In this episode Gordon and Jeff talk about:

GWT 2.5 Is Released

• Super Dev Mode
  • Source mapping
  • no browser plugins
• Elemental
  • new library for fast lightweight “to the metal” web programming
• New compiler optimizations
  • optionally use Closure compiler
  • Fragment merging for large apps with many code splits
• Updated ARIA support
  • Accessibility
• UIBinder Enhancements
  • support for Cell rendering
• Validation Enhancements
  • JSR-303 Bean Validation

gwt-maven-plugin version 2.5.0 is released

• A maven mojo for using 2.5.0 in your Maven projects

Major Advantages Of GWT

On Quora.com someone asked what the major advantages of GWT are. Here are some of the responses:

• Both browser-side and servlet-side coding in Java
• Single code base makes it both easy to develop and debug
• Quite a mature technology now with big user community
• Actively managed and being enhanced by Google
• Easy integrations with other technologies, e.g., JSP and native JavaScript
• Easy to embed GWT widgets in web pages
• Handles most JavaScript cross-browser issues
• Provides a lot of abstractions for client-server programming like GWT-RPC and RequestFactory
• “I would say that Java tools, for example testing and packet management. Also it generates working javascript for mainstream browsers.”

Calling GWT code from a Flash element In 4 Steps

• Posted by Nick Tsitlakidis.
• He uses Radio.js micro-library which handles all the event communication.
• The method he uses:
  • Use ExternalInterface.call in Flash to call out to JavaScript
  • In the Javascript method call into Radio.js to publish a method
  • Subscribes to Radio.js in GWT using JSNI
• Radio.js micro-library which will handle all the event communication
• Dependency-Free
• Chainable Methods
• Set Callback Scope
• Lightweight
• Radio.js is less than 1kb.

We use GWT, Do You?

• Great little app that allows companies to register as users of Google Web Toolkit
• Global registry
• Show statistics on target environments, team size etc.
• Cool

Not your Father’s Slider Bar

• gwt-slider-bar a collection of ready to use slider bars for GWT.
• Also has a framework to enable you to build your own.
• Demo Site

This Week’s Power Tool:

mgwt

• Along with GWT-Phonegap gives you the tools to create a native mobile web apps.
• Developed by Daniel Kurka
• Mobile Widgets that are compatible with UIBinder
• DOM API for touch and animation events
• Themes for Android, iPhone, iPad and Blackberry
• Supports offline HTML5 applicaitons
• supports GWT RPC in Phonegap
• Some of the widgets include:
  • Header List
  • Popups
  • Carousel
  • Slider
  • Elements
  • Forms
  • Progress Bar
• Phonegapgives you access to native  native hardware and services for 7 mobile platforms through a Javascript API. Including access to:
  • Accelerometer
  • Camera
  • Captuer
  • Compass
  • Connection
  • Contacts
  • Device
  • Events
  • File
  • Geolocation
  • Globalization
  • Media
  • Notification
  • Splashscreen
  • Storage
• GWT-Phonegap wraps that API in an easy to use GWT module
• At version 1.1.2