All About Unidev » Mobile

What is the difference between a mobile application and a mobile website?

LizMaritz — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:00:59 +0000

With over 4 billion mobile phones in the world today, the need to develop a mobile application or a mobile website over just a standard website grows.

Web developers and web designers typically create standard websites with larger screens in mind. For example, a standard 19-inch, 5:4 aspect ratio computer monitor is going to be 1280 x 1024 pixels. A standard 19-inch monitor, 4:3 aspect ratio is going to be 1600 x 1200 pixels. It is common to find 22-inch monitors, 24-inch monitors and larger. As large scale computer and television monitors increase in size, it becomes even more important to develop mobile applications and mobile websites to display a “small-device-friendly” version of your website.

But after a company decides to develop for mobile devices, how do they determine whether a mobile application or a mobile website better fits their needs? So how do development costs, functionality, and hardware integration differ between mobile applications and mobile websites.

Below, some general truths about mobile applications versus mobile websites.

Mobile Applications (also known as native mobile apps)

Mobile apps can integrate with the device operating system
In many cases mobile apps still work offline (assuming that the application does not need to connect to the internet or a database)
Mobile apps often better facilitate engagement due to their enhanced OS integration capabilities
Users often download mobile apps to a mobile device and then store them on their dashboard for more frequent use

Mobile Websites (also known as browser-based sites)

Mobile websites now look more like mobile applications (see m.target.com)
User can load from URL, do not have to download and store the app to their phone
Detect your device and display a special screen for that specific device
Do not have to pay to develop a Mobile App for multiple smart phone operating systems, can reduce development cost by as much as 50-60%

Keep in mind that every business is different. A mobile effort must perform in terms of your goals (i.e. conversion rates). Don’t just select a mobile application or a mobile website. Ask some questions to make sure you’ll optimize return on investment (ROI)

Who is my customer?
How do does my customer use mobile devices?
What do we want customers to do as a result of this mobile effort?

At Unidev, we develop mobile apps and mobile websites. Please contact us for more information.

Google Phone

George Zheng — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 04:02:58 +0000

Google launches new mobile application for speedier access to Gmail. It can be easily downloaded from mobile.google.com. Click here for details…

International Mobile Equipment Identity – IMEI

George Zheng — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 04:05:43 +0000

Do you know all GSM mobile phones have their own unique IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number? This number is an international “Serial number” for your phone to be properly identified by network or an application.

Your IMEI can be found at the back of your phone behind the battery or by pressing *#06# it is a 15 digit number.

NOTE: If your phone prints out more than 15 digits for your IMEI , only the first 15 digits is the IMEI number, no dashes or space. The remaining numbers are unimportant as they are just checksum numbers. Click here for details.

Find Sync set up menu on RAZR V3

George Zheng — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 04:06:43 +0000

Motorola RAZR V3 supports SyncML. With this feature, you can sync your calendar and contacts with a server over the air. Here is a step by step instruction for Setting Up Your Razr to Use GooSync. To follow this instruction, you have to find menu item for Sync setup. The RAZR from T-Mobile US has this feature turned off. You have to edit your phone’s SEEM to find it back:

Seem 0032_0001
offset 62 -
bit 3: Settings > Connection > Sync (1 on, 0 off) (menu item, may require update to mma files)

Search google without web access

George Zheng — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 04:09:22 +0000

Even if your cell phone or PDA isn’t Web-enabled, you still can search Google using SMS (short messaging service) text messaging. Simply send your search query via a text message to 46645 (GOOGL). Google will reply with one or more text messages containing search results in a minute or so.

With SMS, you can find business and residential listings, driving directions, movie times, weather forecasts, stock quotes and definitions, too. For a list of SMS services, visit the Google SMS page (www.google.com/sms). Google is free and works with any cell phone or mobile device that supports a Web browser.

Mobile Terminology

George Zheng — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 04:08:03 +0000

Here are a few definitions of some terms that you may hear a lot of when you start modifying your phone:

Bootloader – This can be compared to the BIOS on a PC. It is low level software telling the phone what is what and where to find what it needs to operate. Bootloaders can be upgraded and downgraded. There is no real reason to upgrade one, so don’t be tempted to.

Flash – This is the most common thing you modify on the phone. The flash is essentially the operating system of the phone. When you flash your phone it will adjust the various features of your phone. You will not lose any of your media or any of your specific settings when you flash. A flash can be used on most any carrier’s phone unlike the flex, which is carrier specific. Reflash files are flash files. They are called this I imagine because you use them to reflash a phone after you have already installed a monster pack on it but now you want the most recent flash.

Flex – These are the files that contain the cell phone service provider’s branding on the phone. This is where things like your start up animation with the Cingular or T-Mobile logos and sounds come from. It also contains the specific menus and labels for programs they use like T-Zones or MEdia Mall. They also include all the programming needed to connect you to their Internet service and text messaging on their network. The most important thing to remember is if you have a Cingular phone, then don’t install a T-Mobile flex on it. Your phone will essentially function, but any of the network connectivity for the Cingular network will be lost and you’ll need to reprogram the connection data specific to your carrier, or just flex again.

Monster Pack – Includes the flash and the flex and a language pack for a specific language all in one file. It installs everything in one step. They come in many varieties, some are unbranded for Motorola, some are Cingular, O2, Rogers, and can come with various features already enabled. Just read the description that the file comes with so you know what it does before installing it.

PDS – A 64kb section in memory that can’t be accessed via USB, unless you have bootloader “07.D0″ installed. It holds critical information like your IMEI, ESN and any subsidy locking information. The PDS is the most sensitive part of the ROM. If it should become corrupted (downgrading when you shouldn’t, misuse of Flash Backup, etc.) you will need to use a Smart Clip or follow the test point procedures or get a copy of the free demo version of Motorola Repair Studio to fix it, otherwise your phone will be dead.

Seem – The phone has numerous seems programmed into the operating system of the phone. These seems control every aspect of how the phone behaves such as: SMS being turned on or off by default, enabling the video camera and its various settings like zoom control and brightness of the image, raising the volume level on the various speakers of the phone, enabling ENS, etc. You change one feature at a time when you edit seems in a hex editing program. While the flash is all the programming on the phone, the seems edit the individual programs, if you will, in that flash, one feature at a time.

Unlock – A phone that is locked will only work on that particular service provider’s network until it has been unlocked. There are a few ways of unlocking a phone and with one of them it can be done for free.