On September 5th we conducted a webinar on our Icenium extension for Visual Studio. The webinar was titled “Building iOS and Android apps using Visual Studio”. This is part of the ongoing webinar series we here at Telerik India have been doing almost every Thursday of the month. If you want to know our webinar schedule, take a look at this blog post: https://telerikhelper.net/2013/10/04/technology-to-keep-you-company-in-the-holiday-season/

About Icenium:

Icenium is a product from Telerik which makes cross platform mobile development simplified. Icenium enables you to use HTML5, CSS and JavaScript to develop, test, and publish applications that run natively on the Apple iOS and Google Android mobile platforms. It combines the convenience of a local coding environment with cloud-based services powered by the Apache Cordova framework. Icenium also provides the seamless creation of a backend for your apps with data storage, user management, and email and push notifications.

Icenium also comes with Visual Studio extension, so that without leaving Visual Studio you can create cross platform mobile applications. Find out more about the extension here: http://www.icenium.com/blog/icenium-team-blog/2013/09/23/announcing-the-icenium-extension-for-visual-studio

Slide Deck:

Here is the slide deck used for the webinar:

Video Recording:

As promised, here is the video recording of the webinar:

Q & A:

We had a lot of questions asked during the webinar. Our team was able to answer as much as we can during the webinar. We normally do a recap of the questions and try to provide answers to all of them through this blog post. So here are the questions from the webinar along with the answers:

Q: Are these native apps we are talking about?
A: We are talking about a model of Mobile App development called Hybrid Application Model. In this model you develop app using HTML5/JavaScript/CSS. You package this and it runs on the device pretty muck like a native app.

Q: Can we use Express Edition to practice this?
A: Sorry. This needs a non-Express VS edition

Q: Can we practice it on any other ide other than VS or is it only for it?
A: The webinar featured a extension we have for Visual Studio. But Icenium comes as a stand alone IDE also. We have Windows Client called Icenium Graphite or you can use Icenium on the browser itself. Currently supported only on Chrome.

Q: For android development with visual studio can we do it without any explicit plugin?
A: Yes. It depends mostly on your application feature and design. If you are building a simple data entry application which does not require any custom plugin you can do it easily with just a HTML markup and a JavaScript code to handle service calls.

Q: How difficult/easy it is to design my app once, and create ios application and android application PARALLELY?
A: With Icenium and Kendo UI Mobile controls, you write your code only once. Icenium lets you build packages for Android and iOS right within Icenium. Kendo UI Mobile controls provide you the adaptive rendering capability i.e. Kendo UI Mobile controls adapt to platform they are running on and give you native look and feel.

Q: what is Icenium?
A: Icenium – Mobile application development tool from Telerik. More details: http://www.icenium.com

Q: Can the jQuery version file be changed at any time?
A: Yes you can.

Q: Is Icenium different from Kendo control set ?
A: Icenium = Cloud IDE + Build Services + Simulators + Debug Capabilitie + Mobile BaaS + Kendo Mobile

Q: Will Icenium Support design and development of Web Services or the same will have to be developed seperately in .NET?
A: This will need to be developed separately. We have a Visual Studio addin avaialble to do the same called OpenAccess. http://www.telerik.com/products/orm.aspx

Q: Is Icenium an opensource?
A: No. Icenium is licensed product. It is per developer subscription based.

Q: Since iOS 7 is released, how do we set the version to 7.0 in iOS simulator?
A:. Work is under way. We will update the simulator once we are ready. In fact we already have a flat theme in Kendo UI Mobile control set from past year or so. So you already have a flat theme to apply to your apps.

Q: Which Visual Studio version we are going to discuss to achieve this?
A: Icenium Extension for Visual Studio supports only Visual Studio 2012 at the moment.

Q: Can we run tis apps on windows phone 8 also?
A: Yes. But Icenium cannot make the package for you. You will need to copy the complete source code. use Windows Phone project template for HTML5 and dump your code. Then create the XAP file and put it to market place.

