AJAX

Opera Widgets SDK beta released

Tue, 27 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

Web browser development firm Opera Software released its Opera Widgets SDK beta, promising developers the tools to deploy web applications on any device. Based on open, W3C-set standards that support technologies including HTML, CSS, JavaScript and Ajax, the SDK features an emulator, libraries, documentation and Opera Dragonfly for debugging, as well as user forums. According to Opera, its widgets repository contains over 1,200 widgets for desktop, mobile phones and portable media devices, including widgets for games, news feeds, weather and travel information--web developer tools like color pickers and pixel rulers are also available. The Opera Widgets SDK beta is supported by Opera 9.5 and above and is available here.

For more on the Opera Widgets SDK beta:
-read this release

Related articles:
Opera Mini 4.1 mobile web browser debuts
Opera 9.5 SDK for Devices released
Opera debuts Mini 4 mobile web browser

OpenAjax Alliance launches mobile initiative

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:59:58 -0400

The OpenAjax Alliance industry group released new standards and open source initiatives for Ajax on mobile devices. Launched to broaden the use of the Web 2.0 applications technology on wireless devices, the new Mobile Ajax initiative promises to address emerging industry requirements for integrating the Ajax platform with phone operating systems to support mobile web browsing, widgets and user interfaces for device-resident applications. The OpenAjax Alliance's Mobile Task Force plans to establish use cases, requirements and security safeguards, with subsequent efforts pursuing industry standards and/or open source. The alliance adds that European telecoms giant Vodafone is actively participating in the initiative, with its R&D unit already including its MobileScript JavaScript extensions work in the public domain via the OpenAjax Alliance and its own Betavine developer site to help advance industry dialogue.

"In order to deliver tomorrow's innovative mobile applications, the industry needs to standardize its approach to allowing the Web Runtime to use mobile device services, such as current location, messaging services, address book and connection status," OpenAjax Alliance Mobile Task Force co-chair Brad Sipes in a prepared statement. "By unifying the industry around a common approach, and defining the security requirements, OpenAjax Alliance's efforts will help propel the next-generation of mobile applications."

For more on the Mobile Ajax effort:
-read this release

Related article:
The argument against mobile Ajax

The argument against mobile AJAX

Tue, 22 May 2007 06:59:56 -0400

I certainly don't agree with every point, but the techworld blog done a good job of collecting arguments against mobile AJAX and vocal AJAX proponent Ajit Jok@##.

The success of SoonR notwithstanding, I think most developers would agree mass-market AJAX-like mobile Web applications are not yet ready for prime time.

Blog

Bling introduces new mobile AJAX platform

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 19:01:38 -0500

Just last week I wrote about mojax, an AJAX-like platform for simple mobile apps. Today Bling Software announced the Bling Player, another cross-platform, JavaScript-based mobile application platform. Neither Bling Player nor mojax runs through a Web browser, so they are a lot closer to Yahoo! Widgets then they are to true AJAX sites like GMail, but goal is the same: painless cross-platform development. Bling says it has a client player for J2ME and BREW and that it's small enough to be delivered OTA. Bling Player technology is available on a revenue share basis. Flash demo movie

Editor's Corner

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 19:01:39 -0500

What's new with Mobile AJAX?
One interesting effect of Apple's strange stance on third-party iPhone software is that many developers are looking into mobile AJAX again. After all, doesn't have Flash or Java, but it does have a fancy AJAX-capable browser.

Opera's Platform is still considered the primary AJAX platform, but it requires an extended version of the Opera browser and few consumer devices already have the client. Another option is Pocket IE, which supports the XMLHTTP object, but it's hardly cross-platform.

One new option is Mojax, a new AJAX-like development platform from mFoundry. Mojax has been generating a lot of buzz even though it's still in private beta. The catch is that it doesn't actually run through a Web browser; Mojax scripts ("moblets") actually consist of a Java ME interpreter applet that ties together JavaScript, XML and other tools. Critics say Mojax isn't a true AJAX platform and mFoundry CTO Rodney Aiglstorfer insists that it is, but the truth is it doesn't really matter. The point is that developers can (theoretically) use Mojax to create cross-platform applets without writing a single line of Java. However I'm wary of any system that is supposed to make programming easy (especially on mobile devices).

Ever since Open Gardens published an essay on the "disruptive potential" of mobile AJAX in March 2006, mobile AJAX has been constantly "just around the corner," but in the past month or two there have actually been some interesting developments. I wrote that 2007 will see the first round of real mobile AJAX apps. I still think that this is true and my money is still on Opera Platform, but Mojax is definitely worth watching, especially once it hits 1.0. - Eli

Editor's Corner: Carnival of the Mobilists

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 19:01:39 -0500

Carnival of the Mobilists
Greetings! This week I have the great honor of hosting Carnival of the Mobilists, a weekly collection of the best writing in the mobile blogosphere.

Let's start off with an interesting post from Open Gardens about Mobile Ajax--more than a pretty face. It's no secret that Ajit is a big fan of Mobile AJAX--he's the one who once wrote that AJAX will replace J2ME and XHTML. I agree that there's a huge potential for simple, zero-install mini-applications that sit on top of a common framework, but I'm not convinced that AJAX is the right way to go. It's hard enough to get AJAX working across different desktop hardware and browsers, and there are still some pretty serious limitations among mobile Javascript implementations and XML processing tools. Then again, Opera seems confident that they can make a successful product out of Platform.

