nizo's Journal: Cellphone web surfing?

Anyone have experience surfing the web on a 150x150 pixel screen (i.e. from a cellphone)? I have never attempted to use such a beast, but I am considering getting a new phone with web capabilities. Is it even possible to use the web with a screen that small? (And no, I won't be getting an iPhone any time in the near future) I doubt I will be doing it on a regular basis, but being able to pull up, say, directions or movie showtimes now and then would be nice.

Mobile surfing

[Tet]

Yes, it's possible. It's not ideal, but it's usable for looking up the occasional address, film time, etc while on the move. I use my Nokia 6680 for that very purpose. The user interface is clunky. Typing a URL on a phone keypad is awkward. But it's just about usable.

If you're wanting something for heavier use, then I'd have to recommend the Nokia E90. Decent sized screen, QWERTY keyboard, GPS, and it rocks for surfing on the move. My girlfriend has one.

It works...

[Corporate Troll]

Kinda... It really depends on the memory of the machine. Usually if you go over http://mobile.google.com/ [google.com] it will cut pages in pieces for you. Adapted pages like http://slashdot.org/palm [slashdot.org] work like a charm (ideal timewaster when on "shopping duty" with the lady)

It's enough to do basics, it won't be especially pleasant....

My brothers and wifes Samsung work much better than my old Siemens A75 (very small screen, not much memory) and I tried with my brothers cellphone to access the webmail interface on our

Stuff

[Scott Lockwood]

I do it all the time from my treo - lots of sites have mobile versions that are made for that size screen. Google is good for that, as are a few others.

Do your Homework

[Marxist Hacker 42]

Yes- I've done it even on an old Nokia 150x150 B&W.

Having said that- I find the "smartphone" options to be a MUCH better deal- though there's a tradeoff in size. I'd also encourage you to look at the STYLE of browser software- most "web ready" cell phones only have a limited WAP browser that supports only 10 links per page (numbered, you use the number pad to click on links). Other options include Blackberry's browser, PalmOS Browsers, iPhone's version of Safari, and Windows Mobile's Pocket Internet

iPhone and Moto Q

[BarryJacobsen]

I have both an iPhone (personal) and a Moto Q Smart Phone (work). Browsing on the Q makes me want to pull my hair out, but browsing on the iPhone is tolerable when there's no other solution in my experience. I really wouldn't want to bother on a non-touch device.

Re:

[nizo]

Hmm, what specifically do you hate about browsing on the Moto Q phone?

Everyone keeps saying "iPhone!" (and don't get me wrong; I drooled as much as the next guy when I saw the ads for it :-) ) but I just won't browse often enough to justify spending $200 on one (and even worse, getting locked into a contract). Like I posted elsewhere, I want some kind of month-to-month or pay as I go plan, so that the company is forced to earn my business if they want to keep me as a customer.

Hmm, though now your comment m

Re:

[BarryJacobsen]

What I hate is mostly that I've been using a mouse to browse the web for damn near 15 years and to not just be able to "zap" to any point in the screen is (apparently) infuriating to me. If a page has 50 links and I want a link halfway down the page, I have to hit the down key 25 times on the Q - on the iPhone it's a flick to scroll the page, and a tap on the link I want - no fuss, no extra work. When it comes down to it, I'd still use the Q if I didn't have the iPhone, but the qualitative differences bet

Yes.

[Kymermosst]

I've done it on a small-screen Motorola phone.

But, once moving to a 240x320 screen, I'd hate to go back.

Make sure whatever phone+carrier combo you get supports Opera Mini, it is a godsend for small-screen surfing.

Required:

[Shadow Wrought]

Just make sure you painful type out a JE from it once you get it so we can (choose one: revile/bask in the glow of) your geekdom;-)

Re:

[nizo]

I think posting an entry on a tiny screen with a phone keypad would make my eyes bleed :-)

But it would still be nice for, say, getting movie showtimes or whatever every now and then. If I could only find a phone with a portable external keyboard (something like you used to see on the old palm pilots), but then again I don't see myself carrying around anything larger than a regular cellphone either.

Sidekick via T-Mobile

[lithron]

One of my friends has an older Sidekick model and my wife just got a Sidekick Slide a few weeks ago. They are decent devices and surf the web pretty well. I suggest checking one out at the T-Mobile store. I haven't used any other phones to get on the web, so I can't compare the Sidekick phones. Sorry.

You can do it, but

[plover]

As others have said, it can be painful. A higher-res screen definitely helps. A 150x150 is darn small. I had a T637 with a 128 x 160 screen, and getting on the web was painful. I would not recommend a screen that small for browsing. My V3 RAZR had a 176 x 220 screen and it was OK for passing time on slashdot.org/palm, although the default browser was suboptimal. I would recommend downloading the Opera Mini browser on any J2ME cell phone not already equipped.

I now have a Z6 ROKR with a 240 x 320 scr

Re:

[tomhudson]

But I really don't like holding a slab that large to the side of my face

So buy a bluetooth headset with noise cancellation - it really works, and is worth the extra $.