WebApps posts

Filed under: Internet, Web services, Google

Google to unveil a Wave-inspired, unified interface across its web apps

by Sebastian Anthony Nov 9th 2009

Our sister blog Engadget is reporting -- based on some leaked screenshots -- that Google may be moving to roll out a single cohesive interface for all its web apps.

The screenshots come from an anonymous source and are as-yet unverified, but it would make sense given their obvious intentions to centralize a lot of the Web's communication channels into Google Wave.

With the eventual (but sooner-rather-than-later) release of Chrome OS, a unified, standardized, user-friendly UI is an obvious step forward. Judging by the gallery of screengrabs over on Engadget, it would seem the change-over to the new interface is not all that far away -- and don't be surprised if you see a Userscript pop up to apply the updated interface before Google makes the change official anyway!

[via Engadget]

Tags: google, google wave, GoogleWave, UI, web apps, WebApps

Filed under: Web services, Beta, Browsers

Opera 10.10 beta puts Unite front and center

by Jay Hathaway Oct 14th 2009

When Opera 10 launched without one of its most-hyped features, Opera Unite, browser geeks had to install a separate build to test it out. Opera developers have now merged the two, integrating Unite into the main browser in Opera 10.10 Beta.

As we've reported before, Unite is a "web server within a web browser" that allows you to download and run various web applications. What does this mean for the average user? You can access your files from anywhere, and easily share them with friends.

The first Unite apps are all about sharing. There's a media player to share music, a general file storage app, a web server app to host sites, and even a "fridge" app where you can leave notes for your friends. Media Player will probably get a lot of the early hype, as it lets you stream music from your machine to another computer with iTunes, WInamp, or your other player of choice (as long as it supports streaming playlists). Unite is still in the early stages, but no other browser has even attempted to do what Opera is doing in this space.

Tags: browser, opera, opera 10, Opera10, unite, web apps, WebApps

Filed under: Business, Windows, Web services, Microsoft, Commercial, Web, Windows x64

Microsoft starts Office Web Apps preview

by Nik Fletcher Sep 17th 2009

Microsoft's online efforts against the likes of Zoho and Google Docs has officially kicked off - with Redmond announcing that they're slowly rolling out a Technical Preview of the online applications for your and I to test. Initially, the testing places are limited - and as it's really a Beta, some things will potentially not work (or missing entirely in the case of OneNote).

Keen to ensure we don't write off this (admittedly-late) foray into the online office arena, Microsoft is of course working hard to remind folks why Office Web Apps is different from Google Docs: the ability to seamlessly move from the desktop apps you know to 'The Cloud'. As the desktop integration is something that Google hasn't really focused on (and, let's face it, Google aren't the ones with a pre-eminent office suite to integrate with), the Web Apps are planned to be fully integrated with the forthcoming Office 2010 release.

If you're feeling plucky and want to get using the Office Web Apps preview, Microsoft are now accepting signups via the Office 2010 website - and plan to release Office Web Apps officially early next year. You'll need Windows Live Skydrive to get involved in the Technical Preview, and Microsoft are intending to make OneNote Web App and other services available 'at a later date'.

[via PC World]

Update: And just like that, the Technical Preview is closed (at least for now) due to 'high demand'. We'll let you know when it re-opens.

Tags: Microsoft Office, MicrosoftOffice, Office 2010, Office2010, WebApps

Filed under: Developer, Open Source, web 2.0

Cappuccino and Objective-J make for a tasty open-source web app framework

by Jay Hathaway Sep 15th 2008

Web applications that function like familiar desktop apps are all the rage these days. Web apps already have the advantage of being accessible from everywhere, but add in a UI that works like something users already know, and you've got something pretty cool. Cappuccino is an up-and-coming way of getting this done, and the code is now all open-source. It's a framework for building apps like this using some tools that are already pretty standard on the web, like Javascript, combined with what's basically a port of Apple's Cocoa APIs, and tying it all together with a language called Objective-J.

Objective-J is to Javascript what Objective-C was to C. As the Cappuccino site puts it, "programs written in Objective-J are interpreted in the client, so no compilation or plugins are required." Beautiful. The developers are pretty clear that Cappuccino is just for apps, not for building websites with "dynamic content," or whatever the kids are calling it these days. Want to see Cappuccino in action? We've actually already reviewed the first great Cappuccino app, 280 North's excellent presentation software, 280Slides.

Tags: 280North, cappuccino, Cocoa, objective-c, objective-j, web apps, WebApps

Filed under: Developer, Internet, Web services, Apple, Open Source

SproutCore gets huge buzz ahead of MobileMe launch

by Jay Hathaway Jun 16th 2008

Since it was revealed that Apple's recently-announced .mac replacement, MobileMe, was partially built on something called SproutCore, the buzz around this hot new JavaScript framework has been growing. Although this is the first that many people will have heard about it, SproutCore has actually been around for a while, powering services like .mac's Mobile Galleries. Now it's getting so much attention that SproutCore.com has been unreachable all day, a week after the WWDC announcement.