Next up is my favorite post of the week. StayGoLinks takes on the walled garden and writes that the walls keep tumbling down. I couldn't be happier. It's great that carriers spend a lot of time creating their deck and loading it with content, but nobody wins in a strict walled garden. Users should want use the carrier deck because of its high quality, not because it's almost impossible to go elsewhere.

Continued online...

Special Feature: Carnival of the Mobilists

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:17:24 -0500

Greetings! This week I have the great honor of hosting Carnival of the Mobilists, a weekly collection of the best writing in the mobile blogosphere.

FierceWireless's 2005 CTIA party, "Olé"
It's almost like Carnival.

Let's start off with an interesting post from Open Gardens about Mobile Ajax - more than a pretty face. It's no secret that Ajit is a big fan of Mobile AJAX--he's the one who once wrote that AJAX will replace J2ME and XHTML. I agree that there's a huge potential for simple, zero-install mini-applications that sit on top of a common framework, but I'm not convinced that AJAX is the right way to go. It's hard enough to get AJAX working across different desktop hardware and browsers, and there are still some pretty serious limitations among mobile Javascript implementations and XML processing tools. Then again, Opera seems confident that they can make a successful product out of Platform.

On the mobile gaming front, we turn to the Mobile Games & Gaming Blog (where else?) with a great post titled, Did Wii blow it?. The gist is that the Wii is being touted as the first gaming device for non-gamers because mobile game developers blew it. Mobile devices certainly had the potential to bring gaming to the masses, but it didn't quite pan out that way. "It just amazes me that some of the bigger companies (not naming them!) are fighting over who gets the title of 'biggest brand buyer' instead of designing good games that work on their own without a brand to sell it." Well said.

Russel Buckley has an interesting piece on some disappointing Mobile Web stats. The issue isn't that the latest numbers from the Mobile Data Association are so bad, it's that they're so hard to read. It's impossible for the mobile web to succeed if the industry can't even agree on how to measure success.

I've also got to mention an article I wrote for FierceDeveloper on mobile software piracy. If you're a mobile software author, you should check this out. Perhaps I'm just naive, but I was surprised at how sophisticated the mobile warez scene has become.

makingourway asks, Is there enough software available for the blackberry? There are plenty of enterprise solutions for the BlackBerry, but why isn't there more shareware? I don't believe that the problem is technical requirements; there are plenty of applications that work just fine on much humbler hardware. This could become an issue for RIM as they try to lure more "average customers" with phones like the Pearl.

C. Enrique Ortiz points to reports of a new SMS-based mobile attack. The report says that by sending "service SMS" or "binary SMS" attackers can simulate an OTA update and eavesdrop on phone calls, upload the victim's addressbook or do other nasty things. The attack sounds plausible, but does anyone know if it's for real? I guess I just assumed that the carriers had implemented some sort of encryption into those service messages.

Everything and the Mobile Software Universe has a post about a big challenge for the Ultra Low Cost (ULC) phone industry: dealing with complex language requirements. I know companies like Monotype Imaging have technology that solves this problem, but I don't know if it fits in the budget for the ULC manufacturers.

Other notables:

The i-mode Business Strategy blog has a post about OSTI and DoCoMo's mobile OS investments. OSTI is a pretty cool standard that I haven't heard much about. It's all about personalization, connectivity and integration.
Xen interviews Justin Siegel of JNJ Mobile about MocoSpace, the latest mobile social software competitor.
Mike Rowehl on Email Clients: Java versus Native App.
Sister publication FierceGameBiz talks about a study showing a shift in mobile gaming habits
Wap Review talks about Motorola opening up iDEN (under the Apache license, no less).
Mobile Reflections takes a look at what the BBC is doing with mobile technology.
Everyone loves numbers: check out the download statistics for RumbleX, thanks to the Mobile Games and Gaming blog.

Next week's Carnival will be at MOpocket. Thanks for reading! -Eli

SoonR: first big mobile AJAX app?

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 20:01:36 -0400

SoonR is a new application (still in beta) that allows users to access applications on their desktop PC from most mobile phones. SoonR may also be the first major application to run on Opera's mobile AJAX platform.

QUICKLINKS: TypePad takes blogging mobile; Mobile AJAX will replace J2ME; Much more...

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 20:01:35 -0400

TypePad takes blogging mobile. Blog

Registration for Google Code Jam now open. Website

Mark Reinhold: "Yes, we really are going to open-source the JDK." Blog

Opinion: Mobile AJAX will replace J2ME. Blog

JSR286 (Portlets 2.0): First impressions. Blog

Insert your SIM card and this sexy rotary phone is ready to go. Article

Fake Blackberries a real problem in China. FierceWireless

Helio to open retail stores. FierceMobileContent

Mobile Web 2.0: AJAX for mobile apps

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 20:01:33 -0400

AJAX is still somewhat controversial among developers and mobile AJAX even more so. C Enrique Ortiz responds to the argument that mobile AJAX will replace J2ME and XHTML browsers. Ortiz agrees that mobile devices will be able to use a huge number of browser-based apps in the future, but he doubts the platform will ever be able to replace more advanced messaging and locations apps. I agree. I think that "thin-client" browser apps will expand the mobile marketplace without necessarily replacing any existing platforms. Blog