Q: this will be compatible with all device of Android and iPhone?
A: Yes. Icenium also provides adaptive rendering for individual platform.

Q: Only VS 2012 is enough or do we need to install any plugins?
A: You will need to install Icenium Extension for Visual Studio from Visual Studio Gallery.

Q: From where can we download Icenium Plugin? We already have a license of telerik, do we need to buy a separate one?
A: You can download the Icenium extension from Visual Studio Gallery. You can develop an app and test in Icenium simulator. But when it comes to packaging you will need to buy Icenium subscription which is per developer and on monthly basis.

Q: Can we deploy directly to physical phone if its connected ?
A: Yes, you will be able to. LiveSync enables immidiate sync to all devices attached to the machine.

Q: An application developed on Telerik Silverlight, can it be replicated to Icenium app
A: No direct migration from Silverlight to Icenium.

Q: Can we access hardware including Camera, GPS and other sensors?
A: Yes, via the cordova library. Part of Icenium.

Q: I have a Kendo app (browser app) can we migrate it to Icenium?
A: Kendo Browser Apps using Kendo UI Web controls which is meant for running on desktop browsers. For mobile, we recommend using Kendo UI Mobile controls.

Q: Can we use debugger on trial version of Icenium
A: Yes, the trials are fully featured trials.

Q: Does Icenium support windows mobile
A: WP is supported by a slightly different procedure. Please write to sales@telerikindia.com in case you would like to explore this further.

Q: Does the API has support to access device specific functionalities
A: Yes, via the plugin architecture.

Q: Can we create system apps via Icenium
A: Sorry, Icenium can only build mobile apps.

Q: Where is the div attributes coming from (like data-role, data-icon)
A: There are known as “data-“ attributes in HTML5 specification. HTML 5 makes provision for it. Icenium makes it functional.

Q: Can we get a trial version of Icenium?
A: Yes, one month trial of Icenium is available at: http://www.icenium.com

Q: The difference between Jquey Mobile / Cordova app & Kendo UI is nativeness
A: Yes. In addition, we have SPA framework + MVVM framework + Client side DataSource + Templates and more

Q: We need to know how to use ListView and how to bind a data to listview practically?
A: Please write to sales@telerikindia.com and we will help you specifically.

Q: Any support for Native mobile application?
A: Not in Icenium. It is a hybrid mobile app stack. Telerik has WP native controls: http://www.telerik.com/products/windows-phone.aspx

Q: Are you using any MVVM framework like backbone.js
A: Kendo UI framework has its own MVVM framework. This further reduces the size of the application by removing the need for adding more frameworks like backbone.js

Q: Is this a stand-alone or web based Mobille App?
A: This is being like a web based app. Upon compilation/ build it will become a stand alone app (apk/ipa) that can be put on respective app stores.

Q: What is kendo?
A: The Mobile UI control set using in Icenium: http://www.kendoui.com/

Q: Just to confirm the support for ODATA using these controls?
A: Yes, ODATA is supported. Use DataSource to connect to Odata services and controls can bind to this datasource

Q: Will a single code will work for both IOs and Android?
A: Yes, it will. that’s magical, isn’t it?

Q: Any ETA to remove this BETA ?
A: Icenium is a live app (not in BETA). The VS plugins is in BETA.

Q: Can we use VS2012 to write Objective C code using Icenium?
A: No. This is not possible.

Q: Will kendo ui mobile and jQuery mobile work together?
A: There is nothing that prevents jQuery Mobile from working with Kendo UI. However, it is needless as most capabilities are available in Kendo UI.

Q: is it support local database ie sqllite etc ?
A: Yes. Icenium has support for SQLite plugin which can be included in your project.

Q: How Icenium plugin is aligned with iphone/android/windowsPhone design elements ?
A: Icenium is just the IDE for developing Hybrid Mobile Apps. It’s the Kendo UI Mobile control set which adheres to design principles of the Mobile Platform and render the controls accordingly.

