(keitai-l) Handheld devices classification and browser compatibility (PDA, PPC, Smartphones, etc.)

Hi everyone,

Still the old topic about phones and PDA convergence ... 


1) My understanding about device convergence : Mobile phone > hybrids < PDA

Under the hybrid word, I saw many definitions ...

Some call any hybrids "smartphones". 
Some (and that's what I was thinking) consider smartphones are mainly phones
with some PDA functionalities (as opposed to PDA with GSM/GPRS/WIFI
connectivity).
Other thinks, smartphones are just in the middle, between Phone-PDA and
PDA-phones.

Hybrids families are often designated by :

	> A brand  :
		iPaq
		SPV
		Blackberry
		Treo
		Tungsten
		Clié

	> A plateform :
		Linux
		Palm
		Symbian
		BREW
		Windows Mobile
		RIM

And of course, every opinions are based on different sides of the problem.

So basically, the only definition I am sure of is the "mobile phone" one
:o).

("What is a PDA anyway ?"
:http://www.rohdesign.com/weblog/archives/000247.html)


2) My target : Connected-colour-handheld-html-devices

Answering to the above question is interesting, but I'm not sure such a
debate could lead anywhere.

So here is my "use case" :

On one hand I have a i-mode/wap1.2/wap2 site. The display is
device-oriented, using a content adaptation plateform.

On another hand I have a website. Without device specific adaptation (or
maybe a few browser-oriented adaptation). With a lot more functionalities,
graphics, and content.

Between, I wish to make a site, for mobile device with nice graphical
capacities, large screen, etc... without (or few) adaptation.


So basically my main questions are :

-> Which handset category should I target ? And how to name this category
when communicating about it ?

-> Which O.S/browser should I target to get a good compromise between
capability/compatibility and large audience ?

-> Which client-side language should I choose (for the same reason) ? I
think xHTML MP + wCSS would be the best choice.

Any recent study, figures, PDA browsers list would help me much.

Bonus questions : 
- How about javascript support on these devices ? 
- And Flash ?


Thank you in advance for your input on this complicated subject.


Regards,

Nico.