So, why SproutCore? Daniel Eran Dilger, over at RoughlyDrafted, has a great rundown of things to love about this open source JavaScript framework: it will allow developers to build web apps that look more like desktop apps, function offline, and take advantage of modern browser features. Apple's using SproutCore to build a front end for WebDav and its own WebObjects, but other developments could easily add PHP, JSON or XML data to the mix, to name a few.

[via RoughlyDrafted]

Tags: apple, developer, framework, javascript, MobileMe, open source, OpenSource, SproutCore, web apps, web kit, WebApps, WebKit

Listaculous: tabbed to-do lists on the web

by Jay Hathaway Apr 8th 2008

We've met a lot of users who take their to-do list applications very seriously. It seems every task management system -- from old-fashioned pen and paper to OmniFocus -- has its own fanatical following. Listaculous is a web-based to-do list that keeps it simple, but still offers tabbed organization, and it could be the right to-do list for you.

There's not much to Listaculous, which is what might make it useful for a lot of people. It's just tabs and to-do items, all in one window. Opening Listaculous in a pop-out window is appealing; the tabs make for a small footprint, even with multiple lists. For those who like their action items embedded in a home page, Listaculous also comes as an iGoogle widget.

Tags: gtd, igoogle, list, listaculous, to-do, to-do-list, web apps, WebApps

Filed under: Developer, Internet, News, Web services, Google, Open Source, Beta, web 2.0

Google launches App Engine

by Christina Warren Apr 8th 2008

Google has just announced the preview release of Google App Engine, which the company is describing as " an application-hosting tool that developers can use to build scalable web apps on top of Google's infrastructure." Think of it like Amazon's web services, but as a fully integrated solution. With Amazon's services, developers can mix and match the various components with each other or with other solutions -- Google App Engine is a one-stop shop of sorts.

Most appealing, Google App Engine is free. During the preview, there are only spots for the first 10,000 developers who sign up, but Google's information page says that free accounts will be available after the initial preview. Of course, the free accounts do have resource limitations (500MB of storage and 5 million page views a month), but free is free!

Let's get into the details:

Applications can be served from the free appspot.com domain or from an external domain via Google Apps
Python is the only language supported right now -- Google says they look forward to supporting other languages in the future, but for right now -- Python is where it is at
Google's service API is built into App Engine -- so Google Accounts can be easily integrated into an application
During the developer preview users are able to register up to 3 applications
The SDK is available for Mac, Windows and Linux

From our perspective, this news is exciting -- if not for what it offers right now -- but for the potential in the future. Only initially supporting Python is a curious choice (though we are big fans of Django), but the ability for developers to execute scalable apps using Google's resources -- for free -- is extremely exciting.

[via TechCrunch]

Tags: app engine, AppEngine, django, google, python, web apps, WebApps

Filed under: Business, Developer, Web services, Yahoo!, Social Software, web 2.0

From FOWA : Liveblog - The Application of New Features to an Established application

by Grant Robertson Feb 29th 2008

Everyone loves Flickr, right? Love Flickr or not, they have some sharp minds working hard to bring you a (mostly) rock solid web application. Adding features to an application with such an enormous userbase can be tricky. At Future of Web Apps 2008, Flickr's Cal Henderson is presenting on "The Application of New Features to an Established Application." Enjoy it live, or come back to it later.

Tags: flickr, FOWA2008, web apps, WebApps, yahoo

Filed under: Business, Design, Developer, Web services, Social Software

From FOWA : Leah Culver of Pownce, The Future of Web Services

by Grant Robertson Feb 29th 2008

Leah Culver founded Pownce with her friends Kevin Rose and Daniel Burka. Pownce is a "social messaging" service which allows you to share updates, files, links and more with your friends, and (now) provides a robust API to work with your data. Here are the rough cut of our notes from her presentation at FOWA 2008.

Tags: fowa2008, leah-culver, pownce, web apps, WebApps

Filed under: Finance, Productivity, Open Source

Sugar CRM updated to 5.0

by Simon Kerbel Dec 19th 2007

SugarCRM has just posted a much-anticipated, much-tested update to its CRM software. Already one of the leading CRM clients in the field, Sugar also has the honorable distinction of sporting the majestic and rare feather of open source in its illustrious and award-laden chapeau. Management for the masses, if you will.

Sugar 5.0 includes improved security, the ability to easily create custom modules, an AJAX email client compatible with the POP3 protocol, and hot new dashboarding capabilities.

Following the old carpenter's adage of "measure twice, cut once," the Sugar CRM software was put through three beta cycles, and was tested over 30,000 times. In other words, if you think you've found a bug in the Sugar CRM software, it might be the one that splattered on your glasses as you cruised to work on your Vespa scooter.

