Web application distributor Etelos has released a new feature in beta that allows web apps obtained through the site to operate offline. The company, which provides a marketplace for developers to provide apps to consumers, also says that all applications with the new technology will be able to communicate securely with one another.
The functionality is enabled by a system Etelos has dubbed ‘Apps on a Plane’. Applications are fully functional offline, and the system will non-destructively sync any changes made once the user has reestablished a connection. Developers can designate how their app will change in different scenarios (if at all), and Etelos says they can implement the technology with no changes to their code.
For years web apps have been hindered by their inability to operate smoothly offline. Finally, with these developments from Etelos and projects like Google Gears, we are beginning to see progress that will put these issues to rest (at least until we get ubiquitous connectivity).