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XML "will drive the wireless future" - book review

Although many wireless applications are already out there, built upon the building blocks of SMS, i-Mode, HDML (Handheld Device Markup Language) and the technology that dare not speak its name, WAP, the future looks like being an XML-driven one. Our Gadget Guy reviews the latest developer book ...

Already XML plays a pivotal role in building personalised services, multimedia messaging services and voice portals, not to mention this very website you are browsing at the moment. Whether you want to learn how to implement wireless applications based upon XML by using examples to serve as catalysts for new services or are more interested in gaining an overview of wireless technologies and concepts in use today and an understanding of where wireless XML might be heading tomorrow, then the book will serve your needs.

Indeed, it is unusual for such a technical programming reference to appeal quite so much to the manager/analyst (albeit ones of a technical bent) yet appeal it does. This is testament to both the writing ability of author Mikael Hillborg, and his reputation within the 'emobile' Internet industry. Hillborg previously wrote 'eWAP: Mobile Internet, An Introduction to WAP Programming' (ISBN 91-636-0600-3) a Nordic tome that proved a big hit amongst the struggling developers getting the first wave mobile Internet applications into the marketplace. His practical approach that was so appreciated buy those Nordic developers then will be equally well received, be of no doubt, by anyone wanting to get serious with wireless applications using XML based technologies today.

Essentially the book comes in four parts:

the first puts XML in a wireless context and covers wireless networks and XML based applications in general;

the second teaches the essentials of such technologies as XHTML Extensible HTML), VoiceXML, SMIL (Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language) and GML (Geography Markup Language) by way of a quick reference guide to development;

the third starts to go into some depth and detail of building your wireless XML applications; and

the fourth is the one that will really interest the analyst and technical management folk, looking as it does at the future of XML in a wireless environment - for example explaining how technologies such as POIXL (Point of Interest Exchange Language) and NVML (NaVigation Markup Language) might be used to provide routes and position for the car driving user.

Structurally the book follows a logical path, and there is a list of objectives at the beginning of each of the four sections so the reader is in no doubt as to what is expected by the end of it. Be it getting familiar with the operating systems that execute wireless applications or understanding how Bluetooth works from a high level perspective, the no-nonsense and concise style of Hillborg gets the job done.

VERDICT: 9/10

Key topics covered include <1/> understanding wireless networks and protocols including i-Mode, <1/> working with XML schemas, <1/> links and namespaces effectively, <1/> utilising XML related technologies in your wireless applications, <1/> using XSLT to adapt content for XHTML Basic browsers, <1/> making web sites i-Mode compatible, <1/> adding audio and speech recognition using VoiceXML, <1/> integrating text, graphics and audio using SMIL for the Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), <1/> transferring web content to handheld devices. <1/>

Title: Wireless XML Developer's Guide <1/> Author: Mikael Hillborg <1/> Publisher: Osborne <1/> ISBN: 0-07-219536-3 <1/> Price: £36.99 (£31.29 Amazon)