Q: do you have icenium extention for Eclipse/JBuilder/IntelliJ.?
A: Not immidiately. you can use the Windows client of Icenium: http://www.icenium.com/product/graphite

Q: How we can publish our app for iOS?
A: Publishing for Apple Store is directly supported from Icenium. No need for a Mac.

Q: To publish a app in Apple store, I need a mac device & Xcode?
A: You will be excited to know that Icenium supports deployment to Apple Store directly. so, you don’t need a Mac or XCode for publishing. You can develop and deploy completely without the need for a Mac.

Q: Who does the magic behind the scene from different phone sets? is it Kendo, which recognizes and builds the layout
A: Yes, Kendo is the magic behind support for different platforms/ form factors.

Q: Can you name any application developed using kendo UI and deployed in different markets for iOS,Android and Microsoft
A: SafeBridge, DevReach. Check out our showcase apps: http://www.icenium.com/resources/showcase

Q: How abt symbian apps
A: sorry not supported by Icenium.

Q: What is LiveSync – is it a part of kendo ui?
A: LiveSync. A dedicated video: http://www.icenium.com/resources/videos-demos/video/icenium-device-simulator-and-livesync This allows the apps to be updated automatically once the change is made to the code in Icenium. No deployment needed!

Q: An important question: What is % degrade in performance using Kendo UI v/s native html/css apps ?
A: It is quite the opposite. We have seen improvements of 200 – 300% in performance when using Kendo versus other HTML/ CSS apps (not native)

Q: Is there a support for Java IDE?
A: Not immidately. A standalone app is avialable – http://www.icenium.com/product/graphite

Q: How much is for Licenced Icenium?
A: http://www.icenium.com/pricing

Q: we have to write all the codes in one single page i.e. index.html
A: it is a Single Page app :). However, we support browsing to other pages and hence you can have code in another page as well.

Q: What is the part of ASP.Net MVC in kendo UI?
A: Kendo UI has components for ASP.NET MVC. http://www.kendoui.com/server-wrappers/mvc.aspx

Q: Did you develop the KENDO framework by your own?
A: Yes, Telerik developed it by itself 🙂

Q: Where can I get the help related to Kendo UI?
A: Extensive documentation available at: http://docs.kendoui.com

Q: Can We Use Web Services in Icenium?
A: Yes, we support REST/ OData services.

Q: Can I create ASP.NET MVC4 project, where I build views using cshtml files, however use the Kendo UI controls on views ?
A: Absolutely. You can use Kendo UI Web controls for serving to desktop browsers. You can develop .mobile.cshtml files and use Kendo UI Mobile controls.

Q: As you told like look and feel vary between android and iOS devices .. but if I want to make theme consistant across all platform what I will have to do?
A: You can use our Flat theme which gives consistent theme across all the platforms. Otherwise you can always use our Theme Builder and build your own theme.

Q: Can we write custom plugin to ICENIUM like we can do in Cordova?
A: Yes. Icenium allows you to import custom plugins too.

Q: Instead of using emulators, can we test the app on real mobile w/o submitting it to store?
A: Yes. it is fully supported. On Android the deployment is direct and on iOS you can use Icenium Ion: http://www.icenium.com/product/ion

Q: How we can use Kendo Ui for WP8 ?
A: Quickly, you got to use the PhoneGap template in VS. Insert the Kendo UI files in WWW folder. Compile the project to get WP8 app.

Webinar Giveaway:

In each of our webinars we pick random 2 people from the attendee list and they get out cool .NET Ninja T-Shirt. This webinar, we have picked the following folks:

• Ajay Negi
• Jaish Mathews

Congratulations to the winners. Our office will contact you for your details and we will ship your t-shirts.

For those of you who are felling sad about not winning, well try your luck next time by attending our next webinar on Oct 31.

Till next time, Happy coding!