Mobile web consortium dotMobi announced the launch of DeviceAtlas, which promises content developers an encyclopedic online source for mobile handset information. According to dotMobi, it is working with device makers like Nokia as well as operators including Vodafone and Telecom Italia to collate and refine the latest information on handsets spanning from early-model data-capable devices to next-generation smartphones, in effect streamlining the development process by enabling developers to create "device-aware" content based on reliable intelligence. Developers may access DeviceAtlas for free via a web-based graphical user interface--an API version which accesses a local copy of the database is available for $99 per year, with a discounted price for dotMobi domain owners.
"We're taking data from multiple sources, including public-domain and proprietary sources. We're merging information, licensing proprietary information, flagging where it's coming from and identifying potential quality issues," said dotMobi VP of advanced services and applications Paul Nerger in an interview with FierceDeveloper. "This is data that historically has been available only to the largest players--smaller developers haven't been able to afford it. The goal is to democratize the mobile web by ensuring device data is available at a very low price."
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