Sean Walther's Blog

Web Developers: How to develop for iPhone / iPad / iPod Mobile Safari

In short, don’t.  It’s an uphill fight.

There are a few obstacles in developing for the iPhone / iPad I thought I’d post while it was on my mind:

• How can I test my “mobile” site?
• How can I see errors on my iPhone?
• Why is the iPad and iPhone different?

Basically Apple has decided to make life difficult for web developers.  This was ideally done to improve the user experience on their mobile platforms, but I don’t think it was fully thought out.

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Tags: Android, Apple, iPad, iPhone, iPod, jQuery, Mobile Safari, Opera, Safari, safari browser, safari options, web developers, xcode

Adobe launches Flash Player 10.1 beta for Android!

From the Adobe Newsflash:

The Adobe® Flash® Platform has received several big updates. Adobe recently launched a public beta of Flash Player 10.1 for Android™ at Google I/O, the first full version of the Flash Player designed specifically for mobile devices. In addition, Adobe Creative Suite® 5 software has now started shipping, with Adobe Flash Builder™ 4 and Adobe Flash Catalyst™ now part of Adobe Creative Suite 5 Web Premium.

This means full flash support on the Android 2.2 platform.

Some research reveals not only will the mobile Flash player support flash, but it will also tap into accelerometers, and handle gestures.  Adobe has implemented many performance enhancements to make sure the mobile platform isn’t as “gimp” as Apple would like to lead us to believe.

Tags: Adobe, Android, Flash

Wi-Fi Sync Rejected by Apple App Store (of course) — only for Jailbroken iPhones now

I had posted a few weeks ago that a developer had submitted a wireless sync app to the App Store.

Unfortunately it seems the app has been rejected, and will now be available only in Cydia for $9.99

It’s getting annoying how the iPhone platform could be so cool, but isn’t because Apple says we won’t like it.  That’s what happens when you rely upon that platform.  I get closer to going Android every day.

Tags: Android, App Store, Apple, Cydia, iPhone, iphones, jailbreak, jailbroken

Adobe demos Android Table with Flash (and Air)

From the article, Adobe Shows Google Android Tablet as Apple iPad Alternative, Adobe has demoed an Android tablet.

Now bloggers have seen it in action, thanks to Adobe, which showed off an Android tablet at Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco, held May 3 to 6.

The images and videos (and laughs) come courtesy of Zedomax, which scored this scoop, noting the device supports Adobe Systems’ Flash and Air.

…

Google and Adobe later confirmed that Android would support Flash, the ultimate riposte alliance to Apple’s snubbing of Adobe.

Adobe is obviously trying to bite back at Apple for the many comments about how bad Adobe’s Flash platform is for mobile devices.

Will the table running Flash prove any of Steve Jobs’ ‘Thoughts on Flash’ wrong?

Watch the video:

Tags: Adobe, Android, apple ipad, Flash, Google, iPad, mobile devices, Steve Jobs, Tablet

Adobe CEO, Shantanu Narayen, responds to Steve Jobs’ “Thoughts on Flash”

Earlier I posted a response to the “Thoughts on Flash” article by Steve Jobs.  It seems Adobe has responded via a live-blog session on The Wall Street Journal.  I first saw this reported at Neowin.net, Adobe respond to Jobs’ “thoughts on Flash”.

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Tags: Adobe, Android, Apple, battery power, creative suite, developers, innovation, iPad, iPhone, narayan, smokescreen, Steve Jobs, wall street journal

Flash on the G1, Android OS — it works

We’ve been waiting for it, and the G1 has now demoed running Flash Player 10.

Andy Ruben has demoed that Flash can run on Android.  In Andy Ruben demos Flash on the G1; it won’t be long now, we read that on November 17th at the Adobe MAX event Andy Ruben was able to demo Flash.  

See the video below:

Tags: Adobe MAX, Android, Andy Ruben, Flash, G1, Google

Google Android GPhone #2

With all the “hype” around the T-Mobile G1, what did we get?

Certainly not enough.  

Now we are waiting to see what happens with the – Agora.  

The Kogan Agora, powered by the Android Operating System will be the first phone in Australia powered by the Android software.

That’s right, Australia.  Will it get to the states?  It looks cool enough, but what about the specs?

• 2.5-inch TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen with 262k QVGA (320 X 240 pixel) resolution
• 5-Way Central Navigation Key
• QWERTY Keyboard
• Bluetooth 2.0
• Built in Mic and Speaker
• Headphone output
• Video: JPEG2, H263, H264, MPEG4, AVI
• HxWxD – 108mm x 64mm x 14.8mm
• Weight: 130g
• 1300 mAh Lithium-ion battery
• Up to 400 minutes Talk Time
• Up to 300 hours Standby Time
• 624 MHz processor
• 256 MB On-board + 128 MB Flash
• microSD card expansion slot
• VERY IMPORTANT: UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz), GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)

Silicon Alley Insider reports on the release as well, Another Google Android GPhone On The Way (GOOG).

Dan Frommer, of Silicon Alley Insider, says that this phone woudl work better with AT&T than T-Mobile, as it doesn’t support the 1700 MHz frequency that T-Mobile uses for 3G.

Tags: 3g, Agora, Android, AT&T, Dan Frommer, G1, GOOG, Google, gPhone, Kogan Agora, phone, Silicon Alley Insider, T-Mobile

Android and Silverlight will help the iPhone

So the #1 competition that the iPhone has, Google’s Android — and Apple’s big rival’s, Microsoft’s, rich web plug-in Silverlight — Will both help the iPhone?

Absolutely.

Lets all be honest here, Apple’s been holding control of the iPhone in too close.  We all have wanted GPS navigtion (real gps navigation), VOIP applications, alternative email applications, alternative podcasting apps, better browsing experience, and an overall better experience.

Until now, Apple had the final say on all of those things.  Preventing applications that competed with the iPhone’s core functionality, relenting to implement common technologies such as VOIP applications, Flash in Safari, and other nice to have’s.

With the Android platform out there, we can all bet it will soon have both Flash and Silverlight running.  It’s just a matter of time.  

Apple can’t afford to be so stringent, with a fairly capable competitor doing things that will gain it significant market share.

I love my iPhone, but if the Android gets flash and Silverlight (not that I’m a fan of Silverlight, but at least it’s something) — I’d probably give Apple a week or 2 to make an announcement, then go right out and get one.  Not only that, I’d happily leave AT&T for another provider. 

We all hope Apple sees this, and starts helping us out.

Tags: Android, AT&T, Flash, iPhone, Microsoft, Safari, Silverlight

CNET reviews the T-Mobile G1, Google Android

Here’s a video of CNET‘s hands on with the T-Mobile G1:

Tags: Android, G1, Google, T-Mobile

Finally, the new T-Mobile G1 at Engadget

Engadget has posted some hands-on coverage of the T-Mobile G1.

Can this device rival the iPhone?  

Based on the pure specs, yes:

• WiFi
• 3G
• 3 Megapixel Camera (iPhone’s still stuck at 2)
• Android Market
• Amazon’s mobile MP3 store
• Google Maps
• Over the Air synchronization! (this is a big deal for me, I’m not sure how well it works, but why can’t my iPhone with WiFi access at least, synchronize over the air?)
• PUSH Gmail support
• Full QWERTY Keyboard

Tags: Android, Apple, engadget, G1, gPhone, iPhone, T-Mobile