Monthly Archives: May 2014

Intel XDK – a nice development environment for mobile apps

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Intel XDK

I’ve started using Intel XDK which I find a nice environment for developing mobile applications.

It’s based on developing mobile apps using existing web technologies, such as HTML5, Javascript and CSS.

This has the advantage that the apps can easily be deployed on different platforms, such as iOS for the iPad / iPhone, Android, Windows Phone, etc and you don’t have to learn specialized languages such as Objective-C for iOS.

The environment includes Phonegap/Cordova, which allows the apps to access the mobile device’s hardware (such as camera, accelerometer, etc) and its software (such as contacts, file system, etc).

The environment includes a graphical application for the design of GUIs, which, unsurprisingly is called “App Designer”. When a new project is started with App Designer, the user is given the choice of one of four frameworks (App Framework, Bootstrap, jQuery Mobile, Topcoat) for the GUI elements you wish to use.

The environment is well presented with a good help, including videos and forums. The Intel XDK is obviously being actively developed by Intel, as can be seen from the forums. The Intel developers themselves often answer the questions on the forums.

If you would like me to develop an application or other technical projects, you can contact me.

 

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Europe Airpost – an airline to avoid

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Europe Airpost – an airline to avoid

We recently went to Greece with the airline Europe Airpost and it was an awful experience.

Coming back from Greece the aircraft was delayed for a couple of hours due to technical problems. When it finally arrived we thought that there would be no further problems and that we would soon be leaving. We were wrong.

The pilot started the engines and then shut them down again and announced more technical problems. After starting and stopping the engines several more times they decided to depart. It was dark and raining hard. The departure was awful. We weren’t sure that the old aircraft was going to make it. The aircraft creaked in a frightening way. Even the flight attendants seemed worried. Nobody spoke during the whole flight to the next island. All the passengers seemed worried. I fly a lot and I was worried too.

Europe Airpost seems to be an airline run on a shoe-string with old aircraft, such as 737s.

I think this airline is a disaster waiting to happen.  You should avoid it.