Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2000/04/13/wap_really_is_useful/

WAP really is useful

RNID builds services for the deaf

By Kieren McCarthy

Posted in On-Prem, 13th April 2000 10:18 GMT

As we all know/have been told, WAP is going to change the world forever. No doubt it will also have the fastest uptake ever with consumers (wait for those graphs) and wap.inc will be worth more than all the FTSE 100 companies together within a month. But while we can argue over the merits of buying a CD over a phone while standing outside HMV, WAP will be a guaranteed success with one market - the deaf. In fact, so great is the difference that WAP will make to deaf people that the RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf people) has created two new positions at its London offices - one for mobile technology and one for the Internet. The RNID has several projects in the pipeline and has already tested some WAP browsers. It is even prepared to build a product itself if commercial kit is not up to scratch. According to director of technology, Dr John Low, the charity already has good links with the major mobile manufacturers. WAP technology really could change the lives of the UK's 8.7 million deaf and hard-of-hearing people who have to contend with being treated as stupid on an almost daily basis. Perhaps WAP marketeers could use them as an example occasionally (you can only buy so many bunches of flowers, lads). Links Royal National Institute for Deaf people