Commonly abbreviated as WAP, the Wireless Application Protocol is an open international standard for applications that use wireless communication. Essentially, the WAP allows handheld devices to access content on the Internet.
The WAP is not specific to one company; it is a global standard. More than 200 corporations belong to what was once called the WAP Forum, an entity that defined industry-wide specifications for WAP and that developed further applications. Today, that entity has been consolidated into the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). Members include:
A WAP browser is, for the most part, the same as the Internet browser that is used on computers. However, a WAP browser has been simplified to work within the restrictions of small electronic devices. You can find WAP browsers on many devices, including:
In general, WAP browsers are secure. Although any wireless network has some security risks, WAP transmissions are encrypted to protect your data. The OMA assures the public that every precaution has been taken to ensure high levels of security for all WAP devices.
Sites that feature content that can be viewed on WAP browsers are commonly referred to as WAP sites. These Internet sites are Web sites that have either been written in or converted to Wireless Markup Language (WML), as opposed to HTML or other languages commonly used on traditional Web sites. WML allows WAP sites to operate from all the small, portable devices modern society loves to use so much.
The great thing about WAP sites is that they allow you to do such things as send e-mail from your mobile phone, check news or sports headlines on your PDA or even download music to your portable devices.
A number of free WAP sites are available, many of which offer free downloads. Some of these sites are legitimate, while others offer illegal or dangerous downloads. You should always be careful before you download anything from an unknown source, as the files could be infected with a virus. Spend some time investigating any free WAP sites before initiating any downloads.
You'll also want to be wary of any WAP site that asks for personal information, especially credit card numbers or other banking details.
Here's a list of some popular free WAP sites: