It provides "a set of tools and JavaScript APIs (application programming interfaces) that you can use to expose an application as a canvas app," the notes add. "This means you can take your new or existing applications and make them available to your users as part of their Salesforce experience."

Third-party applications written in any language can be exposed as canvas apps, according to the notes. "The only requirement is that the app has a secure URL (HTTPS)."

Salesforce.com's Touch mobile interface will be available in beta form in Winter '13, on iPads only. "This release is production-quality but has limited functionality and some known limitations," the notes state.

In addition, developers will have access to a Mobile SDK (software development) kit for building both native mobile applications as well as ones written with HTML5 for cross-platform deployments. Hybrid mobile applications will also be possible. These will "use a JavaScript bridge in a native container to merge the portability of HTML5 with native device capabilities, such as the camera or address book," Salesforce.com said in the notes.

But at least one feature is going away in Winter '13. "Google is constantly changing and evolving their technology infrastructure," the notes state. "As a result of these changes, the Google Talk sidebar is no longer available within Salesforce."