Google Is Building a Way To Launch Chrome Apps Without Installation 135
An anonymous reader writes "Google really wants Chrome apps to take off. Not only has the company added rich notifications, in-app payments, and an app launcher into its browser, but now it's developing ephemeral apps that launch by just clicking a link. There are two separate components here. Ephemeral apps (you can enable this under the chrome://flags/#enable-ephemeral-apps flag) let you try a Chrome app before installing it. Linkable ephemeral apps (under the chrome://flags/#enable-linkable-ephemeral-apps flag) meanwhile allow you to launch said apps from hyperlinks."
Re:Still becomes a brick. (Score:5, Informative)
This isn't true at all... I made a "Mirror" app yesterday (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/mirror-tds/fapfdhoailemkonegpjdhngmjfpmdjdj) on my Chromebook which works just as well as a "flipped webcam image" offline as it does online.
My other app to graph relationships between objects (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/tensity-grapher/keomiemppflejbjkafeaepbdhigggifd) also works offline.
As does Google Docs (Offline), as the calculator, as does a timer, and my calendar, and many of the apps I have installed (I'm frequently offline).
I don't have a GSM subscription (I use wifi), Google Chrome doesn't sell such a subscription (try it with your own laptop, with whatever wifi/service you have), and many apps work without internet connection.
Re:Still becomes a brick. (Score:4, Informative)
I am a Chrome app developer (a bad one, but whatever), and all of the apps I've made work offline.
Re:Still becomes a brick. (Score:4, Informative)
It mostly works the way that you have represented. The majority of your post in on the back-end propagation of updates, which works well, and obviously doesn't work when offline. Generally apps work offline by default (like a saved webpage), unless your app needs to reach to an online site.