android Archives • Dzhingarov

What is the Latest Rage in Web Technology?

Dzhingarov — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 07:29:20 +0000

Mobile phone usage is almost exploding; people are skipping the large PCs and laptops and showering all attention to the small yet sleek and smart mobile phones for internet usage. This user behaviour has prodded mobile app developers to brush up and sharpen their skills to the max; keeping up with user expectation is driving them to deliver the best. Out of the 1.2 billion phones sold last year, 174 million were smart phones. Nokia, Apple, Symbian, and RIM are competing fiercely to be at the top, and every company has their USP when it comes to smart phones.

Screen Size

IPhones top the charts due to their smart screens. Large screens typical of smart phones make it easier for users to find and locate information. So, it won’t be wrong to say that iPhones are the kings or aces in the race of smart phones. Android users are, nevertheless, more than ever nowadays, and with the increasing number of useful and lovely applications available through Google Play, this comes as no surprise. The Apple app store is the leader today and quite unbeatable. When it comes to flexibility to modify some of the core applications, Android applications win hands down. IPhones do not grant that feature. With so many exciting features offered by different smart phone companies, users are constantly waiting for newer models and version of these to hit the market. The iPhone 5 is the current rage, and everyone’s going gaga over it! The Samsung Galaxy S4 has really enthralled people.

Widows Web Fractal by Joy Shrader

Need for Innovation

In the year 2013, many new developments are bound to take place, and users are yet to witness them. 2011 and 2012 were just the tip of iceberg they saw. App developer uk must be prompt to cash in on the increasing demands of users. Keeping a sharp eye on consumer needs and on the competitor projects will make them come up with something unique and useful at the same time. Innovations must be focused on when there are so many companies striving to deliver their best.

Improving and Enriching User Experience

With social networking grabbing centre stage in people’s lives, mobile app developers need to step into the users’ shoes and think out of the box. There is a need to design the web technologies in such a way that minimizes the junk or the unnecessary features and retain only the best. Improving user experience on a continual basis by surveying them and obtaining feedback is critical to sustain in the industry. Even a tiny flaw can be converted into an award-winning breakthrough mobile web app design idea. All you need is to be alert to the dynamic rate of changes happening around and optimize them to the max.

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Best 10 Ways to Marketing Your iOS App

Dzhingarov — Mon, 27 May 2013 12:54:38 +0000

The mobile applications have revolutionized the way of communication, data gathering, facilitating business and even other spheres such as education and entertainment. It provides a whole gamut of things that can be done and delivered within fractions of a second. The IOS that is the operating software platform provided by Apple Inc is completely user friendly and quite durable. The IOS applications work on the IOS platform. New IOS apps keep pouring in the mobile internet market.

Ten ways of marketing your IOS app are listed below:

1.Product:

The marketing of any IOS app has to be product specific. The product can be related to entertainment, business, sports, communication, gaming etc.

2.Prospective Customers:

Child And Phone by George Hodan

Every effort should be made to target the prospective customers. The whole exercise would turn out to be futile if the customers are not targeted correctly.

3.Segmentation:

The segmentation of the targeted customers should also be done. Segmentation is based on various aspects for e.g. for gaming applications the prime the prime target has to be small children and teenagers. Similarly, for business applications the prime target should be businessmen and other corporate who feel easy and convenient to run their business on the move.

4.Pricing:

This is the most important aspect of marketing any IOS application. Pricing directly influences the psyche of any prospective customer. The IOS app should be priced at that optimum level that it so that it gets a cut over and above other similar products in the market.

5.Advertising:

It is an age-old method, which is continuously passing through the phase of regular evolution. The ways that an IOS app needs to be advertised is quite different from a physical product. Some of the common methods of marketing are – promotion through other websites and social networking sites, developing an in built platform of mobile apps in the designated handset, advertising through internet.

6.Campaigning:

If the IOS app is designed to cater to masses of almost every segment, a well built and comprehensive campaign could be run along. Campaign creates a feeling of closeness and brotherhood. In this way, people would feel more in proximity to the IOS app and would relate themselves to it.

