Web Services Critical to Mobile Internet

I believe web services will be a critical driver of the success of the mobile internet.  They bridge the challenges of multiple platforms, they bridge the need to work across the three screens (computer, mobile, and TV), and they offer the advantages of continuous updating and off-site storage.

Google offers good examples of web services that they are reformatting to work with the mobile internet well.  The latest example is Google's upgrade of its Reader application for the iPhone and Smartphones.  I have come to rely on RSS feeds to get my news and updates throughout the day, and value the Google RSS Reader as the place where I collect my feeds.  I like the interface, and I like that it is available on any of my computers and devices as a web service.  Now it should work even better with a smartphone.

To me this is a good example of a "three screens" application, where I do some of my reading and flag articles on my mobile device then more of the heavy lifting -- such as forwarding and blogging articles -- on my computer.

http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal_tech/smartphones/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207603256&subSection=Management