W3C approves EME digital rights standard – with Electronic Frontier Foundation resigning

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has voted to approve Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) as a Web standard – yet some organisations are not happy about the result.

EME is an API which allows plugin-free playback of encrypted content in Web browsers. As the W3C wrote, in a missive confirming the vote: “The viewing experience of watching movies and TV shows on the Web has now moved from a cumbersome and possibly insecure arrangement to the security of the Open Web...

19 September 2017 | API

Google brings new and updated APIs with Chrome 60

Google has updated its popular Chrome browser with new and updated APIs for developers to improve the experience for all users.

Currently available in the beta channel, Chrome 60 includes a brand new Paint Timing API, enhancements to the Credential Management API, and improvements as to how pages are rendered with a new CSS Font-Display feature.

Paint Timing API

The Paint Timing API is designed to help web developers gauge how quickly a web app or page loads to help make...

14 June 2017 | API

A certification program from Google has launched for mobile site developers

Google has announced the launch of a new certification programme for mobile site developers to prove their worth.

The new exam covers various aspects of mobile website development from the basics of why mobile-optimised sites matter, all the way to methods of improving mobile site speed, the importance of optimal UX design, and topics such as progressive web apps.

Passing the exam allows you to promote yourself with the honour of being a Google accredited mobile site developer...

4 April 2017 | HTML

Google takes its Optimize tools for website A/B testing out of beta

Google has removed the beta tag from its Optimize tools for A/B website testing as part of today’s global launch.

Optimize and Optimize 360 first came on the scene back in 2015 when a limited beta was launched to offer a lucky few additional help with their websites. Running on top of Google Analytics, the Google Optimize tool allows developers to see which versions of their website receive the best reception based on a set objective.

“We love the fact that Optimize...

31 March 2017 | Development Tools

Google further blurs the lines between web and native apps

(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/ymgerman)

In a blog post today, Google has announced it will be stepping up its efforts to blur the lines between native and web apps in an update to Chrome rolling out in the beta channel within the next few weeks. 

Back in 2015, Google helped to blur the lines between the web and native apps by allowing developers to prompt users browsing their site to add it to their Home screen so it appears the same way as other apps. Now, with...

3 February 2017 | Android

Big Viking Games raises $21.75m, continues to bet on HTML5 mobile gaming

Picture credit: "HTML5 Logo On Screen", by "David Martyn Hunt", used under CC BY / Modified from original

Big Viking Games, a Canada-based independent mobile and self-published game studio and pioneer in HTML5 mobile games, has secured a total of $21.75 million (£17.4m) in funding from Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Export Development Canada (EDC) and BDC Capital.

The gaming house is looking to secure more financing aiming to raise at least...

4 November 2016 | Gaming

Android is driving a 12 million-strong population of mobile developers

(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/JasminSeidel) 

The number of mobile application developers has now reached over 12 million according to figures by Evans Data, and it's being driven by the Android platform.

With mobile development skills becoming more invaluable than ever the number of developers has increased five-fold since Evans Data first began recording data back in 2006. In the first report, just two million developers focused on mobile. 

Android remains...

10 October 2016 | Android

Google and Microsoft beefing up HTML5 bet for browsers

Picture credit: "HTML5 Logo On Screen", by "David Martyn Hunt", used under CC BY / Modified from original

Some might say it has been a long time coming – but recent pronouncements from Google and Microsoft have shown a clear indication towards bolstering HTML5 on their browser experiences.

Writing on the official Chrome blog earlier this month, Google announced that version 53 of its Chrome browser will automatically block certain elements of...

19 August 2016 | Development Tools

Websites are slowing down because of complex design trends

(Image Credit: iStockPhoto/Ursula Alter)

How long it takes a user to load a website has increased over the years due to complex design choices, according to a new report from Dynatrace. The digital performance company observed this global phenomenon and notes websites are seven percent slower than last year. 

Dynatrace tracked the homepage response times of 300 leading retail sites in the UK, US, France, Germany, China, Australia, Spain and the Nordics, testing...

2 June 2016 | HTML

HTML5 security: Cross domain messaging

(c)iStock.com/Miha Perosa

HTML5 is one of the emerging technologies for next generation web applications and has brought a lot of new features to the web. HTML5 applications are also widely used in the mobile app world. But along with the features, HTML5 has brought various new attack vectors as well.

Before going ahead with the security concepts of cross domain messaging, let us understand the basics of how cross domain messaging is implemented in HTML5.

Cross domain...

27 January 2016 | Development Tools