Google’s Android Pay is much more than a mere addition to the brand’s offerings. It comes as an answer to Apple’s Mobile Wallet – the Apple Pay and a complete reboot of how online payments were managed by Google. According to a recent report, the online marketplace would be worth more than $1tn by 2017. Every brand is encouraging its customers to switch to mobile shopping rather than shop around with their plastic cards or cash. While it is a means to boost a brand’s market penetration, choppers are quite convinced because it offers hem the convenience of ordering products and services on the go.

Apple Inc. was the first company to realize the potential of the online payment trend and introduced its own Apple Wallet. It ensures that customers/end users would no longer have to walk around with cash or credit cards. Any payment can be made through their mobile phone – offering better security and mobility.

Google too has been prompt now as its version of the mobile wallet comes within some months of the Apple alternative. Android Pay can be used with any Android powered smart phone that has NFC (Near Field Compatibility) and runs on a version higher than Android KitKat4.4. Along with storing credit cards on the phone, users will also be able to access loyalty cards and other similar services.

The first brands to recognize and integrate Android Pay into their payment systems include Bloomingdale, Subway and Macy’s. Further, the functionality will be extended to mobile checkout by the end of 2015. Google’s Android Pay currently supports some major credit card providers including Visa, American Express, MasterCard, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and Bank of America. The aim of this mobile wallet system is to not reveal credit/debit card details to retailers at any point of time during a transaction. The wattles alternatively generate tokens that reduce the risk of data thefts and identity thefts.

Some defining features of Android Pay:

1. Retailer Partnerships: Mobile wallets such as Android Pay highlight the active partnership of several brands and retailers, giving the latter the impetus to offer a more secure means of payment.
2. Carrier Commitment: Initially, Google’s Android Pay was supported only by Sprint – a major US based carrier. This required a majority of the consumers to download the app into their devices. However, according to the latest development, carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon will ship their products with Android Pay included in the package.
3. Shedding the dead weight: Google in fact debuted with mobile wallets back in 2011 but it was a failure. Learning from the past experience Google sheds down extraneous features like P2P to make the feature market-ready.
4. Security: While it was Apple’s Touch ID that could verify the authentication of users, Google too introduces fingerprint recognition to make payments more secure.
5. Simplicity: The simplicity of Android Pay ensures that any users would be able to convert their credit and debit cards into mobile payment gateways.
6. Tied to Android: Shoppers will be tied to the Android registration but not the app. This will ensure that even a contactless payment can be made using just your fingerprints!

PHP has been one of the earliest, most consistent and most popular programming languages for a long time now. However, it too suffers from few inadequacies like an inconsistent naming convention, lacking of certain important features, disorganization, security vulnerabilities. These lacking are duly overcome by platforms like CakePHP. Based on the same PHP basic, CakePHP offers a highly flexible architecture that is being used by developers globally to develop, maintain and deploy several types of applications. The best part of CakePHP is that it reduces the mundane scripting part to a great extent, allowing the developer to be creative. The popularity of CakePHP has made it grow through the decades. It is being constantly updated and the latest version (v.3.0) allows high build quality, a friendly license, clean MVC conventions, secure scripting, zero configuration and built-in authentication.

Here are the several reasons why CakePHP has been widely accepted in the developer community globally:

Open source

At the heart of CakePHP is open source architecture, making it the common goal of every developer. Being open source ensures that developers get access to the latest development tools and don’t have to spend huge amount of time and energy in writing the same source codes. This helps add robustness to applications, thereby improving their performance.

MVC pattern

Based on an MVC framework, CakePHP developers can access, insert, delete and modify data directly from the database. Further, the platform facilitates support data on the screen to assist developers through a friendly process. A controller process always responds to events on identification of errors, ensuring an immediate modification even before it has interacted with the database. Overall, the MVC pattern makes it quite easy to differentiate logic from the presentation.

Reusability

As hinted earlier, CakePHP saves a lot of time through readily available source scripts. Since the programmer can always access pre-written codes, it could be base to several projects that have different applications. This allows the developer to focus more on the creative and logical part without bothering about the tedious task of re-coding.

