Mobile Widgets

From Mobileradicals

Widgets are seen as one of the driver for Mobile Web 2.0 in that the extole the main virtues associated with Web 2.0 that is:

Data (often user derived) over software;
Collective intelligence for example group filtering;
Open standards “Above the Single Device”;
Niche markets or the Long Tail;
Use of context;
Emergence resulting in constant evolution (perpetual Beta).

At present there are two main types of of mobile widgets these being WidSets widgets and S60 Widgets (Web Run-Time). WidSets Widgets is essentially a Java-based platform. Widgets can be developed using the WidSets Studio, a very easy to use online visual editor for developing simple widgets in a matter of minutes. However, these widgets are essentially limited to picking up RSS feeds (for displaying text and photos). To create custom functionality, developers need to delve into Helium script, a ‘Java like’ language for controlling all aspect of a widget’s behaviour. S60 Widgets are lightweight mobile browser applications developed using familiar, standards-based web technologies such as (x)HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and even advanced AJAX. In order to run S60 Widgets, the phone needs the run-time installed.