We know how it is, you want to be a hotshot developer, but all that coding sounds like daunting work. Never mind, Apple’s got your back with its new iAds producer, which automates all the HTML5 and CSS3 stuff into the background and leaves you to focus on the crucial task of picking out templates and components for your perfect iAd. To be fair to this new dev tool, it does more than merely dumb down the design process. It also includes “sophisticated” JavaScript editing and debugging, a built-in simulator for testing your creation, and a project validator that checks your code for common errors. Hit the source link to give it a try.
The first update for the Google TV platform since its release is now available on Logitech and Sony devices, and takes major strides towards addressing issues we pointed out in our review. The antiquated Netflix app is now sporting a new HTML5 based UI that resembles the one seen on the PlayStation 3, while Dual View has addressed one of our biggest complaints by allowing users to move and resize the video window at will. Another major upgrade is support for an Android remote app arriving today with iPhone version “coming soon.” The last major update should be appreciated by Kevin Bacon stalkers enthusiasts with a new info page for movies that pulls in plenty of relevant information and availability online and from the listings all on one page. Our Sony Google TV had the 218 MB update downloaded and ready to install when we turned it on that also promised a few other updates on top of Google’s as seen above. We’ll check back in a moment to see how things are working — no word from Google yet on any progress breaking down the walls networks have put up around their streaming content — peep the updated Dual View and a video of the new remote control app after the break.
Update: The Google TV Remote for Android is now available in the Market, click this link from your Android device to download or snag the QR code after the break.
Netflix caused a lot of head scratching in October when it started rolling out its new, disc-free Netflix experience for the PS3. Namely, different people were getting a different UI, and there didn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to the differentiation. Well, it turns out Netflix was flexing a bit of its HTML5 muscle, rapidly testing different experiences to see which ones worked best for users, all without having to push out app updates or back-end changes to accommodate its indecision. Apparently, Netflix’s engineers actually ported WebKit to the PS3 to make all this possible, and hopefully it’s a sign of things to come in the HTML5 iPhone, iPad, and Android apps — which could probably use some serious sprucing, or even a bit of scattered rapid prototyping just to relieve the monotony. It’s also seems to be good news for other PS3 apps which can lean on the framework — presumably VUDU’s own HTML5-based UI took advantage of this when it landed on the PS3 in November. What we’d really love is if Sony and Google are secretly in cahoots to bring the entirety of Chrome and its couch-friendly Google TV UI with it. Hey, we can dream, right?
Although Skyfire for iPhone is almost exactly like its Android counterpart, it’s still not available for download in the App Store due to server issues, so we thought you might want to see how it works. We’ve seen improvements on the Flash-to-HTML5 conversion servers in the past day or so, which makes watching videos a breeze. The app itself serves as a fully functional browser with the usual features you’d hope to find: bookmarking, a dedicated search bar, custom homepage, and even private browsing. Pages render rather quickly, although scrolling and pinching to zoom is a little rough around the edges. As for actually watching Flash videos, it couldn’t be easier — once you’ve navigated to a page embedded with a video, a popup window will appear and you’re good to go. Sadly, though, the browser lacks the ability to scrub videos. But hey, if you’ve been waiting three-plus years to play flash videos on your 3.5-inch display, Skyfire might (or might not) be the solution to your burning desire. Be sure to check out the browser in action after the break!
Today Adobe either stunned the world! Or proved many of its citizens right in thinking they’d eventually make a move on HTML5 in the following way – a simple conversion tool. The announcement of such a tool took place at Adobe MAX 2010 which took place October 23-27, 2010, in Los Angeles California. This is a big convention where speakers speak and creators talk to each other and everyone learns about all the fabulous stuff Adobe has up their sleeves. Take a peek at the video of the announcement by engineer Rik Cabanier below.
As Adobe writer John Nack says: “Are you surprised? Don’t be. As I’ve written many times, Adobe lives or dies by its ability to help customers solve real problems. That means putting pragmatism ahead of ideology.” Wild words. Especially wild considering the slightly related news of Adobe CEO saying recently “We’ve moved on” on the Apple Flash argument.
Of course, HTML5 does not = Apple. It’s not that simple. HTML5, if you don’t know, is basically “Flash stuff without Flash.” It can be used very loosely as an overall-term for things such as SVG, CSS3 (my favorite!), Canvas, and more. Adobe products wont export to a magical file format called HTML5 the same way you’d save as a JPG, it’s more like saving a whole webpage (and everything in it.) Just Flashless. Seems like we can be friends after all.
