HTML is the fundamental code the internet is based on, now in its fifth incarnation. HTML 5 is more powerful than any prior version, allowing developers enormous levels of customisation that weren’t possible in previous versions. A prime example of how far this system has come is in how it completely usurped Flash, an older browser add-on that was used for video, animation, and interactivity. The broad nature and necessity of HTML 5 have also driven it to be accepted onto many different platforms, far beyond what we might expect. This compatibility isn’t just useful, it’s a core component of keeping our work and entertainment lives going. So, just how far has it come?
A basis to compare
To illustrate the compatibility that HTML 5 offers, we need to find a point of comparison. For this, online casino gaming illustrates a strong reference point. These systems replaced older Flash with HTML 5 functionality years ago, and in doing so spread their digital wings far out into the computing frontier. When you play Sweet Bonanza at Paddy Power, you’re not just getting a popular title on the systems you expect. Mobiles and desktops are a start, of course, but we can also get unusual and even weird with the systems that can run these titles. Thanks to the low demands of this game and its contemporaries, the weird uses can often run really well too…
The basics
HTML 5 was designed with three primary platforms in mind; desktop computers, smartphones, and tablets. As noted by simple guides on websites like Instructables, converting HTML 5 to cater to mobile systems is a simple task, streamlining what used to be a complicated and frustrating process. It’s here where the most online activity takes place, so it’s here that most of the emphasis from developers has been placed, but it’s just a start. Online casino games cater to all of these platforms easily, as they should.
Virtual space
Standalone VR headsets like the Meta Quest 2 detailed in the NYTimes are becoming more common, and while not as powerful as systems hooked up to computers, they’re still capable. Among the apps commonly included on these headsets are browsers, and these browsers offer the full functionality of desktop and mobile systems. This means you can play casino games here as you would at your desk or phone, only with the added potential for motion sickness that VR implies.
The extra and the weird
Despite offering smaller screens, smartphones are still great fits for browsing and apps that can be relayed simply, like digital slots. The same can’t quite be said for smartwatches, however. Though these can offer browsing support, and thus can technically run some games, the small screens are a little bit of a step too far, even if theoretically possible. Less cramped, but also a little less mobile, are the screens built into modern home smart devices. Playing a casino game on a TV could work just fine. Getting one running on a smart fridge display is also a possibility, for users who want to just because they can.
If it can run HTML 5, then chances are it can browse, play videos, or let you engage with online casino games. Whether or not it’s convenient or desirable, well those are other questions entirely. Still, these opportunities are perfect illustrations of just how far online connectivity has come in the modern day. The future is only going to get broader and weirder, so we can’t help but imagine what might come next.