5 ms·

> Fitbit Ionic marks an exciting evolution in the smart device market by both incorporating open source technologies, like JerryScript into the device itself, a

> Fitbit Ionic marks an exciting evolution in the smart device market by both incorporating open source technologies, like JerryScript into the device itself, and allowing developers to build on top of the software and contribute apps. I realize this is marketing copy, but what exactly is evolutionary about using open source software and providing an SDK for a smartwatch? How does this differ from Apple's offerings? Sounds like the evolutionary part is that you can use JavaScript.

CharlesW 9y ago
FWIW, even the "can use JavaScript on IoT devices" is not new. XS[1] is an open-source, built-for-IoT JavaScript runtime with 95% ECMAScript 6 compatibility[2][3] ("JerryScript" is ES 5.1 compatible). This is what JS Foundation thinks compelling content marketing is, I guess? [1] Created by Moddable (moddable.com), formerly Kinoma. Terrible name, which I think is one of the reasons it's criminally-overlooked. [2] http://kangax.github.io/compat-table/es6/#xs6 http://kangax.github.io/compat-table/es6/#xs6 [3] http://kinoma.com/develop/documentation/js6/ http://kinoma.com/develop/documentation/js6/
pavlov 9y ago
It's still incredibly limited compared to Samsung's smartwatch platform. For the past few years, the Gear watches and fitness wearables have been running full Linux. If you enable Wi-Fi debugging, you can actually ssh in to the smartwatch and poke around the file system. The UI story is a mess though. There's EFL, a C-based GUI layer of somewhat legendary status in Linux circles (it's derived from the Enlightenment window manager). It's plenty fast, as a smartwatch should be, but kind of a bastard to program for. Alternatively you can write HTML apps, but they run like sedated dogs on the smartwatch. Last I heard, Samsung was trying to add React Native into the mix. I'm not very convinced that adding in yet another runtime will fix the fundamental problem.
- pjmlp 9y ago
  You missed the part of the multiple C++ UIs taken initially from Bada OS, and now .NET Core.
  - pavlov 9y ago
    Sounds terrible. I'm glad I don't have to care...
    - pjmlp 9y ago
      It gets worse, Samsung showed Tizen:RT at FOSDEM. https://fosdem.org/2018/schedule/event/tizen_rt/ https://fosdem.org/2018/schedule/event/tizen_rt/ Which is yet another variation of Tizen.
  - hodl 9y ago
    Go .NET! (Go: As in move not golang)
- tostitos1979 9y ago
  But isn't the crappy widget library a general problem with Linux? What would one use if not EFL?
  - pavlov 9y ago
    Well, there's Qt, but I guess it doesn't align with the politics because it's owned and controlled by a private corporation. I agree there aren't any good options. Given the choices on Linux, EFL actually makes sense for a smartwatch.
  - book_mentioned 9y ago
    Not a specific answer (focused on desktop apps), but most recent relevant discussion (yesterday): Show HN: Cross-platform desktop applications with PyQT | https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16318677 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16318677
- z3t4 9y ago
  It would be very nice if it had a browser and something like "add to desktop" like in Chrome.
- baybal2 9y ago
  I have doubts that putting browser stuff on a microcontroller will fare well
brlewis 9y ago
It's evolution in the smart device market as the use of a lightweight JS engine on an IoT device goes more mainstream. Being lightweight is key to allowing third-party apps while maintaining decent battery life.

CharlesW 9y ago

FWIW, even the "can use JavaScript on IoT devices" is not new. XS[1] is an open-source, built-for-IoT JavaScript runtime with 95% ECMAScript 6 compatibility[2][3] ("JerryScript" is ES 5.1 compatible). This is what JS Foundation thinks compelling content marketing is, I guess? [1] Created by Moddable (moddable.com), formerly Kinoma. Terrible name, which I think is one of the reasons it's criminally-overlooked. [2] http://kangax.github.io/compat-table/es6/#xs6 http://kangax.github.io/compat-table/es6/#xs6 [3] http://kinoma.com/develop/documentation/js6/ http://kinoma.com/develop/documentation/js6/

pavlov 9y ago

It's still incredibly limited compared to Samsung's smartwatch platform. For the past few years, the Gear watches and fitness wearables have been running full Linux. If you enable Wi-Fi debugging, you can actually ssh in to the smartwatch and poke around the file system. The UI story is a mess though. There's EFL, a C-based GUI layer of somewhat legendary status in Linux circles (it's derived from the Enlightenment window manager). It's plenty fast, as a smartwatch should be, but kind of a bastard to program for. Alternatively you can write HTML apps, but they run like sedated dogs on the smartwatch. Last I heard, Samsung was trying to add React Native into the mix. I'm not very convinced that adding in yet another runtime will fix the fundamental problem.

pjmlp 9y ago
You missed the part of the multiple C++ UIs taken initially from Bada OS, and now .NET Core.
- pavlov 9y ago
  Sounds terrible. I'm glad I don't have to care...
  - pjmlp 9y ago
    It gets worse, Samsung showed Tizen:RT at FOSDEM. https://fosdem.org/2018/schedule/event/tizen_rt/ https://fosdem.org/2018/schedule/event/tizen_rt/ Which is yet another variation of Tizen.
- hodl 9y ago
  Go .NET! (Go: As in move not golang)
tostitos1979 9y ago
But isn't the crappy widget library a general problem with Linux? What would one use if not EFL?
- pavlov 9y ago
  Well, there's Qt, but I guess it doesn't align with the politics because it's owned and controlled by a private corporation. I agree there aren't any good options. Given the choices on Linux, EFL actually makes sense for a smartwatch.
- book_mentioned 9y ago
  Not a specific answer (focused on desktop apps), but most recent relevant discussion (yesterday): Show HN: Cross-platform desktop applications with PyQT | https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16318677 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16318677
z3t4 9y ago
It would be very nice if it had a browser and something like "add to desktop" like in Chrome.
baybal2 9y ago
I have doubts that putting browser stuff on a microcontroller will fare well

brlewis 9y ago

It's evolution in the smart device market as the use of a lightweight JS engine on an IoT device goes more mainstream. Being lightweight is key to allowing third-party apps while maintaining decent battery life.