HTML5 manifest mime type in grails
I ran into an issue serving the proper mime type for a cache manifest from grails today, adding a 'manifest' key to grails.mime.types failed to register for some reason (if you know why, do tell!). Running on a server this can be addressed by setting the mime type directly in tomcat, but i needed to test locally using the built in Tomcat server. Hopefully this inability to serve a manifest mime type will be addressed soon, but in the meantime the workaround was to make the manifest a generated gsp and add the content-type declaration directly to the manifest:
<%@ page contentType="text/cache-manifest" %>CACHE MANIFEST
# rev 0
file.html
It's important to keep CACHE MANIFEST on the same line as the contentType property - manifests are discarded if they don't start from the first character with that declaration.
One last thing - this works better cross browser (where some browsers dont respect a manifest not ending in .manifest) by setting grails.mime.file.extensions to false, which will allow your mapping to be directly to cache.manifest, returning the rendered gsp.
Internet Explorer 10 preview – no sign of Web Workers, among others
Microsoft today released a preview of Internet Explorer 10, and as of this first release there are no signs of Web Workers or other wish list JS items in IE9. I'll give the benefit of the doubt as this preview is exceedingly early and it seems to be focusing on CSS3 improvements, but so far, no dice. Having said that, it's good to see the new IE team focusing on a more fluid and transparent release schedule, with previews promised frequently and a full major release cycle potentially being within an 18 month window if the timing of this first preview is any indication.
RIM, please buy Palm.
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[/dtse]Dear RIM: You've had a great run, but it's time for a change. It seems even you are starting to realize your failings with your recently announced webkit browser, and a large portion of your once loyal user base is now dying to jump ship. Palm on the other hand has a whole slew of patents and a slick little starting point for your 'new you' called WebOS (especially noteworthy when compared to your latest OS offerings), and lucky for you, just went and threw a for sale sign in the front lawn. Think of what the two of you could do together, and how many current enterprise customers (and potentially direct consumers) would take you both seriously all over again. Apple and Google have locked down first and second place, together you two have a good chance to fight off Microsoft later this year for third. Otherwise, I don't know what will happen to either of you.
Think about it RIM, for the greater good.
Thank you for your time.
Multitask apps can be killed in OS 4.0
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[/dtse]Scott Forstall, SVP of iPhone Software for Apple, appeared to dodge the question of how to kill an app running in the new multitasking interface for iPhone OS 4.0. When asked during the Q & A session post announcement, he stated that it wasn't necessary to kill the apps in the first place. Note he never actually said you can't kill an app, and the iPhone Simulator for OS 4.0 confirms directly that yes, rest assured, you can kill a running app quickly and easily, and it's just as you would expect - tap and hold, and a red dash icon appears over the app. Touch again and the process is killed. Simple, expected, works. See the image to the right for a screen shot.
Really, killing apps is the only reason to have the multitask bar anyway - since multiple instances of running apps isnt possible in iPhone OS, you could simply return to the running app by re-tapping the app icon on the home screen. The multitask bar exists solely for a shortcut to running apps and to kill them from running.
No more stressing in the blogs about apps being killed only by the OS! You do have control if you want it. Likely what Scott was implying is that you just don't have to monitor it if you don't choose to.
iPhone OS 4.0 beta does not include iPad device firmware
Officially official - Apple already stated the iPad wouldn't get an end user 4.0 release until the fall, and in line with that developers do not have access to an on-device 4.0 beta in the just released SDK either.
The web on tablets: How the iPad has immediately changed web development
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[/dtse]Whether you are for or against it, the iPad has hit, and within days it has changed perspectives on how the web will be developed now and in the near future. Major outlets like The New York Times have modified their development strategies to fit this new user case. Will this be a continuing trend? Will 'iPad friendly' development become a new standard? Or will it all subside and iPad users will still be left with broken pages across the web on their devices? In my opinion, it'll wind up somewhere in the middle.
Why the iPad’s user agent string presents a problem
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Note: This post has been getting a fair amount of traffic. I originally posted this directly after launch, and subsequently it contained outdated information from what is now known from the final release of OS 3.2. I originally had left the original post info for the sake of blogging/ journalistic integrity, however after three revisions because of newer info, I decided to strip the clutter of invalid content. Having said my disclaimer, below is the revised new post, and here is the release version of the iPad UA string as of 4/6/10, pulled directly from my 32GB wifi model:
Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; U; CPU OS 3_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/531.21.10 (KHTML, like Gecko) version/4.0.4 Mobile/7B367 Safari/531.21.10
more after the break.
iPhone SDK 3.2 beta and iPad simulator released
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[/dtse]Following Apple's iPad announcement today, the latest version of the iPhone SDK is now available in the Apple developer center. As predicted, Apple has not announced OS 4.0, nor has it acknowledged any new functionality for the iPhone. However, a glance at the launch date for the iPad, March, does tie in rather nicely with the annual March announcement of iPhone OS updates. Expect to see unnanounced iPad features that would be shared with the iPhone (read: multitasking, new ways to manage apps) to be announced at that time along with the new features and API's of OS 4.0, and possibly a name change away from 'iPhone OS' to something more generalized, as there are now more product lines that do not have phone functionality (two) than those that do (one). In the meantime, registered developers can access 3.2 in the dev center.
Website management the mobile way
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[/dtse]Over the past two years, mobile apps have redefined the way we are productive on mobile devices. And as more and more apps flood the market, more niche needs are being filled by developers desperately seeking to find that killer app that hasn't been developed yet. The net result is a real win for the end user - more apps designed to provide mobile methods or streamline existing methods of interaction with various services. In this post, I'll be detailing how nine applications on my iPhone have changed the way in which i manage my web presence, all for under $20 cost in app purchases.
Lenovo Ideapad S10-3t convertible netbook now available
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[/dtse]Lenovo announced the new Ideapad S10-3t convertible netbook (engadget) at CES last week, and it is now available for purchase at lenovo.com. Featuring a first of its kind capacitive touchscreen on a convertible netbook, it is priced between $549 and $649, and runs on Intel's new Pinetrail Atom processors with Windows 7 starter or Home Premium.
This offering from Lenovo is likely to be the first of a new trend of convertible capacitive touch Windows 7 netbooks, bridging the gap between the new slate form factor (engadget) and the recent but well established netbook form factor. Windows Touch, the new multi-touch UI built into Windows 7, has been hampered thus far due to minimal hardware support and a non existent touch application sofware library. Hardware appears to be on track for a big year in 2010, but, as with all new and useful hardware technologies, it's useless without solid software to justify it. Hopefully the beta app store announced by Intel for Atom based devices pans out and provides a consolidated place for these new Touch devices to thrive.
If the rumours about the forthcoming Apple tablet device hold true and it runs the iPhone OS rather than full blown OS X, these PC devices will fill a nice niche of their own, blending a mix of full OS flexibility with mobile app convenience. A compromise for most, but something that many business users will lean toward when 'apps' don't always cut it.
Jeff dePascale is a web and mobile applications professional based in Fairfield County, CT.
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