Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Some thoughts on Chrome Packaged Apps.


At Google I/O 2012 the Google Chrome team made an awesome announcement. They were unveiling Chrome Packaged Apps, Chrome's new amazing apps that would act like native apps, but were developed in HTML, Javascript, and CSS. Since then I have been obsessed with packaged apps. The whole idea excites me because it can turn a $250 Chromebook that only runs the web into a fully functional computer with apps that work offline and can use hardware features. 


One of the biggest features are the new Chrome Apps API's. They include many features that work with the hardware. These API's make Chrome Apps not just web apps. They are extremely powerful. Developers have used them from making a code editor, to controlling a lego mindstorm.  They are also extremely easy to add since it is built through javascript.

Chrome is going to be the future for computers. These apps just show how powerful the modern web has become. I am now doing almost everything on my Chromebook even building websites because I can. I have a successful app called CodeKnit which I can program in basically any language in. I know I said it in the last post, but the web is what you make of it. If we want it to be as powerful as desktop apps all we need to do is build it.

2 comments:

  1. Tommy:
    Cool post. Any recommended Chrome apps for the more casual everyday user?

    Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. Right now they are experimental, so not a lot has been built. I'll keep you informed when they come out because there surely will be a handful of apps for casual users.

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