HTML 5 and the Mobile
        Web
  ILRT Staff Development Week, July, 2010

      Mike Jones (mike.a.jones@bris.ac.uk)
     & Damian Steer (d.steer@bristol.ac.uk)
Overview
•   Native applications vs Mobile Web

•   Current mobile support for Webkit

•   W3C recommendations for mobile websites

•   HTML 5 ... a very brief potted history

•   The video and audio tags

•   Offline storage and application cache

•   CSS 3 support

•   Support for gestures
Phone            SMS           Contacts


      GPS            Compass         Bluetooth


     Storage         Offline use       Video


Why bother with web applications?

      Audio          Graphics        Animation


       3D         Motion detection   Gestures


     Camera            Music         Calendar
Why bother with web applications?
Phone            SMS           Contacts


      GPS            Compass         Bluetooth


     Storage         Offline use       Video


Why bother with web applications?

      Audio          Graphics        Animation


       3D         Motion detection   Gestures


     Camera            Music         Calendar
Current mobile support
      for webkit
                                   Engine                  HTML 5 (*)
      Mobile Safari                Webkit                       Yes
        Android                    Webkit                       Yes
  Blackberry 6 Browser             Webkit                       Yes
       Symbian 3                   Webkit                       Yes
        MeeGo                Webkit (Chromium)                  Yes
    Internet Explorer         Internet Explorer 7               No
    WebOS Browser                  Webkit                       Yes
    Bada OS Browser                Webkit                      Yes?
     Opera Mobile             Opera Presto 2.2                  Yes
       Opera Mini             Opera Presto 2.2                  Yes
         Fennec                     Firefox                     Yes
Myriad (former Openwave)           Webkit                       No
     BOLT Browser                  Webkit                        ?

    (*)HTML support might not mean support for the whole specification.
Source: http://radar.oreilly.com/2010/05/mobile-operating-systems-and-b.html
W3C Recommendations
 for the Mobile Web
•   Mobile Best Practices (last updated 2008)
    http://www.w3.org/TR/mobile-bp/

•   One Web

•   Expected stuff: reduce network traffic, set
    caches, set character encoding, don’t use tables
    for layout, dump image maps etc.

•   mobileOK validator:
    http://validator.w3.org/mobile/
HTML 5 ... a very brief
      potted history
•   2004: Web Hypertext Application Technology Working
    Group (WHATWG) - Apple, Mozilla and Opera - started
    work on Web Applications 1.0

•   Meanwhile W3C is working on XHTML 2.0

•   2007: W3C drops XHTML and forms HTMLWG

•   2008: first draft of HTML 5 is published

•   WHATWG and W3C both maintain specification
    documents

•   Watching the process is entertaining, if not confusing:
    http://lastweekinhtml5.blogspot.com/
The video and audio tags

• video and audio tags are similar
• Strategies for dealing with browsers that
  don’t support the tag, or those that
  support the tag but specific codecs
• They are just elements - can be
  manipulated by CSS and JavaScript
Big Buck Bunny in Stages
On the iPhone
Working offline:
    the application cache

• <html manifest=”my.manifest”>
• text/cache-manifest
• Specify which resources can be cached,
  which are live
• Seems easy. Bit fiddly in practice.
Working offline:
       Persistence

• No more google gears or cookie hacks!
• Not one, but three options!
• Tread carefully, standards politics beast
  approaching...
Working offline:
       localStorage
• localStorage.setItem(key, value)
• localStorage.getItem(key)
• removeItem(key), clear()
• same domain origin scope
• Simple! Widely supported!
Working Offline:
  Web SQL Database
• Finally, SQL in your browser
• Transactions, prepared statements, joins...
• Synchronous and Asynchronous APIs
• Available in WebKit
• ][ chance of being a recommendation
• Firefox and IE won’t support it
Working Offline:
Indexed Database API
• Store objects with fields
• Create indexes over the object store
• Transactions, key ranges, cursors
• Synchronous and Asynchronous API
Working Offline:
Indexed Database API
connection = db.indexedDB.open("Fruits", "A Fruit Database!");

fruits = connection.createObjectStore("A Fruity Object Store", "fruit", true);
fruitIndexByColor = fruits.createIndex("A Fruity Index", "color", false);

fruits.put({ fruit: "Apple", color: "Red" });
fruits.put({ fruit: "Tangerine", color: "Orange" });
fruits.put({ fruit: "Grape", color: "Purple" });

