Mobile 2.0: Usable mobile internet

What we see on Web 2.0 technology wise, was the use of browser based thick clients which improved the user experience with;

• mimimized round-trips to server using AJAX code
• faster responses and richer user interface
• a simple an clean user interface which makes web apps. more userfriedly.

Now, many argue the emergence of next wave of mobile applications which they call Mobile 2.0. Similar to Web 2.0, Mobile 2.0 involves “thick” clients which provides rich user activity on mobile device, in contrast to “browser only” strategy. Thick mobile clients are generally J2Me, Flash Lite or native S60 applications. Take mobile gmail of Google for instance. It provides a really usable application with reach interactivity in J2ME application.

There still two camps discussing the best approach for rich functionality to the mobile devices;

• User experience by a mobile application (On-device Portal-ODP)
• User experience by AJAX enabled device browser (Mobile widgets)

Mobile widgets is a new move and supported by Nokia and Opera.

For the moment ODP club is getting more fans.

Here some very good posts about thick client approach in mobile;

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/understanding_mobile_2.php

http://mobileopportunity.blogspot.com/2005/11/web-30.html