I bloaned (blog/moaned) last week about the lack of a central resource for developers to access information about handset models.
Mobile Weblog reader, Gideon, left a comment that I thought deserved a wider platform. So if you’re a developer, you might find this useful.
As one who has been spending the last few weeks learning the A-Z of mobile web development and dealing with serving files to phones, etc. I can tell you that there ‘is’ a site and project that is doing something close to what you are talking about - it’s called WURFL: Wireless Universal Resource File.
In short, WURFL is a HUGE XML file that has the specs for over 400 devices. Plus - they’ve built in a scheme for ‘fall back’ devices and a generic device profile - all of which can be used by a developer to understand what they serve to what device, what sizes, methods, etc.
What they don’t offer, is a proper ‘web’ view of this data nor a way for one to search the XML file directly - you’d need to use a standalone java app, or you’d need to set the whole thing up and use the API to create some type of public interface.
For me, I was on the search for all phones that supported mp3 ringtones so I could integrate this into a music site/service I run: ArtistServer - I was quite surprised that this info was not found on the Web - that I had to comb through many sites to compile my a list. So far, I’ve identified over 150 mp3 ringtone phones - some of which aren’t even listed in WURFL.
So there’s still room for a someone to take on the role of providing a common location for all mobile device profiles.
It should be accessible by a query, by drill down browsing, by web services and… you should be able to generate extracts from the result sets.
To do all this, one would need to import the XML file into a database - then spend a good week collecting images of all the phones - 3-4 weeks of coding - a domain name and the whole thing would be ready to rock.
In terms of keeping it up to date - I just don’t see the phone manufactures or the carriers spending their time submitting the data.
Another site that is ‘close’ but not there either, is PhoneScoop - here they have the data - they have photos - they even know what phones are with what carriers… but can you search the data? Yes, but it’s a tricky search tool and if you try to actually find something like, “All phones that are mp3 players” you’ll get the info… but it will take a long time. They only display 20 results - which means you have to be tricky about how you search in order to ‘really’ get what you want.
So I agree with you 100% - this is a dire need - and if someone reads this, and has a few weeks - build the site - do it - you’ll find it will be a busy place within the next year.
btw - i just found your blog today, I’m adding it to my RSS reader - keep up the good work 
- Gideon
http://www.ArtistServer.com
Has anyone else any useful resources to add, in this area?
Image from Fury.com.
Hi Russell,
thank you for republishing my post. I was wondering if I had typed too much! I hope it can be helpful to others.
I’m thinking about collecting the resources and info I’ve found and launching a mobile developer’s site. I know there are a few out there - but so far, I’m finding I have to divide me time across too many sites. For example - if you ‘really’ want to do mobile development, you need to join a bunch of developer programs - like:
Devices:
* Openwave
* Nokia
* Motoroloa
* Sony/Ericson
* Audiovox
* LG
* Samsung
Carriers
* Cingular
* Verizon
* Sprint
* T-Mobile
Only after you start drilling around each of these developer sites/programs, that you’ll have a clear picture of what is available, what is supported, who uses what gateway, etc.
For example… WURFL doesn’t have details like, what bit rates of mp3s are supported on phones that ‘do’ support mp3s - some have limitations.
Or - trying to find out if Cingular’s gateway supports WTP-SAR (Wireless Transfer Protocol - Segmentation-and-Reassembly) - which is how some phones will transfer files that are over a certain size (which is different per phone) - my MOTO V551 apparently supports this method of downloading.
It’s crazy
But learning new things is always exciting - I’m greatly enjoying the “frontier” aspects of this - It’s like 1995 again when I first started with Netscape 1.1N… and tables were first added… and color!!! 
===========
I hope you don’t mind that I drop a ‘plug’ for my new venture - feel free to edit if this is unappropriate.
===========
I’m looking to get funding for a company that I’m launching that is based on a media/music portal/distribution platform I’ve developed. In short - this platform is designed to allow a record label, Web portal, etc to publish and manage a complete music/media Web portal - and a Mobile portal - and manage it all from a Browser. A similar company/service would be LoudEye.com or theplatform.com.
I’m a 1 man show with a great plan and an excellent system - I just need to build my team and find the right investors.
Anyone interested?
Thanks for your time.