Get Started with Mobile Web ApplicationsOIT Lunch & Learn
Jason Casden, Digital Technologies Development LibrarianDavid Woodbury, NCSU Libraries Fellow
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When to Make a Native App
• Charging for it• Creating a game• Using specific locations*• Using cameras• Using accelerometers• Accessing the filesystems• Offline users
* Actually available to web-based applications3
The Case for Mobile Web Apps
“I believe that unless your application meets one of these native application criteria, you should not create a native application, but should instead focus on building a mobile web application.”
— Brian Fling, “Mobile Design and Development”
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WolfWalk, Two Ways
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Our mobile services• Locations & Hours• Computer Availability• Book & Article Search• Room Reservations• GroupFinder message board• Reference Services• News & Events• Webcam Feeds• Link to campus mobile site
Locations & Hours
Computer Availability
GroupFinder
What to mobilize?• What services are currently available?• What services are applicable on a mobile
device?• What services translate well to the mobile
environment?• What tools can be created easily?• What would be fun to see?
Don’t mobilize everything
11 links vs 100 links
Mobile is not just shrinking the page
Use only essential, relevant content
Use only essential, relevant content
Reduce options, simplify
Limit data to mobile context
Limit data to mobile context
• For time oriented data, we assume current day & time
• We assume action oriented
Expose hidden, useful content
Our tools
• Mobile website– XHTML 1.0 transitional– CSS– non-essential JavaScript and AJAX
• MIT Mobile Web Open Source Project• Leaned on pre-existing web services• Targeted higher-end devices
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No developers?
• Tools that require only HTML knowledge– WordPress, iWebKit, iUI, jQTouch, Dashcode…– Good for static content• Rapidly becoming more sophisticated
– Can help to build or prototype a mobile site very quickly
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No developers?
• Vendors– Boopsie, Terribly Clever…– Can manage mobile development process for you– You may lack control over the final product– May be expensive– Doesn’t develop internal expertise
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Content Adaptation
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Testing
CC BY-SA 2.0: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wfryer/3929189482/ 25
Testing
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• Simulators and Emulators– Apple iPhone/iPhoney simulators– Android emulator
• Internal listserv• Guerilla Testing
Recommendations
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Be Agile
• Rapid development cycle• Think iteratively• Adjust to change quickly• Avoid paralysis
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Play
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Collaborate
• Campus efforts• External projects• Steal what you like– Improve it, so it can be stolen back
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