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Google have launched a mobile version of Google Gears, intended for devices running Windows Mobile 5 and 6.  The software allows web-based applications, such as the search company's own Google Docs word processor, to be used offline on a device where internet access isn't available.  Of most interest, perhaps, is that applications already coded for the original desktop version of Google Gears will work automatically with the mobile version; of course, this is dependent on the capabilities of the smartphone itself.



Check out the video of Google Gears for Mobile after the cut! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZJbidoQg30

"It's a fully functional port of Google Gears v0.2 that can be used to develop offline capability into your mobile web applications. You can also create slick and responsive applications by hiding latency issues through controlled caching of data and storage of information between sessions. We're also working to bring Google Gears for mobile to Android and other mobile platforms with capable web browsers" Google Code blog 

There are already applications which are using Google Gears for Mobile to bridge the desktop/smartphone divide, including Zoho and social payment service Buxfer.

Google Gears v0.2, including the Mobile developer, is a free download.