7.Competitors:

Very close peeps into what the competitors in the market are doing should be maintained all the times. The mobile app market is evolving continuously. The life term of any mobile app is very short in which all the targeted profits are to be generated.

8.Market Survey:

For the IOS product to evolve continuously a well laid down a strategy for market survey and market research should be framed.

9.The Results:

To measure how effective the marketing of IOS apps was conducted the results should be measured at regular intervals and every step. If the results are falling short, then any discrepancy located in the way of marketing should be corrected.

10.Feedback Mechanism:

This exercise shows and reveals the efficiency and effectiveness with which the marketing of IOS apps was carried out including the outcomes, their quality and quantity.

By Boris Dzhingarov

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Which is the Best Smartphone: Samsung Galaxy Note II, Galaxy S4 or iPhone 5?

Dzhingarov — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 08:01:17 +0000

With launch of new handsets like Samsung Galaxy Note 2, iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S4, all of them which are the best handsets to own, have become all the more difficult for the people round the globe to decide which suits them the most. All of these are one of the best devices of this year. This article would however, would probably help you to decide to a great extent which phone is the best.

Now, let’s start with the display of the phone. IPhone 5 has got 4 inch display screen while the Galaxy Note 2 has got a massive of 5.5 inch screen. This is simply fabulous if you want to watch the videos or use it for reading. However, one disadvantage with such a massive screen is that you have to use both your hands to do almost everything on the phone.

Talking about the processor, the Galaxy Not 2 has got two times faster than the Apple phone with more RAM. Also, the Note 2 has even got the double battery size at 31 mAh. But still, this Apple phone has got a great battery life having 8 hours of talk time. That means, it would last an entire day. However, the Galaxy Note 2 has got a whopping of 35 hours of talk time battery life. This means that you can go with your phone without charger for an entire week.

Also, the Galaxy Note 2 is equipped with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean while this new Apple phone has got its own proprietary OS, iOS 6. It is being noted that the iOS system has got the better functioning than the others.

Now, talking about the Galaxy S4 as well, this smartphone has even got a larger display screen having 4.99 inch. It has even got a massive battery size of 2100 mAh. This smartphone has even got the hovering hand technology. This new feature will allow the users to hover their fingers just a few inches above the screen and hence, one can easily navigate by this. This feature is absolutely amazing and fabulous, which would compel lots of people to buy samsung galaxy s4.

However, the new Apple phone has got sleeker look and amazing display but the Samsung handsets doesn’t look too attractive for plastic materials being used. But both the smart phones is equipped with 8 megapixel rear camera. The Galaxy Note 2 has got a 1.9 MP front camera while the Apple phone has got a 1.2 MP and the Galaxy S4 has got a 2 MP. The Galaxy Note 2 has got attractive features with split screen and also triple screen.

Hence, now we can conclude her by saying that the Galaxy Note 2 has got a bigger display, storage, battery and processor. While on the other side, the Apple phone has got better design, looks, price tags and even camera which gives better shots even in low light conditions and faster image capture. And the Galaxy S4 has got bigger screen, fabulous features and better battery. You can decide on the operating system; Android or iOS. Now which phone would you prefer to have?

Author: Christy Root – Follow her on Google+.

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Google to open retail stores this year

Dzhingarov — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:25:49 +0000

According to a bevy of outlets including the Wall Street Journal and 9to5Google, our favourite Californian search company may soon be opening their own brick-and-mortar retail stores. Google’s stores would compete against similar stores from Microsoft and Apple, offering a range of hardware devices and accessories for consumers to come in and try out.

What would be sold in these stores? Well, Google have rather quickly become a hardware company in addition to their traditional software efforts.

