I see this as the unevenly distributed future. Eventually, some API layer will "win" that unifies or abstracts away our various local data store headaches (sql

I see this as the unevenly distributed future. Eventually, some API layer will "win" that unifies or abstracts away our various local data store headaches (sqlite, gears, localstorage, coredata). CRUD once, replicate anywhere (and anytime the connection comes back). Even if your app is an App instead of a webapp. A REST-ful approach, such as with apache couch, with an open, easy to implement (copy?) protocol that just stands on the shoulders of the web will win. Allowing the app itself to be treated as just more auto-replicated data is yummy meta frosting.