Going mobile (in a new way)
I get a surprising amount of questions about publishing versions of my templates for mobile phones and small screens, and I have considered those questions a bit strange since my templates are all-valid XHTML and thereby fully functional in most modern mobile phone browsers. I have tested all my templates with three different mobile phones and five different browsers, and the content in each template is completely readable even though there are a number of not-so-pretty design glitches caused by some browsers rendering of the CSS.
But the mobile internet has always been separated from the real thing, mostly because of the limitations that small screens create - and by bandwidth. I have seen several attempts at handling mobile pages differently by reducing bandwidth use and manipulating the look of the content so that it works well with smaller screens. I would prefer to see all websites use valid XHTML and let the mobile internet just be a scaled-down version of the real thing - but that is not likely to happen so an alternative would be very useful. One such alternative, and a really interesting one is Squace.
Squace is a new application that makes mobile surfing and sharing easier. It’s a freeware mobile browser drastically reducing number of clicks and loading time, and thereby cost of traffic. It has a grid-like interface - a series of tiny squares which you scroll over to discover content or browse your favourite links - and it's a effective effort making a navigation system which suits the mobile screen. You can easily create your blog and make it available to other Squace users. Another cool thing is the use for everday life, like the one where schools or kindergartens put up their own sites and gives parents an easy tool to keep track on schedules and phone numbers to teachers (and to other parents) with only a few clicks, or your local restaurant could post the menu of the week. It looks very promising, much thanks to the simplicity.
A friend of mine is working at Squace and they're planning a new release in a couple of weeks, including an improved website and registration-free software. A wordpress plugin or widget is very likely in the works, which should make it easier than ever to blog from the mobile phone and stay up-to-date with other blogs through the grid. If you are curious about it, check out the website!
