Hi Friends,
OneIndia (
http://oneindia.in/ ) recently launched the mobile versions of it's Indian language websites, and this includes Telugu.
And the content is in Unicode :
http://thatstelugu.oneindia.mobi/Now that is good. But the problem arises from the fact that most mobile devices do not yet have unicode fonts installed by default.
In their website, they have mentioned about Windows OS-based devices:
http://www.oneindia.mobi/language-help.htmlBut it is a known fact that majority of the Indian cell phone users (who are the targeted base) have a Symbian OS-based phone (Nokia, Sony Ericsson etc.).
The site also says
'All new phones being manufactured "for India" support Indian language Unicode fonts'. This 'kind of' contradicts the earlier statement referring to Windows OS-based devices.
As per their statement, do new Nokia , Motorola , Sony Ericsson phones being sold "for India" support Unicode fonts? Could anyone view unicode pages (like this site) on their non-windows os based phones?
On testing this site on a Nokia available here, the unicode is not rendered by default. This is how it looks:
Nokia browser
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1039/1461211616_72e69921fa_o.jpg
Opera Mini browser
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1408/1461211660_e8bf4d0b98_o.jpgI also tried installing Vemana.ttf , but the service provider here seems to have blocked write access to Z:
The mobile space is the future, and viewing unicode pages on the cell phone should be seamless, just like a desktop. Hopefully the phones will come loaded with the Indic fonts by default.
And, thatstelugu is certainly not the first .mobi site dedicated to Indian language content:
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1001/1431278093_1ffcf093b9.jpgRegards,
Kiran