Google stores could carry Chromebooks, including lower end models and the new premium Chromebook Pixel, and other Chrome OS devices. Android smartphones and tablets would also be a no-brainer, most notably the Nexus line, including Nexus 4, Nexus 7 and Nexus 10. Google has also started making media devices like the Nexus Q media streamer, and that would make sense too. Google would also be able to provide Nexus 4 cases and other accessories, in the same manner as Apple stores do.

Finally, there are a lot of future Google products that would be best served by a place to see them in action, like Google Glass and self-driving cars. The former would be particularly cool to see in stores, as while Google’s videos are cool it’d be best to try it for yourself to get the full effect of wearing Google Glass.

Of course, these stores could be a good place for Google to show off their software offerings as well – the Chrome Browser, Gmail, Drive and plenty of other services will no doubt have a place in the stores as well. Google are serving up a whole ecosystem, and having a retail store would be a good chance to underscore just how wide that ecosystem is.

While Google has operated pop-up shops for Chromebooks before, opening permanent retail stores is another thing entirely. Both Microsoft and Google have also put a lot of thought into the design and construction of their stores, and no doubt Google will want to do the same, with inspirational architecture that’ll set them apart fromt he crowd. There’s also the ‘Genius’ element to consider – Google may want to staff these stores with Android and Google experts in order to solve customer’s problems in a way that goes beyond what’s possible in a purely online arena.

Thankfully then, they’ve still got some time to get everything sorted – both outlets are reporting that these stores won’t go live until the holiday season this year. A good time for the announcement to be made might be at the Google I/O conference in May, but we’ll have to wait and see – a late breaking Mobile World Conference announcement or leak may still be on the cards.

I’ll be pretty thrilled if these reports are accurate – it’ll mean that finally there’ll be a good place for Android enthusiasts like me to get jobs! What are your thoughts on Google retail stores? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and have a good one.

Author: William Judd – Follow him on Google+.

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Android Free Texting Apps

Dzhingarov — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 08:08:40 +0000

December 3rd 2012 marked the 20 year anniversary of SMS texting. By mid 1990s texting had already taken off even while limited to 160 characters. Although SMS is now widely used as means of communication even by official institutions, the fact that the service costs money has resulted in the ever increasing popularity of texting apps which are free of charge. Here are the top ones:

Imo

This app is available on iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Nokia and it allows you to message your contacts on most messaging networks including: Facebook, Google Talk, Skype and Aim. It features free high-quality voice calls, fast and reliable messaging, with group messaging and photo sharing, multimedia attachments, Google Maps and Places. It has searchable chat history which is accessible on your mobile as well as on the web.

WeChat

This is a private social networking app, cross-platform and packed with features. It enables individual and group messaging using text, voice notes, images, video data and free HD video calls. Message history is locally stored and accessible offline. Syncing with contacts is easy, friends are added by shaking your phones together, scanning QR codes or you can use the location-based service.

Pinger

This app offers more free texting with the option of attaching pictures and sending to more than 100 countries around the world. When you are offline, you can be sure that the app will inform you of the received messages as soon as you go online and there is also the option to get notified when your message has been read. The interface is photo-based which makes the conversations better organised and easily accessible.

TextPlus

This app will provide you with a free phone number and unlimited free messaging. It runs on sponsor support and there are no hidden costs for overseas texting. Among others, its features include free picture messaging, group texting, voice notes, push notifications, texts in clouds and signatures to personalize your texts.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp is last on the list because it is only free during the first year of usage. It’s among the favourite texting apps as it offers multimedia i.e. sending videos, images and voice notes, group chats and there are no international charges. The app is always on, so there is no need for logging in and rather than passwords and usernames, it works with just your phone number integrating with your existing phone book. In addition, you can share location, exchange contacts, have a custom wallpaper and sounds and save your chat history.

The ones who benefit most from the plethora of texting apps are those who have had to spend a small fortune on SMS texting to their contacts abroad. Now this can be done just as fast, if not faster and rather than paying for this service they can now put the money aside for the plain ticket for some face to face chatting- and nothing beats that!

By Melissa Mayer – Follow her on Google+.

