A prototype of the Google Android mobile by Qualcomm is on display at the Mobile World Congress (formerly 3GSM World Congress) in Barcelona, Feb. 11, 2008. The Mobile World Congress will run from Feb. 11 till 14.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Google's quest to keep browser-based applications running while offline is expanding to where it may be needed most: mobile devices, media reported Wednesday.

    Smartphones and 3G data services are changing the way some people work, allowing them to access documents and applications from anywhere. But when their wireless connection is interrupted or not available at all, they're cut off.

    Google Gears for mobile helps solve this problem so mobile workaholics can even get stuff done on airplanes or when they're supposed to be on vacation in some far-off destination with no wireless access.

    Google Gears is an open-source browser extension that lets developers create Web applications that can run offline. Google has been developing the software for PC users, but now it is extending it for mobile users too.

    Google Gears is still in its early days. The mobile version right now supports Internet Explorer on Windows Mobile 5 and 6 phones. This means that other smartphone users, such as those using Apple's iPhone, or people using other popular mobile browsers, such as Opera, won't be able to use Google Gears.

    But Google has said that it plans to expand support to other browsers and cell phone platforms, including its own Android software.

    Charles Wiles, product manager for Google's mobile team, posted a blog explaining how Google Gears for mobile would work. He used the example of Zoho, a Web-based productivity application, and Buxfer, a web-based personal finance application.

    (Agencies)