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03-24-11 / 12:19 AM : Motorola : web based OS ? (cjed)
Motorola is rumored to be developing a web-based OS (in the same way as WebOS - that uses WebKit), to avoid Android licensing and related patents problems. This could then explain why they acquired 280 North.
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03-23-11 / 02:33 AM : OSX 10.6.7 update available / flickering (cjed)
The long awaited MacOSX 10.6.7 update is finally available through Software Update (313 Mb). It notably enhances graphics stability and fixes flickering problems on recent macs when using some external displays.
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03-23-11 / 02:15 AM : Cappuccino editors : Askshell / Notapipe (cjed)
Besides Atlas (whose related announces from Motorola are due soon) we find a new IDE made using Cappuccino, Askshell (free access). It only manages javascript code editing (no Objective-J), however it provides a javascript MVC framework (and comprehensive documentation) that reminds ruby / rails and allows fast application development (required as it does not include an interface builder contrary to Atlas). Test of applications is also available directly from the editor.
We can also try notapipe (provided as subscription), a generic purpose text editor, less evolved however that manages collaborative work.
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03-16-11 / 12:55 AM : IE9 : not really HTML5 ready (cjed)
Microsoft finally released IE9. However, contrary to what they stated, it provides few HTML5 features, and is closer to 5 years-old Safari/WebKit or 2 years-old Firefox.
Canvas accelerating through Direct2D (that then replaces VML), and SVG support, will finally help leveraging Rich Desktop Applications, and make development of abstraction-based frameworks (like Cappuccino) easier.
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03-16-11 / 12:42 AM : Wallaby : experimental HTML5 by Adobe (cjed)
While Adobe confirmed that Flash and HTML5 are orthogonal (use same native APIs to manage medias, and Flash is based on a single embedded node whereas an HTML5 page consists of many DOM elements), the new Flash to HTML5 converter, Wallaby, somewhat announces the end of Adobe's plugin, whose purpose is to keep its user base.

Moreover first tests show very poor conversion results, even with basic interfaces, as the tool was aimed at converting animations/ads rather than Flex/RDA interfaces.
Adobe also provides Edge, an HTML5 animations design tool, its first move to migrate its authoring tools to HTML5.

Adobe then does not have yet an answer to HTML5 for RDA (the same with Microsoft, that is moving to HTML5 instead of Silverlight), and tools migration (as with Microsoft's ones - Expression Suite) will take time.

A Firefox representative used same argumentation as Apple.
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03-10-11 / 12:42 AM : XCode 4 available at Mac AppStore (cjed)
Apple provides the final version of XCode 4 at the Mac App Store, priced 4,99$ (4 Gb download). Mac Dev Tools were previously available for free, however the new version brings a graphical Git client, to compare with Tower (50$).
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03-05-11 / 06:08 PM : IE6 countdown (cjed)
Microsoft praises companies to left IE6 and migrate to IE9, and provides a map that shows remaining IE6 users geographical distribution.
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03-03-11 / 11:54 PM : WebGL 1.0 / WebCL (cjed)
Khronos Group announced during GDC the final WebGL 1.0 specification, and launch of WebCL, that will bring similar features as OpenCL however to javascript applications.
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03-02-11 / 11:47 PM : iPad 2 : HD movie / GarageBand (cjed)
The new iPad 2, expected March, 11 (US store only), onboards a dual core A5 processor (1 Ghz) - up to two times faster - and a video chipset that is up to 9 times faster than the previous one. It is also 33 percent thinner and 15 percent lighter, and its magnetic cover can serves as a stand. Finally it features an HD camera (720p), and GarageBand application is available.
It is priced 499$ (16Gb Wifi).
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03-01-11 / 10:37 PM : JavaFX 2.0/Flash 3D: WebKit/HTML5 like (cjed)
While Adobe is trying (or pretends to in order to keep its user base) to save Flash by announcing upcoming support for harware accelerated 3D (while still migrating its core engine to HTML5), Oracle presents expected new features in next Java FX 2.0 :
bindings APIs, Sequence, Observable List, and Observable Map APIs, Hardware Accelerated Graphics, High Performance Animated Transitions, CSS Animations, WebView Scene Graph Node, Low Latency Audio, Full Screen Video, etc.

As with Adobe, it is then all about catching up with WebKit / HTML5 (CSS Effects, tags audio et video, Canvas, WebGL), Native Host/Cappuccino and Cocoa (WebView, bindings). We may then ask about justification for two additional proprietary implementations of these features, since WebKit has become the defacto standard (and was the source of inspiration for the specification) , and Adobe still started some months ago to migrate Flash's low level layers to these foundations.
Even Google finally discontinued O3D and focused to WebGL.
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03-01-11 / 10:08 PM : Microsoft / AppStore (cjed)
Microsoft, after having for a long time used common words as trademarks (Windows, Internet Explorer, Word, etc.), is trying to reuse AppStore name for its own store, and states that it sounds generic. From macnn's article we find interesting points, and this conclusion :
Disputes over generic usage have been a staple of trademark in the past few decades as certain products, such as Coke, Kleenex, and Xerox, have been commonly associated with the type of product rather than a particular brand. Apple can't prevent common, non-commercial use but can try to prevent other companies from making similar references.

We also remind an old Painter like application on System 6/7 (mac), that was named Expression, and whose version 3 (available on MacOSX and Windows) seems free since the company (Creature House) was bought by Microsoft in 2004. Development of the application has then been halted, and Microsoft reused the name for its design toos suite for Silverlight based applications's client side (user interface).
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