The Intel AppUp^SM developer program is embracing HTML5 as a development language for devices and platforms supported in our program. HTML5 is an excellent development language allowing developers to create apps optimized for a broad range of devices, across multiple OS’s:

• Bring rich native-like functionality
• Improved multimedia support
• Pure & hybrid apps provide developer flexibility

While HTML5 is still an evolving standard, it is already proving to be an excellent development language for a continuum of computing devices, from smart phones, tablets, netbooks, UltrabooksTM, PCs, smart-tvs and more.  Unlike previous forms of HTML, HTML5 enables rich graphics and media to be played and animated with sophisticated effects without the need of a proprietary plug-ins or runtimes.  HTML5 also allows for local storage, allowing apps to run locally without relying on an active internet connection to save or load data needed for an app.  

There is some speculation and criticism of HTML5 not allowing the level of reliability, features, and peformance of native development languages. To solve this many platforms are supporting HTML5 with a hybrid solution.  Hybrid HTML5 allow developers to manage a core set of HMTL code for non device specific functions, as well as a set of HTML5 code that calls device specific APIs for use with specific hardware features like camera, touch, sensors and GPS, or to enable platform specific user experience and user interface components. In some cases the HTML5 commands will invoke a lower level function, and therefore are not abstracted out to a runtime layer.  Windows 8* and Tizen* are platforms with an HTML5 hybrid strategy

Intel AppUp^TM encapsulator

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Intel AppUp Encapsulator is an automated packaging solution for the AppUp developer program supporting HTML5 apps for Windows* and MeeGo* devices. Encapsulator allows web developers to build applications using a variety of web development technologies such as HTML5, Ajax, Flash, CSS, Javascript, then have that code "encapsulated" to automatically provide the AppUp authorization, debugging and other SDK features.  Web apps are then delivered as desktop installable apps for Windows and MeeGo platforms.

Encapsulator is an evolving tool and will broaden its support for HTML5 features and capabilities as well as support additional form factors and platforms such as Ultrabooks and Tizen. For the current list of HTML5 features support review the HTML5 compatibility guide for Encapsulator.  

HTML5 Features

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There are number of new tags in the markup language in HTML5 (see http://www.w3schools.com/html5/html5_reference.asp).  Many of these focus on improved design, graphics, and animation/multimedia featues. 

The Canvas Element and tag <canvas> is a key addition to HTML5 enabling 2D graphics, allowing developers to script complex shapes and fills much like Adobe's Flash ActionScript. Here's a post by William Malone that compares illustrating in ActionScript vs the Canvas Element for HTML5.  

There are also a number of associated APIs & technologies to HTML5 that are considered part of the HTML5 umbrella such as Geolocation, Index database API, CSS3, and WebGL for 3d physics and animation.

Not all of these will run in any web browser nor are all of these supported by AppUp Encapsulator.  HTML5 is evolving and each browser may support a webkit that is offering some level of support.  Generally browsers and webkit supported applications are moving forward and adopting the features over time.

Our program has publically posted our feature compatibility and we ask that developers check it frequently as we broaden our support for HTML5

HTML5 Examples

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Below are examples of online applications built in HTML5.  Launch these using a modern browser like Chrome or Firefox

The Canvas Element 

• Cool Canvas base game - your typing will improve :-) http://www.chromeexperiments.com/detail/z-type/
• Blow up video using Canvas http://www.craftymind.com/factory/html5video/CanvasVideo.html
• Nice photo color processing app http://www.script-tutorials.com/demos/118/index.html

CSS animation. 

• Walking animation using CSS3 animation http://www.chromeexperiments.com/detail/walking-with-css3/
• CSS Animation Tutorial http://www.the-art-of-web.com/css/css-animation/

WebGL, JS3D

• Water Simulation http://www.chromeexperiments.com/detail/webgl-water-simulation/?f=

AppUp Supported Links

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The AppUp developer program's support for HTML5 continues to grow.  Please check back here for more resources, developer guides, tools and opportunities for developing apps in HTML5.

Tools

• Encapsulator
  Packaging of HTML5 apps for AppUp stores
• Creator
  Simple app creator tool based on HTML5

Opportunities  

• WebApps Challenge
  Win an Ultrabook

Technical Articles & Developer Guides

• HTML5 Game Development for AppUp - Part 1
• AppUp Encapsulator Javascript API's
• Developing HTML5 Applications for AppUp
• My first steps towards HTML5 – trying out canvas
• Gaming Health Meter with CSS3
• HTML5 Local Storage
• HTML5: Painting with Canvas
• More Articles