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Apple Launches WebApps Directory
- Thread starter Sean7512
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but there is a free sms app... if anything was prohibited by att, you would think it would be something like this... so i would say its not because aim clients are prohibited
Fine points, to be sure, but, The Steve made an oddly large deal in January about it running OSX, and as such, ought to wonderfully handle misbehaving or poorly written binaries.
Additionally, we've already seen what happens when apps crash on the iPhone, most notably Safari. It seems to silently pause a bit, and drop you back on the home screen. So, one may suspect that any evil app will simply "stop" and the iPhone will return the user to a useable state, at the home screen.
This WebApp thing is all clever, but I bet 100% of these people are making fixed-width, fixed resolution pages, which means in a year, when there are larger (in resolution) devices, all these webpages will be screwy looking. That ALONE makes me wish Apple would be coming out with at least a Webapp UI guideline. Hardcoding these apps to the current resolution of the current iPhone will create a future mess.
Many apps can be "used" offline (for example, all of mine listed in that directory), but they need to be loaded into the browser while online. When I fly, I usually load a few games into the browser tabs, then I can continue playing even while in airplane mode.
Bingo. Most (if not all) of these apps need a persistent internet connection to work, anyway, since you're not going to download the entire FaceBook or Fandango dataset to your iPhone (not that it would fit, anyway).
I'm impressed with what people come up with using plain old JavaScript--like the Missile Command game. Touch might make that old game fun for the first time 
http://www.apple.com/webapps/games
But it could be IF they let you store web apps on the phone itself. (And since a stable, fully-supported SDK isn't possible yet, some substitute is needed and welcome. Apple may "get" the desire for an SDK, but that doesn't make it possible to deliver. I don't think people appreciate just how new the iPhone platform is, and how big the changes may be that Apple will make as they evolve and improve it. I want Apple to be free to make those improvements, rather than freezing the OS "as is" so that developers can have an SDK that's stable.)
Never thought of that Or it would be cool if Apple implemented the reverse:
Make an iPhoneClip of some site, and then upload it to your .Mac or FTP server, or even your own Personal Web Sharing. Bingo--your own custom "iPhone app." (But I'm not sure the original site owners would be happy if you shared the URL! The feature might have to be tied to a single phone to avoid abuse.)
http://www.apple.com/webapps/games
But it could be IF they let you store web apps on the phone itself. (And since a stable, fully-supported SDK isn't possible yet, some substitute is needed and welcome. Apple may "get" the desire for an SDK, but that doesn't make it possible to deliver. I don't think people appreciate just how new the iPhone platform is, and how big the changes may be that Apple will make as they evolve and improve it. I want Apple to be free to make those improvements, rather than freezing the OS "as is" so that developers can have an SDK that's stable.)
These will work really well with the new Leopard Web Clip Dashboard widget.
Never thought of that
Or it would be cool if Apple implemented the reverse:Make an iPhoneClip of some site, and then upload it to your .Mac or FTP server, or even your own Personal Web Sharing. Bingo--your own custom "iPhone app." (But I'm not sure the original site owners would be happy if you shared the URL! The feature might have to be tied to a single phone to avoid abuse.)
No offence, but what makes you think that you know better than the hundreds of brilliant engineers at Apple? Are Apple trying to pass off web development as an official iPhone SDK? No, so why are you acting like they are?
Apple's WebApp feedback form
Here is the link to Apple's WebApp feedback. Maybe everyone should flood it with the comments that have been made in this thread. Let them hear the good, the bad, and whatever.
http://www.apple.com/webapps/feedback/
This is what I sent:
"As an original first day adopter of the iPhone. I am very pleased with the iPhone overall. I have also paid close attention to news regarding the efforts & success of the 3rd party "hackers". I have no intention of compromising my iPhone with their methods to install 3rd party applications.
As has been demonstrated by these individuals it is obvious what can be done on the iPhone without bringing down a portion of AT&T's network. If the network was going to be brought down it would seem to me that would have occurred by now since these individuals had no official documentation on how to develop or install these applications. They basically were shooting into the dark.
It would be much appreciated if these type of applications are allowed to be developed & installed on the iPhone.
Please allow the development of 3rd party applications be brought out of the back alley and have a formal process to follow.
This would be of mutual benefit to all.
Thank you,"
Here is the link to Apple's WebApp feedback. Maybe everyone should flood it with the comments that have been made in this thread. Let them hear the good, the bad, and whatever.
http://www.apple.com/webapps/feedback/
This is what I sent:
"As an original first day adopter of the iPhone. I am very pleased with the iPhone overall. I have also paid close attention to news regarding the efforts & success of the 3rd party "hackers". I have no intention of compromising my iPhone with their methods to install 3rd party applications.
As has been demonstrated by these individuals it is obvious what can be done on the iPhone without bringing down a portion of AT&T's network. If the network was going to be brought down it would seem to me that would have occurred by now since these individuals had no official documentation on how to develop or install these applications. They basically were shooting into the dark.
It would be much appreciated if these type of applications are allowed to be developed & installed on the iPhone.
Please allow the development of 3rd party applications be brought out of the back alley and have a formal process to follow.
This would be of mutual benefit to all.
Thank you,"
This is rediculous!
I do NOT like the WebApps concept at all!
Its taking forever for the apps to load, and im always having a bad connection with edge!
Very disappointed!
I do NOT like the WebApps concept at all!
Its taking forever for the apps to load, and im always having a bad connection with edge!
Very disappointed!
Anyone notice how next to every app is an icon? I wonder if Apple will soon let iPhone/touch users place those icons on the springboard.
engadget
no, Im sure apple knows it, it just assumes its users don't know anything about internet.
gizmodo
no, Im sure apple knows it, it just assumes its users don't know anything about internet.
don't see anything brilliant from this, maybe those hundreds of engineers are not that brilliant after all.
They're (mostly) "internet applications", so why shouldn't they be accessed and operated through a web page?
See, the problem with Apple's strategy right now is that those 'brilliant engineers' are engaged firefighting the effort to break into their good work. Even if that is minimal effort it would still be better spent making the iPhone more like the portable computer Jobs sold to everyone at the start of the year. I think the expectation was raised that it would be a nice open platform that could possibly change mobile computing.
If Apple let it be that open platform (let 3rd party apps on and not run as 'root'(!!!)) then it could do that. Simple.
That is why were all discussing this endlessly on this forum.
not bad. It doesn't seem very iPhone friendly though. It takes awhile just to load the main site. Besides that it is a step in the rght direction. Hopefully they will allow these to go offline onto the phone. That would be awesome. Great start, can't wait to see what leopard brings.
-Telp
-Telp
My kingdom for some honest to goodness "Useful" smartphone aplications such as cut and paste, mms, flash, save picture or file to iPhone, etc. Cmon Apple, why are you fighting us on this? Why should I have to access a vulnerable web site just to run an application?
I wonder if those complaining about how these are JUST web pages, and how you HAVE to be online to use them (the nerve!) direct the same complaints at Google or Digg or, err, MacRumors.
No, the problem is you automatically assume that nothing is happening behind closed doors in respect to 3rd party apps. We. Dont. Know. Anything.
Just because Apple is pushing the webapp idea (which probably involves zero of said engineers given that it is just a database), does not mean that they are neglecting work on more interesting stuff.... and vice versa of course.
I just find it amazing that every Mac Rumors forum member thinks they know whats better for the long term success of Apple and the iPhone than Apple themselves..... as if Apple wants the thing to fail.