var cursor = fruitIndexByColor.openCursor(undefined, db.IDBCursor.NEXT_NO_DUPLICATE);

assertEquals("Orange", cursor.key);
assertEquals("Tangerine", cursor.value);
cursor.continue();

assertEquals("Purple", cursor.key);
assertEquals("Grape", cursor.value);
cursor.continue();

assertEquals("Red", cursor.key);
assertEquals("Apple", cursor.value);
assertFalse(cursor.continue());
cursor.close();
Working Offline:
Indexed Database API
• No implementations currently
• Mozilla and Webkit working on it
• Much better chance of becoming a
  recommendation
• Suspect libraries will fill usability gap
CSS 3 Support
•   WWDC 2010 videos via iTunes (need a developer
    account - free)
    http://developer.apple.com/videos/wwdc/2010/

          •   Session 503 - CSS Effects, Part 1: UI
              Elements and Navigation

          •   Session 504 - CSS Effects, Part 2:
              Galleries and 3D Effects

•   Introduction to CSS 3 (Working Draft)
    http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/WD-css3-
A few features ...
• @font-face
• webkit-box-shadow
• -webkit-gradient (linear and radiant). These
  can be assigned to a background image.
• border-radius
• -webkit-box-reflect
• -webkit-transition
A pointless example in
       stages ...
A richer demo from
         WWDC 2010




No images or plug-ins are used - just HTML, CSS and
                     JavaScript.
Works on a phone ...




      Source code
Apple demo - transitions
     and JavaScript




        Source code
Support for gestures
•




                               http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gesture_raised_fist_with_index_and_pinky_lifted.jpg
    Touch screen devices
    emulate a mouse with
    buttons reasonable well

•   WebKit supports new
    event types for gestures

•   Also supports low-level
    touch events

•   Not standard!
Support for gestures:
         high level

• gesturestart, gesturechange, gestureend
• element.addEventListener(..., handler, false)
• event.scale, event.rotation
Support for gestures:
         low level
• touchstart, touchmove, touchend,
  touchcancel
• event.touches
• event.targetTouches
• event.changedTouches
• Handle cancel
Questions?

