True cross platform development
By now, I am sure you are aware that you can use web technologies (HTML, CSS, JS) to build ‘native’ mobile applications. Well you can also use these technologies on other platforms too.
I have compiled a list of resources for other platforms, (this is mainly for my own use, but I thought I would share it also :))
Mobile
Titanium Mobile (iOS & Android)
From the guys at Appcelerator. This compiles your application into native code.
PhoneGap (6 different platforms incl. iOS, Android, Blackberry, WP7)
This open source bit of kit is now also bundled in with Adobe Dreamweaver, for all the developers who use Dreamweaver as their IDE. Unlike Titanium, PhoneGap doesn’t compile your code. It simply sticks it inside a native app container and uses the onboard browser for rendering. Uses the native browser rendering engine.
I am yet to use this framework, but my first impression is that it pretty much does the same as PhoneGap, but it only supports iOS. Uses the native browser rendering engine.
Desktop
Titanium Desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Another product from Appcelerator. Again, this compiles your app into native code.
Adobe Air (Windows, Mac, Linux)
The old man of the group. Adobe Air has been around for a while now. My issue with it, is it adds an extra layer of complexity for the end user, they require adobe air). Uses the the WebKit rendering engine.
Intel AppUp Encapsulator (Windows & MeeGo(?))
Made by Intel. This is a relatively new kid on the block. I am yet to use this, but from my understanding this works in a similar way to PhoneGap for mobile, in the way that it just renders the app in a browser frame. Uses WebKit.
This isn’t a framework, this is simply some sample code for a WebView, to create a Mac app in the same way as using Intel’s Encapsulator. Obviously uses WebKit.
I don’t have any information on this as yet. Only their announcements
Smart TVs
The new ‘modern’ ‘hi-tech’ ‘smart’ TVs by various manufacturers, Samsung, LG, Sony all feature apps
These apps are built as ‘native’ using HTML etc :)
Interestingly, these apps are built using flash. If you don’t know any actionscript but you know JavaScript, you should find it reasonably straight forward.
The new Sony TVs are powered by Google TV. Google TV in turn is powered by Android. Therefore to create an app for the Sony TV’s you need to create an Android app.
Other Gadgets
The Nook uses Android as it’s foundation.
To create games / apps for the Nintendo Wii you can create them using Flash. However, from my understanding the SDK is a couple of thousand dollars.
Well Amazon launched a beta program for the developer kit back in January 2010. I smell vaporware, but I thought I would list it just in case. By the look of things you can’t use web technologies (yet) but I thought I would include it anyway. It supposedly would use Java, so someone *should* be able to modify PhoneGap to work on the Kindle as it does have a browser.
I thought I would throw this in here as they are supposedly launching an SDK at some point in the future for their in car app store.
Next stop, fridges ;)
Samsung have relased a range of smart fridges, however I can’t fund any infomation on SDK and currently have no idea how the apps are built.
What other platforms would you like to develop for? PlayStation & XBox games can’t be developed using any web technologies (yet).
As you can see from above. We are almost there with a unified language to develop truly cross platform development. However we are extremely close!
