Well well. It's been some 18 months since I updated this blog and I wish I could give some sort of profound reason for such a level of gross negligence. The fact is I can't. If I was pushed I guess my explanation would be closely related to the category of excuses generally centred around the use of the word 'busy'. Truthfully it's probably a mixture of this and general apathy toward spending so much time online. And if you really wanted to pry I'd probably let you have that I can be somewhat'aloof' but that would be downright rude wouldn't it you intrusive douche. Hmmmmm. Anyway here we are.
So, last month me and some nice chaps that I work with (@frasiocht - who knows his onions about all things mobile web / tom@tomanddan.com - a fantastic designer) published an Xmas themed interactive comic centred around a hardboiled detective and an evil present stealing mythical character named The Krampus. The comic was several frames in length and its intention simple; demonstrate what's possible using the mobile web and the advanced capabilities of HTML5 and CSS3. No app, no download, everything is handled within the browser itself.
Now obviously interaction with content on the web is now new thing, nor is by using a native app on mobile, but it is relitively new terrain when considering the mobile web and how limited this was 3 or so years ago. This is an rich, untapped area that offers many creative possibilites when you consider that it negates the need for the brand to build and ultimately pay for several different apps, go through the app store approval process (iOS) meaning things can go to market quicker, and prevents the need for the consumer to download a branded app in the first place.
HTML5 is bringing mobile site functionality much closer to what's possible in native apps. The fact that you can store content locally (i.e download the content to your device from the web-app) so that you can use the site offline is a huge bonus and the way in which you can display content and transition from pages just makes the whole thing more sexy and appealing. This area is already growing rapidly and will continue to do so as the the capabilities of devices and their operating systems increase.
Check out the comic by popping this into the browser on your mobile: http://krampus.mobi