Zero configurations

At no point in the coding or configuration process do developers need to specify website URL or a source library. CakePHP is programmed to auto-detect all these information, saving time for the developer. The only thing you do need to worry about is the platform’s database connection setting.

Wide community

Again, being open source, CakePHP is supported by a huge group of peers, always ready to share information and learn from each other. With so many contributors, new programmers always get access to new tools and features with CakePHP. The well maintained forum also makes it easier to research upon new development features and functionalities.

Built-in validation

This feature has been newly introduced into the CakePHP framework, making the language even more encouraging. Previously, the validation process was very basic. However, modern features bring in options of advanced validation rules into single field.

Overall, CakePHP is one of the easiest and most flexible programming languages a developer would come across. It has been the core of popular websites like mapme.com, followmy.tv, mygasfeed.com and many others.

The moment we hear about “Internet of Things”, there seems to be a sense of excitement and confusion at the same time. The buzzword has been here for a few years now but it is already redefining our digital experiences. Afterall; gadgets and internet acting on their own, demand due attention. According to Gartner, Internet of Things will account for more than 25 billion devices by 2020 and each will have significant impact on the way we live, work and entertain ourselves. The “Judgment Day” is certainly a reality when machines will communicate better and more over the internet than us humans. This will include everything from Smart Refrigerators to wearable devices that will help us move, exercise, communicate and deliver.

However, when on one hand this innovation is quite compelling, two major elements continue to wary CIOs all across – security and storage. Internet of things is based on data – a large amount of it. They are programmed to calculate things that the human brain isn’t capable of. Today, more than 10 billion devices are connected to the internet including PCs, phones, watches, air conditioners, vehicles, biometric logins, etc. IBM reports that a vehicle connected to the internet can generate more than 25 GB of data per hour. With so many things being done with the help of data and numbers, CIOs need to immediately prepare for the data hurricane coming our way. Further, the means of storage that we have today (including the vast cloud platform) will not be enough for the vast quantities that Internet of Things are going to program and operate upon in near future.

This would be the right time when CIOs sit together and chalk out the strategies to the impending data concerns. They should largely be working on:

Storage

IoT will be producing data in not just huge volumes but in a variety of formats. Current solution will include setting up a Hadoop platform or deleting/formatting disks and replace it with new data. However, erasing data isn’t an attractive solution. New ways need to be found to deal with the data differences.

Categorizing & Classification

Though CIOs might not be interested in all of the data that is inbound, it might also be the part that would trigger new insights tomorrow. It is necessary that all the data that comes in is properly classified and a means is developed to retain raw data/information for the future.

Duration of storage

There is no way to figure out how long it would take a data bank of today to impact decision making in the far future. CIOs need to be concerned about the duration they keep a specific set of data and in a specific format.

Secure disposal

Data and information can make or break a business. Even if a past database isn’t worth a dime for your business, it can be catastrophic if placed in the wrong hands. In the near future, every device can be remotely identified and this adds to the concern of data security.

At present, IoT is in a stage where ‘internet’ was in the year 1984 – no encryption, no security and no authentication. However, this won’t be a lasting environment and CIOs need to quickly change the way they see ‘data’.

The Ruby community is amazing and there is a lot of positive energy, enthusiasm to support every developer associated with it. This has kept the demand for Ruby and Rails on part of the developers quite high since the platform was first launched. However, Ruby and Rails are quite different aspects of the language and it is important to know how each work to create a successful product.

Ruby on Rails officially stepped into the web space on July 2004 when David Heinemeier created the Basecamp web application – a project management tool. However, the language got its first impetus when Apple recognized the potential and decided to ship it with its Mac OS X v.10.5 “Leopard” on August 2006. Through a series of regular updates and upgrades, Ruby and Rails is believed to be one of the most elegant programming languages today.

