The HTML5 date element is an especially great addition in the mobile world. It triggers native controls, built for mobile devices, instead of forcing the developer to come up with a normally-complex solution. Support was not there for a while but apparently things are improving as of late.
For example:
iOS 5.1 Safari
Android 4.x Chrome:
But sadly, the native Android 4.x browser is not compatible.
I say, use it!
Say what you will, this is pretty cool – at least at the idea level: a specialized, HTML5 web browser for mobile devices that provides special hooks for HTML5 apps granting them access to native device features. Pretty nifty, right? Naturally the people who control the platform, kinda get to decide what can and cannot run, maybe get a cut of the action for the business that they are generating for you and for the work that they invested in making and marketing the app.
In exchange for openness, you get cool features (especially for games) and capabilities you otherwise will not be able to provide. Tradeoffs tradeoffs. Still, pretty darn cool.
I am proud to put my happy fanboy glasses on and say that I installed Google Chrome on its first day. Better yet, I am writing now using it. Can you believe Firefox is no longer the cool kids’ browser. So sad. So what do I think of it having used it for precisely 10 minutes:
Yay:
Nay:
Regardless, I root for Google. Another ballsy, way beyond uber-cool idea. Seems to be running. Was a pain to download because apparently they are so deluged with requests it hurt their servers.
How’s this for low-to-lowest brow review?
