Microbrowser
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A microbrowser is an internet or web browser designed for
use on a handheld device such as a PDA or mobile phone.
Microbrowsers have small file sizes to accommodate the low
memory capacity and low-bandwidth of wireless handheld
devices. Essentially it is a stripped-down web browser.
Sometimes it is referred to as micro-browser, mini-browser or minibrowser.
Underlying technology
The microbrowser usually sets up the cellular networks themselves and translates HTML from the internet into WML based on HDML which is then stored on the server. WML and HDML are stripped-down formats suitable for transmission across limited bandwidth, and wireless data connection called WAP.
Pioneers
The so-called microbrowser technologies such as WAP, NTTDocomo's i-mode platform and Openwave's HDML platform have fuelled the first wave of interest in wireless data services.
Small Screen Rendering Limitations
As mentioned, not only do microbrowsers need to be small in file size, the display screen is also much smaller. Extreme care and meticulous detail must be considered in displaying HTML information onto such a small screen. Bandwidth is also extremely limited and so is the stability. Connections get cut off as with ordinary cell phones and PDAs that are wirelessly connected.
Popular microbrowsers
The following are some of the more popular microbrowsers. Since microbrowsers are really miniaturized web browsers, the microbrowser companies also provide browsers for the PC.
- i-mode by NTTDocomo.
- Openwave by OpenWave Systems Inc. (Redwood, CA)
- Pocket Internet Explorer by Microsoft Inc.
- Mobile Internet Browser by Motorola.
- Nokia WAP Microbrowser by Nokia.
- NetFront by Access Co. Ltd. (Japan)
- Opera by Opera Software ASA (Norway)
- Thunderhawk by Bitstream Inc..
- RocketBrowser Rocket Mobile, Inc. (Silicon Valley, CA)
- Bluelark Bluelark bought by Handspring Inc.
- Doris by Anygraaf
- NicheView by Interniche Technologies Inc.
- Andromeda
- Wapaka- Java based microbrowser.
- SAS
- Pixo - Pixo.com
See also
