Web Runtime widgets

Optimised, focused, relevant web content made easy

Web Runtime (WRT) extends the Web Browser for S60 to enable widgets — those small, focused web applications that are so popular on PCs. WRT makes it easy for a developer to offer an optimised web experience that a user can access with a single click.

On S60 5th Edition, WRT widgets can transform the web into a truly personal mobile experience. Integration with S60 Platform Services enables widgets to access information, such as a device’s location, and share it with a web server to offer unprecedented levels of relevance in web content.

Now, the Nokia N97 device allows widgets to display a read-only view on its home screen, so information from your website is permanently visible.

Widget development is simplified with plug-ins for Aptana Studio, Adobe Dreamweaver, and Microsoft Visual Studio. The plug-ins enable developers to create, edit, test, validate, package, and deploy widgets, all from within their favourite web development tool.

In addition, WRT widgets can be distributed to millions of Nokia device users around the world through the Ovi Store.

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What’s the latest news about the widget technology from Nokia?

Forum Nokia has released ApiBridge, a component that enables Web Runtime widgets to communicate with a set of Symbian OS plug-ins. Using ApiBridge developers can extend the capabilities of their WRT widgets to upload files to a website; capture video, images, and audio; read files resident on a device; resize images; access and create thumbnail images; access a device’s log information; access a device’s location; and access media on a device.

The tool package includes the JavaScript™ code that should be included in every widget that wants to make use of ApiBridge and a SIS file that adds the plug-ins to Symbian devices.

The plug-ins SIS file and any widget can be installed separately. To simplify installation, the ApiBridge package includes skeleton code for creating a single SIS file to install the plug-ins and any widget using them.

Download ApiBridge here »
For more information, go to the Forum Nokia wiki article ApiBridge Web Runtime API »

Overview

Widgets are small applications, based on standard web technologies, that typically serve as front ends to Web 2.0 services or internet content. Web designers and developers use widgets to make favourite internet experiences available from the S60 idle screen or Applications menu through single clicks or as read-only content on the home screen of the Nokia N97 mobile computer.

In just hours or days, using the web design skills you already have in creating HTML, CSS, or JavaScript™ code, you can provide mobile users with an engaging, easy-to-use interface to your web service. Development becomes even more straightforward when using the plug-ins designed for Aptana Studio, Adobe Dreamweaver, and Microsoft Visual Studio. Keep in mind that, widgets offer the opportunity to create one-to-one relationships with your customers, because content served through a widget establishes a focus and level of trust that you can build on. When a widget interacts with information on a user’s device, it helps to reinforce that trust by presenting the most relevant content to the user. The benefits of widgets don’t stop with ease of development and user engagement. Deployment is simple: Widgets can be distributed in the same way as any S60 application. The Ovi Store is the best option for reaching millions of Nokia users all over the world. To get your widgets distributed through the Ovi Store, sign up on the publish to Ovi website.

From a technical perspective widgets run in WRT, a web application runtime environment that is part of the popular Web Browser for S60. As with widgets for PCs, WRT widgets are lightweight applications created using standards-based web technologies, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Ajax technologies. In fact, you can port many PC widgets to WRT with very little effort — and you can use your existing web-authoring tools to create and package your work.

Read more about the technology available to WRT widgets »

S60 Platform Services integration to WRT, available for selected S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2 and all S60 5th Edition devices from Nokia, enables you to create more-personal and context-aware widgets by using JavaScript technologies. With access to information stored locally on a device, such as in the Calendar and Contacts applications, a widget can combine information from the internet and these local sources to provide a new, personalised service experience. With access, for example, to GPS functionality on a device, widgets can give users information that's more relevant and context-aware. As a web developer, you can easily access these new features via the Nokia Platform Services 2.0 beta JavaScript API, which includes camera support. This new API offers access to device information through the addition of just one or two lines of JavaScript code to a widget.

Read more about the Platform Services technology available to WRT widgets »
See a list of devices that provide S60 Platform Services integration »

Security

WRT’s emphasis is on providing access to internet services, so widgets don't need to be signed.

As the leading mobile-device manufacturer, Nokia takes mobile security seriously. For S60 3rd Edition devices, widgets don't create additional security risks compared with those of a browser executing JavaScript technology. JavaScript technology is provided with a tightly controlled environment in which third-party code runs: This is often referred to as a sandbox security model.

For selected S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2 and all S60 5th Edition devices from Nokia, widgets benefit from the ability to connect to core applications and capabilities of the S60 platform, such as Contacts, Calendar, and GPS. Because this feature involves JavaScript code’s accessing user information, security is maintained through a process of user authorisation. Widgets can access device information only if the device user authorises such access.

Tools

Because WRT widgets are created using standard web technologies, they can be created using your favourite web-content editor. The only other tool you need to create a WRT widget is a ZIP application with which you can build the widget’s installation package. For users of Aptana Studio, Adobe Dreamweaver, and Microsoft Visual Studio there are the Nokia WRT plug-ins and extensions, which simplify the process of creating, editing, testing, validating, packaging, and deploying WRT widgets.

WRT widgets can also be tested on your PC using the emulator supplied in the S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2, S60 5th Edition, and Nokia N97 SDKs. Please note that the S60 5th Edition or Nokia N97 SDKs will be required to test widgets that use WRT API 1.1 to access platform services. Developers can also test widgets using the Remote Device Access or Forum Nokia Virtual Developer Lab, services that provide access to real Nokia devices over the internet.

More information on tools for WRT widget and web development can be found on the Tools for Mobile Web Developers page »

Distribution

There are many ways in which you can distribute your WRT widgets. You can make them available on your website or as downloads in a third-party portal. Among these options, the new publish to Ovi solution for developers and the Ovi Store for consumers make it easier to bring your WRT widgets to consumers around the world.

For more information on the Ovi Store, please go to the Forum Nokia Go to Market page »

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