Author Archives: Hussain Fakhruddin

AppBoard Tuesday – Are Mobile Apps Risky?

At the ‘mystery’ event on the 9th of September at Flint Center, Apple announced that the total number of apps at the iTunes store has officially reached 1.3 million. Google Play Store has a roughly similar number of Android applications as well. Couple these with the available Blackberry and Windows Phone apps – and the total app-count (across platforms) becomes huge indeed. Right from gaming applications and business-related apps, to mobile apps for kids – people hardly think twice before downloading them from the stores. In today’s edition of AppBoard Tuesday, we will focus on a topic that is often glossed over – exactly how risky can a mobile app be? Let’s take a look:

  1. Risks from ‘rooted’ apps – It’s fun to do an iOS jailbreak or ‘root’ an Android device. The former, in particular, gives users access to third-party apps (via Cydia). Two-fold complications can crop up from this apparently great option for smartphone customization. Firstly, rooting a device for installing external apps generally renders all the default warranties null and void (i.e., you do it on your sole responsibility). Secondly, the external apps are often from untrusted sources, and can adversely affect the performance of a handset/tablet.
  2. Risks of unauthorized server-side access – This is something that companies moving their business to the mobile platform for the first-time need to be wary of. When a new mobile application is being created, all the server-side APIs it is connected with can access the inter-business network. It is not particularly difficult for a hacker to steal/misuse such confidential information. The server-side controls (read: security software) need to be really robust, to make sure that creating a mobile business app is safe.
  3. Risks due to absence of Defense-in-Depth – Never heard of this concept? Not a problem – let’s explain. ‘Defense-in-Depth’ is a term that professional mobile app developers use to refer to the layer-wise security measures implemented during the development stages of any app. If the security protocol is violated at any stage, the flaw would be rectified at the next stage. Unfortunately, barring the best mobile app companies across the world, ‘Defense-in-Depth’ is not really considered to be important by developers. As such, there always remains a leeway for malware to make an unwelcome entrance.
  4. Risks of inadequate testing – Okay, maybe not on the iOS platform (the approval procedure is really rigorous here) – but for most Android or Blackberry apps, there are no such security assurance. It’s all very well to find an app that really catches your fancy and looks like it would work fine on your phone. However, it is always advisable to check out the user-reviews for the same first, and contact the concerned app development agency. Unless the standard practices for mobile app testing have been followed, it’s always dicey to install an application.
  5. Risks stemming from blind trust – High-end mobile apps typically have a host of functions, and you do not necessarily have to use all of them (doing so can, in fact, lead to problems). Let’s cite the example of an email client and a third-party document-editing software. When you download an attachment (might be an image, might be a critical official document) and sync it with the app – its confidentiality automatically gets shared. It is never a good idea to share the controls of sensitive mobile data with apps that you have downloaded relatively recently. Consider it this way – the Facebook mobile app allows you to ‘Check In’ at any place, but do you use it all the time?
  6. Risks of malware attacks on business networks – It takes a couple of lines of malicious code to corrupt the entire mobile network of a business. Now, you might be aware of such risks – but that does not mean everyone else in your company have the same awareness as well. If even a single employee downloads and includes a buggy enterprise app in the business network, the entire system can crash. The onus is on you to train your co-workers on the guidelines to follow, while judging if an app is safe for work or not.
  7. Risks from outdated encryption methods – There are several renowned mobile app agencies around the world that still use SHA1, MD5, or similar such outdated methods for app-cryptography. These methods were great once – but the burgeoning number of mobile security threats have rendered them practically useless. Android or iPhone app developers should ideally use 256-bit AES method (or similar such sophisticated techniques) for encryption purposes. A backdated cryptography framework can undermine the activities of an otherwise sincere app company.
  8. Risks of lewd, obscene applications – The iOS platform has a firm stand against any mobile app that has adult-specific connotations/functions/displays. At Blackberry App World and Google Play Store, there are no similar restrictions though. It’s easy to discover a range of double-meaning (and of course, useless) apps, which can best be classified as ‘inappropriate’. These apps may or may not harm your device, but what’s the point of downloading an application that reeks of obscenity?
  9. Risks cropping from data storage – You love it when you are automatically logged in to your favorite mobile shopping app every time (no need to enter passwords each time and all that!), right? What you are overlooking is that – since your password is being stored by the app, it can easily be hacked by connecting (even remotely) the handset with a computer. There are many apps that even store debit/credit card numbers and other financial transaction details. Mobile commerce is on the rise across the globe, and its vital that you look for apps that do not store any personal information.
  10. Risks from apps that ‘leak’ data – Many big companies conduct mobile app marketing, survey studies and similar promotional activities – and not necessarily in a secure way. For instance, a fitness app can monitor the health status of a user on a regular basis. If a hacker gets access to the analytics of that app, (s)he can easily gather other personal health information of the person. Dedicated marketing apps also store name and contact details of a huge pool of prospective customers, and if the security firewalls are not strong enough, the data can fall in the wrong hands.
  11. Risks due to the absence of parental controls – This one is specific to all kids’ apps. With the worldwide proliferation of education technology, there has been a spurt in free Android and iPhone apps for kids – which blend in gaming and educational elements. While it’s obviously a good thing if an app keeps a child happily engaged for prolonged periods, no parent in the world would want his/her ward stay up till – say 3 AM – to read stories on a tablet or a smartphone. Absence of parental controls also opens up the risk of accidental, unnecessary downloads. Make your kid familiar with mobile technology by all means, but ensure that you can monitor his/her activities.
  12. Risks of a free app – Users love freebies (why pay for an app when a similar one is available for free?), and most app developers prefer making free apps as well. Although paid apps have become a minority, so to speak – it is not always advisable to opt for free applications. The latter generally collect revenue in the form of in-app advertisements (which are invariably distracting) and they often collect user-data (mostly for providing personalized services). Many so-called ‘free apps’ also require payments for app updates. There is the chance of malware getting circulated through the mobile ads as well. Once again, be alert, talk with the developers, before actually getting a free app on your phone.

Mobile apps – which, incidentally, outstrip mobile internet in terms of usage by a fairly large margin – have become a part of life, both for casual and professional users. Over the last half a decade or so, people have become increasingly app-savvy, and companies have released zillions of new applications. Even so, it would be way too naive to indiscriminately download any new application that is launched. You should always be aware of the risks we stated here.

 

Okay, that was all we had for this week’s AppBoard Tuesday (ABT). A sneak peek into what’s the buzz is about at our mobile app company now – our developers and designers are currently working on a new restaurant app (iOS), named ‘Tendish’. It should soon be at the store.

 

ABT will return next week, with a new topic, discussed from a fresh perspective. We hope our tidbits, pointers and advice are being of help to all readers. Do send us your feedback, and check out our Facebook page too – for regular updates. From the entire ABT team, see you next Tuesday!

 

Blackberry 10.3: 14 New Features To Look Out For

Is there any life left in Blackberry yet? Before you scoff at the idea, do check out the features that the soon-to-release Blackberry 10.3 platform would boast of. Blackberry Passport and similar high-end devices might just serve as a fresh lease of life for the ailing company.

 

Okay, so iPhone 6 has released – and Apple fans are counting down the days to September 19, when the shipments would start. While the fight between the latest iOS platform (iOS 8) and Android promises to be absorbing, hardly anyone is giving Blackberry a semblance of a chance to re-emerge as a strong competitor. The Canadian smartphone company – for long a market leader – has events lined up later this month, at London, Toronto and Dubai (to be held simultaneously), where the Blackberry Passport device would be officially unveiled. The new BB mobile platform, Blackberry 10.3, would make its debut on the relatively well-hyped device. From the developers’ previews that have been available since May this year, the following features of Blackberry 10.3 have stood out:

 

