Most Important Features of Revolutionary HTML5

HTML5, the new version of HTML providing a number of unique features which is used to develop interactive websites. We will take a look at 5 important features which revolutionize the way users view websites.

The Apple iPhones, iPads and Google Android phones already use elements of HTML 5. This makes it an important markup language for future website design projects across various display devices.

HTML 5 features which are useful right now include:

1. Video elements: Designers can now build web pages without having to resort to third-party proprietary plug-in software like Flash. You can embed video without third-party proprietary plug-ins or codec. Video becomes as easy as embedding an image. YouTube is experimenting with using HTML 5 to display video. Built in video controls makes the feature more attractive and easy to use.
2. Application cache: On the lines of Outlook but minus the email client requirement, you can now store web apps much like emails locally. Google has already made use of this feature replacing its Google Gears mail client with HTML 5. Google Wave also uses HTML 5
3. Canvas for Images: This feature allows a web developer to render graphics on the fly. As with video, there is no need for a plug in. Designers no longer need to use intermediate technologies like jQuery. This will help save development time and effort.
4. Geolocation: The HTML5 Geolocation feature enables location identification using various geo location technologies GPS (Global Positioning system), IP address, RFID (Radio frequency ID), Wi-Fi , Bluetooth MAC address and GSM/CDMA cell IDs. The system is bound by privacy regulations and needs to be authorized by individuals before it can be utilized.
5. Web workers: This feature enables a web application to execute complex tasks independently without interfering with the performance of a webpage in real-time. Certain web applications use heavy scripts to perform functions. Web Workers use separate background threads for processing and it does not effect the performance of a web page.

If you want to know if any of the above features works on a given browser, you can test for it through Modernizer. This small JavaScript library is good for detecting CSS3 as well. From the Modernizer web site, “Modernizr is a small and simple JavaScript library that helps you take advantage of emerging web technologies (CSS3, HTML 5) while still maintaining a fine level of control over older browsers that may not yet support these new technologies.”

For more consultation and examples on HTML5 please write to us at alvin.p@milecore.com