Chapter 21: Mobile Controls

Overview

ASP.NET Mobile Controls are an extension to the controls available in the .NET framework that add support for mobile devices. They are a collection of controls that vary their output depending on the browsing device, and allow for content types other that HTML, such as WML (Wireless Markup Language) and cHTML (Compact HTML).

Note

Prior to version 1.1 of the .NET Framework, these controls were available as a separate download known as the Mobile Internet Toolkit. Version 1.1 of the framework includes these controls as part of the standard installation.

This chapter details these controls and gives examples of their use. We'll start with a tour of the wireless Web, with a look at what is available and a discussion of WAP. Next you'll look at the mobile controls, including a reference section on the controls available. Moving on, we'll see some of the more advanced techniques you can use to streamline mobile Web applications, before finishing off with a few guesses as to what the future holds for mobile controls, and wireless Internet access.