SugarCRM is available as a free Community edition, as well as two commercial editions: Professional and Enterprise. Professional costs $275 per user per year; Enterprise costs $449. The Sugar website offers a wealth of demos, both hands-on and hands-off.

[Via InfoWorld]

Tags: business, CRM, open source, OpenSource, software, web apps, WebApps

Filed under: Productivity, Web services, web 2.0

Jooce: online desktop & computer replacement

by Danny Mendez Dec 15th 2007

There's a lot of you out there that use computers everywhere, making use of web-based services like Gmail, Google Reader, Pixenate, and Zoho. Here's something that'll help you organize your computing experience no matter what computer you use: Jooce, the online desktop. We covered the service back in August, but it's finally out of beta with old features refined and new ones to offer.

Jooce is web-based, meaning all you need is a computer with a web browser and a connection to the internet. Through Jooce, you can store unlimited files, share those files, access applications, email others, instant message, and more just like you would on a regular computer. The difference is that Jooce lets you do it anywhere on any computer and keeps the experience consistent. Other similar services exist from other companies such as Goowy and YouOS, which also emulate the desktop of a computer.

Jooce looks fairly easy to use and simulates the desktop computer experience pretty well. It's funded through the occasional, non-intrusive ad, so it's free to use. Future improvements include third party widgets from Widgetbox and Jooce's very own email client. The company was started by three friends from around the world who worked together at a Paris based NGO. The project took off in the wake of the United Nations sponsored World Summit on the Information Society.

[via TechCrunch]

Tags: cyber cafe, CyberCafe, future, mobile, mobile computing, MobileComputing, online desktop, online OS, OnlineDesktop, OnlineOs, web 2.0, web 3.0, web app, web apps, Web2.0, Web3.0, WebApp, WebApps

Filed under: Business, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, E-mail, Office, Productivity, Web services, Commercial, Shareware, Freeware

Huge survey of available GTD applications

by Jason Clarke Nov 5th 2007

If there's one thing that users of David Allen's Getting Things Done (GTD) system suffer from, it's typically the temptation to mess with their system. Nothing feels better than having all of your stuff under control, except maybe having all of your stuff under control in a sexy new system.

So if you've been rocking the same GTD application for too long and feel it's time to mix things up a little, check out this amazing survey of the GTD application landscape at About This Particular Mac.

While it originates at a Mac-centric site, the list should be of interest to any GTD practitioner since many (if not most) of the listed applications are web apps, with the occasional cross-platform app thrown in.

For good measure, here are our favorite GTD apps based on platfrom:

Windows: ClearContext (an Outlook add-in)
Mac: iGTD
Web: Backpack or Remember The Milk

Tags: David-Allen, Getting-Things-Done, GTD, lists, tasks, todos, webapps

Filed under: Internet, Office, Web services, Google, Microsoft

Google says: "Take your data with you!"

by Jordan Running Nov 10th 2006

Just say no to data lock-in! That's what Google CEO Eric Schmidt said at San Francisco's Web 2.0 conference earlier this week. "If you look at the historical large company behavior, they ultimately do things to protect their business practices or monopoly or what have you, against the choice of the users," Schmidt said. "The more we can, for example, let users move their data around, never trap the data of an end user, let them move it if they don't like us, the better." He said that making it easy for users to leave at any time and take their data with them keeps the company on its toes, and that other software companies should adopt a similar policy. He also said that Google's ever-expanding corpus of web-based office programs isn't "an office suite" per se and that Google isn't trying to replace Microsoft's ubiquitous Office.

Tags: eric schmidt, EricSchmidt, google, lock-in, lockin, microsoft, office, web 2.0, web apps, Web2.0, web20, WebApps

Featured Time Waster

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

View more Time Wasters

Featured Galleries

Defective by Design, London: Protest Pictures

Download Squad at the Crunchies After-Party

Android First-look: Amazon.com MP3 Store

Flickr Pool

www.flickr.com

Download Squad bloggers (30 days)

#	Blogger	Posts	Cmts
1	Jay Hathaway	112	6
2	Lee Mathews	76	34
3	Sebastian Anthony	49	163
4	Brad Linder	38	7
5	Jason Clarke	32	0
6	Grant Robertson	8	10
7	Dolores Parker	7	2
8	Victor Agreda, Jr.	7	1
9	Nik Fletcher	4	0
10	Matt Heerema	3	3
11	Paul O'Brien	2	0
12	John Burke	1	0
13	Download Squad Staff	1	0

More Tech Coverage

Control Shift It's all about the experience
Somewhat Frank Perspectives on tech as it fuses in everyday life
Switched Gadgets, web news and commentary
Urlesque Exposing bits of the web

Download Squad