Pro Web Gadgets Across iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, iGoogle and More

Description

The miniature web applications known as gadgets (or widgets) are a key component of the distributed web and an ideal way to publish your content far beyond the reach of your own web site. Packaging web content and functionality into a gadget enables it to be seen anywhere from iGoogle to the iPhone - wherever the user may be, on or off the traditional web. Everyone can access your content without having to visit your web site.

This book is a practical guide to building gadgets that will work everywhere, from handheld devices to any site on the web. The core methodology is to develop a single code base that will run on all platforms, multiplying the syndication opportunities for maximum return on your development investment. Extending this approach is a technique of abstracting key API calls from the various gadget platforms into a single interface layer, implemented in the book as a compact JavaScript class, allowing your gadgets full access to every platform's power without your having to rewrite your code for each.

* Learn the key concepts for successfully syndicating web content via gadgets.
* Build platform-agnostic gadgets that run on all the major web portals.
* Deploy your gadgets to web-enabled handheld devices. What you'll learnYou'll learn how to design a successful web gadget, build it efficiently, and deploy it painlessly to a dozen platforms from a single code base. In the process, your web content will gain far greater exposure than is possible with a traditional web site alone. Who this book is for

    This book is for seasoned web professionals with solid experience in XHTML/CSS and JavaScript who are already building web sites and applications that they want to take to the next level. Server-side programming experience (PHP, ASP, etc.) is beneficial but not required.

    Table of Contents
* Introducing Web Gadgets
* Designing the Core Gadget
* Developing for Multiple Platforms
* Netvibes
* iGoogle
* Windows
* Mac OS X Dashboard
* Opera
* Windows Mobile
* Symbian S60
* iPhone
* Android
* The Future of Web Gadgets