of web page functionality, or forward to a publisher's mobile version instead."​

And YES... there is a .mobi and a .com (the .mobi must detect a mobile device in order to show).

edit:... did I mention the FREE part? And, you can make money by adding your ADMOB code to the MOWSER header on pages you convert! $weet!!

Don't know how sweet it is for domainers... It's this kind of stuff which reinforces the need (rather the lack thereof) for dotmobi.

 

[eyedomainous]

Don't know how sweet it is for domainers... It's this kind of stuff which reinforces the need (rather the lack thereof) for dotmobi.

Stripping down sites to show in mobile devices does not remove the the need for .mobi sites... which, of course Don't have to be converted. Making more of the web accessible to mobile devices will help drive mobile usage and increase the mobi market, including the sale of .mobi domains, IMO.

Keep in mind that right now only about 34% of mobile users/devices actually surf the web... and then only about 3 times a week (source: iCrossing). So what good is a .mobi domain without competitive traffic? Besides, mowser defaults to mobile sites... if there is one, before showing other results. So mowser should generate more mobile use and more traffic to .mobi sites.

'.mobi' says that This site is for mobile web users. The design constrants for .mobi sites may be the thing that keeps .mobi domains on the sidelines... with mowser(s) on the scene. We should be able to build sites that compete with ALL other extensions.

Imagine how many .TV sites there would NOT be if the rule was they had to be compatible with screen size/resolution standards of NTSC or PAL?

In any case, whenever "a wall" comes down fear of goes up in some while others cry FREEDOM!!! But walls do come down. Be they in the soviet union, China, the USA or online. IMHO

 

[-REECE-]

Stripping down sites to show in mobile devices does not remove the the need for .mobi sites... which, of course Don't have to be converted. Making more of the web accessible to mobile devices will help drive mobile usage and increase the mobi market, including the sale of .mobi domains, IMO.

Keep in mind that right now only about 34% of mobile users/devices actually surf the web... and then only about 3 times a week (source: iCrossing). So what good is a .mobi domain without competitive traffic? Besides, mowser defaults to mobile sites... if there is one, before showing other results. So mowser should generate more mobile use and more traffic to .mobi sites.

'.mobi' says that This site is for mobile web users. The design constrants for .mobi sites may be the thing that keeps .mobi domains on the sidelines... with mowser(s) on the scene. We should be able to build sites that compete with ALL other extensions.

Imagine how many .TV sites there would NOT be if the rule was they had to be compatible with screen size/resolution standards of NTSC or PAL?

In any case, whenever "a wall" comes down fear of goes up in some while others cry FREEDOM!!! But walls do come down. Be they in the soviet union, China, the USA or online. IMHO

Well said. I appreciate the statistics and your opinion. Rep added.

 

[nombre]

eyedomainous, very interesting post, i agree with you about the need for mobi but disagree if you are saying that the mobi tld should change it's design constraints

the design constraints (unless i misunderstand what you mean about "constraints") are precisely what will make mobi a success

there have been literally dozens of attempts to convert full-sized web pages into "viewable on cellphone" formats
none of them have ever worked well or consistently

the mobi tld is very clear on their approach to keeping mobi sites small, fast-loading and easy to navigate

none of the other re-formatting schemes can do this because there is simply too much data on the page to begin with

simple, fast loading sites will establish the reputation and need for dot mobi and then as it matures it can extend it's design in keeping with technology, never leaving the average user behind

 

[-REECE-]

eyedomainous, very interesting post, i agree with you about the need for mobi but disagree if you are saying that the mobi tld should change it's design constraints

the design constraints (unless i misunderstand what you mean about "constraints") are precisely what will make mobi a success

there have been literally dozens of attempts to convert full-sized web pages into "viewable on cellphone" formats
none of them have ever worked well or consistently

the mobi tld is very clear on their approach to keeping mobi sites small, fast-loading and easy to navigate

none of the other re-formatting schemes can do this because there is simply too much data on the page to begin with

simple, fast loading sites will establish the reputation and need for dot mobi and then as it matures it can extend it's design in keeping with technology, never leaving the average user behind

I have Firefox on an X11 400mhz pda. It's a bit slow but it renders most pages as well as my 21' lcd does, other than a bit more scrolling. Speeds aren't all that bad either via wifi.

 

[nombre]

I have Firefox on an X11 400mhz pda. It's a bit slow but it renders most pages as well as my 21' lcd does, other than a bit more scrolling. Speeds aren't all that bad either via wifi.

reece, then you have gotten a lot more success than i have over several years of trying different devcies and software

don't make what i will call the "geek error" (a totally dumb term but useful hopefully for my point) and assume that because you and i and most of the people on this board have all kinds of gadgets and love using the web and new software etc ..... the _vast_ majority of people using cellphones are not geeks, have no interest in large phones, have no patience with slow sites, don't want o learn too much of anything...they just want to order a pizza or get directions...they have low tolerance for failure

by insisting that sites are fast, easy to read and quick loading, the mobi tld is trying to get _these_ people on board

those of us who are geeks and carry blackberries and treos etc really don't amount to much in the overall internet spectrum...even being the heavy users we are, we still don't matter in the long run, it's the non-geeks that need to be brought to the mobile internet :imho:

 

[-REECE-]

reece, then you have gotten a lot more success than i have over several years of trying different devcies and software

don't make what i will call the "geek error" (a totally dumb term but useful hopefully for my point) and assume that because you and i and most of the people on this board have all kinds of gadgets and love using the web and new software etc ..... the _vast_ majority of people using cellphones are not geeks, have no interest in large phones, have no patience with slow sites, don't want o learn too much of anything...they just want to order a pizza or get directions...they have low tolerance for failure

by insisting that sites are fast, easy to read and quick loading, the mobi tld is trying to get _these_ people on board

those of us who are geeks and carry blackberries and treos etc really don't amount to much in the overall internet spectrum...even being the heavy users we are, we still don't matter in the long run, it's the non-geeks that need to be brought to the mobile internet :imho:

