Tools for Mobile Web Developers
With the availability of high-speed data services such as those offered by 3G networks, mobile browsing is becoming increasingly popular. While many Nokia devices can display Web pages designed for PC Web browsers, Web designers may consider optimizing their sites for mobile users, to offer the best mobile experience.
To understand the issues that developers need to address when creating a mobile-optimized Web site, the W3C document Mobile Web Best Practices is a good place to start. These guidelines, jointly developed by the W3C and Nokia, help Web designers understand the features of mobile Web browsing and how best to take advantage of them.
For developers who wish to learn about creating mobile-optimized Web sites, the Nokia Mobile Internet Toolkit (NMIT) is a good place to start. This tool includes editors for the mobile-Web-browser content formats supported on Nokia devices, including WML, XHTML, XHTML MP, CHTML, CSS, and WBMP images. NMIT allows developers to explore mobile Web technology without investing in commercial tools.
For professional development of mobile-optimized Web sites, Nokia recommends use of third-party tools, such as those provided by Adobe Systems Incorporated. Adobe tools provide a seamless, intuitive approach to authoring content for mobile devices, allowing quick and efficient creation of mobile Web sites. In addition, the Adobe tools incorporate Nokia device skins that allow developers to accurately evaluate the look of Web pages under development.
Testing mobile Web sites would be expensive if it required the use of mobile devices. In addition to the device skins provided in tools from Adobe, Nokia offers a range of SDKs that enable PC-based testing. These SDKs include emulators that reproduce on a PC the behavior of mobile browsers. SDKs are available for Series 40, S60, and Series 80 devices as well as for the Nokia 7710 widescreen smartphone.
For testing mobile Web sites on Series 80 devices, Nokia offers two additional tools. The Nokia Network Bridge allows testing of Web content on Series 80 devices via a LAN connection to the Internet. The Series 80 Browser Controlling Plug-in allows Web sites to be launched from a PC in the Series 80 emulator or a Series 80 device.
Key Benefits
- Support for mobile-optimized Web pages.
- Tools for learning and professional development.
- Improved experiences for mobile browsers.
- Comprehensive support for PC-based testing of Web pages.
The Toolbox
- Nokia Mobile Internet Toolkit or web authoring tools from Adobe.
- Series 40 Platform 2.0 SDKs.
- S60 Content Authoring SDK 2.0 for Symbian OS.
- S60 Platform SDKs for Symbian OS.
- Series 80 Platform SDKs for Symbian OS.
- Nokia Network Bridge.
- Series 80 Platform Browser Controlling Plug-in.
- Nokia 7710 SDK for Symbian OS.
Nokia Mobile Internet Toolkit
The Nokia Mobile Internet Toolkit (NMIT) provides a number of tools for editing and previewing mobile-browsing content. NMIT is designed for developers who wish to learn about creating mobile Web sites without investing in commercial tools.
NMIT provides editors for creating mobile Web pages that use WML and XHTML. Once content has been created, it can be previewed quickly using generic viewers provided by Nokia Mobile Browser Simulator 4.0 or one of the compatible Series 40 Platform and S60 platform SDKs. Use of Nokia WAP Gateway Simulator 4.0 allows for the closest possible emulation of live-content use.
Adobe Tools
Adobe provides a range of tools for professional development of mobile-optimized Web sites.
Series 40 SDKs
Series 40 Platform 3rd Edition SDK provides full emulation of the Series 40 browser. Web pages can be viewed through integration with NMIT, from a local PC, or directly from a Web server located on a LAN or the Internet.
S60 SDKs
Series 60 Content Authoring SDK 2.0 for Symbian OS enables low-footprint emulation of the WAP and XHTML browser provided in S60 devices.
The S60 Platform SDKs for Symbian OS provide full emulation of the Web browser for S60. Because of their support for Java™ and C++ development, they require more disk space than Series 60 Content Authoring SDK 2.0 for Symbian OS.
Viewing Web pages under development can be done by integrating the SDKs with NMIT or directly in an emulator from file stored locally on a PC or in a Web server located on a LAN or the Internet.
Series 80 SDKs
Series 80 Platform 2.0 SDKs for Symbian OS provide full emulation of the Opera browser delivered on Series 80 devices. Viewing Web pages under development can be done by integrating the SDKs with NMIT or directly in an emulator from file stored locally on a PC or in a Web server located on a LAN or the Internet.
Complementing the SDKs, the Series 80 Browser Controlling Plug-in allows developers to launch Web sites from a PC in the Series 80 emulator browser or in the browser of a Series 80 device.
For testing Web pages in a Series 80 device without the cost of maintaining a GPRS connection, the Nokia Network Bridge allows Web content to be tested via a LAN connection to the Internet.
Nokia 7710 SDK for Symbian OS
The Nokia 7710 SDKs for Symbian OS provide full emulation of the Opera browser delivered on the Nokia 7710 widescreen smartphone. Viewing Web pages under development can be done by integrating the SDKs with NMIT or directly in an emulator from file stored locally on a PC or in a Web server located on a LAN or the Internet.
Documentation
All of Nokia's Java™ tools are delivered with comprehensive documentation, including online help and developer guides.
Availability
All of these tools can be downloaded free of charge from the Tools and SDKs section of the Forum Nokia Web site.
