Prototype of AngularJS service for socket.io v.0.9.x

socket.js

(function(module) {
  "use strict";

  // THIS IS ALPHA VERSION, JUST A SNIPPET OF A PROTOTYPE
  
  module.factory('socket', function($rootScope, $q, $browser) {

    var self = {
      _iosocket: io.connect(),

      _parse: function(data) {
        return angular.isString(data) && /\{.*\}|\[.*\]/.test(data)
                ? JSON.parse(data)
                : data;
      },

      /**
       * Registers a callback fired each time server emits an event.
       * @param {String} name of event
       * @param {function} callback
       */
      on: function(name, callback) {
        this._iosocket.on(name, function(data) {
          $rootScope.$apply(function() {
            callback(self._parse(data));
          });
        });
      },

      /**
       * Emits an event to server.
       * @param {String} name of event
       * @param {...*} [eventargs] optional arguments
       * @returns {promise} which resolves with a:
       *   - JSON parsed response when response is a string like {...} or [...], or
       *   - response as-is otherwise
       */
      emit: function(name) {
        var defer = $q.defer();
        $browser.$$incOutstandingRequestCount();
        var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);
        //last argument is a server confirmation callback
        this._iosocket.emit.apply(this._iosocket, args.concat(function(response) {
          $browser.$$completeOutstandingRequest(function() {
            defer.resolve(self._parse(response));
          });
        }));
        return defer.promise;
      },

      /**
       * Emits an event asking for joining the room and registers a callback fired on each event with the same name.
       * @param {String} name of room and event
       * @param {function} callback
       * @see {@link on}
       */
      joinRoom: function(name, callback) {
        this.on(name, callback);
        join();
        this._iosocket.on('reconnect', join);

        function join() {
          self._iosocket.emit('enter room: ' + name);
        }
      }
    };
    return self;
  });

})(angular.module('socket', []));