One can never get enough of gaming, and with the intense competition amongst game developers, the games that are released keep getting better. And when it comes to Android, with the abundant games available in the Google Play Store, one is spoilt for choice. So to make it easy for you, we’ve handpicked the top 10 games in 2014 for your Android device.

1. Cut The Rope 2

ZeptoLab brings the fantastic sequel to Om Nom’s adventures. It is the same rope cutting that featured in the first part, but now the difference is that Om Nom is out in an open world. He must go through jungles, junkyards, and many more environments to munch on his delicious candy.

[Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zeptolab.ctr2.f2p.google]

 

Features:

• New catchy locations.
• Om Nom can now be customized.
• Free updates with new levels and animations.

 

2. Threes

If you wish to exercise your brain, this is just the game for you. After the smashing success of “2048”, Smash Mobile brings to you a new exciting challenge “Threes Saga”. A simple game with an endless challenge.

[Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lichmobile.numberthree]

Features:

• One simple game mode with an endless challenge
• Simple, neat, clean graphics and smooth game play
• Cross-platform leader boards, compete with players worldwide.

 

3. First Strike

It is a fast paced strategy game developed by Blindflug Studios. It has the gamer plotting and executing plans for world domination by using a large range of nuclear weapons. It is one of the most exciting games for 2014.

[Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ch.feinheit.games.firststrike]

Features:

• Tremendous graphics.
• Three superstates.
• Simple controlling system.

 

4. Smash Hit

An arcade game which begins easy but as the gamer advances to the later levels it gets quite challenging. An easy to understand game which takes a while to practice, but then gets highly addictive.

[Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mediocre.smashhit]

Features:

• Beautiful futuristic design.
• Musically synchronized gameplay.
• Realistic glass-breaking mechanics in every level.

 

5. Dead End

It is an old school arcade racing game with an infinite road generation coming right out of the 70’s with a typical monochromatic graphics. Dead End is a mix between old-fashioned racing games and grindhouse horror movies.

[Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.flyingoak.deadend]

Features:

• Use wind-shield wipers to clean the mess after smashing the zombies.
• Upgrade the car to go much farther.
• Complete the missions and challenge your friends.

 

6. Nitro Nation

Take drag racing to a whole new level. A 3D world full of stunning customizable cars, amazing racing physics and unlimited in-depth gameplay. Nitro nation ensures you have an unforgettable drag racing experience, right on your phone.

[Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.creativemobile.nno]

Features:

• Different colours, visual effects and hundreds of decals to customize your car.
• Upgrade with unique parts.
• Tune the gearbox and engine to work in perfectly.
• Earn up to 80 achievements.

 

7. Lost Yeti

A simple and awfully cute puzzle game by Neutronized. The gamer has to swipe the Yeti through a series of maze levels, while avoiding the traps and obstacles and manipulating the environment.

[Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.neutronized.LostYeti]

Features:

• 3 different worlds to explore.
• 60 exciting levels to play.
• Pixel art filled with colours.

 

8. Dead Trigger 2

A first-person shooter zombie apocalypse game wherein the gamer roams around in a zombie infested town. The objective is to kill every dead body that is hungry for your flesh. The gamer can also choose from different weapons and unlock more levels as they progress further.

[Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.madfingergames.deadtrigger2]

Features:

• Participate in global missions.
• Choice between a touch control scheme for casual players or an enhanced virtual joystick.
• Different types of missions such as story missions, global missions or side-quests.

 

9. Neon Commander

Fate of humanity lies in your hands as you are the Neon Commander. The entire human race is under attack and the Alien spaceships are inbound. Usethe PlasmaShield technology to bounce the shots back and protect the city.

[Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.herocraft.game.free.neoncommander]

Features:

• Old school classic retro music.
• Out of the world music and effects.
• Funny and interesting plots.

 

10.  Motocross Meltdown

Go back to playing the classic motorbike racing games. Motocross Meltdown is a motor cycle action game wherein the gamer can create its own rider, challenge opponents live, customize the bike to fancy their tastes and learn new tricks of the trade.

[Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glu.stuntracing]

Features:

• Incredible HD graphics.
• Compete for freestyle dominance with insane tricks.
• Customize your bike with over 800 custom configurations.

 

These are our top 10 ten choices from the Android market. Let us know which ones are yours. Game on!

There is no dearth of developers in the market but there is a scarcity of good ones. While planning an app and looking for an iOS developer, one must keep a few things in mind. One cannot settle for the first app developer one finds. The more you search, the clearer the idea you get of what you want from the developer and your app. With the advancement in social networking sites, it has become much easier to do thorough background searches on people. This is a brilliant way to understand their past work and their capabilities. Now, we see how in 5 easy steps you can hire the perfect iOS developer for your work.

