WAP stands for Wireless Application Protocol and basically means internet access from mobile phones. It's back in the news today because Bob Geldof has teamed up with former England rugby union international Brian Moore to launch WapWorld, rolling out an internet portal service to WAP phones. The great advantage of WAP is that it frees people from their PCs - or even their laptops. WAP phones allow users to read news, check football scores and monitor share prices wherever they are. Television and cinema listings, cash machine locations and information about traffic congestion or train times are other uses.
Email is the next big goal - perfect for tiny screens and users on the move.
Geldof and Moore promise celebrity-driven content, with plenty of sports and entertainment figures, plus news and weather, aimed at the young and affluent. They have struck a deal with Carphone Warehouse that will see WapWorld technology installed on every WAP phone sold by the retail chain. But because mobiles are small, they can only deliver small amounts of information - the tiny screen sizes can't accommodate many words, and the links are still relatively slow. Yes, WAP is seen as a crucial development for the future of mobile phone technology. Huge amounts of money are being invested in developing the technology.