apps & widgets in mobile learning
DESCRIPTION
A storm is brewing in the world of mobile applications, with the current model of OS-specific application platforms challenged by a new generation of webapps and widgets using HTML 5 and Device APIs that can work across a far wider range of devices (and not just phones either).This makes deploying mobile apps in education far simpler and cheaper than the current model of building one-app-per-device in different programming languages; it also makes it possible to develop applications simultaneously for web applications, mobile and desktop. Rather than make a mobile app for your VLE, you can make your VLE out of mobile apps!Scott Wilson looks at how the standards work, who is adopting them, what you need to do to get started.TRANSCRIPT
Apps & Widgets
Scott Wilson
[1] CETIS
[2] Apache Wookie (incubating)
http://incubator.apache.org/wookie
[3] W3C Webapps WG
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Some handy stats
• 83% of mobile phones sold are “Feature Phones” - not smartphones
• Of the remaining 17%:
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• You cannot afford to develop native apps for all the platforms you need to hit to reach your audience.
• There are some things that help tame the numbers a little:– Phonegap– Appcelerator
–…but its still a BIG problem
SO Here is a mad idea
lets make mobile apps using JUST html and javascript
i wonder what Google and Apple think?
“no software developer kit is required for the
iPhone.”Steve Jobs, 2007
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“App stores are not the future”, says Google (FT 2009)
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Java!
Objective-C!
WTF?
HTML 5 changes the rules
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Max Firtmann, http://www.slideshare.net/firt/mobile-widgets-development
O RLY?
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HTML
JavaScript
CSS
config.xml
mywidget.wgt
Icon.png
W3C Widgets: for Web, Mobile, or Desktop?
Apple DashboardWindows SidebarGoogle DesktopKonfabulatorOpera Widgets
OpenSocialGoogle GadgetsGoogle Wave
GadgetsWidgetBoxSpringWidgets
Nokia WidgetsiPhone AppsAndroid AppsWidsets
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How about, “yes”?
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Device APIs: Adding Handset Capabilities to
JavaScript
• BONDI
• W3 DAP
• W3 Geo
• Address Book• Calendar• Files• Media capture
(camera)• Messaging• System• Policy• Media Gallery• Tasks• Comms LogJavaScript
<html><head>
<script>function takePicture(){ var camera = bondi.camera.getCameras()[0]; camera.takePicture(function(pic){document.getElementById("picture").src=pic;},function(){alert("nope");}); }
</script> </head> <body>
<button onclick="takePicture()">Take Picture</button><img id="picture" src="" width="64" height="64"/>
</body></html>
Feature mapping
<feature name=“http://bondi.omtp.org/api/camera.capture”
required=“true”/>
JavaScript
Feature mixing!<feature name=“http://opensocial.org/osapi.person” required=“true”/>
<feature name=“http://wave.google.com” required=“true”/>
You can connect all kinds of functionality to widgets by injecting a JS API for it at runtime - and not just device APIs either
JavaScript
Did you know that Opera Unite services were W3C Widgets?QuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.
“W3C Widgets are better than websites because they download only the data; and not the core files.”
“Widgets are better than app systems because you don't have to write 4, 5, or 10 of them. Just the one is enough.”
“And hundreds of thousands of web developers already know how to create widgets.It's just HTML/CSS/JavaScript, after all.”
- Peter Paul Koch
Native apps Widgets
Mobile-friendly Web Apps
Easy to develop Lower network use Can use phone features Works across devices ?
So is this W3C thing going to take off?
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“A fundamental part of WAC is to ensure that developers have the simplest method by which they can create applications for the long tail. A key part of this is to endorse and encourage the use of technologies which are based around open standards. WAC plans to initially use both the JIL and OMTP BONDI requirements, evolving these into a common specification within the next 12 months. The long term goal will be to collectively work with the W3C for a common standard based on our converged solution.”
Aplix WRT for Android
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BlackBerry Widgets is a platform to allow developers to leverage their existing web knowledge to build compelling mobile applications. A BlackBerry Widget combines standard web technologies with local device functionality in a familiar fashion while still providing industry leading security. Based off of the W3C Widget specification, a BlackBerry Widget is an alternative approach to building a mobile application in a native SDK yet still provides the same power and functionality. By using standard web technologies, the barrier for building compelling BlackBerry applications has been significantly lowered.
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* “Wookie” is not a clever acronym. so if you spell it WOOKIE you’re shouting!
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A Java server application in the Apache Incubator. Includes a W3C Widget parser library.
Thanks
[email protected]@scottbwhttp://incubator.apache.org/wookie