Google highlights OpenSocial, Gears at I/O event
Google has upgraded its OpenSocial platform with a new REST (representational
state transfer) API for applications that need to tap back-end servers for data
and functionality.
This capability had been eagerly awaited by developers creating OpenSocial
applications, particularly because having the REST API (application programming
interface) is considered key for mobile applications.
Version 0.8 of OpenSocial also enhances the platform's JavaScript API, Google
announced Wednesday at its I/O developer conference.
"This represents the next evolution of the OpenSocial API, which was scoped,
specified and built via an open process run by the community," wrote Google
product manager Dan Peterson in the OpenSocial blog.
OpenSocial is a project that provides a set of basic APIs so developers don't
have to fully re-write an application to have it run on each social-networking
site. The JavaScript API modifications are detailed in version
0.8's release notes.
In a related
I/O announcement, Google said that MySpace is adopting its Gears technology
for storing data from Web applications locally in a browser for offline access.
Specifically, MySpace will use Gears in the e-mail service it provides to its
social-networking site members. To date, this is the largest implementation
of Gears outside of Google and the first time MySpace has made available functionality
for its users to search and sort mail.
According to MySpace, its members send an average of 170 million mail messages
every day using the site's mail system. Through its local storage capability,
Gears will allow them to search and sort their mail rather than having to manually
scroll through their messages.
In addition, Google announced that popular blog-publishing service WordPress
is also using Gears to let its users manage their blogs offline, and that Gears
now also supports Apple's Safari browser and version 3 of the Firefox browser.
Also at I/O on Wednesday, the company released an API and a browser plug-in
for its Google Earth mapping application. "[Developers] can now use the
Earth as their canvas and apply their creative vision to a geographically rich,
3D environment, leveraging the same technologies we use in the desktop Google
Earth client. For consumers, this means that they will soon see Google Earth
in many more places around the Web -- perhaps even their favorite Web site,"
Google
said in a statement.
IDG News Service
Symantec Backup Exec 12 and Backup Exec System Recovery 8 deliver industry leading Windows data protection and system recovery. Download this whitepaper to find out the top reasons to upgrade and how to get continuous data protection and complete system recovery.
Data and system loss — from a hard drive failure, malicious attack, natural disaster, or simple human error — can happen anytime. Don’t leave your business vulnerable. Make sure you have a secure recovery strategy in place. Symantec's latest backup and system recovery technology can efficiently restore critical applications, individual emails and documents and even restore your entire system in minutes in the event of a loss.
Businesses face a growing challenge to ensure that the IT environment is properly protected. Backup Exec 12 integrates with other applications in the Symantec family of products, to complement your current data protection strategy, keep your data securely backed up and make it recoverable when you need it most.
Enterprise 2.0 Implementation
By Aaron C. Newman, Jeremy Thomas
Published by McGraw-Hill
Learn more!
Deploying Cisco Wide Area Application Services
By Zach Seils, Joel Christner
Published by Cisco Press
Learn more!