HTML5 and the Mobile Web

  • 1.
    HTML 5 andthe Mobile Web ILRT Staff Development Week, July, 2010 Mike Jones (mike.a.jones@bris.ac.uk) & Damian Steer (d.steer@bristol.ac.uk)
  • 2.
    Overview • Native applications vs Mobile Web • Current mobile support for Webkit • W3C recommendations for mobile websites • HTML 5 ... a very brief potted history • The video and audio tags • Offline storage and application cache • CSS 3 support • Support for gestures
  • 3.
    Phone SMS Contacts GPS Compass Bluetooth Storage Offline use Video Why bother with web applications? Audio Graphics Animation 3D Motion detection Gestures Camera Music Calendar
  • 4.
    Why bother withweb applications?
  • 5.
    Phone SMS Contacts GPS Compass Bluetooth Storage Offline use Video Why bother with web applications? Audio Graphics Animation 3D Motion detection Gestures Camera Music Calendar
  • 6.
    Current mobile support for webkit Engine HTML 5 (*) Mobile Safari Webkit Yes Android Webkit Yes Blackberry 6 Browser Webkit Yes Symbian 3 Webkit Yes MeeGo Webkit (Chromium) Yes Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 7 No WebOS Browser Webkit Yes Bada OS Browser Webkit Yes? Opera Mobile Opera Presto 2.2 Yes Opera Mini Opera Presto 2.2 Yes Fennec Firefox Yes Myriad (former Openwave) Webkit No BOLT Browser Webkit ? (*)HTML support might not mean support for the whole specification. Source: http://radar.oreilly.com/2010/05/mobile-operating-systems-and-b.html
  • 7.
    W3C Recommendations forthe Mobile Web • Mobile Best Practices (last updated 2008) http://www.w3.org/TR/mobile-bp/ • One Web • Expected stuff: reduce network traffic, set caches, set character encoding, don’t use tables for layout, dump image maps etc. • mobileOK validator: http://validator.w3.org/mobile/
  • 8.
    HTML 5 ...a very brief potted history • 2004: Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG) - Apple, Mozilla and Opera - started work on Web Applications 1.0 • Meanwhile W3C is working on XHTML 2.0 • 2007: W3C drops XHTML and forms HTMLWG • 2008: first draft of HTML 5 is published • WHATWG and W3C both maintain specification documents • Watching the process is entertaining, if not confusing: http://lastweekinhtml5.blogspot.com/
  • 9.
    The video andaudio tags • video and audio tags are similar • Strategies for dealing with browsers that don’t support the tag, or those that support the tag but specific codecs • They are just elements - can be manipulated by CSS and JavaScript
  • 10.
    Big Buck Bunnyin Stages
  • 11.
  • 12.
    Working offline: the application cache • <html manifest=”my.manifest”> • text/cache-manifest • Specify which resources can be cached, which are live • Seems easy. Bit fiddly in practice.
  • 13.
    Working offline: Persistence • No more google gears or cookie hacks! • Not one, but three options! • Tread carefully, standards politics beast approaching...
  • 14.
    Working offline: localStorage • localStorage.setItem(key, value) • localStorage.getItem(key) • removeItem(key), clear() • same domain origin scope • Simple! Widely supported!
  • 15.
    Working Offline: Web SQL Database • Finally, SQL in your browser • Transactions, prepared statements, joins... • Synchronous and Asynchronous APIs • Available in WebKit • ][ chance of being a recommendation • Firefox and IE won’t support it
  • 16.
    Working Offline: Indexed DatabaseAPI • Store objects with fields • Create indexes over the object store • Transactions, key ranges, cursors • Synchronous and Asynchronous API
  • 17.
    Working Offline: Indexed DatabaseAPI connection = db.indexedDB.open("Fruits", "A Fruit Database!"); fruits = connection.createObjectStore("A Fruity Object Store", "fruit", true); fruitIndexByColor = fruits.createIndex("A Fruity Index", "color", false); fruits.put({ fruit: "Apple", color: "Red" }); fruits.put({ fruit: "Tangerine", color: "Orange" }); fruits.put({ fruit: "Grape", color: "Purple" }); var cursor = fruitIndexByColor.openCursor(undefined, db.IDBCursor.NEXT_NO_DUPLICATE); assertEquals("Orange", cursor.key); assertEquals("Tangerine", cursor.value); cursor.continue(); assertEquals("Purple", cursor.key); assertEquals("Grape", cursor.value); cursor.continue(); assertEquals("Red", cursor.key); assertEquals("Apple", cursor.value); assertFalse(cursor.continue()); cursor.close();
  • 18.
    Working Offline: Indexed DatabaseAPI • No implementations currently • Mozilla and Webkit working on it • Much better chance of becoming a recommendation • Suspect libraries will fill usability gap
  • 19.
    CSS 3 Support • WWDC 2010 videos via iTunes (need a developer account - free) http://developer.apple.com/videos/wwdc/2010/ • Session 503 - CSS Effects, Part 1: UI Elements and Navigation • Session 504 - CSS Effects, Part 2: Galleries and 3D Effects • Introduction to CSS 3 (Working Draft) http://www.w3.org/TR/2001/WD-css3-
  • 20.
    A few features... • @font-face • webkit-box-shadow • -webkit-gradient (linear and radiant). These can be assigned to a background image. • border-radius • -webkit-box-reflect • -webkit-transition
  • 21.
    A pointless examplein stages ...
  • 22.
    A richer demofrom WWDC 2010 No images or plug-ins are used - just HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
  • 23.
    Works on aphone ... Source code
  • 24.
    Apple demo -transitions and JavaScript Source code
  • 25.
    Support for gestures • http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gesture_raised_fist_with_index_and_pinky_lifted.jpg Touch screen devices emulate a mouse with buttons reasonable well • WebKit supports new event types for gestures • Also supports low-level touch events • Not standard!
  • 26.
    Support for gestures: high level • gesturestart, gesturechange, gestureend • element.addEventListener(..., handler, false) • event.scale, event.rotation
  • 27.
    Support for gestures: low level • touchstart, touchmove, touchend, touchcancel • event.touches • event.targetTouches • event.changedTouches • Handle cancel
  • 28.

Editor's Notes

  • #4 Ok, but suppose I want to take advantage of these features?
  • #5 Even if you want to cover only ~80% of market that&apos;s quite a few systems. We will return to this
  • #6 And many web clients can do a surprising amount. _Apple_ only introduced apps in second major version of iPhone OS. -- Web was way to go. -- Note (neglected) showcase. I will show how in a little while.