Step 1: Knowledge is the key for an App Developer

The most important aspect of a good app developer is his or her knowledge of software programming. This is absolutely crucial. The developer must have the knowledge of the software design and Apple’s development philosophy and tools. To build apps for Apple’s iOS 7, devices should be running on iOS 7 and the Mac has Xcode 5 with iOS 7 SDK installed. These are the few basics that a good app developer must know and have. Get the developer technically evaluated through an interview, this is a must.

Step 2: Experience counts

It is our advice to look for people with prior work experience. It can be an internship or a job that they held for a while. This way you will always know if the person is competent enough to work. Building an app can be difficult but what is of more importance is to know if the person can take the pressure that comes with it. Developing an IOS app takes time and patience and while looking for a developer, do keep that in mind. Do take a look at his/her portfolio and check the apps the developer has built previously. This is a good indicator of the app developer’s experience and capability.

Step 3: Are you social?

If an app developer has a good presence in different online forums, do follow them. This will give you a good idea about their interests and if they will be a good fit for you. The way he or she handles a technical question, says a lot about his or her view about a work or its workflow. If they have a blog, that’s a plus. Read through their blog and understand their technical expertise through the articles they publish. Another important aspect to check is if the developer has done any open source contribution. An open source contribution shows that a developer is proactive, wants to learn/grow and technology is his/her passion.

Step 4: Mind your language

Knowing different technical languages is a must for an iOS developer. And, a good one keeps learning new languages and keeping oneself updated with the world. He or she should be familiar with languages like Haskell, Ruby, Scala, Erlang and others. Always prefer a multi-skilled programmer. Moreover, make sure the app developer has the right attitude and communicates well too. Most times, developers who don’t gel well with clients or team members, become a problem statement for the team’s productivity.

Step 5: Problem Solver

Always hire problem solvers, because you want your app to be innovative and solve real world problems in simple yet effective ways for your app users. A developer with good problem solving skills can do wonders for you. Interview the developer on problem solving skills.

Step 6: Update, update & update

This last step is actually most crucial one. Apple keeps updating its iOS with new features, design guidelines, security, hardware, etc. So, a good developer must also update himself or herself with the changing times. He or she also needs to understand the business and the kind of work that is needed to be done.

You know the last step truly is to have patience; lots of it. If time and money permits then do a trial round with the applicants as it will give you a clear idea if their sensibilities matches with yours. As the proverb goes, ‘Prevention is better than cure’, meaning, spend more time looking for a good developer than trying to fix it later.

Apps are a part of our lives today. The traditional use of a mobile, that is calling and texting, has been taken over by the use of various apps! Consumers today prefer a smartphone, which helps them use their choice of apps efficiently. A large variety of apps are available for every OS (iOS, Android, Windows, etc). The number of android applications releasing every month is staggering but not all of these apps that are available are up to the mark. In our research we have chosen the following five as our top choices this month for Android.

#1. Frontback
First up is the app, Frontback. Now, taking a selfie could not get any better! With Frontback you click a picture with the front camera and another with the back camera. The pictures can be shared into one single image. Frontback is an exciting app to speak about your life with photos. It is also an online community with over 1 Million users who enjoy being creative or just sharing their daily life.

Features:
• Instant sharing of photos via SMS, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc.
• Adds location to your images.
• Use of captions with @friends and #hashtags.

[Link to the app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.checkthis.frontback]

#2. ESPN FC Football & World Cup
Second in line is the ESPN FC Football & World Cup app. The World Cup is just around the corner! And who better than ESPN can give you live content of all the breaking news and analysis of every team directly on your phone, on the go! All football fans must have this app on their phones.

Features:
• Comprehensive coverage of all the major club leagues
• Alerts for game starts, goals, final scores and more.

[Link to the app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.espn.fc]

#3. Timehop
Want to be reminded of your good old days? Our third chosen app, Timehop is just the one for you! It’s basically an app goes back into time and gives you a new old photo everyday! This app is more useful for people who have shared many photos in the past few years.

Features:
• Simple log in with your Facebook account
• Syncs with your different social networking sites.

[Link to the app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.timehop]

 

#4. Yahoo News Digest

This is a brilliant app for those who wish a more handy way to catch up on the news. Yahoo News Digest, which gets all the news from different sources, is in our top four favourite apps for the month. This app sums up all the news, summarizes it with short “atoms” of quotes, images, videos and background information and delivers it as a package twice a day.

