Solo Technology

Have you caught wind of Google Gears yet?

Google Gears (BETA) is an open source browser extension that enables web applications to provide offline functionality using [...] JavaScript APIs

Did you catch the key part there? Web applications that can be run offline? If this is done right, it could really put a new spin on cross-platform and Internet enabled development. Almost more revolutionary than evolutionary if I dare to be so bold.

Imagine a web-based GTD management application that you can use on an airplane.

Imagine how much more useful Google Notebook could be if it didn’t need an Internet connection. Or, dare I say, Zoho Notebook? Or any online office application, for that matter.

Imagine online/offline modes for Gmail. And Google Calendar (or insert the web mail and calendar apps of your choice).

I could do these “Imagine” statements for another hour, my mind is just spinning with all the possibilities. Oh yeah, let’s not forget web based feed reading. I see in the TechCrunch article that Google Reader will be demo’d using this tomorrow. I want it.

Interested in building something? There’s an API Developer’s Guide up already.

What browsers are supported? Currently just the ones with “Internet Explorer” or “Firefox” in their names. The usual. Safari support is coming and one hopes that someday Google will remember little ol’ Opera.

I’m giddy just pondering the possibilities. Anyone have other ideas on where online/offline web applications would be very useful?

7 Responses to “Google Gears and Offline Web Applications”

1. Thomas on May 31st, 2007 3:22 am
   

   The idea of having a local desktop application that has the ability to collaborate like a web-based application is pretty cool.

   I wrote a post Desktop Applications with Web-Based Collaboration where I discuss some of the possibilities.

   One company currently working in this space is Dekoh - I write about them in my post.

   This is an exciting space with a lot of tools - Gears, Appollo Silverlight, Javascript.

2. » pingback » Google Reader - Offline » Solo Technology on May 31st, 2007 7:51 am
   
   
3. atletas on May 31st, 2007 2:00 pm
   

   Also google have bought Panoramio for google earth

4. Chris on May 31st, 2007 10:35 pm
   

   @thomas - thanks for the link. I hadn’t even heard of Dekoh before.

   @atletas - Soon it’ll be “Google Window Peeping, formerly known as Google Earth!”

5. Thomas on May 31st, 2007 10:42 pm
   

   Chris - that is great name, with all the privacy issues in the news - I am definitely going to use “Google Window Peeping”

6. » pingback » Google Maps Zoom Feature Renamed, to Address Privacy Concerns « Thomas - Technical Blogger on June 1st, 2007 1:07 am
   
   
7. » pingback » Remember the Milk Gets Gears » Solo Technology on June 5th, 2007 7:17 pm
   
   

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