  1. Better email service – The push mail notification has been the strongest suite of Blackberry over the years, and the company would give the BB Hub a further lift. On 10.3-powered devices, users would be able to download all email attachments faster, and at one go. This would surely be helpful if time is a factor, and internet connectivity is not strong or stable enough.
  2. More space for Blackberry apps – Blackberry App World comes a cropper in comparison to Apple iTunes or Google Play Store – but at least the developers have realized the importance of convenience in app-usage. On Blackberry Q5 and Q10, the home screen would have extra space for additional columns of apps. According to reports and leaked images from mobile app development forums, the Blackberry Z-series phones would also have extra space for rows of applications. Of course, the overall app availability also needs to increase. Is John Chen listening?
  3. Taking still photos while recording videos – For those who feel that Blackberry has become a veritable dinosaur – well, here’s an indication that it is trying to keep up with the times. Blackberry 10.3 would have the unique ‘Flip To Wake’ option, which would allow people to take still snaps while filming real-time videos. Finally, the company is starting to take cues from the Android platform!
  4. Quick Settings and Running Apps Grid – The jury is still out on whether Blackberry’s decision to move to touchscreen handsets (after all, it made QWERTY keypads popular) was ill-advised or not. However, the company is pulling out all stops to make the touch features smarter and more efficient than ever before. A 2-finger swipe movement would be all that’s required for a ‘Quick Settings’ menu to be displayed. In addition, the ‘Running Apps Grid’ feature would let users view their phone wallpapers (by keeping the screen empty), after the last app has been closed.
  5. Weekly Agenda on Calendar – That’s right, the Blackberry Calendar is also set for an overhaul. On Blackberry Passport and other devices running on BB 10.3, there would be a ‘Weekly Agenda’ feature, via which users can set up reminders for their activities/assignments. Notifications will be generated automatically, and would be turned off on their own (the ‘Meeting Mode’). Even if you forget about an important meeting, your Blackberry handset won’t!
  6. More and more folders on home screen – Yet another factor that would bolster the popularity of Blackberry apps (hopefully). On the new platform, there would be no limits on the number of folders that can be created and stored on the home screen. If multiple folders have to be merged into a single one, the drag-and-drop functionality can be used. Rather disappointingly though, the platform won’t support folders within folders.
  7. Enhanced IMAP support – Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) is another feature that would be made more robust and useful on Blackberry 10.3. Thanks to the remote IMAP feature, people would be able to access emails and attachments that were stored in earlier BB devices. In other words, the risk of losing critical emails (or the need for taking frequent backups) would be minimized. A mighty useful addition for corporate users.
  8. The new-look icons – Well, the preview SDK does not include them, but Blackberry loyalists are hoping that the company indeed brings ‘new-look’ icons on the 10.3 platform. Reports from the official Blackberry blog suggest that the focus would be on making the icons appear neater, more streamlined, and less cluttered. The box that surrounds icons on present Blackberry 10 devices would disappear. Considering that this feature had come in for quite a bit of criticism, it seems the right way to go.
  9. Equalizer for music-based applications – With Apple having acquired Beats, no sound equalizer is going to rival that of the new line of iPhones anytime soon. Even so, it would be interesting to find out exactly what sort of equalizer RIM is bringing on the soon-to-release Blackberry 10.3 handsets. One thing is clear from this new addition though – Blackberry is definitely opening up to innovation. They should have probably done so earlier.
  10. Signature Action feature – This one has got mobile app developers really interested. On the default action bar on the phone screens, the most common action would be highlighted – with other ‘actions’ being present on either side. This, in turn, is likely to make customized mobile app development for Blackberry 10.3 devices just a tad easier. For every app, the signature action would remain static.
  11. The Hub Reset option – For the more busy (and the more forgetful!) Blackberry user, this would be a handy functionality. If the Blackberry Hub is left inactive for thirty minutes, all the active contents/emails would be auto-saved, and the Hub would automatically close. This would: a) lower battery drainage, and b) do away with risks of mobile data loss. Toggling between multiple screens would also become quicker and more simple.
  12. Reordering the Settings menu – iOS 8 is more customizable than its predecessors, and the same is the case with Blackberry 10.3. The most noteworthy feature in this regard is the Phone Settings menu, which would have personalization options. You can reorder the menu items according to your precise requirements and convenience. The device would ‘remember’ your preferences, and the default Settings display would be changed accordingly.
  13. New camera UI – The camera features of Blackberry devices are modest at best, in comparison with the new line of iPhones and Android handsets. The competition is likely to get a whole lot closer, with RIM bringing a revamped user-interface for the built-in camera on BB 10.3 devices. While transferring pictures from the file manager, the ‘Album View’ option would now be available. With unique camera-switching features also reportedly present, Blackberry phones can finally start doubling up as decent-quality cameras.
  14. Blackberry Remember gets a lift – The much-maligned Blackberry 10 platform had few high points, with the Remember app being one of them. BB 10.3 would build on this feature, by making it more user-friendly. The default display on the app would depend on the requirements of users, and there would be a tab to separate the saved notes and tasks. Blackberry fanboys/girls would be delighted with how the company is falling back on what made it popular in the first place – the capacity of phones to keep tasks/actions organized.

Although there would be no apps or widgets to conserve battery, Blackberry 10.3 would come with an embedded tracker for monitoring mobile data usage. Among the other changes in the email client, the options of filing/saving Sent Mails in folders and erasing original texts before composing a reply are good additions. With a current worldwide market share of less than 1%, Blackberry is down in the dumps now – and the new platform is not going to make BB a worthy challenger to iPhone 6 or Galaxy Note 4 overnight. However, if it is a hit, Blackberry might be set on a road to recovery.

iPhone 6 Arrives: Roundup Of Apple’s September 9 Event

In a ‘mystery’ event at Cupertino two days back, Apple officially announced iPhone 6, Apple Watch and Apple Pay. Millions of people worldwide caught the live streaming of the event – and at the venue, each new product was welcomed with raucous applause. Let us do a wrap up of all that happened on September 9 – one of the biggest days in Apple’s history.

Putting an end to all speculations, Apple has finally launched the eagerly-anticipated iPhone 6 handset. Tim Cook and his team selected Flint Center – the place where Steve Jobs had released the first-generation iMac three decades back – as the venue of the ‘mystery’ event, which kicked off from 10:30 PM IST (5:00 PM GMT). Here’s a quick roundup of all that happened at the event every developer and general mobile enthusiast had been looking forward to:

 

  1. The phones – Everyone knew that the latest iPhone would be coming in two models – with 4.7” inch and 5.5” inch (phablet) screens. According to rumors, the latter model was expected to be announced a couple of months later. Apple sprung a surprise by announcing a simultaneous release of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Tim Cook dubbed the phones as the “biggest advancement in iPhones”.
  2. The REAL surprise – There had been talks about Apple working on a smartwatch (reportedly named ‘iWatch’) for nearly a year now. No one was sure when it would debut though – and many experts on wearable technology were sounding sceptic as to whether the iWatch would at all release or not. All critics have now been silenced – thanks to the grand release of Apple Watch (that’s right, there’s no ‘i’ in this product). Effectively, the Watch is Tim Cook’s first baby as the CEO of Apple.
  3. Payments get easier and more secure – While it remains to be seen whether Apple Pay proves to be commercially viable at the stores – there’s no doubting the element of payment convenience and enhanced security its promises. From an iPhone 6 and/or an Apple Watch, users will now be able to make payments via a single-touch. No more frantic searching of the wallet for the right credit card!
  4. iOS 8, the developers’ delight – For the last 48 hours or so, professional iPhone app developers have not been able to stop gushing about the features of the new version of iOS. The tech specifications of iOS 8 (which will become available from September 17, and will power iPhone 6 and other new iDevices) have more than impressed the international developer community. After the relatively lukewarm response to iOS 7, Apple has pulled out all the stops to make iOS 8 a monster hit.
  5. The glitz and glamor if Apple Watch – Apple Inc’s first entry into the domain of wearables has been a grand one. The company has announced two separate editions – the Standard Edition and the Luxury Edition – in which Apple Watch will be available. Of particular interest will be the gorgeous luxury model with 18 carat pure gold. To fit the wrists of everyone (thoughtful!), there will be two alternative sizes of each Watch model – 38 mm & 42 mm.
  6. The security factor – Mobile app development experts have always been unanimous about the security aspect of iDevices. Apple Pay takes this factor to an altogether new level. All transactions conducted via it remains confidential between users and their banks. Apple will not be recording the amount, time, or any other details of the transactions. Non-intrusive? You bet!
  7. Arrival of the A8 processor – The latest flagship device from Apple is almost four times faster than its predecessor, iPhone 5S. This has been made possible particularly due to the presence of the all-new A8 processor in the former. The processor supports two billion transistors on a single silicon chip – and is ideal for high-definition 3D gaming. The graphics support is excellent too. Oh, and the A8 processor will prevent excessive battery drain as well.
  8. Brilliance in phone display – That’s what the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus promise. The former supports 1334×750 pixels, while the latter has a whopping 1920×1080 pixels – clearly explaining what Philip Schiller (chief of marketing at Apple) meant by “stunning displays”. Both the phones will be available in three different configurations – 16 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB.
  9. Slim smartphone, great camera – Experts from software and iOS app companies worldwide refer to Apple events as benchmarks in the context of style and innovation. The September 9 event was certainly not a dampener in this regard. 6.9 mm and 7.1 mm will be the respective thicknesses of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus – making them the slimmest Apple smartphones ever. The 8 MP iSight camera (nopes, there is no increase in the MP level) will have a breakthrough optical image stabilization system. Engineers from Cupertino have also worked on the exposure and autofocus of the phone camera. And what was used to explain the camera specs? High-resolution images of a huge lizard and a colorful butterfly!
  10. Apple finally embraces NFC – Near-field communications, for long a feature which helped sophisticated Android handsets to score over Apple devices – has finally been accepted by Tim Cook and his development team. With NFC, making purchases via Apple Pay will become easier than ever, and finance biggies like Mastercard, American Express and Visa have already pledged their support to it. Across the world, nearly 230000 retail stores would accept payments in the new mode.
  11. The focus on health – As had been the buzzword for weeks now, the new iPhones have dedicated health apps. The built-in barometer in the devices has, however, come as an interesting addition. Apple Watch has an embedded heart rate sensor, which will double up as an activity tracking monitor. The company has already got into a tie-up with Mayo Clinic, and the Watch definitely has the potential to be the ‘next chapter’ in the realm of mobile healthcare. The only catch is, users will need to have an iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6 Plus – to enjoy all the functionality of Apple Watch.
  12. Taptic Engine is now here – Staying with Apple Watch for a bit longer – this is the very first smartwatch to implement the breakthrough Taptic Engine. The technology facilitates Real Touch messaging among users. In other words, people would no longer have to type out messages to each other – one tap on the watch screen, and the other person would feel it. To make maximum usage of the watch screen, Apple has moved away from the traditional ‘pinch-to-zoom’ method to the ‘Digital Crown’ display. No wonder Cook referred to Apple Watch as his company’s “most personal product”.
  13. Metal and M8 – If you thought that the 64-bit Apple A8 processor is a breakthrough, well, there’s more surprises. For hardcore mobile gamers, Apple has used high-end Metal software development tools. At the event, it was said that HD games can now be played at a rate of one million polygons per second, on iPhone 6 Plus. The M8 motion processor is yet another significant addition. The new graphics chip is purported to be eighty-five times faster than that in the previous iPhone. That is, indeed, quite an achievement!
  14. Price and availability – Following the bitter experience with iPhone 5C, it was always expected that Apple would go back to making devices priced in the premium range. $199, $299 and $399 will be prices of the 16GB, 64GB and 128 GB variants of iPhone 6. For iPhone 6 Plus, the price tags would be $299, $399 and $499 (with two-year contracts). Pre-ordering would start from September 12, and shipments would begin a week later. Apple Watch is scheduled to hit the stores in the first quarter of 2015. It will be available from $349. The relatively late arrival of Watch drew groans of disappointment from the audience at the event. Tim Cook assured that the smartwatch will be “worth the wait”.
  15. Celebs at Cupertino – Rupert Murdoch, Stephen Fry, Dr. Dre, Gwen Stefani – there was no shortage of celebrity attendance at what was Apple’s biggest event in a very long time. Live tweets poured in as the activity on the social microblogging site went into overdrive during the event. Reactions were mixed – with some going ga-ga about the ‘revolutionary’ products, while others resorting to sarcastic criticisms. Simon Caine criticized the way in which Apple tends to glorify its new products and projects the older ones as ‘rubbish’.