Features:
• Posts feature with beautiful photographs and colorful quotations.
• Trending tweets about article.
• Wikipedia entries to build background knowledge.

[Link to the app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.yahoo.mobile.client.android.atom]

#5. Word Monsters
The last but definitely not the least by any means is the app, Word Monsters. From the makers of Angry Birds’ Rovio publishing division, comes an interesting new word game developed by experienced the industry professionals for use at home or in a school setting. This exciting and accessible word game involves swiping words off the screen and also competing against friends from social networks. The core word puzzles are fleshed out with different themes.

Features:
• Richly designed visuals and engaging stories featuring 5 quirky fun-loving monster characters, each with their own special ability
• Synchronized professional voiceover audio with text highlighting
• Character speech and accompanying speech bubbles for richer reading.

[Link to the app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=se.raketspel.wordmonsters]

These five apps made an impact on us and on all their users. But, we do recommend you try the following ones as well. We have a feeling you will love them as well.

Now don’t be shy, give them a try!
• Waygo [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.waygoapp.waygo] • Mubi [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=sk.jfox.weather.niger_mubi] • Aliens Drive Me Crazy (game) [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rebeltwins.aliensdrivemecrazy] • 1849 (game) [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.somasim.fortynine]

It’s fascinating how not too long time ago we once envisioned a future like how people in science fiction movies did. Today, we are almost living it! But this is not it; technology will continue to get much better. The past few years have seen great leaps in technology. Many innovations we use today have revolutionized the way we live and work. One of the most revolutionary innovations that have completely changed our lives is the “mobile”. Mobiles today have become a necessity. They are equivalent to oxygen for a human! What differentiates one mobile phone to another is its “operating system”.

One of the most popular operating systems in the market today is Google’s Android.

 But what sets Android apart from the rest? Open source. It’s a software that makes the source code freely available, for anyone to see and use. Google has opened up the software to all who have a spirit to create and provide applications and programs to others. Competitors like Apple and Blackberry have limited their system to developers by safekeeping some of its computer code. This limits creativity, as it puts restrictions and limitations as to what exactly what one can create. Thus, Android boosts a plethora of apps. Any kind of application one desires may already be in the Android play store. While creating an app, the developer must ensure a fantastic user interface. Why? A good user interface and user experience (UX) enhances the aesthetic appeal of the app, making the user use the app more often. The goal of developer is to create an app with a user interface, which makes it easy, efficient, and enjoyable in a way, which produces the desired result.

What makes Android more desirable is the security it offers to its users. It is designed with security as one of its cornerstone principles. Without comparing it to any other platform, it does a fantastic job of making sure processes don’t collect too much information. It has multiple layers of protection to keep malware at bay, and it requires the user’s specific permission to do almost anything that could lead to one’s data or the system being compromised. The user is generally always aware of what’s happening behind the scenes.

An Android phone is generally backed up with a RAM, ranging from 512MB to 4GB, the latter being rare. So, the developer must keep in mind that any app he creates must not consume a considerable amount of space, that ends up making the phone slower, and which ultimately results in a bad experience. A good app is one that takes the least space possible yet provides an enjoyable experience to the user. In terms of performance, Android never backs down. It constantly releases periodic updates to make the existing OS more efficient! New phones in the market come pre-installed with the latest Android OS.

Android is a system that allows one to constantly be in the loop. It automatically synchronizes Facebook, Twitter, emails, and numerous other accounts that are integrated into the system via apps or at stock for the user. Live widgets that monitor in real time, accounts, any and all social networks, social feeds, and business/personal accounts are updated instantly. In addition to that, its flexibility and power to design impactful user-interfaces build compelling, user-friendly applications that will look great on any device.

Android is only progressing. The future for it is bright and promising. It has shattered mobile systems realm, and will continue to do so. And its decision to be an open-source software, has made a bigger difference in the world of mobile operating systems. In a short span of time, Android has given other operating systems a run for their money.

 

In a hyper connected marketplace it has become necessary for any business to stay connected with the consumers on the go and all the time. Having a website or being present on social media platforms is just not enough. The profusion of personal mobile devices has multiplied the expectations of the consumers about access to information. We expect to find information on products anytime, anywhere. It is a challenge for the businesses to cope up with such dynamics of communication – but it’s also an opportunity.

In the current scenario, we cannot imagine the world without iPhones and they cannot be imagined without their applications. The Apple app store might be the busiest online store in the world and a variant number of apps are available, just about to cater to every tiny need in every walk of life or industry.

