The Best Of The Internets

Remember Palm’s WebOS? Maybe not, but Apple and Google definitely do

WebOS… so far ahead of its time:

  • Web code for apps (see PWAs),
  • Multiple synchronized calendars,
  • Unified social media & contact management,
  • Curved displays
  • Wireless charging
  • Integrated text and Web messaging
  • Unintrusive notifications
  • “Cards” for running apps
  • No home button (it used swipe instead)

And all of these features were available eight years ago!









Android Oreo takes a bite out of Progressive Web Apps

It seems like the Android team and the Chrome team were not on the same page and Android Oreo (a.k.a., Android 8) undermines some critical features of Progressive Web Apps. As Maximiliano is quick to point out, most of these are easily fixable in a software update, so there’s not a whole lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth needed, but you should still be aware of how the experience differs from what users saw on the previous release.

PWA icons in Android 7 vs. 8

In particular, I am hating the mini-Chrome icon overlay. For normal Homescreen bookmarks, I’m willing to let it go, but if a site has a Web App Manifest, it should look like any other app.