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| What is WAP? ( FAQ's) |
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Code for Wireless Application Protocol, WAP was to be the means through which web pages, which are mostly created using HTML and XML languages, will be translated and displayed to suit the capabilities of mobile phones. For example, WAP would take into consideration the limited screen size of web pages and their small memory reserves.
At first, what blocked WAP's spread was that some users did not have a way to type in their own url's (the address of their favourite websites) on their mobile phones, forcing customers to rely on pre-set websites provided by their mobile service providers.
The typical WAP site will look like a pared-down version of a website – no embedded pictures, few graphics, and no videos (although you can send them through WAP as an attachment). With the latest generation of camera and video-enabled mobiles, WAP Internet users can now upload pictures or even watch streaming videos.
WAP and GPRS
GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) is currently the enabling technology for mobile Internet access. Through GPRS signals, which are stable and can carry enough bandwidth, mobile carriers can bring the Internet to you and you can send WAP-related content like web pages, do music and video downloads, and play games on your WAP-enabled mobile phone.
WAP with GPRS enables you to access the Internet while roaming.
What's next for WAP in Australia?
ABC Australia provides news updates, logos, wallpapers and ring tones from its programs. MTV Australia on the other has created a channel devoted to video and text content created by its viewers, offering wallpapers, news updates, and links to competitions and vote-based programs.
WAP was designed for devices with radically different constraints from the PC's and mobile devices that we'll commonly find today. Some of these are:
– Limited input devices: no mouses, small keyboards
– Low levels of memory and processing power.
– Signal strength is variable, limited bandwidth
– Small displays, some supporting on text and not graphics
While the basic screen size limitations remain, the increased memory capacity and video features of the most advanced mobile phones and PDA's promise more from WAP in the future.
WAP Internet Security
Some financial websites may advise you about insufficient encryption levels on your browser and thus block access to their websites, which will be a pain for those who are moving over to doing their banking online. This is not a problem for newer mobile phone models, but the challenge for these devices is to provide adequate encryption of transmitted and stored data, and reliable user authentication methods (examples: smartcards, user id, passwords).
Anti-virus software is also applicable for mobile phones with access to the Internet.
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