 

We discuss here, the top 5 reasons on why you must join the bandwagon and how will your business benefit. (We are sure there are plenty of other reasons, but here’s a start)

Reach

Mobile Internet as a platform has great potential in terms of reach. It has been estimated that 1 in 5 people uses a smartphone.  Of these numbers, IPhone users are about 22 – 30 % of the market. Which may not be the lion’s share yet but when seen in numbers, the total potential of the reach can be very easily seen. And this market is growing. Not to forget that if your business is to cater to developed nations or top-of-the-pyramid products/services, iPhone app is a must for your business because your customers are most likely to own an iPhone.

Revenue

An IPhone app is a good source of revenue. If a user in his capacity finds your app relevant, he/she may conduct business then and there. It adds another medium of generating revenue. The market of IPhone is huge, thus the market for the application also becomes bigger. The app may fetch more customers leading to a bigger market and eventually, more revenue. Most applications are chargeable on the app store making sure that the app developer earns the right amount of revenue through their apps. Market research shows that 4 out of 5 Iphone app users trust the app store and are willingly to pay for them. This is the trust that the Apple as a company and a brand has been able to bring forth.

Even though Android has more market share when it comes to numbers, Apple iPhone apps is where majority of app developers make money. So, to make money, iPhone app is a must!

Customer loyalty and keeping them up to date

 The biggest challenge for any business is to sustain its customers and their loyalty. A mobile app will also speak for the brand and builds a relationship between you and your customers. Your customers can receive the latest information from you, be it latest products, discounts, offers, newsletters, etc. through push notifications or in-app notifications. Make your app engaging and your customers will never leave you.

User Experience

 The iOS platform is a very simple, beautiful and user-friendly interface. Thanks to the genius of Mr. Jobs the interface is fast and easy to use. The iPhone has a great hardware with one of the fastest running RAM and amazing display. This is the plus that an app maker looks for in a phone. You can give an unparalleled experience to your clients on your app.

 Security

 To create an iOS app, one has to go through layers of internal and external approvals from Apple App Store, which ensures that when an app is being made, it is 100% full proof and secure. Hence, clients trust Apple and feel secure and are open to doing transactions on your app and paying for your services or products.

To create a beautiful and useful app for your business, connect with GoodWorkLabs today. Contact us.

 

 

 

In continuation of our Series ‘Choosing The Right Outsourced Product Development Partner – Part 1‘, here’s the Part 2 where we will try to understand what is the strategic advantage one should seek before choosing an outsourced-product-development partner.

Part 2 – 

Today, if I am outsourcing a function of my business I am looking forward to reap much greater benefits than the cost advantages. I want “Strategic Advantage” out of my outsourcing partners. What do I mean by “Strategic Advantage”? As a modern business when I think about Outsourcing Partners, I am thinking about all of the following aspects and many more depending on my business context.

• Will the partner bring the product, markets, and technology know-how related knowledge on table? Especially, knowledge related to the domains where I possess limited understanding.
• Will I be strongly positioned against the competition after this partnership?
• What is the labor cost arbitrage? How much can I save while keeping my quality and time line goals intact?
• Does this partner understand user-experience and creating beautiful yet meaningful user interfaces?
• Can I change or enhance my requirements mid-way when the partner is building my product with minimal impact?
• Am I improving my supply chain through this partnership?
• Will this partnership help me enter new markets?
• Will I be able to pacify factors like geographic recessions, seasonality in product life cycle, etc.?
• Will this partnership help me innovate and stay ahead in market?
• Will this partner provide great tech support, maintenance and enhancements in our growth phase?

When you outsource a function of your business, especially a product, you are not deploying tasks. You are letting an outside organization enter into your overall vision of how you want to grow.  You have to trust them enough to be a part of your value delivery system.

Undoubtedly, in outsourcing a lot rides on the partner you choose to develop the outsourced product.

Choosing a Right Outsourcing Partner:

Clearly there are two major yardsticks to choose the right outsourcing partner: Fit and Trust. No partnership can be formed without the foundation of trust and you also need a partner who fits your outsourcing related business objectives and philosophies.

In the next part, we will get into a detailed analysis of Fit and Trust factors. Read Part 3 here.

 

Garden City RubyConf that was held at Hotel Atria, Bangalore, was a major success with a packed house. Ruby developers and enthusiasts came in from around the globe.

GoodWorkLabs was a sponsor of the conference.

Check out some of the pics taken during the event, along with GoodWork team.

Via Flickr:
GoodWorkLabs was a proud sponsor of Garden City Ruby Conf 2014 held in Bangalore. Check out some pics.