Web apps for mobile - hurdles and gotchas

Luka Kladaric @allixsenos www.designeus.hr

state of “normal” web? @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

it’s alive like never before new browsers, engines, frameworks & languages @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

CSS design is still sometimes tricky but a lot better than a couple of years ago @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

IE6 blows… …but we’re almost rid of it  @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

the rest of it is actually alright @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

it’s stable and hassle-free @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

…most of the time  @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

state of mobile web?  @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

someone broke the time machine, it’s 2000. & 2010. out there at the same time @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

ecosystem VERY fragmented phones & OS’s, browsers, versions @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

rapidly developing & changing @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

long tail of old devices, left behind @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

no real standards we can look forward to mobile web will always be different @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

why do we even bother? @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

4.6 billion mobile devices. right now. 5 billion some time in 2010    feature phones smartphones, PDAs & MIDs … @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

most are capable of consuming mobile web of some sort @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

do you have a mobile web app? @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

opportunities always with the user, not bound to a PC  location-aware  different situations and contexts  more powerful than you imagine  the infrastructure just needs to catch up @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

limits screen size, resolution & orientation  input sucks  yes, even on the iphone  slow CPUs, no RAM complex stuff takes ages to parse and display  slow networks bigger stuff takes ages to load @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

problems @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

flaky network connections error handling is your first component  light AJAX, if you can  depending on your use-case, a local database to allow for offline/resync  @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

forget progressive enhancement & graceful degradation too many platforms, maintenance is a nightmare  mobile browsers that strip down content are a big hit  Opera Mini, Skyfire… @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

solutions? the facebook way  the Google Mail way  the Google Buzz way  lowest common denominator  IE Mobile, NetFront (SonyEricsson), etc.  wurfl helps, but nowhere near a silver bullet @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

solutions? (II) one way or another, there can’t be a One True Mobile Web App  if you still don’t believe me: Mobile compatibility tables http://www.quirksmode.org/m/table.html  @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

outside the box things get even worse when you reach outside the browser  not important with “real” web but a big issue with mobile  almost no access  NO standardization, complete lack of proper documentation  @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

outside the box II composing an SMS with a predefined body and destination number  geo-location reliability  interface with camera & other HW  device events, notifications  @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

links QuirksMode compatibility charts http://www.quirksmode.org/m/  dotMobi Mobile Web Developer’s guide  http://mobiforge.com/starting/story/dotmobi-mobile-web-developers-guide  WURFL http://wurfl.sourceforge.net/ @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

questions? @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile

thank you Luka Kladaric  @allixsenos  luka@designeus.hr  www.designeus.hr  @allixsenos #mclj Web applications for Mobile