Similar to any other web application framework, Ruby on Rails uses Model View Controller (MVC) for its architecture. It brings in tools that make it a whole lot easier to create development functions for websites and applications. Rails, as of today, have been in the news for more than a decade now and for Ruby, the development experience is double. Both languages have created their specific territories. Here we look at the technical and existential challenges and opportunities that each face.

The changing programming environment

The main aim behind Ruby and Rails was to make work easier for the programmer. The simple, easy to use, constantly updated and highly supported frameworks have weaved a success story for both. With Rails, prototyping web apps are a matter of seconds and a striking example of the same can be seen with the Twitter bootstrap module. Several other sites including Hulu and GitHub work on the same principle. Rails, thus remains one of the broadest of practical applications. Even the high demand for Ruby somehow revolves around Rails. Ruby expertise goes hand in hand with JavaScript skills in the job market today.

The above points hint that Rails has been the driving factor for the Ruby business. With more performance improvements coming in, there is certainly a long way to go.

Libraries and scripting

Ruby, like Python, has been highly useful to automate tasks and stitch together various functionalities from across the web. The “Gems” package from Ruby is easy to install and so are third party applications and SDKs. However, Python gets an edge with its specialized computing features, specifically related to maths and science. Ruby addresses the gap with features like SciRuby and both languages bring forward a healthy competition.

However, Libraries and Scripting from Ruby and Rails still have alternatives and this lowers its competitiveness.

Speed, scale and asynchronicity

This is where Ruby and Rails could be said to be on the losing end. Several legacy projects done with Rails are suffering for their poor performance scale. At the same time, the programs are being re-written in competing languages like Go and Node.js. A glaring example of this failure has been Parse, a mobile application outfit that switched from Ruby to Go to achieve better scale. Similarly, Twitter, which was originally a Ruby project, was replaced with Scala and a custom Java-based solution.

While it has been a great experience with Ruby, it needs to be maintained and preserved to continue existing as opposed to bringing/building new tools.

Android users now have the chance to upgrade their devices to a new version of Android 6 – the Marshmallow.  The release was announced by Google in a special event hosted on the 29^th of September where we also had the first look into the upcoming Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X. The release of Marshmallow is now finalized after three developer previews that ironed out the bugs. Here’s everything that you would like to know about the Android M 6.0:

Release date

On the event held on 29^th September, Google announced that Marshmallow would be rolled out with the existing Nexus devices that include the Nexus 5 / 6 / 7 / 9 and the Nexus Player. Thus, Nexus owners should be able to update their phone to the new version by 5^th October, 2015. Further, if you are planning to buy the soon to be released Nexus 5X or the Nexus 6P, Marshmallow would already be the default OS. Preorders for these devices are limited to few countries including US, UK, Japan and Ireland as of now.

Marshmallow 6.0 features

Marshmallow was first announced on May 2015 at Google I/O and David Burke; the Google VP announced six major features. These would be:

1. App permissions: as speculated earlier, Android M will come with new app permission settings where users will be able to accept or deny any individual permission as they deem fit. The permission setup has been simplified with Android M, wherein you will be asked for a ‘go ahead’ while trying to open a feature and not during the installation. According to Mr. Burke, “you no more would have to agree to permission requests that don’t make sense.”Android M is aimed at providing the user with greater control over information access and sharing.
2. Web experience: A new element with web browsing would be “Chrome custom Tabs”. This would allow a developer to use Google Chrome’s capabilities to the maximum without sacrificing upon the experience and feel. For normal users, it would mean a more intuitive and faster browsing experience, especially when navigating between the web and apps.
3. Fingerprint support: Fingerprint scanners will be the new way you unlock your Android devices. Fingerprints would also be the way to authenticate payments when shopping or downloading apps from Play Store.
4. Mobile Payments: As an answer to Apple Pay, Google too comes out with its own mobile wallet, to be called the Android Pay. This feature is aimed at making your transactions faster, easier, secure and safe. Android Pay currently supports more than 700,000 stores across the United States.
5. App linking: With previous Android versions, the OS didn’t know the right platform to open up external links. It asked the users whether to open up a link with YouTube, the browser or other apps like Facebook. Marshmallow is made to be better aware of the process and links will automatically open up in the required platform without requiring a hint. This will save a lot of time and make browsing easier.
6. Power / charging: A common problem with previous Android versions is the power usage. Marshmallow is however designed to make your batteries last longer. It automatically stops any unnecessary background process and recognize when a person is asleep (when the device hadn’t been interacted with for some time). Further, the USB Type-C charging supports faster charging and even allows users to charge other devices using their phone!

