With four times as many mobile devices in use as personal computers, it might come as a surprise to learn that, according to MyDomain, most websites are not optimised for viewing on mobile phones or palmtops, and the internet experience for mobile device users is still far behind that of personal computer users.

Problems for users of mobile devices are caused by slower connection speeds over dialup or wireless connections, and the limitations of a much smaller screen. Many websites are virtually impossible to read properly on a mobile device because of long loading times, a lack of support for certain plug-ins and features, and a screen size which either renders the text unreadable, or else rearranges web pages in a confusing and unattractive way.

The .mobi domain hopes to change all that by offering guidelines for a high standard of websites for mobile devices. The generic TLD is designed specifically for websites which are expected to be viewed on mobile devices. Fourteen companies prominent in the internet and mobile device industries were involved in the development of the .mobi gTLD.

.mobi is designed to eliminate slow download times and problems with displaying web pages. .mobi web pages are designed to be viewed on a small screen, so that full pages can be viewed, rather than the user being forced to scroll around a page, seeing only a tiny percentage at a time. Many .mobi pages also allow users to take advantage of mobile device-specific features while browsing the web.

.mobi could potentially attract a huge new web browsing audience. Frustration with mobile browsing could be preventing consumers from buying and using mobile devices with internet access, but an increase in online services which comply with .mobi standards could change that. Having a .mobi website specifically tailored to the needs of mobile device users could be a real advantage to a business, because it gives the impression of cutting edge technology and encourages users to take advantage of advanced mobile device features.