Hybrids Aren’t Just for the Garden

Last December, we discussed tech trends to look for in 2011. One item that was on the list to look for is the hybrid app, also called a mashup, which basically combines two types of applications into one for a mobile device or computer. While we have been hearing about apps since Smartphones, cell phones that can also run applications and surf the web, hit the market a few years ago, hybrid apps were not that typical.

Before discussing a few apps as examples, including a new one available to MCL patrons, let’s put the hybrid app in perspective in order to better define it. Computers have always used apps, from the earliest ones that only featured language compilers for programmers to the latest versions of Office. These types of apps are called native apps because they are installed on the device and use the device’s hardware to function. On a mobile device, an app that uses the iPhone’s built-in GPS to give directions or a game that you download and play are examples of native apps. In the Web 2.0 world, websites were changed to include a second type of app, the web app, or an application you run when you visit a website. In this case, nothing is installed on the computer. The most basic example of a web app is a web-based e-mail service like Gmail or Yahoo. Another example of a web app is Picnik, which lets you upload and edit photos on the web. The hybrid app combines both the native and web app so you get an application that you can download to your device, but you also use the internet to get current content. A basic example of a hybrid is a weather app that provides live weather data. Eoin Dunne posted a nice grid that illustrates the technical differences between app types on The Discovery Blog in March 2011.

So why is the hybrid app a significant development? In the traditional model, a user needed to either use an application to look through information stored on the computer (for example, a photo gallery) or use a web browser to access a distant database. The hybrid app creates a way to do a specific task without having to use a traditional web browser to access the information, making it easier to get information on the go or localized to one spot on your desktop.

Let’s take a look at a few examples and conclude with a new app that is available for library patrons. One example of a hybrid that has been highly rated by users and critics is the WebMD mobile app. If you take a look at the app’s website, you can see an example of how one of these apps works by flipping through the screen shots to the right. You can see that the app packs a lot of useful information into an easy-to-use format that is updated by connecting to the internet. Another example is the app offered by The Weather Channel, which not only provides live conditions, but also offers forecasts, weather news, and information on weather and health or sports. If you are interested in finding more apps, a good place to start is the Mobile App Showdown page, which lists reviews for apps on a variety of devices.

Finally, we have an example of a new app that is available for MCL patrons, the Ebscohost app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. This free app, available through the Apple App Store, allows users of those devices to log on and search for articles in any of the Ebsco databases featured at Mercer County Library. The app also allows you to view and download the full-text version of any article contained in the Ebsco PDF library. If you don’t have an i-device, don’t worry. Users of other mobile devices can also access Ebsco on the go by visiting the mobile version of the website and the company is working on more apps for Android, Palm and Blackberry. For a full how-to guide, see the library’s website page on Ebscohost Mobile.

- Laura N.

Photo courtesy of MargaretsFamily