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.

1. Apps & Widgets Scott Wilson [1] CETIS [email_address] [2] Apache Wookie (incubating) http://incubator.apache.org/ wookie scottbw @apache.org [3] W3C Webapps WG

4. SO Here is a mad idea lets make mobile apps using JUST html and javascript i wonder what Google and Apple think?

5. “ no software developer kit is required for the iPhone.” Steve Jobs, 2007

7. Java! Objective-C! WTF?

8. HTML 5 changes the rules Max Firtmann, http://www.slideshare.net/firt/mobile-widgets-development O RLY?

9. Widgets HTML JavaScript CSS config.xml mywidget.wgt Icon.png

11. How about, “yes”?

17.  ?  Works across devices    Can use phone features    Lower network use    Easy to develop Mobile-friendly Web Apps Widgets Native apps

18. So is this W3C thing going to take off?

22. “ 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.”

23. Aplix WRT for Android

25. 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.

26. * “Wookie” is not a clever acronym. so if you spell it WOOKIE you’re shouting! A Java server application in the Apache Incubator. Includes a W3C Widget parser library.