

Firefox OS Simulator 4.0 released - rnyman
https://hacks.mozilla.org/2013/07/firefox-os-simulator-4-0-released/

======
ndesaulniers
Leave us some feedback or report any issues in our bug tracker! [1]

[1]
[https://github.com/mozilla/r2d2b2g/issues](https://github.com/mozilla/r2d2b2g/issues)

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executive
The left most search pane is completely unintuitive.

Are these apps installed on my phone? Are these even apps? WTF is this?

~~~
rhelmer
It's a service called everything.me - it provides search for the apps on the
phone itself and also indexes a bunch of web pages already wrapped as
lightweight "apps" that work on the phone with no install needed, see
[http://everything.me/](http://everything.me/) and
[https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2012/11/28/mozilla-invests-
in-...](https://blog.mozilla.org/blog/2012/11/28/mozilla-invests-in-
everything-me/)

Firefox OS has an "add to home screen" feature in the browser that creates
very similar app icons (there's a very similar iPhone feature - this was the
original supported way to provide apps on that platform in fact, before people
started demanding an SDK to make apps more like Apple's). It is very similar
to a bookmark, in fact it's right under "Bookmark" when the press the star in
the browser.

Both of the above types of "apps" just launch a lightweight chromeless browser
(there's a little arrow on the bottom of the screen you can hit to get a
little toolbar with back/forward/reload buttons).

However they don't have the same access to APIs that a packaged Open Web App
([https://developer.mozilla.org/en-
US/docs/Web/Apps](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Apps) and
[https://wiki.mozilla.org/WebAPI](https://wiki.mozilla.org/WebAPI)) that you'd
install from e.g. the Firefox Marketplace could have, since they need to be
reviewed and versioned (they are actually downloaded and installed on the
phone - [https://developer.mozilla.org/en-
US/docs/Mozilla/Firefox_OS/...](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-
US/docs/Mozilla/Firefox_OS/Security/Security_model))

~~~
executive
thanks.. I still think it's far too confusing for the average user. At least
have an indicator if the "app" is already installed. Or, don't call the
shortcuts apps, but only the ones using the SDK.

------
diggan
The "Clear AppCache, localStorage, sessionStorage, and IndexedDB while
refreshing the app" feature sounds nice. I don't know if you should call it
"hidden feature" though. The other stuff is good as well. Good job everyone.

