Smartphone / app development

[DimPrawn]

Thanks dim for both posts.

Looking at it from an (e.g.) iPhone user's perspective, I think I need an icon that sits on the desktop (or whatever it's called on an iPhone). It needs a one click entry into app by the user, or they won't use it. And that sounds like going via app store to me. Or am I wrong?

Why Web Apps Will Crush Native Apps
Apache Cordova

You can still package up your HTML5/JS app as a native app and put it in front of Apple to ignore for months. Alternatively, you can stick it on a website and when a user browses there, it will ask the phone user if they want to install it as a web app. Then it appears on their phone just like a native app.

[d000hg]

I think realistically you have to package it as an actual app. A website with offline functionality is just going to confuse users unless they are unusually techy, because users 'know' websites only work when they 'have internet'.

As has been said the packaging should be pretty simple but it's daft to target iOS and not do so in a polished way. By all means have a website version too - in fact you should - though.

[eek]

And other similar tools.

PhoneJS - JavaScript framework for mobile hybrid apps
Appcelerator Inc. | The Mobile First Platform

So, yes, a cross platform (Win, iOs, Android) development is the way to go.

HTML5 supports offline applications.

Offline - HTML5 Rocks

Including data caching and a local database.

appcelerator is a good platform but with their proposed rewrite I wouldn't risk it at the moment.

[Old Greg]

I think realistically you have to package it as an actual app. A website with offline functionality is just going to confuse users unless they are unusually techy, because users 'know' websites only work when they 'have internet'.

As has been said the packaging should be pretty simple but it's daft to target iOS and not do so in a polished way. By all means have a website version too - in fact you should - though.

I am thinking online web version is useful. But the off-libe version needs to work in a way that users (not IT folk but medical doctors so reasonably tech savvy) are familiar with, or they won't use it. An I fear that mean app store (at least for Apple).

Keep those great ideas flowing, folks.

[DimPrawn]

I think realistically you have to package it as an actual app. A website with offline functionality is just going to confuse users unless they are unusually techy, because users 'know' websites only work when they 'have internet'.

As has been said the packaging should be pretty simple but it's daft to target iOS and not do so in a polished way. By all means have a website version too - in fact you should - though.

Using your iPhone, Go to

app.ft.com/#home

to see what I mean about having the web app on your iphone home screen.

No need for app store.

[Old Greg]

Using your iPhone, Go to

app.ft.com/#home

to see what I mean about having the web app on your iphone home screen.

No need for app store.

Cheers Dim. That's neat.

One of the things I would need to think about down the line is the ability to update content (probably once or twice a year) to the mobile device. This looks form a user's perspective as if it might be a goer.

[DimPrawn]

On your iPhone or Android phone, go to

Windows Phone Demo | Windows Phone (United States)

[Old Greg]

So next question is am I crazy to consider this with my lack of technical ability. I can write a design document (kind of and with a bit of help) and conduct UAT. So I am planning to find a freelancer to build the app. I would like the ability to put the content it.

But then... maybe the app framework already exists that I can drop the content into, although it will need a bit a page design as well? I ceratinly ain't going to screw this up by trying to teach myself to code.

[d000hg]

Using your iPhone, Go to

app.ft.com/#home

to see what I mean about having the web app on your iphone home screen.

No need for app store.

Once they have it on the home screen I agree they are more likely to treat it like a regular app.

[d000hg]

So next question is am I crazy to consider this with my lack of technical ability. I can write a design document (kind of and with a bit of help) and conduct UAT. So I am planning to find a freelancer to build the app. I would like the ability to put the content it.

But then... maybe the app framework already exists that I can drop the content into, although it will need a bit a page design as well? I ceratinly ain't going to screw this up by trying to teach myself to code.

Is this just a static set of pages, like a catalog, that needs updating infrequently? If so the coding should be minimal and you'd just need some HTML pages created initially.