HOWZAT

Google has also produced mobile versions of its e-mail, calendar and mapping services so that people can access personal information while out and about, though smaller mobile screens will struggle to display maps properly. They can even do clever things on a mobile that aren’t possible on a computer, such as replying to e-mails by calling the person at the touch of a button. “The mobile internet is all about finding, not surfing. We’re always trying to get stuff to people fast,” the company says.

Likewise, Yahoo! offers many similar mobile applications at wap.yahoo.co.uk, as well as an instant-messaging service so you can chat with friends online at their computers from your phone, though you may find it difficult to keep up using a phone’s keypad.

What the mobile companies are not so keen to advertise is that there are also dedicated phone web browsers that make a much better job of surfing the web than the software that comes with most handsets. The Opera Mini browser (tinyurl.com/f9qwb) reformats web pages in a similar fashion to Google and keeps your favourite mobile sites stored in easy-to-access bookmarks, which saves you having to retype addresses every time you go online. Dozens of downloadable mini programs are also available, which perform tasks ranging from reading news feeds to placing bets with bookmakers.

You probably didn’t know those handy mobile internet services existed, because, like Mark Graves, you started up your phone’s internet function and assumed the network’s limited portal was the end of the line. “Until now, mobile internet has been about controlling the brand, controlling the user experience,” Paolo Pescatore says. “But there’s a wealth of opportunities off-portal that the mobile operators cannot discard.”

The mobile networks have blindfolded their customers for too long. Now we can start exploring the full extent of the mobile internet.

Six ways to net mobile-phone gems

Opera Mini
(www.opera.com/products/mobile/operamini)

This superb mobile-phone web browser makes surfing regular internet pages possible on even the smallest of handset screens by filtering out most of the graphical clutter and simply providing vital text information. Navigation is sometimes laborious, and a few sites stubbornly refuse to yield to Opera’s streamlining, but the handy search box for Google is great for instantly settling pub debates. And it’s free.

Tiggdo
(uk.tiggdo.com)

Rather than bother with the portals on offer from your mobile network, build your own. This convenient service displays your favourite website news feeds (RSS), so you can follow the latest developments on the move, and get local travel information and weather reports.

You set up your account and pick your news feeds from your computer’s web browser, avoiding the hassle of typing long web addresses into your phone.

BBC Wap
(wap.bbc.co.uk)

The Wap version of the BBC website brings information fast to your mobile. Menus are stripped down to the bare bones for quick navigation, and the hot news topic is always placed at the top of the home page — whether that be football scores or the latest vote counts in elections. The new video headlines may appeal to owners of sophisticated handsets, though they could incur data-download charges from your network.

Mail2Wap
(mail2wap.com)

We’ve all suffered from BlackBerry envy, but this free service helps to redress the balance. It can check your ordinary Pop3 e-mail account for new messages and send replies from even the most mundane handset.

It is invaluable for desperately awaited mail, though new messages are not sent automatically to the phone, as they are with a BlackBerry, and you can’t access your entire inbox.

Yahoo! Mobile
(wap.yahoo.co.uk)

Yahoo!’s mobile portal is the model for what phone networks should offer, with plenty of mobile-specific content and the option to explore further with a full web search. It strips down full web pages for mobile browsing (although not as quickly or successfully as Google or Opera Mini) and includes an image search. Mobile versions of e-mail, calendar and instant messaging are offered to surfers with free Yahoo! accounts.

Google Maps
(www.google.com/gmm)

Ever taken a wrong turn on the way to a meeting? Google Maps will put you back on track. Enter the street names of your current location and eventual destination, and it will provide turn-by-turn directions. Unlike many other mobile mapping services, it enables you to zoom right in to street level — even one-way streets are highlighted. At sign-in, opt for the US/Canada language setting — you will still find UK directions.

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