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A number of users asked us how to use a custom image as background for mobile app. We are working on this feature but a simple work around exists. We want to run a very simple jQuery CSS query when the mobile screen loads. First, add load event to the screen. Then, add Run Custom JavaScript action with the following code:

$('div[dsid="mobilecontainer"]').css('background-image',
   'url("http://www.sdcblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/italy.jpg")')

I removed the Header and Footer parts and also looking for mobilecontainer1, as this is the content where I want to set the background image.

The result (click image to view the app):

Image source: http://www.sdcblog.com/2011/06/italian-artchitecture-bellissimo/italy/

I’m sure you’ve heard about platform-as-a-service (PaaS) or cloud-based services like Google Apps Engine,CloudBees, Heruko, Engine Yard, and Cloud Foundry. All are excellent platforms that ease the process of managing, maintaining, and administering the platform on which an application you develop runs. Most tend to be focused on the hosting and managing side of the finished application. But what about a cloud-based service that enables you to build an app, and specifically a mobile app? Well, such a service already exists. The cloud-based service is called Appery.io Mobile Apps Builder.

Read the full article here:
Appery.io: a simplified cloud service for building mobile applications

One of the most important features in Appery.io is being able to export the app as HTML5 mobile app, Android app or iOS native app. All export features are show by clicking the big Export button:

As you noticed, there is currently no BlackBerry option. But, it turns out it’s pretty easy to get a BlackBerry native app.

Any app in Appery.io, be it for Android, iOS or BlackBerry is built first with jQuery Mobile component, HTML5, JavaScript and CSS. Then, the app is packaged as native with PhoneGap. For BlackBerry, simply export the app as HTML/CS/JS, and to build a native we are going to use PhoneGap Build.

Here are the steps:

1. Build an app in Appery.io (try getting started guides) and export it as HTML/CSS/JS
2. Sign up for PhoneGap Builder. A free account is available
3. Click to create a new app inside PhoneGap Builder.
4. Enter app name
5. Select upload an archive or index.html file option and point to the zip file you exported from Appery.io
   
6. Click Create to build the app
7. That’s it. You may have to wait a few seconds before the build completes.

Once the build is complete, you will should see this: