HOT TIP!

Hacker News

  • News that programmers find interesting
  • Links & discussion borad
  • Vote based, like Reddit
  • Range of topics
    • - startup news
    • - programming languages
    • - science
    • - politics
  • Check it out!

Firefox OS

  • Phone Operating System
  • Linux, boots straight to browser
  • All apps run in browser
    • - apps are just html/css/javascript
    • - including Telephone, Wifi settings, etc

Firefox OS vs. Web pages

  • Very Similar
  • Need a manifest
  • Phonebill payments
  • Phone specific APIs
  • Can be packaged
    • - added to marketplace
    • - downloaded all at once
  • Many webpages can be both

Firefox OS vs. Native

  • Native apps are compile binaries
  • Native can have web views
    • - but not vice versa
  • Native apps must be packed
    • - must go through review
    • - must installed through market
  • Different for each platform

Web API

  • Mozilla working project
    • - we needed greater power apps
    • - hardware (battery), data (contacts)
  • Web API is our spec
  • We are pushing to standardize
  • Make the web more powerful for everyone!

Hardware Access

  • Ambient Light Sensor
    • - apps detect light level
    • - change screen brightness
  • Battery status
    • - access to batter charge
  • Geolocation
    • - where is the user
    • - great for maps, and games
  • Proximity
    • - detect objects close to camera
    • - face detection

Hardware Access

  • Device Orientation
    • - respond to device movements
  • Screen Orientation
    • - portrait or landscape?
    • - set a preference for you app
  • Vibration
    • - haptic feedback
    • - for games, not notifications
  • WebFM
    • - access radio
  • Power Management
    • - turn off screen to save power

Data Management

  • FileHandle
    • - support writing files
  • Indexed DB
    • - NoSQL database in the browser
  • Contacts
    • - phonebook access
  • Settings
    • - access to phone settings

Other APIs

  • Apps
    • - manipulate apps
    • - install, launch close
  • Alarm
    • - schedule notifications
  • Simple Push
    • - send messages to apps
  • Web Notifications
    • - send immediate notification
  • Web Activities
    • - delegate activities between apps
    • - ex. ask the camera to open a photo
  • Web Activities
    • - payments made through web
    • - does to phone bill