iPhone

Hiking Guide: Joshua Tree released!

We have released our second paid app, Hiking Guide: Joshua Tree! It is available for both iOS and Android for $0.99. The app contains over 20 hikes in the Joshua Tree National Park. You can find a wide range of hikes; from easy to hard, from short to long, the perfect hike is a few taps away.

The app contains USGS topographic maps that outline each trail’s route, as well as providing descriptions of the trail and directions to the trail head.

We hope you enjoy the app and use it explore the many hikes in Joshua Tree National Park.

 

Learn PhoneGap Build

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PhoneGap and its open-source sister Apache Cordova simplify cross-platform app development. You can code an app once, and then compile it to run anywhere: iOS, Android, or Windows Phone. PhoneGap Build is the cloud-based version, which allows you to take apps built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and compile them into native, store-ready mobile apps. All without any SDKs.

In this course, Chris Griffith introduces the PhoneGap ecosystem and the basics of PhoneGap Build. He shows how to set up an account for development and create, configure, and compile your first project with PhoneGap Build. Once you’ve mastered these fundamentals, Chris shows how to extend your app plugins, debug your app, and then prep it for release in the App Store, Google Play store, or Windows Store.

Duration: 1 hr, 24 minutes

Check it out!

Learn Apache Cordova

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Apache Cordova is the open-source version of PhoneGap, the leading tool for cross-platform app development. It’s a write-once, run-anywhere solution specifically designed for mobile. But to ensure a smooth cross-platform workflow, it helps to know some setup and configuration basics. In this course, Chris Griffith introduces Apache Cordova and the PhoneGap ecosystem, including the two command-line interface (CLI) tools and the PhoneGap desktop app. He shows how to set up your local system and how to create, configure, and build your first project with the Cordova CLI. Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, Chris shows how to extend your app with native and third-party plugins that enable features such as QR code detection and geolocation, and debug your app, preview it in an emulator or on an actual device, and then prep it for release in the Apple Store or on Google Play.

Duration: 1 hr, 24 minutes

Check it out!

Adobe MAX Lab Update: #2

This additional lab is short one, but will add event listeners in the event the device loses or gains network access. PhoneGap has event listeners for a variety of device events such as:

  • deviceready
  • pause
  • resume
  • online
  • offline
  • backbutton
  • batterycritical
  • batterylow
  • batterystatus
  • menubutton
  • searchbutton
  • startcallbutton
  • endcallbutton
  • volumedownbutton
  • volumeupbutton

We will add our event listeners within the device ready function to listen for both the change from being online to offline, as well as the reverse.

function onDeviceReady() {
   checkConnection();
   document.addEventListener("online", onOnline, false);
   document.addEventListener("offline", onOffline, false);
 }

The two functions simply toggle the network state variable based on the network state.

function onOnline(event){
   isConnected = true;
}
function onOffline(event){
   isConnected = false;
}

If while using our application, we have a network status change, the application can properly respond to it. This may not seem like much, but defensive programming techniques can improve the overall user experience of your application. We all know that the best user experience will often win in a crowded marketplace.

The project files are available on my GitHub repo.

Adobe MAX is coming fast!

Adobe MAX

I have been selected to speak at Adobe MAX again. However, this time I am giving a 90 minute workshop entitled “Creating Mobile Applications with jQuery Mobile and PhoneGap Build“. In fact the response has been so good, they had to add a third session on Wednesday afternoon! If you are attending and wanted to take this workshop, maybe it can now work into your schedule.

I have had a lot of fun developing the course content. If all goes well, attendees will go from a blank html document to a working mobile application in 90 minutes! I have some great TAs, so if even you hit a snag, these fine folks will be able to get you back on track. It should be a fun workshop, and I hope that you can attend. If you are not sure about coming to AdobeMAX, there is a discount code available for $300. Leave me a comment and I will send it to you.