Alternative Displays 27DisplaysA Variety ofAlternative DisplaysWeb Design in a Nutshell, eMatter EditionPDAs, and cellular telephones has resulted in Web browsers squeezing into the
coziest of spaces.
Many of these devices usethin clientbrowsers for web content display. A thin
client is one that runs with minimal processing requirements on the client side,
leaving the bulk of the work to be done by the server.
For instance, HitchHiker is a web browser utility designed to run in the approxi-
mately 2-inch square monochrome display of a cellphone. The ProxiWeb browser
is another thin client that brings web access to the popular PalmPilot PDA (as well
as to the IBM WorkPad and the new Palm III). It works by use of a proxy server
that processes web pages for delivery to the handheld device. ProxiWeb even
converts graphics to tiny monochrome bitmaps, so some of the original character
of the page is maintained (most useful for headlines in graphics). To learn more
about ProxiWeb, visithttp://www.proxinet.com/.
Not many sites are designed specifically for hand-held devices, but as their popu-
larity expands, it will be a more important audience to consider. For the most part,
guidelines for making sites accessible to text browsers such as Lynx, including the
tips for accessibility listed above, will also apply to making information usable in
the limited display area of handheld devices.