Browser design limitations

I'm trying to compile a set of guidelines for the HTML template designer for restrictions on different display devices. DIsplay devices being a PC web browser, WAP, PDA, Interactive/Web TV.

I'm having trouble finding any sort of information about the target resolution for PDA web browsers. Is it 320x320 or less?

iTV and normal PC web browsers are easy enough, and WAP is ore of less stuck with text only so not much to worry about.

Any website links or information about PDA HTML design/limitaitons would be welcome.

Many thanks.

I believe this is dependant on what pda you have. Some have 320x320, some have 600x400 (newer ones) and they can vary up and down from there. One of the biggest catches is what browser do they use? The "hand me down" I have uses an old version of IE, but I don't use it for web viewing anyway.

I would see about using a detection script to see if it a pda and if so, scale it down to as simple as possible.

just my 2 cents...

Yeah i already check the $HTTP_USER_AGENT (in PHP) to decide which directory to load the webpage template from.

I needed to get more of an idea about viewable screen area restrictions to prevent the designer from making anything which will not wrap around on smaller screens, keeping banner sizes down etc.

I'd probably be targetting the default browsers on each platform. Like I know my MS Smartphone has pocketIE and a res of 200x197 or something like that. But what browser comes with Palm handhelds, or the Sharp Zarius?

Would like minimum specs to work towards i think. if possible.

You could use some client side method to get the resolution..

Try DevGuru www.devguru.com
This a great resource for XML, WML, WML Script, Javascript, VB Script, HTML etc etc.

In particular, here is a link to server variables, and how to get them etc...



DevGuru Server Variables

Hope this helps a bit

No PHP?

Given the extent of the devshed site and forum, I guess they decided there is no point going into php or maybe it's coming, who knows

But for the other languages it's great. Helped me out many times.