Re: I don't need an app for that...
 

We have spent weeks/days/months debating why a 'typical' consumer would want an n900 over another device. This is it:

"i don't need an app for that - it just does it" is the biggest value proposition of the N900 to the non developer.

Re: I don't need an app for that...
 

While I'm all for browsers getting better and more "app-like", I think the idea that eventually all applications will be replaced by the browser is naive at best.

There are a great many use cases where an actual application performs better than a browser (you can search on google for discussions about iPhone native apps vs. web apps, or specifically there's been a bunch of articles on daringfireball.net)

You can make the argument that web apps will keep improving, and therefore eventually will overcome these limitations, but that's a pretty big bet.

And I'm someone who does most of their computing in a browser. A while back I forced myself to use a Windows 7 machine for six months, and because almost everything I do is in the browser, it was much easier than it would have been a year ago; but far from ideal.

I suppose when this magical day occurs where web browsers can perform all the same functions as a dedicated app (including a UI which isn't sub-optimal), I might reconsider.

Re: I don't need an app for that...
 

"it just does it" is a very good value statement indeed. However, it does disregard some things about consumers that are important from a marketing perspective, especially for tech.

1. The statement needs an addition of "... and it's soo easy", I think it's been demonstrated many times that how much a machine can do matters far less than how much it is actually used for.

2. People like feeling special with their tech, at first it was enough to have an iPhone, but since everyone does now (in the US at least), being special is now about having the newest, coolest app... and this sells!

Re: I don't need an app for that...
 

+1

These browser apps are just another try to find a silver bullet on cross platform application development. It isn't it just like java wasn't. Or then again I could be wrong and we all find ourselves coding only javascipt anytime soon. But in the mean time give me standalone apps and leave the browser for browsing :)

Re: I don't need an app for that...
 

So is our current problem that app manager is too complicated and not user friendly, has no rating or feedback system? :p - then yes I agree, and i would be happy to help with a replacement from a usability / information architecture perspective (pm me)

People are amazed when i show how i have AIM, MSN, Skype and Yahoo all running, not is some stupid app, but rather just as part of the contact and that all those messages are threaded with my sms's (now if we could get email integration we would have something amazing.. kinda like Gwave,

Im not sure if anyone used the lifeblog in s60, it could have been a really cool tool if it was simplifed... Incorporating this into the threaded conversation with photo tagging and suck... it could really be amazing.

Re: I don't need an app for that...
 

What are Facebook, YouTube, and Hotmail if not browser based apps? Ever needed to open a GIF file and the image viewer is acting funny? Browser usually doesn't. There's no reason we couldn't do more.

Re: I don't need an app for that...
 

"There's an API for that."

;)

Re: I don't need an app for that...
 

About FB, YT and HM.. exactly. These are all online and require me to have internet connection as it should be.

Even the "standalone" facebook apps for phones require an internet connection to actually look at recent facebook status'... and this is because these three things are websites. That's what a browser should be for.

Using a browser to run an offline game or app is just kind of silly. Again, My humble opinion. YMMV, etc.

Re: I don't need an app for that...
 

Hey, what's wrong with downloading Flash games and playing 'em that way?

Dicewars on my device FTW! :D

Re: I don't need an app for that...
 

Well.. as I said.. YMMV :D. I am not a huge fan of Flash.