Mobile technology seems to be gaining popularity in Flanders after the launch of the iPhone as some newspapers began to offer mobile services, reported Dorien Aerts from the Online Journalism Blog.

De Standaard's mobile site, which was launched on June 16, has news, weather forecast and updated traffic information. The paper was also the first to introduce blogging to its site.

De Tijd is finance-oriented, providing mobile users with daily news, currency information and the users own "investment wallet".     

Local papers Het Belang van Limburg and Gazet van Antwerpen have mobile sites offering both national, international, sports, cultural and society news.

Aerts pointed out that Flemish papers like Het Laatste Niews, De Morgen and Het Nieuwsblad have not yet launched mobile sites. He also mentioned that so far no Flemish papers have used mobile widgets or localization and personalization functions.

Source: Online Journalism Blog through IFRA Executive News Service

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