Right, but you still have to "install" the application while online, even if installation is simply visiting a web page and clicking on the appropriate links to allow for offline access. You can't do the entire thing offline, like a regular app, where you could distribute it on a thumb drive or CD, allow users to run the application entirely offline, optionally connecting and syncing later. The Safari mechanism, though, is maddening. My application is basically a database, after installation, I want it to load quickly and skip the connection to the internet unless the user requests it or a background check indicates that an update is needed, and gears does this properly. In order to get a Safari-based app to load quickly, you have to turn off the Internet connection!
I'd be thrilled if Gears were available for the iPhone. It does pretty much exactly what I want, and for a no-cost app, it would skip the Apple store and approval process. We can only hope. Tac On Sun, Sep 13, 2009 at 9:28 AM, Wes <[email protected]> wrote: > > Unlike Safari Mobile, the Google Gears cache will store offline copies > of pages that can be accessed when the user does not have an Internet > connection. Safari Mobile will cache the page, but it will not let you > load it wihout an internet connection even if there is a cached copy. > With Google Gears, the only need for an internet connection would be > updates and features that require communication with a server on the > web. For example, using Gmail with Gears would allow me to view and > manage my email offline, but would need an internet connection for > committing changes to the server and sending/receiving new email. > > On Sep 12, 6:13 pm, Tac Tacelosky <[email protected]> wrote: > > "With Google Gears, I would be able to load and access a web app > > without an internet connection" > > How? Things like the database are domain-specific, I'm trying to imagine > > what the mechanism, on an iphone or on a regular computer, would be to > load > > a web app while offline? > > > > On Sat, Sep 12, 2009 at 2:07 PM, Wes <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > The Apple web apps will work offline only if you first load them while > > > you are online. If I don't have an internet connection I can't load > > > them. With Google Gears, I would be able to load and access a web app > > > without an internet connection, even if I couldn't use the features > > > that require an internet connection (like syncing with the server to > > > retrieve new data or backup data). So Google Gears is still the option > > > of choice. > > > > > On Sep 11, 2:17 am, Zbój <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Safari Mobile has the HTML5 application cache. Web developers can > > > > easily develop offline web apps for both Android and iPhone (2.1+). > > > > > > On Sep 8, 10:27 pm, Wes <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > What about if I want to use an app when I don't have access to the > > > > > internet? If I don't have an internet connection, Safari Mobile > will > > > > > not load the page, even if it might have a cached version on hand. > If > > > > > I load a web app on one tab and then use some other tabs for a > while, > > > > > Safari Mobile will automatically reload the first tab when I switch > > > > > back to it even if I just want to keep viewing the same page. I > guess > > > > > the issue here is being able to look at a page, or open a page, > > > > > without an internet connection, and being able to look at a cached > > > > > version, or better yet, still use the web app while I wait for my > > > > > internet connection to return so it can sync with the web. Because > > > > > Google Gears allows me to view and use a web app without an > internet > > > > > connection, and then re-sync with the web when I regain my internet > > > > > connection, while Safari Mobile does not, I think the best solution > > > > > would be to either create a separate iPhone App for this which > > > > > supports the *full complement* of Google Gears features (or at > least, > > > > > as many as possible for a mobile device) plus whatever iPhone > specific > > > > > features may be available, or to have Apple add *full* Google Gears > > > > > support to Safari Mobile. > > > > > > > On Sep 6, 6:03 pm, Zbój <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > Safari Mobile implements parts of HTML5 - application cache, > local > > > > > > storage etc. The geolocation API is supported too (in firmware > 3.0+). > > > > > > There's no need for Gears. > > > > > > > > On Aug 31, 8:01 pm, Wes <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > I believe that Google could make a great Google Gears iPhone > app. > > > This > > > > > > > approach to bringing Google Gears to the iPhone would be the > best > > > > > > > approach because Safari does not include a plugin installer and > > > will > > > > > > > not load a page at all without an Internet connection. However, > a > > > > > > > Google Gears app would work very well. Users could type in the > URL > > > of > > > > > > > a Google Gears enabled web app and the Google Gears app would > > > install > > > > > > > that app to the Google Gears app and add it to a list of > installed > > > > > > > apps. The app could then function like a normal standard/mobile > web > > > > > > > app. If API's were added for it, Google Gears apps could even > take > > > > > > > advantage of iPhone OS features (push notification, > geo-location, > > > > > > > multi-touch controls, etc.). This soul make a Google Gears app > for > > > > > > > iPhone a very useful app that many people would like. What > would > > > make > > > > > > > it even better was if it could be integrated with the Google > Mobile > > > > > > > app (possibly as a single app?).- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > - Show quoted text - >
