How do you handle mobile traffic?

[Terry Van Horne]

Would you recommend forcing users to the mobile/desktop site based on browser detection, or would displaying an appropriate message to the users advising them of the existence of the other site be better?

IMO, it is always best to detect the capabilities of the device and deliver only content they can use. For instance you may get a user with iPhone. Runs for the most part in a safari web browser why redirect? However if the pages are text heavy will the user want that text heavy version or just a search or quickway way to phone. I know I would have a .Mobi, positively, if it was a brandname or a brand I planned to build, otherwise, just detect and deliver the appropriate content... do people really care what domain they are on?... only the user experience they receive while visiting. I would be sure to let everyone know on both sites that you have both versions and the features/advantages of each version. IMO, You have to often own domain names whether you use them or not.... I personally don't sweat the where only the what as in what was the experience like?

As to detection I've used browserhawk (windows component, and no I think it's stupid to use it to cloak) for years. I prefer to detect things with components at the server level rather than JS at the client level and the component isn't dependent on JS. I'm not a big fan of using JS for anything especially when it affects user experience. Sorry if you are on the NIX. I'm not a lot of help since going to the darkside in 98.

[advancedmerchant]

We have taken an entirely different approach. We have set up small areas just for the mobile devices, and have a new URL redirected to the page. As an example, when deploying our software for Treo users, we direct them to LoadTreo.com, which is tailored for that device's screen size, and has the links to deploy our packages.