HTML5 – The Internet Future (Non-Technical Guide)

So we all know that the web is basically built on HTML, and that programming language has been with us since 97, but now we are seeing the emergence of the new incarnation of HTML.

The current version of HTML, (4) has been with us a long time and from its humble beginnings way back, it has been pulled stretched and coaxed so that developers can get it to do what they want it to, but now sadly it has begun to reach the end of its life.

We are now at a stage where it has taken us just about as far as it can. We just can’t teach an old dog anymore new tricks and this is where HTML5 will pick up the reigns. I’m not a developer but I still think that this is an interesting idea and wondered what it would mean to the ordinary Joe Soaps that browse the internet. So here is my short non-technical guide to what HTML5 can do for us.

Mobiles will love HTML5

At the moment the majority of cell phones, just don’t like a lot of the plugins that have been developed to help to make the web a more intuitive and user friendly place, Apps like flash and java just don’t work well on cell phones, they slow down the processors and drain the battery life. Out of the box both iPhones and iPads won’t play most mp3’s and videos. If you’re on a site and want to listen to a recording or watch a video you will first be prompted to download the plugin which takes time and kills your download allowance which doesn’t make for an enjoyable experience.

Mobile browsing is now growing at such a rate that it will soon be an important part of the web and when HTML5 hits the main stream these issues will be a thing of the past. Ok so this doesn’t sound all the great but behind the scenes it will make mobile browsing a much more user friendly experience where you can enjoy everything the web has to offer, just on a smaller screen.

So when will we start to see HTML5

Well chances are that if you are running the latest versions of Safari, Chrome or Firefox you will be using some element of this new mark-up language. Since Google closed its Gears program they have been slowly integrating it into a number of different products, currently the best example of this is the drag and drop feature used in Gmail. It has also begun to make its way into the Google Reader as well as a few other Google products but at the moment these are the main ones. Because of the success of iPad some of the worlds largest sites are making a push to integrate HTML5 so that their users can have a seamless browsing experience from their Ipad, these include Cnet, CNN and Reuters.

Though there are still a lot of sceptics out there that have their doubts about HTML5. With the increased uptake of mobile browsing, developers will have little choice but to adopt this new mark-up even if it is against their better judgement.

Guest post by: Neil is a tech writer who loves anything mobile, he currently works as head of marketing for eMobileScan, one of the Uk’s leading provider of 2D Barcode Scanners