Hey Microsoft, let us make WebApps!

[Briankealing]

So I was fiddling with the "Pin to quickplay" feature for website favorites. The website's favicon would appear just like an album on quickplay, but with the address on the bottom.

So I was thinking, hey, how about, let us create webapps with favorites? Just like in quickplay - the favicon would appear in the "Apps" category. The website's <title> tag would be the title of the application. The description would be the <meta type="description" content="...">. The address bar/options bar at the bottom would be removed. It would just be a browser with no real options, like Mozilla Prism.

Don't have an email app? Mark Gmail Mobile as a webapp and be good to go. Actively visit Engadget or other technology blogs? Mark them as webapps. Prefer mobile twitter better than the app? Mark it as a webapp. I think it's a brilliant idea, and would provide padding for the lack of applications that everyone is complaining about.

[CrowdAds]

[Cruleworld]

This man (or woman...) is a genius!

[quix117]

I wouldn't use it, but it would be a nice feature to have.

[FallenArms3]

Like... favorites? If you use a webapp frequently, you're just going to pin it to quickplay-- just like you could have done for the original website. Otherwise, it's just as easy to open up the browser and select a favorite as it is to open up Apps and select an icon.

[medion]

Just save it as a bookmark. Other than not having a visual icon, it's not much different than what I think you're recommending.

Under how I'm interpreting your idea, the user would; scroll to "apps" and click it, click the "Web Apps" submenu," and lastly, click the desired "web app."

Under the current implementation you'd simply; click "internet," then click the bookmark icon, then click the bookmark for your desired web app.

[DoomRoot13]

I don't see why this would be something Microsoft would have to help with. you can already bookmark a website, then pin that bookmark to quickplay and its like an app icon. I already have a couple, the only problem is the lack of any utilities, games, etc. online

[Briankealing]

Originally Posted by DoomRoot13

I don't see why this would be something Microsoft would have to help with. you can already bookmark a website, then pin that bookmark to quickplay and its like an app icon. I already have a couple, the only problem is the lack of any utilities, games, etc. online

The main difference is that the bar on the bottom would be disabled, providing more screen space, and maybe even faster browsing, like Mozilla Prism.

Although I realize Favorites/Quickplay is essentially the same thing, pinning as a webapp makes it a much more elegant solution. For example, pinning to quickplay isn't really pretty, and chances are, if the favicon is white, you can't see what the address is.

[FallenArms3]

Originally Posted by Briankealing

and chances are, if the favicon is white, you can't see what the address is.

But you proposed removing the address entirely anyway.

I don't see any real reason for something like this to take development time away from more important things.

[Briankealing]

Originally Posted by FallenArms3

But you proposed removing the address entirely anyway.

I don't see any real reason for something like this to take development time away from more important things.

Apps have titles, do they not?
As stated in my original post, the title of the webapp would be the <title> tag of the HTML document.
No need for the address...

[Jacob]

If they had webapps in the market place, that would be genius.
Developers: Target multiple platforms, minimal effort.
Customers: More apps.
Microsoft: Easy way to stop us complaining for a day. :P

[Briankealing]

Originally Posted by Jacob

If they had webapps in the market place, that would be genius.
Developers: Target multiple platforms, minimal effort.
Customers: More apps.
Microsoft: Easy way to stop us complaining for a day. :P

My thoughts exactly.
Jolicloud does it. Why not Microsoft?

[Jacob]

Originally Posted by Briankealing

My thoughts exactly.
Jolicloud does it. Why not Microsoft?

Maybe they just didn't think of it like that. I can't imagine it would be hard to implement, but due to the state of the Zune, I can't imagine you creating your own webapps.
I actually see this the future of web-based applications, as you can target so many devices.