 

At the Flint Center event, it was also announced that the total count of mobile apps at the iTunes store has officially touched the 1.3 million figure. For fans of U2, there were more reasons to savor the occasion – with the Irish rock band giving a terrific live performance onstage, and announcing that their forthcoming album will be available for free via iTunes. Interestingly, the share prices of Apple (AAPL) on Nasdaq fell by 0.38% on the day after topsy-turvy movements – a clear indication that most shareholders had already checked out the leaked images and videos of the new iPhone. Whether the iPhone 6 and the Apple Watch meets projected sales figures remains to be seen – but there’s no denying that Tim Cook had masterminded a truly grand event (the first under his watch). The man’s career depends on the success of the new products, and he is clearly aware of that!

AppBoard Tuesday – Guidelines For Choosing Great Mobile App Titles & Icons

Hello everyone, and a hearty welcome to yet another edition of AppBoard Tuesday (oh boy, Tuesdays come along pretty regularly, what say?!). This week, we will be considering an issue that every mobile app company frets over, regularly. There are literally millions of apps at iTunes and Google Play Store – how to make a particular application stand out from the crowd? You guessed it – with the help of the icon and title that you choose for your app.

It’s easier said than done to zero in upon a good title-icon combination though. For starters, there would probably be many similar apps already present at the store – and you cannot very well select names that are ‘too similar’ to theirs. Trying to second-guess what would capture the attention of prospective buyers/downloaders is no easy task either. Even so, these broad guidelines should help you in choosing an app title and icon that trigger off decent download figures:

 

  1. Avoid using text in the icon – You have the title section for that, right? Presence of text will only make the app-icon look messy and cluttered – you can rest assured that hardly anyone will bother to read what’s written in those miniscule fonts. Instead, a graphic designer should focus on creating an icon that serves as a teaser of the overall UI of the app.
  2. Think over ideas, prepare a shortlist, and then choose – No matter what your app is all about, there will always be multiple ways to convey information about it to potential customers. For instance, an airport dating app icon can have the snapshot of any real airport, or simply the picture of a plane. The  icon for a mobile storytelling app for kids can showcase smiling children tapping on mobile devices, or characters from the in-app stories. Once the app-concept has been locked, prepare a shortlist of such icon ideas (make a list of at least 4), and run them by your colleagues, client, creative heads, and, if possible, an external focus group (i.e., a survey). Choose the one that is best-received.
  3. Special characters in app title is a ‘no-no’ – Nopes, they are not ‘smart’, they are, in fact, damaging from an app’s sales perspective. If there are weird special characters (the ‘@’s and the ‘#’s!), people would be confused as to what the correct pronunciation of your app’s name would be. What’s more, your online visibility would also be hurt – since search engine optimization (SEO) guidelines do not support special characters. Keep things simple, it always works!
  4. The title should not have too many characters – Although there are no specific rules regarding this, leading mobile app developers prefer app titles that are 24-26 characters long (maximum). The reason for this is mainly twofold. Firstly, it would be easier for general people to remember the app’s name, and with better recall value, chances of higher downloads increase. In addition, a compact title would also show up better in the search results. Your app, in other words, would get better exposure.
  5. Resize the images in your app icon properly – And ‘properly’ does not only refer to what ‘looks good’ to you. If you are into iPhone app development, you are probably already aware that there are specific guidelines regarding image sizes – spelt out by the iTunes approval team. Make sure that you are abiding by these instructions. There will be certain pre-specified rules for choosing image filenames as well. The icon should be simple, creative, correctly sized, and, as we have already mentioned, text-free.
  6. Avoid trying to piggyback another successful app – Consider this: There is an app (say, its name is ABC), and you have developed a similar application. It seems a pretty good idea to simply choose a variant of ‘ABC’ as your app’s title, right (some people will come across your product while surfing for ABC)?. Remember, this is a completely unethical policy – and might even land you in copyright violation lawsuits (particularly if you have done a direct title copy-paste!). Users are no fools either – they’ll soon realize that you are pursuing a shady shortcut to make your new mobile application popular.
  7. One icon, one idea – Sadly, UI/UX designers new to the profession often ignore this pretty basic guideline. Any good, user-oriented app focuses on delivering a single key benefit to people (for instance, as a social networking companion, or a mobile personal finance manager). Accordingly, the icon should also convey that SAME, SINGLE idea – a preview of the app’s functionality. If an app icon includes too many images, people would get confused, and that’s something you do not want!
  8. Repeat words/letters in your title – A cool trick to make your app name easy to remember, and of course, pronounce. We can cite the example of ‘Candy Crush’ (see the ‘C’s) in this regard. One of our soon-to-release mobile apps, ‘Queueu’ plays around with three letters only – and we feel that it is going to be one of the most easy-to-remember apps in iTunes, ever. Do not make your target customers tax their brains too much while trying to remember your app’s name. It should always be on the tip of their tongues.
  9. Do not join any color bandwagon – All travel-related apps at the store have maroon icons, you have a travel app, so you need to choose a maroon-themed icon too, right? That would be the perfect way to get lost in the crowd of other applications. Find out which colors/designs are being used by developers who have released apps that are similar to yours – and go for something completely different. The objective is to ‘stand out’ and not ‘blend in’. Keep that in mind.
  10. Icons need images, not photos – If your mobile app agency does not have a creative design department, this is one mistake you are extremely likely to commit. Apart from the fact that there would hardly be any readymade photos that would correctly indicate what your app is all about, it can also be shown that a scaled-down photo does not look nice as the icon of the app. You might even run into copyright issues. Get creative and strive for uniqueness.
  11. Do not be vague – Abstract work is for new-age painters, not an iPhone or Android app developer. In your bid to really sound ‘different’, do not choose a title that people find trouble understanding the meaning of. The same goes for icons as well. The title-icon combo should give a clear indication of the app’s overall functionality. A great app can fail if people do not understand what its benefits/services are.
  12. An app-icon should not be a riot of colors – There’s no harm in designing a colorful, vibrant app-icon, but do not go overboard with this. Do not take more than 3-4 colors from the overall palette of your application, and use them in a smart and elegant manner in the icon. A mishmash of too many colors in the icon tends to irritate users, and lends a frivolous air to your app.
  13. Test the display compatibility of your app – Before finalizing on any app icon, ensure that it remains properly visible in almost all types of background colors and textures. No one in the world purchases a smartphone and keeps its default home screens and themes. Whatever might be the personalized display features on your users’ mobile devices, the app icon should appear equally smart. For this, you need to test the icon in the backdrop of a wide range of color palettes.

 

They say ‘Don’t Judge A Book By Its Cover’ – but if you replace ‘book’ with ‘app’, the phrase no longer holds true. A new app simply has to grab eyeballs through its unique, attractive, and smart title and display icon. That would ensure a fair number of downloads by app-enthusiasts – and only after that happens, do you get the chance to impress users with the top-class functionality of your application. Like most things in life, the first look is often the best look for a mobile app!

With that, we round up the 16th edition of AppBoard Tuesday. We would be more than happy to hear about any other title/icon selection pointers from you. Write to us if you want any specific topic related to mobile app development covered – and we will do our best to delve into it. By the way, all of you are aware that the much-awaited iPhone 6 is scheduled to make its debut later today, right (you can even follow Apple’s countdown at http://www.appletimer.com/iphone/)?

