August 5, 2005

cphn: text messaging microformat

cellphone

I’ve started research on an xhtml-based text-messaging application microformat called cphn and pronounced “see phone.” Instead of cramming the web onto small-screened, bandwidth-limited cellphones, we can take advantage of a cellphone native technology (text messaging) to create interactive experiences tailored for these small devices while retaining tie-ins with our web-based databases of information. This open microformat uses a limited subset of xhtml, providing the ability to integrate web-based applications into an interactive text-messaging model.

Currently my research includes:

Example

<-- cphn-based document --> <div id="home"> <p>wlcm to cphn. go?</p> <ul> <li><a href="#pay">(p)ay</a></li> <li><a href="#transfer">(t)ransfer funds</a></li> </ul> </div>

text message derived from this document:

wlcm to cphn. go?
(p)ay
(t)ransfer funds

Pretty simple. In its proposed state it is functional only through imagined server-side parsing, but I am working on development of LAMP-based tools.

Initial Concerns

  • Simple device neutral format based on existing standard
  • text-messaging microformats could help alleviate vendor lock-in of cellphone services, where wap/wml has failed.
  • single application file/stack for cell + web transactions
  • allows for state-based transactions through server time-outs based on time between responses
  • integrates with all text message devices
  • writable by humans, parsable by machines
  • tantek’s thoughts on xhtml-based microformats

Text-messaging community values

These should serve as design principles for text-messaging based applications:

  • make me type as little as possible, because typing is on small awkward devices
  • use text message for non-essential communication (i.e. plan-making/confirming or in this case bill-paying)
  • each txt msg = $
  • require me to send as few text messages as possible to get it done
  • don’t ever be redundant
  • but, when money is involved ask twice.
  • fill one screen, no scrolling unless really neccessary
  • be fast to respond, or respond with reason for being busy

tags:



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