1. An Overview of Mobile Technologies
Michael Wakahe on behalf of Computer
Society of Kenya (CSK)
ICT Training
Nzoia Sugar Company
Dec 2011

2. Table of Contents
• Definition of Mobile
• SMS
• USSD
• Mobile Applications
• Mobile Websites
• Other Mobile Technologies

3. Definition of Mobile
• User and not necessarily technology is mobile
• User is mobile - on the move
• User is interruptible and easily distracted
• Use of mobile service is contextual

4. SMS
• Definition: Short Message Service
• GSM standard
• Person-to-Person, Person-to-System, System-
to-Person
• Examples of Person-to-System & System-to-
Person: Bulk SMS & Short Code

5. SMS
• Short Code & Bulk SMS require access to operator
SMS gateway
• Bulk SMS are prepaid while short codes charge
subscriber
• Modems can be attached to a computer &
programmed
• Many low level technologies involved in successful
delivery of SMS

6. USSD
• Unstructured Supplementary Service Data
• Suitable for session based interaction
• Examples of applications include airtime top
up, mobile banking, Mpesa, network operator
service selection

7. USSD
• Service provider has to connect to operator
USSD gateway
• Interactivity with USSD gateways is not yet
standardized
• Billing is session based
• Service provider hosts interaction logic in
software - similar to short codes

8. Mobile Applications
• Different frameworks and OS running on
phones
• Apps are installable software
• Programmable with developer toolkits
• Utilize Internet capabilities of handset (GPRS)

9. Mobile Applications

10. Mobile Applications
• Provisioning: WAP download, SMS Push,
Bluetooth, pre-installed
• App Store as a market place
• Examples: Nokia Ovi, Google Android Market
Place, Apple App Store

11. Mobile Websites
• Device capabilities are fragmented
• Therefore different interaction with Internet
• Mobile websites have device awareness &
content adaptation
• Adapt to context of handset

12. Mobile Websites
• Many standards involved including WML,
XHTML, HTML5
• Reuse of traditional desktop standards
• Content adaptation example: replace Flash
with static images
• Best practices e.g. multiple navigation bars,
terse information, shallow click stream

13. Mobile Apps & Websites

14. Other Mobile Technologies
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
• SIM Toolkit Programming

15. Demos
• Java Mobile Application Demo
• App Store Demo
• SMS Demo

16. Shujaa SMS Gateway Schematic

17. Credits
Michael Wakahe, Software Developer &
Entrepreneur
Shujaa Solutions Ltd
www.shujaa.co.ke
michael@shujaa.co.ke
Questions?