Well said. At this point, it seems like the main competition will be Intel. If Intel releases dual core, quad core, etc cell phone chips -- something which is inevitable eventually, it won't be long before cell phones are running full blow IE 7. So the questions is... How far away is that? Will it occur before dotmobi becomes a household name? What about devices like the OQO? They'll inevitably get smaller and smaller until phones are running Vista... That's not a prediction, it's a fact. It's just a matter of when, IMO. Hopefully, by the time that occurs, dotmobi will be deeply engrained into the heads of ordinary users... Time will tell

 

[nombre]

What about devices like the OQO? They'll inevitably get smaller and smaller until phones are running Vista... That's not a prediction, it's a fact. It's just a matter of when, IMO. Hopefully, by the time that occurs, dotmobi will be deeply engrained into the heads of ordinary users... Time will tell

i absolutely agree future phones will have the power of vista and os x ..no question

my deeply held bias is this: most people (read most as 60-70% ...i may be wrong) will _always_ want to carry a very small phone ... period

the day will never arrive where the average non-techie user will choose a larger i-phone, treo, or blackberry ....plenty of techies will, plenty of geeks will, plenty of businesspeople will ....but the rest want to carry a very small flip-phone that is light and fits in their pocket or purse

which means we will always be dealing with a fairly small screen of about 1.5 x 2 inches

which is why i like mobi so much because mobi understands this and is emphasizing simple design especially with as few clicks as possible to get where you need to go etc

you are dead on about the increase in processing power but i don't see it in terms of processing power, i see the screen size as the driving factor as to why simple sites will win the day in the long run

lets's hope, as you say, that mobi is engrained in people's heads and then the technology issue won't matter :D

 

[hedgefund]

my deeply held bias is this: most people (read most as 60-70% ...i may be wrong) will _always_ want to carry a very small phone ... period

IMO, the percentage of people who will never carry a large cell phone is much higher, most women don't like to take a bulky phone with them around.

 

[-REECE-]

IMO, the percentage of people who will never carry a large cell phone is much higher, most women don't like to take a bulky phone with them around.

Yes, I'm not aware of many women who have Treos/Blackberries... Mind you, as processing power continues to increase -- eventually to the point where such devices could rival laptops for all non-graphic intensive purposes, perhaps there would be a 30% market share between men and women that would prefer a phone that's a bit bulkier, rather than having both a laptop and a phone.

 

[nombre]

Yes, I'm not aware of many women who have Treos/Blackberries... Mind you, as processing power continues to increase -- eventually to the point where such devices could rival laptops for all non-graphic intensive purposes, perhaps there would be a 30% market share between men and women that would prefer a phone that's a bit bulkier, rather than having both a laptop and a phone.

very good point, i agree

i think you are speaking about the mythical device that every electronic design company in the world is trying to dream up

if it performed close enough to a laptop but remained "smallish" like a cellphone, no doubt quite a few people would switch over to it

if the net continues to develop and becomes indispensable to doing damn near anything, this device will become a necessity and not a preference

i personally believe that the screen size issue will remain a _huge_ hurdle to overcome, though not impossible

perhaps we will start seeing 3d screens which will allow for a much greater display of information in a very small footprint ... who knows ?

 

[-REECE-]

very good point, i agree

i think you are speaking about the mythical device that every electronic design company in the world is trying to dream up

if it performed close enough to a laptop but remained "smallish" like a cellphone, no doubt quite a few people would switch over to it

if the net continues to develop and becomes indispensable to doing damn near anything, this device will become a necessity and not a preference

i personally believe that the screen size issue will remain a _huge_ hurdle to overcome, though not impossible

perhaps we will start seeing 3d screens which will allow for a much greater display of information in a very small footprint ... who knows ?

We need this: http://news.com.com/A+movie+projector+in+a+cell+phone/2100-11398_3-5951372.html

Cheers

 

[nombre]

yes, excellent

it may well be something like that

when we see paris hilton carrying it (god knows paris never has enough clothing on to put anything anywhere) then we will know we have arrived !!

 

[scandiman]

yes, excellent

it may well be something like that

when we see paris hilton carrying it (god knows paris never has enough clothing on to put anything anywhere) then we will know we have arrived !!

She'll just put a string on it and call it a skirt.

I've been testing this Mowser product on my little nokia phone and I'll give it a D+ compared to an A for a mobile compliant mobi site. Some sites that wouldn't even load before at least will load...sort of. But to call it a mobile friendly result is extremely overreaching. Depending on the site CSS I get some really funky results. Could this be useful in a pinch? Yes. Did I bookmark it? Yes. Would I want to deal with it all the time? No way. To me this product is like a life preserver, hope you never need it but glad it is there just in case.

 

[nombre]

I've been testing this Mowser product on my little nokia phone and I'll give it a D+ compared to an A for a mobile compliant mobi site. Some sites that wouldn't even load before at least will load...sort of. But to call it a mobile friendly result is extremely overreaching. Depending on the site CSS I get some really funky results. Could this be useful in a pinch? Yes. Did I bookmark it? Yes. Would I want to deal with it all the time? No way. To me this product is like a life preserver, hope you never need it but glad it is there just in case.

scandiman, well said ...... this summarizes to a tee my experience with every small device i have used to try and access the web

mobi is _at the moment_ the only way to get this thing done ...