Mozilla takes Jetpack back to the future with v.2 release
While it's still just a few weeks old, Mozilla is already working hard to get Jetpack ready for the future. Version 0.2 has been released, and it comes with several new API additions that make Jetpack development easier and provide access to features that will be baked in to future releases.
The most obvious addition is the Slidebar, which you can see in the screenshot above. It's a lightweight way to provide functionality much like the sidebars used by some current add-ons. Slidebars are still "full of quirks," as Mozilla's Aza Raskin puts it, but they're usable. The Facebook Chat jetpack works very well - I didn't experience any memory leaks or chrome oddities. Mozilla's Video Slide demo (check the video after the break), however, is a bit more touchy and started acting up after I tried to leave the video page from which I was adding clips.
Not a big deal - none of us should expect Jetpack to be perfect after two minor releases. It is what it is - an exciting, fun project that is going to launch a whole new rush of add-on development for Firefox.
One minor (but annoying) issue has been fixed as well. Jetpack icons no longer bleed over the top edge of your Firefox status bar. It's a minor touch, sure, but it's nice to see the attention to detail. Two more key additions: add-ons can now utilize the clipboard and persistent storage across restarts.
For more detail about the update, check Raskin's post on Labs.
The most obvious addition is the Slidebar, which you can see in the screenshot above. It's a lightweight way to provide functionality much like the sidebars used by some current add-ons. Slidebars are still "full of quirks," as Mozilla's Aza Raskin puts it, but they're usable. The Facebook Chat jetpack works very well - I didn't experience any memory leaks or chrome oddities. Mozilla's Video Slide demo (check the video after the break), however, is a bit more touchy and started acting up after I tried to leave the video page from which I was adding clips.
Not a big deal - none of us should expect Jetpack to be perfect after two minor releases. It is what it is - an exciting, fun project that is going to launch a whole new rush of add-on development for Firefox.
One minor (but annoying) issue has been fixed as well. Jetpack icons no longer bleed over the top edge of your Firefox status bar. It's a minor touch, sure, but it's nice to see the attention to detail. Two more key additions: add-ons can now utilize the clipboard and persistent storage across restarts.
For more detail about the update, check Raskin's post on Labs.
Jetpack: Slidebar from Aza Raskin on Vimeo.