 

ABT returns next week with a new topic. Keep zapping with apps, and we’ll soon be back!

 

Do You Know These Smart Tips To Use iTunes?

Do you have iTunes installed in your computer? If yes, the following pointers would come in handy for making the best use of this hugely popular online music and app store.

 

Close to 600 million people worldwide have active accounts at the Apple iTunes store. Apart from being the one-stop virtual destination for music, iTunes has nearly 1.3 million mobile applications – with the number rising steadily over time. Surprisingly though, many users are not aware of the little tidbits that can enable them to enjoy iTunes services in the best possible manner. Over here, we will update readers in that context. If you have an account in iTunes, or are planning to open one, read along:

 

  1. Adjust the EQ setting – EQ stands for equalizer, and for that great quality music, you need to adjust it – ideally, for each separate song. You will find the EQ option under ‘View’ – and setting up the different sound parameters (for instance, bass) is easy, since sliders and a drop-down menu are present. Of course, there is no such thing as a ‘universally optimal equalizer’ setting – but you can definitely enrich your listening experience by tweaking it a bit.
  2. Know the value of ‘Command-L’ – Shortcuts are the name of the game when you are using iTunes, and this one is probably the most important (and often overlooked). When you are hearing a song while browsing along the different sections of the Apple app store, you can directly toggle back to the currently playing song by using this shortcut. In case the Sidebar View option is active, ‘Command-L’ will take you to the playlist of the currently playing number.
  3. Turn on Sound Check – Not the most reliable of iTunes controls, but very useful nonetheless. You might have songs of high notes and low notes in your playlist – and turning on Sound Check (look for it under Edit → Preferences) will reduce the difference between two differently pitched songs. To put it in another way, Sound Check brings more uniformity in iTunes music.
  4. Get the ‘Remote’ app – If you feel you need to sit in front of your iMac to avail iTunes services, kindly move out of the Stone Age! There is a ‘Remote’ app in the store, which you can download and install in your iPhone/iPad – and manage all your iTunes activities while on the move. Since this app is activated by a secure passcode, most iOS app developers feel that it is one of the best mediums to pair iTunes with your mobile device.
  5. Music-sharing is a great option – Okay, let’s start off cautiously on this one. If you violate music copyright regulations while sharing media files – you will be: a) harming the music industry as a whole, and b) probably be facing legal hassles pretty soon. Don’t be too discouraged though – for you can share playlists with your buddies, with the help of approved iPhone applications. You can check out what others are listening, and ask permissions to share music from their playlists too – completely legally!
  6. Use the iTunes DJ feature – Yes, yes, we all know that iTunes 11 (for reasons best known to those at Apple) no longer has this functionality, but you can make your own makeshift DJ easily. All that you have to do is select your playlist library, and turn on ‘Shuffle’ (under ‘Controls’) – and your in-store DJ will be ready. There’s no knowing whether iTunes DJ will ever make a comeback or not, but there’s no need for you to miss it too much.
  7. Organize videos the way you wish – iTunes stores ‘Movies’ and ‘TV Shows’ separately, but you can work your way around such demarcations. The trick lies in sorting your downloaded movies/video files as custom TV shows – and selecting personalized names for each them. Next, when you are under the TV Show section, turn on the ‘Album View’ option. Since iTunes displays files according to their names, you will be able to view your videos (for instance, home movies) under the TV shows section.
  8. Look out for free downloads – Many Apple software and iPhone app development experts feel that account-holders on iTunes, more often than not, miss out on the wealth of free stuff that the store has on offer. In addition to the ‘Free Single Of The Week’, you can download three other songs, without spending a single penny. Log on to your iTunes account and navigate to the ‘Free On iTunes’ section. Click on the link, and you’ll be delighted. And no, there are no hidden charges or other catch involved!
  9. Get familiar with AppleScript – If you are relatively tech-savvy, regularly use iTunes on your Mac system, and would love to enjoy a richer song experience – you need to invest some time to learn the AppleScript tweaks. The default programming language for Apple can be modified to alter the sound effects of iTunes, the interval between consecutive songs, and a whole lot of other features. A word of caution here though – do not play around with AppleScript unless you have thorough knowledge about it. Erroneous changes in the script can lead to system crashes.
  10. Check out the multitasking status reports – Listening to a song, burning a disc, and converting the format of an audio/video file in iTunes? Not only can you perform such multiple tasks seamlessly, you have the option to track the status of each of them as well. In the ‘Player’ window, you will find two small (up and down) arrows, which would help you to see the progress bar of any task that you are performing in iTunes.
  11. Clean Up Tracks & Get Rid Of Duplicates – If your iTunes music library is fairly large, you must be experiencing a teeny-weeny problem. There would probably be several unnamed songs in your collection, along with quite a few duplicate items. That, in turn, makes the task of searching for your most favorite songs unduly time-consuming. Under ‘File’, you will find a ‘Display Duplicates’ option – which facilitates quick deletion of such duplicate files. With the help of certain free iTunes applications, you can clean up your tracklist and update album images as well. When you are using iTunes, you need to be organized!
  12. Are you using the latest version of iTunes? – Plenty of people feel that using an older version of iTunes does not really make a difference – and they are sadly mistaken. Apple keeps adding new software, better navigation options, and other handy features in each of their major iTunes updates. The latest version is iTunes 11.3.1 – and if you are planning to buy a new iMac, make sure that the computer has this version pre-installed.
  13. Sync photos with Apple TV – A new feature of iTunes 11 that you may or may not be aware of. Provided that you have Apple TV set up as a part of the framework, you can select entire photo albums (from iPhoto) and share them on the former. The option to do this is available under File → Home Sharing. Additional convenience and personalization, that’s what this feature is all about.
  14. Learn to use Sizzling Keys and/or iRemote – Listening to music on iTunes while working is all very fine – but you might need to pause a song quickly at any time. Hotkeys like Sizzling Keys (for Mac OS) and iRemote (for Windows systems) come in useful in such cases. You can toggle between different tracks, manage your playlist from a minimized iTunes window (instead of the original screen), and pause/play songs with these remote function hotkeys. Particularly helpful if you are listening to music at your workplace on the sly!

 

You should regularly upgrade your iTunes archive as well, to filter out outdated stuff. The ‘Alpha Navigation’ feature can also be instrumental in enriching your iTunes experience. The mobile apps at the store are, of course, quality assured – thanks to the rigorous screening procedure of Apple. Don’t be just another registered iTunes member – implement these tips, and make your music and app-downloading activities smarter than ever before!

 

Developing Mobile App For Kids: 12 Rules Of Thumb

There is no dearth of mobile software companies claiming that they churn out the best Android or iPhone app for kids. Most of their offerings do not turn out to be up to the mark, however. We have here presented some basic guidelines that go a long way in ensuring that a children’s app is indeed a good one.

As per recent worldwide surveys, 4 out of every 10 children under the age of two (you read that right!) regularly use smartphones, tablets and other sophisticated mobile devices. That, in turn, explains the rapidly escalating popularity of kids’ apps – and the eagerness with which app development companies are trying to cater to the little ones’ demands. Making a perfect mobile application for children is not the simplest task though, and developers need to take a slightly different approach for such assignments. If you wish to develop successful mobile app for kids, these are the rules of thumb you need to remember:

 

