In late 2007, we started working on a web based version of powerOne. We started learning Rails on the back end and HTML and CSS on the front. Soon we would have dug into Javascript.
Then Apple announced its SDK and all web-based work, except marketing and a small amount of back end work stuff, like the library, went out the window. We shifted all of our focus to learning native iOS (at that time called iPhone). We got pretty good at it, too, especially for productivity style apps. And of course the work we did on powerOne was popular. We’ve had over 1.5 million downloads, not bad for a productivity tool.
But here I am six years later learning JS, HTML and CSS. The technology is amazing. I’ve never developed with anything so immediate in my life. It is magical to run a command in the console and see it immediately react in the browser window. No compilation time, no waiting on the simulator and debugger. And the basics, especially when using something like jQuery, is actually pretty easy.
Maybe it wasn’t the same back then. After all, Internet Explorer was still way behind on compatibility, there was no jQuery Mobile, HTML5 was really just rolling out. I can’t complain about my timing. But the frustration over not being better versed at such an amazing technology is palpable for me. I wish I would have done more of this earlier.
Elia Insider 
You’re getting in at a good time – it’s been difficult to write good mobile web apps until recently. There are frameworks and tools that weren’t available even last year.
If you get frustrated with jQuery operating at a low level there are many good frameworks that let you work at a higher level. I’m most familiar with Enyo 2. (http://enyojs.com) If you prefer a MVC approach, Backbone (http://backbonejs.org) has many adherents.
It’s amazing how far this has come in the past four or five years. I want to check out node also. Not enough time in the day!