Blog from August, 2011

Article dated Aug 30, 2011

http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/2011/08/30/cry-havoc-html5-continues-to-surge/

Excerpts...

"Back in July, the Fairer Platform reported a 34 percent quarter over quarter jump in job postings seeking coders with HTML5 chops. Granted, help wanted ads for Flash programmers were 10 times more numerous, and falling, change is nevertheless in the air and the direction is clear."

"Whereas Fortune posits that “something” has kicked HTML5 into overdrive over the past year and a half, there are two obvious catalysts: Steve Jobs’ line in the sand vis-a-vis Flash and the arrival of the iPad."

"Thereupon, video search engine MeFeedia data shows that 69 percent of web video is now deliverable in HTML5, a 15 percent jump since October 2010. Interestingly, only 10 percent of web video was available in HTML5 before the iPad launched in April 2010."

Please visit the GSA Mobile Govt Project (http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/101571) to learn more about initiatives within the government relating to mobile apps development.

For more details about GSA and other agency efforts, see http://mobilegovwiki.howto.gov

http://www.conceivablytech.com/9108/products/google-is-preparing-chrome-to-become-a-game-platform

"On Friday I noticed that Google is heavily pushing New Game, a game developer conference that is focused on HTML5-based gaming content – and, of course, content that runs in web browsers. The fact that such an event already exists and that there is game content being developed in HTML5, is quite stunning by itself. However, Google also noted that a sandboxed native client (NaCl) with 3D (in addition to 2D) will be available in Chrome soon, which will allow the browser to connect to traditional C and C++ code via its integrated Pepper API."

http://hacks.mozilla.org/2011/08/introducing-webapi/

WebAPI is an effort by Mozilla to bridge together the gap, and have consistent APIs that will work in all web browsers, no matter the operating system. Specification drafts and implementation prototypes will be available, and it will be submitted to W3C for standardization. Security is a very important factor here, and it will be a mix of existing security measurements (e.g. asking the user for permission, like Geolocation) or coming up with new alternatives to ensure this.

In the nearest timeframe we are looking into building:

• Dialer: Telephony & Messaging API, Contacts API
• Address Book: Contacts API
• SMS: Telephony & Messaging API, Contacts API
• Clock
• Camera: Camera API, Filesystem API
• Gallery: Filesystem API (could possibly be FileReader & FileWriter in conjunction)
• Calculator
• Settings: Device Status API, Settings API
• Games: Accelerometer API, Mouse Lock API
• Maps: Geolocation API, Contacts API

Summary:

Mobile use will rise, but desktop computers will remain important, forcing companies to design for multiple platforms, requiring continuity in visual design, features, user data, and tone of voice. To read full article, please visit http://www.useit.com/alertbox/3-screens-transmedia.html

Wireless Universal Resource FiLe or WURFL  is a Device Description Repository (DDR), i.e. a software component which contains the descriptions of thousands of mobile devices. The XML data file maintained by this site http://wurfl.sourceforge.net/ allow an easy way to programatically discover capabilities about mobile devices coming at your mobile web site. Bonus: sample programming language implementations.  (Courtesy of Mark Hamill)

Mobile-First Responsive Web Design is a combination of philosophies/strategies, and ultimately boils down to a broader application of good ol’ web best practices. As the digital landscape gets increasingly complex, we need to design experiences that work across the entire spectrum of digital devices See more at http://bradfrostweb.com/blog/web/mobile-first-responsive-web-design/

http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2011/08/publishers-doing-an-apple-end-run-to-deliver-to-ipad236.html
Interesting and exciting trend!   Content publishers using HTML5 via browser to bill the customer directly without Apple’s AppStore constraints!

AWS GovCloud is a new AWS Region designed to allow U.S. government agencies and contractors to move more sensitive workloads into the cloud by addressing their specific regulatory and compliance requirements. View AWS GovCloud Page for Details.

Live events: Aug 30 and Sept 14.

Abby took amazing titanpad notes at the meeting, and most of the training and meetings were captured in Webex recordings. This morning Abbi uploaded them all.

The recordings and notes are available on the meeting page:

2011 CDI Workshop: Building Partnerships

A couple instances of the etherpad software hosted for wide use are available:

• Externally visible instance: http://usgs.titanpad.com, contact Sky Bristol (sbristol@usgs.gov) or Roland Viger (rviger@usgs.gov) if you want to access pre-existing notepads or to set up your own for use.
• Internally visible instance: http://etherpad.cr.usgs.gov, contact Jeff Falgout (jfalgout@usgs.gov) if you want to acccess pre-existing notepads or to set up your own for use.