  1. The app should load fast – The splash screen of a kids’ application should be visible for a maximum of 10 seconds, before the home/first page of the app appears on the screen. No matter how bright and colorful the splash screen is, you cannot expect a toddler to be patiently watching it for a longer time-span. Ideally, you should include some small animations on the splash screen. An impressive first look is an absolute must for any good kids’ app!
  2. The user-interface HAS to be engaging – Nothing interests a tech-savvy child trying out a new iPhone app for kids more than a riot of colors/characters on the mobile screen. The graphic designing themes you implement have to be lively and interesting – and the touch features have to be excellent. The UI should have a nice blend of lifelike displays, and some elements (e.g., the face of a friendly monster) that appear out-of-the-world.
  3. Do not include too many app-setting options – The more complicated your app is, the more difficult it would be for a small kid to manage. Make sure that the kids’ app you are working on do not have more than 2-3 different settings. Toggling between the settings/scenarios should be easy. There’s every chance that a toddler will incorrectly tap on the screen at any time – the entire app settings should not get altered by that.
  4. Make it interactive – There’s a world of difference between the types of apps kids and adults love. While a grown-up would find a personal mobile finance manager app or a news reading app interesting, they would seem uniformly boring to a child. Even in a mobile storytelling app for kids, you should focus on including as many interactive features (games, text-highlighting, character tapping, etc.) as possible. Watching a video or reading piles of text on a phone/tablet screen is something no kid enjoys – (s)he invariably wishes to ‘be a part’ of the app.
  5. Include an educational element – There are several purely gaming apps for children (what better example can there be than ‘Flappy Bird’?) – but in the long run, they do not deliver any value to the little user. If you are making an Android/iPhone app for preschoolers, include elements that would add to the overall knowledge pool of the little ones. For instance, in a digital story about interspace travels (and such stories are pretty common in apps), you can include planetary information. Maths puzzles, crossword challenges, and word-making games are also popular in free apps for kids.
  6. The sound of music – Ignore this factor at your (and your app’s!) peril. Remember, you are trying to keep your young audience engaged at all times – and audio effects play a vital part for that. Include a soothing, melodious background music (kids should have the option to turn it off, if they wish). There should be appropriate changes in the sounds, depending on the actions of the users. In a reading app for kids, there should be an option to listen to audio-narrations of the in-app stories. A child would prefer interacting with a virtual companion which ‘speaks’, and not a dumb app!
  7. Do not make kids mobile games too tough or too brief – This is a rather tricky aspect. A mobile game that is too easy won’t appeal to a curious, challenge-loving kid, while if the gameplay is too tough – (s)he might simply give up after a few minutes. Depending upon the age-group of children you wish to target, set customized difficulty level(s) in the games. What’s more – you need to ensure that the game does not ‘finish’. There should be plenty of levels, new modes to be unlocked, and fresh stories to read. Otherwise, your app won’t remain a kid’s favorite for long.
  8. In-app purchases and downloads – Okay, time to turn our attention to more commercial aspects. There are many mobile app companies that include direct paid download links on the screens of a kid’s app – and that is downright wrong. After all, a child of, say 3, is not supposed to understand which in-app purchases are necessary – and they might simply end up spending some of their parents’ money. Don’t go for such shady marketing tactics, and have a link to your business website on the settings page of the app instead. Parents would be able to check out your overall app portfolio, and download according to their (and their kids’) preferences.
  9. Have a reward system – Which kid doesn’t love to win prizes? Any good mobile application for children should have an in-built virtual reward system, so that the li’l darlings can get that sense of fulfillment after their app-activities. If it’s a gaming app, you can go for a points accumulation system, reward coins, or other such interesting rewards. For mobile learning apps for kids, there should be token prizes for children who manage to complete letter-writing tasks, maths exercises, and the like. Audio effects – like the sound of applause, or a voice saying ‘Well Done!’ – can add to a kids’ app’s charm too.
  10. The in-app navigation should be easy – Many iPhone and Android app developers make the folly of including too many pages/screens in a children’s app. This invariably makes the menu of the app cluttered – and kids ultimately lose their way in the maze. A toddler might be surprisingly tech-savvy, but even then (s)he would appreciate it if the navigation system in a mobile app is smooth and easy to understand. Let’s look at it this way – a kid should not have to run to his/her mom/dad to understand how an app should be operated. Presence of too many screens will make an app heavy too – and that’s another thing you don’t want.
  11. Title and app-icon – The name and icon of an app would be its first points of contact with those it is meant for – children. Choose a catchy, innovative, fun title, which would give the users (parents and children) some idea about what the app is all about. Your UI/UX designing team should create around 4-5 different app icons and logos. During the development stage, use the social media channels of your business (read: Facebook) to showcase the alternative icons, and find out which one is best-received. Use it in the final version of your app.

A small tip here: Do not ever plagiarize the title and/or icon of any existing, popular kid’s app. That way, you will simply be asking for rejection at the online stores!

12. Don’t forget the parents – An app for kids should not only be about delighting the young boys and girls who download it. Any responsible parent would like to keep track of what his/her children is doing with smartphones and tablets – and you can facilitate this by including suitable parental control features in the app. For web-enabled apps, there should be a log of sites browsed – which parents can check on a regular basis. Finally, there should be the option to ‘lock the app’ at certain times. Otherwise, kids might stay up till late to play games on your app – and parents will not approve it!

Regular upgrades are important for any app, and for a mobile application for children, they are absolutely critical. Make sure that your app has been properly tested prior to release – for a buggy app would surely lead to adverse word-of-mouth publicity. Focus on delivering surprises to the little ones via the app, make it very user-friendly, play around with colors and animation characters, and actively seek feedback and opinions from parents. There are zillions of free apps for kids out there – if yours has to stand out, you need to follow the above guidelines.

 

AppBoard Tuesday – Learn The Secret Recipe For The Perfect App!

Many of you are big-time KFC fans, right? Take a minute out and think – can’t you make the same crispy fried chicken at home too? Most of you would say ‘no’ – because KFC adds those ‘secret herbs and spices’, to make its chicken taste, well, ‘out-of-the-world’. Rest assured, there is no magic potion from Mars that those guys use, to give your gastronomic juices a treat – its all common stuff, and the magic happens due to the expertise of the chef. In today’s edition of AppBoard Tuesday (ABT) we will compare the role of a mobile app developer to that of a cook. The former tries to develop great apps, the latter guns for lip-smacking delicacies. There’s no rocket science involved for making a good mobile application, all that’s required is following these ‘secret’ strategies:

  1. Research, Research & Research Some More – If you have an app idea in mind, the first thing you need to do is find out whether/how many similar apps already exist in Play Store and/or iTunes. Learn how these apps have been created and designed – and use this information as a frame of reference. Of course, if your app is something totally unique, you won’t have such earlier examples to check out.
  2. Go for a ‘better’ app – Ever wondered why a perfectly good app might fail? The reason is simple: there is no dearth of such ‘good’ apps in the market – your focus should be on making ‘better’ ones. Study the functionality, speed, information, controls, overall UI designs and other features of similar applications – and find out how you can deliver more value than them. After all, you need to give your target audience valid reasons to switch over to your app!
  3. Develop an app that people will need – Let’s go back to our KFC example for a bit. You are absolutely ravenous and have ordered an 8-piece chicken bucket – and what arrives on your table is a pitiful 3-piece chicken strips. You won’t be mighty pleased, right? The same goes for mobile app development as well. You need to find out the exact types of apps that people would like to have on their smartphones (surveys, emailed questionnaires, social media interactions – all help in this regard). Your app might be an amazing piece of programming wizardry – but if there’s no demand for it, you’ll be the only one admiring it!
  4. Accept the challenge – Developing good-looking, useful, user-friendly mobile apps is not the easiest task in the world. Neither is making fantastic fried chicken, day in and day out. Have you ever heard of a chef resign because (s)he was afraid of trying to learn how to whip up new dishes? Similarly, you need to be prepared to get out of your comfort zone – while making apps. At leading cross-platform app development companies, you might be required to work on an iOS project to start off, and then be switched to an Android project. What will you do, give up?
  5. Ask the experts, always – Keep pestering them, in fact. If you are a newbie, you’ll have loads to learn from an experienced coder, graphic designer or a mobile app testing expert. While working on the project, try and learn up the nitty-gritty of the programming techniques that would have to be used from them. The same goes if you are into UI/UX designing or testing. Ditch that shyness – it never works at a workplace. The more you talk with the experts, the more you learn.
  6. Maintain milestones – Back to KFC. You must have noticed how organized the people at the counter of the outlets are. They’ll take your order, print out the bill, pass it to another person, collect your payment, make sure that your tray is properly laden, add the sauces, napkins and straws, and then, hand it over to you with a smile. In much the same way, you have to be very systematic when you make an Android/iPhone app. Maintain records of the stage of app development you are in at any time (right from the initial brainstorming phase), keep a record of the codes used (including the errors you might commit), and share the wireframes and mockups with clients. This would prove advantageous in two ways: First, you will always be in charge of the app development project; Second, collecting timely payment installments would also be easy.
  7. Don’t attach a ‘too’ high price tag – A 6-piece chicken bucket at KFC costs around Rs. 500 – and everyone believes that it is indeed ‘finger lickin’ good’. Let’s consider that the price of the same bucket is raised to Rs. 1000. Worry not – almost everyone except the hardcore KFC fanboys/girls will switch over to another shop. No matter how good your mobile app is, you must not make it an exorbitantly high-priced one. On an average, 9 out of 10 iPhone apps are free – with monetization being done via in-app advertisements or other models. Even paid apps are priced at nominal levels. Do not make people think too much as to whether it would be ‘financially worth it’ to download your app. Getting a decent enough user-base should be your first goal.
  8. Quality matters, always – Once you are served a bad piece of chicken, you won’t return to that store. Similarly, if a client gets a substandard app from your company (after paying a hefty amount), there’s precious little chance of him/her coming back to you with another project. Follow the latest, pre-tested methods for developing smartphone apps at all times. Stay updated, and implement, all the mobile industry best practices. Every aspect of the app development process should be glitch-free. Set up periodic consultations with clients, and find out whether the app is being developed according to their exact preferences. You should, of course, avoid extra expenses as much as possible – but that should not involve a compromise on the quality front.
  9. App testing should be done by specialists – If your mobile app agency does not have a separate testing department – kindly do not accept projects until you have got one. An app developer might have some knowledge about testing – but such half-hearted efforts would never be enough to ensure that all bugs/coding errors/malware are ironed out from the final build. In a app development firm, the testers are as integral as the developers and the designers. A faulty app would not have a sniff of a chance of getting approved at Apple iTunes (in particular).
  10. Live up to your promises – Again, take a leaf out of the KFC book. In all their ads, and at their stores – visitors are always promised a grand eating experience. Hardly ever (there can be odd cases here and there) do they fail to deliver what they promise. By the same token, you should stay away from making tall promises you cannot live up to. Provide free app quotes (without hidden charges), mention (and meet) the deadline by which the app will be completed, and pre-specify the amount of expenses that would be involved. People love companies that do not brag much!
  11. Make the app engaging – This is particularly important if you are making a gaming app or a mobile app for kids. The secret behind any successful mobile game is that it is (a) not too difficult, and (b) generally never-ending. Right from Angry Birds Go, to Flappy Bird – most top-rated gaming apps follow this principle. A mobile application for children needs to capture the little ones’ attention in terms of its interface designs, touch features, information content and the way in which it is presented, and ease of usage. Business, news and social networking apps need to have loads of interactive features as well. Remember just the one thing: the in-app navigation should never become too complicated.
  12. Promote the app well – Open any leading English daily, look around at the hoardings at any posh city location – and you will find large, colorful ads of products/services of both established brands – as well as of those which have not yet released. Once a mobile app project finishes, it becomes a ‘product’ – which you will have to generate a buzz about. Post first-look updates of its screens on social media, write press releases highlighting the new app’s features and functionality, and keep posting online/print ads after the app has been approved. Maximum exposure for your app maximizes the chances of initial downloads.

