Introduction  |  Background |  About cHTML  |  Inventor

cHTML - compact HTML

Compact HTML or cHTML is the coding language of i-Mode. ACCESS, Fujitsu, Matsushita, Mitsubishi, NEC, and SONY jointly submitted Compact HTML to the W3C as a markup language for small information appliances including cellular phones. Unlike WML used for WAP devices, c-HTML is a subset of HTML that leaves out coding for JPEG images, tables, image map, multiple character fonts and styles, background color or images, frames, and cascading style sheets. These things are excluded due to the low bandwidth and limited screen-size of cellphones. Not only is cHTML simpler than WML for WAP phones, but developers need only make one version of the site for all i-mode devices, whereas WAP developers complain they must develope multiple versions for different WAP phones. In the future, however, the trend is for WAP and i-Mode to hybridize and utilize XHTML.

cHTML Links

palowireless cHTML Resources - An extensive list of resources on the web.

cHTML Specifications - The complete specifications from the WC3

Outline of i-mode compatible HTML - NTTDoCoMo's excellent outline of steps to follow in designing a good cHTML i-Mode site - indespensible.

Let's Make I-Mode sites! - NTTDoCoMo's own site on how to make your very own c-HTML I-Mode sites. Even a kid can do it is their agenda.

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