[javascript] :touch CSS pseudo-class or something similar?

I am trying to make a button, such that when the user clicks on it, it changes its style while the mouse button is being held down. I also want it to change its style in a similar way if it is touched in a mobile browser. The seemingly-obvious thing to me was to use the CSS :active pseudo-class, but that didn't work. I tried :focus, and it didn't work too. I tried :hover, and it seemed to work, but it kept the style after I took my finger off the button. All of these observations were on an iPhone 4 and a Droid 2.

Is there any way to replicate the effect on mobile browsers (iPhone, iPad, Android, and hopefully others)? For now, I am doing something like this:

<style type="text/css">
    #testButton {
        background: #dddddd;
    }
    #testButton:active, #testButton.active {
        background: #aaaaaa;
    }
</style>

...

<button type="button" id="testButton">test</button>

...

<script type='text/javascript' src='http://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.6.1.min.js'></script>
<script type='text/javascript'>
    $("*").live("touchstart", function() {
      $(this).addClass("active");
    }).live("touchend", function() {
      $(this).removeClass("active");
    });
</script>

The :active pseudo-class is for desktop browsers, and the active class is for touch browsers.

I am wondering if there is a simpler way to do it, without involving Javascript.

Since mobile doesn't give hover feedback, I want, as a user, to see instant feedback when a link is tapped. I noticed that -webkit-tap-highlight-color is the fastest to respond (subjective).

Add the following to your body and your links will have a tap effect.

body {
    -webkit-tap-highlight-color: #ccc;
}

I was having trouble with mobile touchscreen button styling. This will fix your hover-stick / active button problems.

body, html {
  width: 600px;
}
p {
  font-size: 20px;
}

button {
  border: none;
  width: 200px;
  height: 60px;
  border-radius: 30px;
  background: #00aeff;
  font-size: 20px;
}

button:active {
  background: black;
  color: white;
}

.delayed {
  transition: all 0.2s;
  transition-delay: 300ms;
}

.delayed:active {
  transition: none;
}

<h1>Sticky styles for better touch screen buttons!</h1>

<button>Normal button</button>

<button class="delayed"><a href="https://www.google.com"/>Delayed style</a></button>

<p>The CSS :active psuedo style is displayed between the time when a user touches down (when finger contacts screen) on a element to the time when the touch up (when finger leaves the screen) occures.   With a typical touch-screen tap interaction, the time of which the :active psuedo style is displayed can be very small resulting in the :active state not showing or being missed by the user entirely.  This can cause issues with users not undertanding if their button presses have actually reigstered or not.</p>

<p>Having the the :active styling stick around for a few hundred more milliseconds after touch up would would improve user understanding when they have interacted with a button.</p>