Several other improved features come with Marshmallow including auto backup. Restore, app drawer, RAM Manager, adoptable storage, Google now, Themes, visual voicemail, a rotating home screen, customizing status bars, network settings, etc.

The mobile industry doesn’t just continue to thrive but has been evolving with each passing year. 2014 saw the world inclining more towards tablets and wearable technology. Internet of Things (IoT) is a practical concept in our everyday lives. Over the past few years, mobile applications have laid an increased focus on analytics and marketing. Now that we are in the middle of 2015, here’s a list of trends that mobile app developers have recently adopted.

1.       Platform wars

Basically, the tussle is shared between two key players – Apple and Google. While Apple’s iOS provides high end functionalities, Android dominates the rest of the market. Another growing player is Windows with a 15% share and rising. Now, every platform brings its set of advantages and disadvantages. This also splits up the mobile app development stats. Since Android has a greater market share, 40% of developers are targeting the Play Store while only 37% incline towards iOS. The majority of app developers are focused upon Android development because that’s where the traffic is. iOS devices are unaffordable for many and don’t provide the right mix of audience. Some developers on the other hand choose to be comfortable by developing app versions for both platforms.

2.       Data quality becoming a priority

Today, consumers have more alternatives than they ever had. If one app isn’t working, they will immediately turn to another. This ensures that app developers and app development companies focus on the quality of apps they provide. Now, quality in the modern era is driven by data. Developers are using intensive analytics to bring out apps that are intelligent, unique and convenient. There is no room for error.

3.       Cloud technology

The future of technology will take a drastic turn as we move into the realm of cloud. In the near future, we won’t be needing storage spaces on our computers but will be able to put on everything on a highly encrypted cloud platform that could be accessed through voice recognition and similar logins. This would also be true to the mobile app development technology. Applications of today are more focused on integration and syncing, allowing the end user to access the functionalities from anywhere, anytime and from any device.

4.       Focus on app security

Mobile app developers in 2015 are paying more attention to application security than before. As technology will be more dependent on cloud and mobiles become a central part of our living, it would be necessary to safeguard every bit of information we pass on through our devices. Even in 2014, there have been several reports of hacks and information leaks through apps. Gartner predicts that 75% apps developed in 2015 will fall short of adequate security measures. However, developers are getting more conscious and we can expect some intelligent security features in future applications.

5.       Wearable technology / Internet of Things (IoT)

It’s just the beginning of IoT. In the near future, we will see more of wearable replacing our smart devices. Internet of Things too will rapidly replace our existing system of activities to make life more convenient, efficient and profitable. Mobile application developers will thus focus more on wearable platforms in this latter half of 2015.

Ruby on Rails is a web application framework designed to be a part of the Ruby programming language. It is important to know that Rails is not the same thing as Ruby. In fact, Ruby on Rails is a smart collection of shortcuts that are written using Ruby and lets developers build websites and web applications really quick. Consequently, it is highly recommended for beginners into the coding industry.

Interestingly, though Ruby on Rails is a small part of the Ruby framework, it alone has been able to create websites like Scribd, Groupon, Kickstarter, SlideShare, Zendesk, Shopify, SoundCloud, Hulu and many more. Ruby on Rails makes it easier and fun to develop entire web ecosystem for brands and is also one of the most in-demand thing if you are looking for a job in the programming / web development industry. Good Ruby on Rails developers are however very hard to find.