Keep seeking feedback on your apps from clients (just like restaurant stuff ask if the food was good) – and monitor the reviews/testimonials posted at the app stores. Do not charge additional amounts on app updates (ever heard KFC charge money for some extra ketchup or an extra fork?). Make sure that the bandwidth requirement of your app is not much. All the above factors are far from being ‘secret’ – but many developers/companies tend to overlook them, resulting in the app-recipe getting all tangled. Don’t be one of them!

 

And that is about that for this week’s edition of AppBoard Tuesday. If you have any other ‘secret’ tips to ensure an app’s success – do share them with us. ABT returns next week…till then, stay happily zapped with great apps!

 

Infowatch August – The Teks Newsletter

It’s the first day of a brand new month, folks – and we are back to bring you up-to-date with all that happened in the realm of technology, over the last four weeks. August had been a pretty busy month, with a series of important announcements, product launches and other interesting going-ons in the tech domain. Without much of further ado, let’s start our roundup of what made the most ripples last month – right here on Infowatch August:

iPhone 6 Finally Gets A Release Date

It’s finally here! No, not the phone yet – but at least Apple has come up with an official launch date for the heavily-anticipated iPhone 6. According to reports, the 4.7” model will hit the markets on the 9th of September, while we will have to wait at least a couple of months more for the 5.5” phablet variety. iPhone software experts and mobile app developers are all abuzz about the new Apple device.

Arrival Of Robots That Can ‘Learn-On-The-Job’

Robo Brain has raised the bar significantly, as far as creation and deployment of smart robots is concerned. Research experts from Brown, Cornell and Stanford Universities have started collaborating, to make robots that would be able to ‘learn new tasks’ – unlike the present ones with pre-programmed knowledge. There is some apprehension that such new-age robots might start learning unhealthy, undesirable stuff too, however.

Internet Service Outage Causes Furore

Renowned companies are expected to maintain their standards of service at all times – something that Time Warner Cable is having trouble doing. In the last week of August, the company suffered a three-hour long outage – across 29 states in the United States, owing to a human mistake. Coming on the back of the report that nearly 60% of Time Warner clients are not satisfied with its services, a massive outage like this is just what the company did not need.

Pinterest Focuses On India For Further Growth

After consolidating its popularity in the United States (with roughly one-third of the market share) and the United Kingdom, Pinterest is looking at India for its next attempt at expanding its reach. Founders Evan Sharp, Ben Silbermann and Paul Sciarra have taken a cue from how corporate houses like Yash Raj Studios and individual celebrities like masterchef Sanjeev Kapoor uses the platform, to stay connected with fans and followers. Researches have shown that Pinterest is almost equally popular among men and women in India, unlike what has been seen in the West.

Goodbye, MSN Messenger

Most people thought that MSN/Windows Live Messenger was finished last year – when Microsoft announced that users had to migrate to the Skype platform, to continue enjoying its services. However, MSN kept operating in China, and the plug will be finally pulled on it on the 31st of October. Facing intense competition from Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, and (ironically) Skype itself – the fifteen year old service has finally arrived at the end of its run.

Firefox OS To Steal A March On Google Android?

It seems like Android will have to tackle a three-pronged competition to retain its leadership position (in terms of market share) in the mobile markets worldwide. In addition to arch-rival iOS, and the soon-to-release Tizen (on Samsung Z), August saw the arrival of granular applications permissions on the Firefox OS. With this feature, Mozilla has made it possible for Firefox device owners to revoke app permissions on a granular basis, whenever required. Android app developers feel that Google needs to come up with a similar functionality on its upcoming mobile platform too.

Snapchat To Get Huge Investment Boost

Snapchat had turned down a $3 billion takeover offer from Facebook, and the move seems to be paying off. On the evidence of its fast-growing popularity, Kleiner Perkins & Byer have agreed to invest an amount in excess of $10 billion – to further its growth. With this financial shot in the arm, Snapchat might soon become a worthy challenger of mobile messaging biggies like WhatsApp and Viber.

Instagram Launches Hyperlapse app

Wish to record HQ videos while moving around with your smartphone? Instagram has now made it possible! It released an all-new iPhone app – Hyperlapse – last month, and initial feedback has been extremely positive. Right from capturing sceneries, to making home videos, Hyperlapse can do it all. Our very own Timesnaps app is something like it!

A Social Network For Becoming A Good Neighbor!

Or, we can say ‘an anti-social network’ – for that’s what Nextdoor is better known as. Nextdoor made its debut way back in 2010, but it is only now that the platform is picking up popularity. Surveys have revealed that many people in the United States use it, to connect with their neighbors in a better, smarter way. The network has helped neighbors help each other, solve petty local crimes, and is fast rising the popularity charts. Facebook should better keep an eye on this one!

New Version Of C++ Gets Approved

Much to the delight of programmers and app developers across the globe, ISO has finally given its nod to the draft of C++14 – the successor of C++11. Enhanced usability of programmer-defined literals, expanded lambdas and the greater range of Contexpr (the function evaluator during compilation) are the key highlights of C++14. Recent rumors that the C-programming ecosystem was nearing its end have died down. Understandably.

Steve Ballmer Is No Longer On The Microsoft Board

Ballmer’s stint as Microsoft CEO ended in February, and in August, he formally resigned from the Board of Directors of the company (via a letter to Satya Nadella). There is quite a bit of contemplation as to whether Ballmer (who currently owns LA Clippers) stepped down for he was not in favor of Microsoft’s ‘cloud-first, mobile first’ strategy. However, the man would not be foregoing his shares, and will enjoy a quarterly earning of close to $95 million.

Google Announces ‘Project Wing’

The fight between Amazon and Google to provide the quickest and the most efficient delivery service to buyers is hotting up. In 2013, the former announced ‘Prime Air’ – a system in which drones will be trained to deliver products (to any address). Last month, Google came up with the perfect riposte – ‘Project Wing’. The Google drones will have routes pre-programmed in them, and will come with a pretty impressive wingspan. A preliminary video is already out, and first stage of delivery drone testing has commenced. No more undue delays in the arrival of products!

Connecting Your Apple iPhone To A Computer? Beware!

In a sensational discovery, it was found that Apple iPhones are not as hacker-proof as they are generally considered to be. Interestingly, the vulnerability of iOS is at its maximum when a device is connected to a computer, via USB. At a recent conference in San Diego, a practical demonstration of this security risk was given. It has been proved that the overall designs of iOS are leaving scopes for attacks, and the software does not have any frailties per se.

JPMorgan Chase Faces Serious Cyber Threat

As per early reports, Russian malware and hacking experts targeted the largest bank in the United States (along with a couple of other banks) last month. Personal account information and other such sensitive data in the bank’s database have come under a security cloud – and the issue has been serious enough to prompt a FBI investigation. Trish Wrexler, speaking on behalf of JP Morgan Chase, pointed out that large financial institutions are often the preferred target of hackers – and the data security provisions were enough to thwart the attacks.

Samsung Gear S Brings Voice Calling On Smartwatch

While Apple keeps postponing the release of iWatch (it seems unlikely that it will arrive before 2015), Samsung has upped its game in the wearable technology section. In the second half of August, the company unveiled Gear S – a smartwatch which could make calls, without having a mobile phone near it. The sales of Samsung devices had slackened a bit last quarter, and the October-release of Gear S is likely to push up revenues once again.

Alibaba Grows Financially Stronger Before IPO

The much-talked about Alibaba IPO in the United States might happen within the first week of September. The way in which the company revenues have soared during the recently concluded quarter has fueled this rumor. In particular, the mobile and software sector of the online retailing giant has witnessed a significant spurt (up from 27% to 33% of all transactions). If the trends hold, the IPO should be valued at over $200 billion.

Older Versions Of Internet Explorer Set To Be Phased Out

Clearly frustrated with the reluctance of people to upgrade to newer versions of the Internet Explorer browser, Microsoft has decided to come down hard on IE 7 and 8. The two will no longer be available on any operating system from January 2016. IE 9 will be operable only on Windows Vista, which is hardly used by anyone. IE 11 will be the only available version on Windows 7, 8. 8.1. Windows 9 is also likely to be launched in the interim.

