HP Releases Tablet-compatible SDK, Enyo, to Early Access developers 19
HP just wrapped up a quick walkthrough of their new app development framework, which is based on a new technology they're replacing their current SDK with. Called Enyo, it's progressed a bit since we first saw a preview of it in November.
For non-developers, the key take-aways are these: Although Enyo takes a little bit longer to learn than the previous framework, Mojo, is will enable developers to quickly build and improve faster, more modular apps. The best metaphor is that whereas before web developers had to mold apps out of clay, now they're building them with Legos. Takes a bit longer, but you can re-use the pieces over and over again.
More importantly, Enyo is fully ready for the TouchPad. In fact, all the app demos we saw today on the TouchPad were written in Enyo. It's also resolution independent - you can code once and it will work from the tiny Veery to the large TouchPad. It even elegantly handles differing pixel densities (in web-parlance, you size things with ems instead of pixels), meaning that it is stupendous for resolution-independent development. Enyo is also fully hardware-accellerated. Apps written in Enyo automatically take advantage of CSS hardware acceleration so they can perform as well on big screens as they do on small.
There are plenty of other advantages for developers - they can code and debug right in a web-browser, hook their computer up to a device and test with the live data on the device, and more.
In terms of demos, there wasn't much new that we hadn't seen before - the email app with it's sliding panels still looks pretty slick.
For developers who are worried, the old Mojo framework will still be supported on webOS 3.x on the TouchPad - or so said HP earlier today.
Developers looking to get ahold of the early SDK preview - which HP readily admits is in an alpha stage - simply need to sign up for the Early Access program by emailing pdc@palm.com .
How proud is HP? Check out the swagger on HP Director of Frameworks and Tools, Matthew McNulty after the break.
Enyo Face!
19 Comments
I'm feeling pretty psychic after watching the liveblog, with my comments that I made around March or April 2010, about browser-based webOS calendar, contacts, email, etc.
So HP/Palm has been caught in a few lies:
1. Flash Update
2. Flash Update
3. Flash coming soon
4. 2.x for Old devices
5. Did I mention flash?
6. No more announce and waits
7. etc.
But the truth is, if you give them the clean slate, everything they just showed us totally ROCKS, way to go HP, I will most likely not only buy this for myself, but for friends just to support this community that has a ways to grow before reaching its full potential.
why would i develop anything for Enyo when Hp/Palm can't keep any promises...for all I know they might scrap Enyo, and say Fusion's coming this Fall
If you don't see the power of Enyo. Please don't develop anything because it's going to be half baked.
whatever fanboy, i know of a lot of pissed off developers...(power of Enyo) + (0 developers) = no power
what ever happened to scala?
I feel like no matter what, no ones happy :/ i am excited about hp webos and its products coming out... Am i alone?
Most people are excited for what's coming out, it's just that it's not coming out for too long of a time.
Even Dieter is calling this guy a d-bag! He's telling us to look at how smug he is at their half hearted attempt.
I don't know about that, blue duck. The guy was clearly nervous giving his preso. He kept staring at his lines on the screens in front. I think Dieter is make a little joke at the new guy's expense, but I wouldn't go as far as to say he's calling him a douche.
Lots of complaining today buy devs & users. I'm surprised, I liked what I saw and read and I'm excited to get some good loking, fast hardware.
That's the point. we're all excited to GET some new hardware. I hate to fall in with the jaded trolls, but Apotheker said specifically that new hardware would drop weeks after being announced. And then today we're told "summer". That stings.
Hey, 24 weeks is still "weeks!"
Urg.
Why would any developer ask for an alpha version of a SDK for an app language designed for a mobile platform that is sinking???
2 computers/second.
The event tonight was underwhelming and embarassing. You, HP - a huge, profitable, rich company - brought out 500+ developers to show them an ALPHA of a new SDK and not enough entice them with any developer devices and you went insofar as to tell them the devices they already have (Pre Plus/Pre) are dead because 2.0+ is not coming to them?
Wow, waste of my time going to Fort Mason today. You tell me I have to re-write all of my applications and you don't even entice us with anything other than "think of the millions of devices your application could be on!" Joke.
First I was really excited, when they announced the Pre3 (still using my Pre minus) and furthermore the TouchPad. I like the Pre3 and definitely would buy one.
On the other hand I was disappointed with the TouchPad. Okay, a gig of RAM and a DC-Processor are pretty cool, but no gesture area? SERIOUSLY?! And a HOME-Button? I caught myself trying to go "back" on a website on an iPad by streaking on the bottom of it, just because I am so common with that gesture.
I'm with Palm and their products since about 1998 (started with the Palm III and loved it). When webOS was announced, I was thrilled and when the Pre finally arrived in Europe (by the way, I am from Austria) I had to travel about 100km to Germany to get one. But I loved (and still love) my Pre minus.
Today, however, HP killed Palm (okay, no surprise), announced Hardware that I (probably) can't buy until October (like in 2009) and told us developers to rewrite our apps. Way to go!
Until they come up with some SERIOUS announcement, they lost me as both developer and customer.
Developers on twitter seemed pretty hyped. I'm not a developer, just saying...
So given that the development platform does WebOS emulation right on the PC, why can't they release a "WebOS for the PC" right now? It doesn't need to be an operating system (in fact it shouldn't be one), just let it be a separate window, as long as it shares data with your other devices. I would love to have a tablet-sized window to set things up on my phone.