Here are some important reasons why every programmer should get acquainted with Ruby on Rails development:

1.       Beginner friendly

Every beginner would love the “cleanliness” of coding that Ruby on Rails offers. It’s easy to pick up, easy to read, easy to review and an effective way of understanding the relationship between front end architecture and back end development. Even experienced programmers use Ruby on Rails to pump out high quality apps in little time.

2.       Suits MVP

For any tech startup, it is not just important to gain customer approval but also being able to provide reasons for it. Ruby on Rails allows programmers to create MVP prototypes quickly that showcase how the startup is going to operate. It is just like creating a blue print before diving into the actual project process. Blueprints / prototypes using Ruby on Rails will allow you to approach and gain the client’s trust.

3.       Keeps investment under limit

Put simply, learning Ruby on Rails is cheap. Regardless of whether you opt for a free online course, a boot camp or a certified part time course, a Ruby on Rails course will be based upon the time that you invest. Programmers of any experience level will be able to create apps that with surprise the audience.

4.       Happy to be a developer

Ruby is object oriented, reflective, highly dynamic and a general purpose programming language. Originally created for “developer happiness” by Matz (Yukihiro Matsumoto) from Japan in the mid 1990s, Ruby on Rails has now become the first language that any developer learns. The coding structure is very easy to follow and will also help you bring out your creative side as opposed to banging your head over complicated scripts for simple functions. In simple words, with Ruby on Rails, you would be investing most of your talent into creating something unique.

5.       A great community

Apart from being easy to learn, Ruby on Rails is backed up an amazing community of developers who are ready to help and answer queries. You get loads of free tutorials and build groups who come together to create originality.

According to statistics by w3techs, PHP is being used in 81.3% of all websites developed in server side programming language. It holds a market share comfortably above ASP.NET, Java, Static Files or ColdFusion. The use of PHP has been growing at a fast rate and it can unquestionably said to be the most popular programming language across the globe. But what makes PHP so intriguing? Here are some simple reasons:

Simplicity

PHP programming is just like composing an English article for the computer. Aside from the fact that the language is bits and bytes, PHP is compatible to be run on any system productively. Writing a PHP script is pretty straightforward and as opposed to other language, PHP doesn’t assemble difficult coding propensities. Thus programmers can write profoundly customized scripts.

Zero cost

PHP is an open source framework, meaning that it is free, handy and supported by loads of documentation. All of it makes PHP one of the savviest systems that have found its way into popular applications like Facebook, twitter, Wikipedia, WordPress and more. Being open source also means that PHP is ready available for new developers who want to test their aptitude in coding.

Great CMS

When the technology and internet is drifting towards dynamic content, PHP has met the need for high end CMS customization. PHP makes scripting amoebic, allowing developers to change codes as and when they will. Every site developed with PHP is highly adjustable and this opens the grounds for updates and changes that are a part and parcel of the modern market. Content management systems like Joomla, Drupal and WordPress have thus been made from PHP.

Versatile

Any PHP code can be run on all significant platforms, allowing designers to coordinate the sites in its different stages. For businesses, this would mean cost effective utilization of the current framework and working on platforms like UNIX, Linux and Windows and further an extra support to integrate Apace and MySQL.

Elastic, measurable and effective

This is clearly understood from the fact that the biggest social network, Facebook, runs on PHP. The usefulness of PHP for such a dynamic platform has also led to the creation of “Hack”, a subordinate language, to meet the changing development needs. PHP doesn’t require a server reboot to be updates as opposed to other competing languages.

Extensions and other ad-ons

PHP is the most adaptable language in the field of web development. It allows designers to create and add more updated functionalities that keep the end users hooked. Further, extensions and plugins helps new developers cope up with the programming challenges.

Highly supported

PHP is backed up by a huge library of resources and tutorials. Being open source, developers get to learn from users across the globe and this has been a defining reason why PHP is being adapted by every web developer today.

PHP has the capacity to support fast turnaround times and efficient but highly secure web platforms and applications. Let us know if your application and IT solutions too is driven by PHP.