A Bigger iPad Is Coming Soon

In a bid to shore up the progressively disappointing sales figures of the iPad (both the 7.9 inch and the 10 inch variety), Apple has announced a larger, 12.9-inch version. It should be ready for release in the first quarter of 2015, and it promises to be more user-friendly than ever. Professionals specializing in iOS app development feel that the new device would double up as a competitor of the large-screened Samsung phones too.

HP Forced To Take Back 6 Million Power Cords

Hewlett-Packard’s reputation as a supplier of the best-quality gadgets and accessories took a hit in August – when the company had to recall nearly 6 million faulty computer cables, in United States and Canada. There had been as many as 29 different complaints that the cables were getting charred, overheated or were melting. After taking back the problematic LS-15 cords (which were shipped with HP notebooks and mini-notebooks), HP issued a public apology to customers.

First Look Of Windows Threshold In December

In addition to phasing out older IE versions, Microsoft would be looking to put the disappointments of Windows 8 behind it as well. The next version of the desktop OS – codenamed ‘Windows Threshold’ – will be previewed this fall, nearly a year before its full commercial release. A faster booting system and a revamped Start button (the absence of which was instrumental for the poor reviews of Windows 8) will be the key features to look out for. ‘Windows Threshold’ would also offer greater support for virtual gadgets.

 

There was a fresh twist in the forever-ongoing Apple vs Samsung tussle last month, with the former’s ‘172 Claim’ for patent violation being rejected at a California court. Mobile app development received a bit of celebrity glitz – with Tom Hanks conceptualizing an iPad app (Hanx), which recreates the effects of old typewriters. Motorola has also entered the domain of wearable technology with its impressively stacked Moto 360 (although its chances of success in the face of fierce competition from Samsung remain suspect). Rumors about a new Microsoft tablet has also started doing the rounds, after the price of Surface 2 was slashed in August. The acquisition of Jetpac (the creator of several apps) by Google also drew the attention of tech enthusiasts.

August was an action-packed month in terms of new smartphone releases (oh well, which month isn’t these days?). Xiaomi returned with its 2nd flagship device for Indian markets – the Redmi 1s (which, interestingly, will be available again only on Flipkart). Nokia is eyeing a warm response for its Lumia 530, after the strong showing of Nokia Lumia 630. Sony Xperia C3 was an eagerly-anticipated release, as was the Oppo Find 7. Among the budget smartphones that hit the markets last month, Spice Fire One Mi-FX1 and Intex Cloud FX are the most noteworthy.

 kids tiles app

Okay, time to look back at what Teknowledge Software had been up to last month. A new mobile gaming app for kids – Kids Tiles – was launched at iTunes on August 15, and it has received encouraging reviews from all over. Two other apps, Sting and Heart Charts, are in their final stage of development – and would be released soon. It was a fantastic month for our Story Time team as well, with the 3-day Monsoon Camp 2014 event proving to be a grand success. Both the free storytelling app for children as well as the printed books are rapidly growing in popularity. Happy times!

 

With that, we come to the end of the August edition of Infowatch. The Teks monthly newsletter will be back on the 30th of September – with tidbits on all the important tech happenings this month. If you feel we have missed out on any important news from August, do mention it – and we’ll definitely consider including it. Till the next time we meet – enjoy September, everyone!

 

You Know You Are A Bad Programmer When…

There’s a world of difference between knowing bits and pieces of different programming languages, and being a qualified software programmer. We shall, in what follows, shed light on some traits and features that bad programmers tend to share.

According to a report published by the International Data Corporation (IDC), the total number of software development experts across the world is well in excess of 18,500,000. The Asia-Pacific region contributes over 37% of these programmers, while around 33% of the professionals are from either the United States or Canada. As you can very well imagine, not all software and mobile app developers are equally good at their jobs. If you are in this profession, you can find out that you are a bad programmer when:

You love to copy and paste

For a lousy software developer, the Ctrl-C and the Ctrl-V buttons are his/her best friends. If you spend too much time on looking for code snippets, or even complete programs, that have worked earlier – and simply try reusing them – it’s high time you changed your style. Open-source libraries are meant to be used, but lifting lines of program codes without understanding them is a big mistake.

You do not have a thorough knowledge about programming languages

Don’t get me wrong – even the best web or mobile app development expert can’t be expected to know ALL codes and tricks of C, or JavaScript, or Cocoa by heart. That, however, does not mean it’s okay to simply post “This is my problem. Can anyone send me the solution code?”-type posts in online technology forums. Inadequate knowledge would also make you write far more lines of code than what is necessary. Are you a ‘roundabout coder?’

The MAC address/IP address dilemma

If you do not know the difference between the two, hello and welcome to the ‘Bad Programmers’ Club.’ There are plenty of so called software wizards around, who take it that MAC addresses are invariably related to Apple iMACs. For them, there’s a whole lot wrong in the very basics!

You take pride in writing as much as you can

Great idea for a web content writer, and a horrible one for a professional programmer. Your focus should always be on judging each problem on a standalone basis, and solving it using as few coding lines as possible (without errors, of course). It is a hallmark of substandard programmers to hunt for common ‘patterns’ in all their coding assignments. Such patterns do not always exist, and you certainly won’t win any brownie points from writing line after line of redundant codes.

You are afraid of long programs

If you follow a rule of thumb of not trying to understand any program that has, say, 25 lines, you should probably start looking for another profession. There is no hard and fast rule as to what the ‘ideal length’ of a program should be – and for newbies in particular, studying a longer, detailed program is often a better option than simply mugging up an abridged, advanced version.

You are the most sincere worker at office

Nopes, I’m not advising you to be lazy. It’s just that, smart programmers tend to find ways in which they can tackle a coding assignment quickly and satisfactorily – and they generally face minimal troubles with code debugging. On the polar opposite, there are the ones who start to analyze their codes from 9AM, discovers about a hundred bugs by 12 noon, discover the solutions by 4PM, and by the time they are finished – it’s close to 10PM. The latter cannot be faulted for effort and hard work, but they simply do not have what it takes to be a good software developer.

You feel that programming is a black box

As has been already pointed out, coding has got nothing to do with either how much you copy and paste, or write on your own. There are procedural programming, object-oriented programming, imperative programming, functional programming and several other models – and if you do not know the difference between them, it won’t take long for you to land in a soup. Bad programmers rattle off fictitious phrases like ‘voodoo coding’ and ‘yo-yo coding’ – if you believe in them, you are one of them too!

You place blind faith on Java alone

This might be okay for amateur programmers – but for a professional web or Android developer, such a love-affair is the perfect recipe for disaster. Try to evaluate whether you are at all eager to look beyond Java – at languages like Python and Ruby – which might offer quicker and simpler solutions. For iOS developers, Objective-C is not the only language you need to be an expert in. Swift programming language is what the limelight is on now – and if do not learn it, you will fall behind soon.

You play the blame game with the compiler

The world is not fair – but if you can write a flawless program, there is no way the compiler can develop a mind of its own and mess it up. The most common symptom of this malady is the tendency to check the compiler switches, whenever your supposedly ‘correct’ program throws up a handful of errors. Look more closely, you will find that the fault lies in your codes.

You burn the midnight oil to learn new languages

A software or a mobile app company will hire you because you already know certain languages – and not because you promise to ‘learn them as soon as possible’. It is, of course, vital to stay updated with new languages – but you should not have to strain to learn the basics of coding AFTER you have successfully bragged, and bagged a job. Chances are high that a pink slip will come along soon!

You think program debugging is synonymous to error logging

Well, it’s not. Just because you are careful in entering every error/exception to the log, you should not think that you are handling them the right way. After logging the errors, you need to find out the causes behind them, and rectify the same. If you simply move on to the next project after recording the errors of the earlier one, you are basically shirking your responsibilities as a program debugger.

You cannot work with pointers and references

If the term ‘pointer’ means only the mouse cursor to you – you are not even a half-decent programmer. For mobile app development in particular, relatively complex APIs have to be developed – and if you won’t/can’t work with pointers, you’ll never be able to manage them. Simple tasks like array allocations and link-listing will forever remain a blur. If you are working with a managed language and do not have an idea about ‘references’, the situation will be similarly sticky.

You feel that a method/function MUST have a single return point

Lousy developers think so – and the excuse for it is laughably bad. According to them, such functions keep the overall program neat and easy-to-understand. The truth, in many cases, is just the opposite. Ask any proper programmer, and (s)he will tell you that functions with multiple return points are designed to simplify the coding structure, not to complicate it.

You get bogged down by the pressure of failures

Unless you are ready to take on the challenges that are associated with programming, you can never become good at it. There is no software or app developer in the world who has not made mistakes in his/her career. The trick lies in taking lessons from these mistakes, and becoming a more informed, efficient coder as a result. There is no point in feeling your program ‘should have been right’, when it isn’t so. Take failures in your stride, learn from other senior programmers, regularly follow coding-related case studies, and improvements will manifest themselves over time.

You cannot think beyond scalar data

Particularly if you are into SQL and relational database management (RDBMS)-related coding, such a shallow knowledge pool will not work. You can confidently classify yourself as a below-average programmer (at best!), if you cannot think and operate with ‘data sets’. From map-writing and data-fetching, to creating entity classes – ‘sets’ are the way in which most programming tasks should be managed.

