Google unveils mobile rendering for its web sites

INTERNET GIANT Google has added mobile rendering to its web sites for both Apple and Android devices, along with a mobile version of various Google Sites features.

Mobile rendering allows users to select an option that will automatically render the web sites for a mobile phone. This can be accessed by selecting General Settings, going to More Actions, then Manage Site and finally clicking Automatically to adjust the web site layouts for mobile phones.

Changes will typically include alignment of the header layout, top bar and the width of the web site to fit the device's smaller width, as well as smart handling of sidebars, horizontal navigation and dropdown links, all of which will display appropriately on a mobile phone.

Users can preview the web page on their computer to see what it will look like on their mobile phone. There is also an option to hide some of the web site's footer to prevent an endless scroll.

The rendering approach is much better than building a separate web site just for mobile phones, as is usually the case. Not only does that make web development more time-consuming, it adds additional workload for maintaining a web site. Google has not abolished this element entirely, however, as it is also launching mobile versions of its web site list, search and browse features.

Google's introduction of mobile rendering is most likely based on similar technology to what it used in the Honeycomb release of its Android operating system. This version is designed primarily for tablets, but it features a different layout for mobile phones, adjusting the various elements of the web site layout to match the capabilities of the device.

Mobile rendering will only work for IOS 3.0 and above and Android 2.2 and above. Google said it is not currently available for other mobile operating systems. µ