With the advantages of HTML5 offering a completly new method of accessing the web, developers are faced with the task of determining how applciations can be best suited for the web market.
Often times, developers who want to build interactive applications are required to build for specific platforms, be it the iPhone, Android, iPad, or in Flash. But with HTML5 offering the a similar user experience from within supported browsers, it will be possible to build the same, rich application once, and have it available for any device which supports HTML5.
Now I use the term ’similar user experience’ because there will be features offered on some platforms which will not be supported in HTML5.
We are starting to see the Android platform offered on future tablets, and I always ask the question, will we have to build two versions of the same app, one for the iPad and one for the Android Tablet? Or will it be possible to build one application on HTML5 and have it supported across both tablets?
Read more on HTML5:
Twelve Seas Web Design Vancouver is a Canadian design company offering great designs and search engine optimization.
We are pleased to announce the development of a touch display application for the West Harbour development in Kelowna, BC. The touch display is a creative approach for visitors to the downtown sales center. This interactive method allows for a great visual display of the featured development, and invites visitors to preview the development as never seen before.
Adobe announced that it will not be continuing it’s efforts to develop an application which allows users to create apps for the iPhone in Flash.
This was huge news last year when designers who were frustrated with Apple and its development limitations could move to another platform. Web design will not have to incorporate this into the design of websites. The decision to include flash in a website will be made by the target platform.
Following industry standards is always a good move, as HTML 5 will be providing much of the features Flash offers.
Here are some comments from Adobe:
We will still be shipping the ability to target the iPhone and iPad in Flash CS5. However, we are not currently planning any additional investments in that feature…. [Apple wants] to tie developers down to their platform, and restrict their options to make it difficult for developers to target other platform.
And a response from Apple:
Someone has it backwards — it is HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, and H.264 (all supported by the iPhone and iPad) that are open and standard, while Adobe’s Flash is closed and proprietary.
Read more here: http://www.mobilecomputermag.co.uk/news/100422/adobe-gives-up-on-flash-for-iphone
Apple has recently released it’s highly anticipated iPad. The new device is very similar to the iPhone and iPod touch, but much larger. The new device allows users to browse the web on a large touch screen through Safari – Apple’s web browser.
It is important to address the features and limitations of the iPad, and how web developers can make the most of this device.
Flash is not supported on the iPad, nor is it supported on the iPhone. While most web pages have moved away from full flash, most continue to offer flash movies to capture their audience.
The solution is to move forward with HTML 5, which is promising to offer all of the features of Adobe Flash. YouTube is currently beta testing HTML 5 and replacing it’s Flash movies with the new standard.
Web designers must ensure their sites will cater to the proper audience and platform, and investigate the usage of Flash and HTML 5. Apple has released a guide for web developers here.
Will HTML 5 eventually replace Flash?
Adobe responded to HTML 5, with it’s CTO making this statement:
Some point to HTML as eventually supplanting the need for Flash, particularly with the more-recent developments coming in HTML with version 5. I don’t see this as one replacing the other, certainly not today nor even in the foreseeable future. Adobe supports HTML and its evolution, and we look forward to adding more capabilities to our software around HTML as it evolves. If HTML could reliably do everything Flash does, that would certainly save us a lot of effort, but that does not appear to be coming to pass.
A number of critics to HTML 5 point out that it is slow to make advancements in standards and that Flash has moved to quickly offer these features.
Google announced a while back that it plans to build 1 Gigabit per second networks to serve communities in its ‘Google Fiber for Communities’ project. This ultra-high-speed network would be around 100 times faster than the average internet speed. Here is Google’s comments on the network:
We’re planning to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the United States. We’ll deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today with 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We plan to offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.
The nomiation deadline has recently ended, and Google has received a large number of requests from communities and individuals.
The following map is Copyright Google and represents requests.
This map displays where the responses were concentrated. Each small dot represents a government response, and each large dot represents locations where more than 1,000 residents submitted a nomination. We plan to share a complete list of government responses soon.
What does this mean to web developers?
Faster internet speeds allows for a greater deal of information to be passed around the internet in a blink of an eye. Web developers can push the limits with rich media and data storage. User’s will no longer need to store music and video on their personal computer. This media can be accessed from any PC, be it a smart phone, iPod, laptop, tv and even an automobile.
The possibilities are endless.