A bad programmer would also have problems in understanding recursion, will tend to program everything in Unified Modeling Language (UML), and shall score poorly as a critical/analytical thinker. The general lack of confidence in coding skills tends to lead to the messy Collyer Brothers Syndrome in developers too. Every programmer feels that (s)he is the best in the world – although many of them still have plenty to learn!

AppBoard Tuesday – 18 Things Most Mobile App Companies Won’t Tell You

Howdy people! Hello and welcome to another edition of AppBoard Tuesday (ABT) – your weekly dosage of app-related information, and other related topics. This week, we will try to increase your awareness and make you…let’s say, streetsmart…while negotiating with mobile app development companies. Plenty of people, from tech and non-tech backgrounds have great concepts for apps, but their plans are regularly thwarted by shady companies and their underhand practices. Here are some things that many mobile app companies do not tend to reveal, at least at first:

  1. Price for providing quotes – If you wish to make an Android or iPhone app, you would need a detailed quote/cost estimate first. Almost all app agencies claim that they provide free app quotes to prospective clients. What they do not generally point out are the charges associated with each new update/upgrade of any application. This, in turn, nullifies the effect of ‘free app quotes’ somewhat, right?
  2. Mobile platforms worked on – Most businesses, mainly startups, are reluctant to reveal their relatively limited service portfolio. They would take any business that would come their way, without actually considering whether they would be able to handle it properly. For instance, if an agency is not into developing Blackberry apps, but a client contacts it for a BB project – the company might draw up an agreement. There are several startups who are mostly into web app development and/or Java projects only, but would happily take up mobile projects. A web app developer company may very well pose as an expert on mobile apps.
  3. ‘Too good to be true’ prices – An established app development agency in, say, Australia or the United States would charge more than double, than what a smaller firm in a developing nation would ask for. Even in India, a bit of research would help you discover significant discrepancies between the pricing norms of various companies. Keep in mind, if a company is quoting a ‘remarkably low’ price, there is usually some quality-compromise involved. There is nothing called ‘incredibly cheap mobile apps!’
  4. Degree of research involved – There are two ways of monitoring an app development business. The first is via researching and brainstorming for new and interesting app ideas, and placing maximum emphasis on buyer-satisfaction. The other is the short-cut method – treating app projects as mere ‘products’. Unfortunately, most companies follow the second strategy – which involves haphazardly making the apps, selling them, and moving on to the next project. In the long-run, an app that is not backed up by well-researched data would never be successful.
  5. Size of the company – Take any iOS app development agency at random, and ask about how big it is (in terms of, say, number of employers). There is every chance that the company representatives will be either reluctant to share such details, or simply rattle off a high-ish number (if everyone spoke the truth, every company in the world would have had 500+ workers!). It’s not that a small company will necessarily do a bad job – it’s just that most companies feel insecure about revealing their size.
  6. Qualification of the developers – When you contact a company for the creation of your first mobile application, making queries about the qualifications of its developers won’t be something at the top of your mind. What’s more – companies won’t be very forthcoming about disclosing the ‘relevant experience’ of the app developer/development team who would be in charge of your project. For instance, a person with a decade-long work experience might only be starting out with iOS projects. If you want to make an iPhone app, (s)he would not be the most suitable person. ‘Total experience’ counts for little, if there’s hardly any ‘relevant experience’.
  7. ‘We are a multinational company’ – A common refrain among many new mobile app companies who are desperate to impress clients. Its fairly easy to get a couple of foreign phone numbers, and show them off on business websites. If you come across a company claiming such ‘robust international presence’, kindly ask about its legally approved office addresses overseas, along with a contact name or two. It’s the job of marketers to brag – the onus is on you to find the truth behind the big claims of companies!
  8. Project continuity – If an Android or iPhone app development company promises to finish your project within 3-4 weeks, it’s not necessary that it will honor its word. ‘Our app developer went on a sick leave’, and ‘The person working on your job left’ are some of the most common excuses agencies come up with, to justify inordinate project completion delays. Before you delegate your project, ask in detail about the in-house continuity provisions that a company has. There should always be a backup team to handle responsibilities in case of emergencies. This, in fact, makes it inadvisable to go for a firm that is too small.
  9. Project outsourcing – Big companies, small companies – outsourcing is a common (and extremely troublesome) phenomenon among mobile app firms. You hire a reputed app developer, make the advance payments – and your project promptly gets outsourced to an obscure, third-party organization which, more often than not, comes up with substandard service. You need to ensure that the company you hire handles all the aspects of your project on its own.
  10. Keeping clients in the loop – Check out our ‘Request A Quote’ page, and you will find that we ask for app wireframes from you (if available), along with a brief idea about the exact nature of the application you wish us to work on. For many other companies, app development is more of an ‘open-and-shut’ case though. They will make you sign on the contract papers, and tell you that the app will be ready in, say, 4-6 weeks. You won’t get the chance to view mockups and app-prototypes in the interim. At the end of the time-span, you might be handed an app that is not even close to what you had been looking for. Mind you, payments will still have to be made!
  11. Genuineness of testimonials – Any self-respecting mobile application development firm will have a good-looking, optimized website. Chances are high that many of them will have hundreds of client testimonials – each of them gushing about how fantastic the company’s services are. Now, it’s not particularly difficult to publish fake testimonials on a website, and that’s precisely why you should not always believe them. Ask for the contact information of a couple of the company’s erstwhile clients, and find out the facts for yourself.
  12. Intellectual property rights – Before you hire an app developer, you need to have a basic idea about patents, copyrights and other aspects of an app’s intellectual property rights (IRP). Keep in mind that the rights stay with the developer, unless there is a pre-formed agreement that the rights would be transferred to you upon the app’s completion. If you wish to avail the services of freelance app developers, be extra careful about this. Make sure that the company/individual you hire provides legally approved non-disclosure and/or non-competing agreements. Unless the IRP issues are all sorted out, mobile app marketing might involve legal hassles.
  13. UI/UX design expertise – Tech wizards need not always have a creative streak in them. In the domain of mobile app development, there’s a common catchphrase – ‘Coders cannot design, and designers cannot code’ (the first portion is particularly true). A company might not be forthcoming about its graphics and UI/UX designing team, which would be a clear indication that it does not have one. Unless your app has an engaging, user-friendly UI, it will be a #fail – and that’s what makes it essential to contact a company with a team of experienced, creative designers.
  14. Focus on mobile app testing – Unfortunate but true – most small to medium mobile app companies do not have a dedicated mobile app testing team. All that they do is perform a hurried, stereotyped testing procedure over the cloud network (prior to an app’s release), and then hand it over to you. If you do not have a technology-based background, you will take charge of the app in good faith – and before you know it, it will start malfunctioning (owing to malware, bugs, etc.). Make sure that you know exactly how app testing takes place at the company of your choice.
  15. Presence on social media – Remember this one rule of thumb – a ‘good’ mobile app company would love to show off its works on Facebook, Behance, Twitter, and other social media channels. A ‘bad’ company, on the other hand, will remain as hush-hush about its projects as possible. Find out if the agency you are planning to zero in upon has a regularly updated presence on the various social media channels (having only a website is not enough). If it doesn’t, start looking for another company. There are plenty of mobile app agencies which have well-known companies, why settle for an agency which is not eager to showcase its own previous works?
  16. Feedback at stores – It is only natural that an app development firm will praise each of its apps like anything. A truer, clearer can be obtained if you check out the sort of reviews and ratings that those apps have got at iTunes and Google Play Store. If a company states that an application has been ‘unanimously appreciated’, but you find that it has been trashed at the stores – start looking for another, more truthful, company immediately!
  17. Payment structure – The moment an app company asks for the entire payment for a project in advance, run for cover. Be very wary of companies that do not have a well-specified payment schedule either (“make payments whenever it’s convenient for you”). Like in any other business, app agencies should let their clients know when and how payments are to be made. Generally, a pre-specified percentage of the overall fees has to be paid upfront, another portion midway through the project, and the rest AFTER the app has been completed and delivered.
  18. Promised completion vs Actual completion – There’s a popular saying related to software engineering (credits to Bell Labs’ Tom Cargill), which states – ‘The first 90% of coding takes 90% of the total assigned time for development. The remaining 10% of coding takes up the rest 90% of the development time.’ This ‘90-90’ rule is applicable for most mobile app development companies as well. These agencies deliver apps to clients that are ‘incomplete’, in some way or the other. Choose a company that can actually complete projects within the pre-stated deadlines.

The point is, you need to be able to read between the fine print and keep your wits about you, while dealing with an application development agency for the first time. Most of the reputed companies across the world deliver products of the highest standard (I think both Teknowledge Software and Teks Mobile Australia figure in that list – if the feedback of our 300-odd international clients are anything to go by!). However, there is no dearth of fraudulent ones either, and you need to avoid doing business with them.

 

That’s about that for this installment of AppBoard Tuesday. Let us know if there are any other issues regarding mobile app development that requires clarification at the very outset. If you have faced problems while interacting with other companies, share your experience with us.

 

ABT will be back next week, with a new topic to ponder on. Till then…you know what to do by now!