Take a bit of notice and remember last spring when the talk of the town was the fact that Apple was pushing for HTML5 to be the standard for video on the web. Opposite what? Adobe’s flash player. Where a year ago basically everything you saw as far as video was based in flash, now the standard has all but completely switched over to HTML5 – to a point.
Steve Jobs insisted on pushing the idea that online video meant having to be “HTML5 compatible. Video search engine MeFeedia took a look at some figures and says now, October 2010, that 54% of web video is available for playback in HTML5, that number being double what it was 5 months previous. That’s a jump if ever have I seen one. MeFeedia also notes the following HTML5 holdouts, each of them still mainly flash-based:
Full episodes from the major TV Networks (including Hulu)
Most cable network content, particularly long-form video
Metacafe, MySpace Video, 5min
Live video sites such as Ustream and Justin.tv
International sites such as Tu.tv, Youku, and Sevenload
But take note: as evidenced by Hulu’s “Hulu Plus” subscription (a pay service) that allows you to play their content using HTML on your iPad, the switchover to HTML5 completely is, as it often is, due to the fact that groups can continue to make money from your blistering need for functionality. As long as there is capitalism in the world, there’ll still be people selling you VCR tapes and 8-track music at their garage sales. That’s just the reality of the situation.
Things are turning upside down in Espoo today. Besides, earnings and reported job cuts of some 1,800 employees, Nokia also announced that it’ll be streamlining its development strategy to unify environments for Symbian and MeeGo. Nokia’s new approach calls for the adoption of Qt, and only Qt, as its application development framework from today onward. Here’s what that means for new N8 owners:
You can buy a Nokia smartphone confident that any improvements introduced later to the Symbian platform, such as the user interface, can be made available to download on your device as well. No need to wait for Symbian^4 – the improvements we were planning for Symbian^4 will be introduced as and when they become available. In fact, we will no longer be talking about Symbian^3 or Symbian^4 at all – it will be one constantly evolving and constantly improving platform.
Sounds like a smart move to us. After all, it’s Symbian’s UI, and not the OS, that we have the most trouble with — an issue that Nokia readily concedes. So the faster they can improve it — even pieces of it in a continuous evolution of the experience — the better. Nokia also announced support for HTML5 web content and applications for the Symbian and MeeGo platforms in both Qt and the browser. Click through for the press release and to hear Rich Green, Nokia CTO, discuss the new strategy.
Tired of waiting around for Apple’s “review process” to complete? So was PlayOn. Rather than sticking it out and dealing with the App Store’s near-limitless amount of red tape, the content streaming startup has kicked out an HTML5 web app that enables Hulu (for now, at least) and Netflix streaming to iPod touch and iPhone devices. It’s still hard at work perfecting things for the iPad, but given that it’s completely free to surf over to its mobile web site (linked below), it’s tough to complain with what we’re being given right now. Early testers have praised the app’s speed, and while you’ll still need a Windows PC (yeah, PlayOn still doesn’t have a Mac client) and a PlayOn subscription before indulging on your mobile, at least you’ve got an option that you once didn’t. So, anyone digging the new avenue?
YouTube’s Leanback lounge-friendly UI has launched, with a new HDTV-friendly UI and default settings that automatically play videos full-screen and in as high definition as is available. Meanwhile, for somewhat smaller displays, the new YouTube Mobile site has been rolled out, complete with HTML5 video support for compatibility with a broader number of mobile devices.
Video demo after the cut
Leanback pulls in suggestions based on your settings, preferences, subscriptions, friends on YouTube and – if you’ve linked the accounts – your Facebook friends, together with the most popular comedy, entertainment, news and other channels. The right arrow key skips ahead to the next video, while the up/down arrows access search, player controls, and browse channels and videos.
To access Leanback head to www.youtube.com/leanback and – as long as you’re signed in – you’ll see a customized feed of videos lined up waiting for you to enjoy. Meanwhile YouTube Mobile is at m.youtube.com
We already knew that Apple was likely ratcheting up the social networking integration in iOS 4 — that is, if the addition of Linked Contacts and .plist entries referring to Facebook means anything (and it probably does). Adding further flame to the fire, the gang at 9to5Mac.com have dug up a bit of code that appears to handle video exporting to the popular social networking site. As near as we can tell, users will be able to send files at 480 x 480, 30 FPS — and since Facebook is already using HTML5, you won’t have that pesky Steve Jobs / Flash thing to worry about.