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Favourite Android Games

Dzhingarov — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:50:23 +0000

As useful as smartphones are for organisation, keeping abreast of finances, contacts and obligations, there are times when all we want out of them is a bit of carefree entertainment. This is why the list of games is pretty much endless but there are some android games which are on everyone’s list of favourites. Here is a brief description of them:

Rope Escape

This is an intricate and addictive game. You will find yourself in the depth of a jungle and your rope is your only means of escape from the savages chasing you. Along the way you collect items such as rockets, destroy zeppelins and defy the laws of gravity. The game is integrated with Facebook so you can challenge your friends and show off your score.

Fruit Ninja

The amusing sound effects of the fruit cutting make this game delicious fun. Your task is to slash the fruit, swiping across the screen and watch your score increase. There are three modes in single player- Classic, Zen and the new Arcade and you can compare your results using Openfeint and
worldwide scoreboards. With so much fruit, let’s hope the game will also inspire better eating habits with its users.

Bad Piggies

This game comes from the creators of Angry Birds and takes us on an adventure with Bad Piggies. In order to pilot the Piggies to their destination we need to create the best vehicle, a flying device which also crawls, rolls, spins etc. The game has 87 levels and additional 18 levels are unlocked by getting three stars. There are 4 sandbox levels and 33 objects to create in order to achieve all the tasks. With millions of possible combination this game indeed stretches your creativity and provides many an hour of fun.

Angry Birds Star Wars

One of the most popular games is experiencing its Star Wars incarnation. The birds have new powers and new abilities as they embark on an intergalactic journey to the depths of the Pig Star. They use Lightsabers, Blasters and Jedi Powers and improve their skills with each level. The game itself has over 80 levels and it is frequently updated with new features and new challenges.

My Paper Plane 3

A sequel to My Paper Plane 2, My Paper Plane 3 brings enhanced graphics and new locations for the paper plane or one of the other interesting vehicles you will be flying. The tilt controls are easily managed and super accurate which ensures fluid, seamless motion, the levels are dynamically generated and there are exciting power-ups. The main asset of the game are its visuals but you can also find it a challenge if you decide tackle the difficult levels and list yourself among the top pilots on the online leader boards.

Whether for fun, relaxation, or catering to the competitive streak in your character, these games are sure to help. Needless to say, although the addictiveness is a testimony to their clever design – you should bear in mind that there is a down side. So, set a time limit and then sit back and enjoy!

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Google Rolls Out Private Channels for Google Apps Customers

Dzhingarov — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 11:01:34 +0000

Android devices are proving to be worthy competition for Apple’s lineup of chart topping gadgets. A big part of their success can be attributed to the app craze that has become popular with consumers and businesses alike. On that note, savvy IT departments are starting to learn that apps not only provide a way to connect with customers, but streamline an array of internal processes as well. All Android users have been missing is a reliable way to distribute those applications to the internal parties that need them.

Google Play, Google’s online marketplace for Android apps, is growing by leaps and bounds. The latest growth spurt came in the form a new service that allows businesses to distribute their
apps directly to employees. Called Google Play Private Channel, this addition acts as an internal solution organizations can use to provide team members with convenient access to mission-critical applications. The new service should come in handy for companies with reporting tools and other apps that call for employee participation.

The Google App Connection

Google Play Private Channels are directly connected to Google App. In fact, an organization must be set up with a domain on Google Apps for Business, Education, or Government in order to use the service. Apps administrators have full control as they are responsible for activating the Google Play Developer Console, which lets registered employees start publishing and using apps internally. Administrators also have the power to use the Private Channel in Google Play to download apps to internal systems.

According to Google the new Private Channels has no affect on existing Google Play features. And the addition of new features gives this service even greater value to businesses. The most notable enhancements were made on the security front. Google Play Private Channels are equipped with the ability to detect viruses and other malware as well as user authentication. Other noteworthy features include device targeting and a user rating system.

