Get Started with Mobile Web Applications OIT Lunch & Learn

Jason Casden, Digital Technologies Development Librarian David 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 applications 3

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” 4

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 21

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 22

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 23

Content Adaptation

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Testing

CC BY-SA 2.0: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wfryer/3929189 482/ 25

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Testing

Simulators and Emulators – Apple iPhone/iPhoney simulators – Android emulator Internal listserv Guerilla Testing 26

Recommendations

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Be Agile

• • • • Rapid development cycle Think iteratively Adjust to change quickly Avoid paralysis 28

Play

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Collaborate

• • • Campus efforts External projects Steal what you like – Improve it, so it can be stolen back 30