Drawbacks to Consider

The new Google Play service is a tremendous luxury for businesses that collaborate through apps, but there are some limitations. For instance, organizations are only permitted to have one private channel. The channel must have the same name as the name connected to the organization’s Google Apps domain. Another limitation is that there is currently no way to distribute apps to specific groups, which are common in many companies. However, availability can be filtered by country or device model via the Google Play Developer Console.

It is also important to note that Private Channels are not accessible through a web browser. At the moment, they are only visible on Android devices. Once apps have been uploaded via the Google Play Developer’s Console, employees can access them by using the email address associated with their Google Apps account and use their Android device to navigate to the channel and access the application. While the service does not currently support web browsing, this could change with future updates.

The Growing Demand for Internal Apps

More organizations are looking at internal apps as a way to bolster their mobile operations. The concept really became attractive when companies began to realize that creating a solid app doesn’t require a Fortune 500 IT budget. Whether it’s through the work of internal development resources or third-party developers, it is very possible design in-house programs that are tailored to meet the specific needs of the mobile workforce and the company as a whole. The biggest problem with this concept has been having a secure way to share these apps internally.

With the Private Channels feature in Google Play, Google is giving Apps customers a way to publish and distribute their applications in secure fashion. Having to make an internal app publicly available is risky business due to the fact that it exposes an organization to malware, hackers, and various other security threats. Unfortunately, this is what companies using Android devices previously had to deal with. Thanks to Private Channels, they no longer have to worry about such security and privacy concerns.

What Google is doing with Google Play Private Channels isn’t exactly new territory. In fact, Apple has been giving its developers the ability to distribute apps internally for years. Microsoft also did something similar when it began selling apps for the Windows 7 platform. Regardless of who is the real innovator, Private Channels is a nice touch for organizations looking for a more secure way to share apps on the inside.

Author: Aidan Hijleh – Follow him on Google+.

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Small Business Management: Mobile Applications for Finances

Dzhingarov — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 06:23:57 +0000

First it was the computer that enabled people to do things sitting in their houses or offices instead of roaming around doing those, now it is the mobile applications which let people do everything, well almost. If a social life or endless entertainment is possible through smart phones now, then why not using financial tools for a small business? Following is a list of the best five mobile applications till date that help out for doing finances for small businesses.

Mobile App for Finances: Expensify

To use this application, the user has to open an account. This app helps to take a picture of any receipt and turns it into an expense report which minimizes the risks of losing any paper receipts ever. Each document transformation takes $5 per person. If no such document is made, there are no needs to pay anything.

Mobile App for Finances: Square

This iPhone application is developed by Apple to ease the credit card payments even if you are out of office. It enables the phone to accept credit card swipes just like the machines to get the bills paid. For iPhone user small business owners, this is a cash counter on the move which helps them to operate everything without really missing anything!

Mobile App for Finances: FreshBooks

This application, FreshBooks helps small business owners to create, receive or archive the invoices for their business transactions. Keeping the invoices organized is also the task that can be turned into a mess; FreshBooks even takes care of that.

Mobile App for Finances: InDinero

To run a small business, often singlehandedly, the owner has to pay attention to every single detail and expenses done. For any normal human being without any super-natural abilities, maintaining all that without fumbling is an impossible task. InDinero, the application, helps to keep things organized. It jots down all the information of the owner from his/her credit cards, accounts and depending on those, makes forecasts about the financial condition to come along for them. Such extensive records can help the owner to have things more under-control and to see if any personal or irrelevant transactions are getting mixed up with business ones or not.

Mobile App for Finances: Chargify

Especially for the online based small businesses, this application, Chargify, can be a greatly helpful and handy tool. For websites using Web 2.0 or SaaS, this app helps to form automated billing options, without bothering to create any separate billing software. Chargify actually takes care of all the finances of a small business including promotions, refunds, trials and all the other receipts which helps the owner later to look at and decide how to move forward. The information of customers is also guaranteed to be secured by the application. Once the app has managed 500 customers for a user, the charges of using it soars up, which might be a smart investment considering the amazing profit it can bring in.

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