UX defines whether your customers perceive you as a helpful, smart and efficient brand or an outdated, cluttered and inconvenient experience. In this age of smartphones, wearables, and Internet of Things, convenience is the only factor that takes brands, products and services to higher levels. The implication is quite simple but at the same time incredibly crucial for success.

UX or user experience hasn’t just become the foundation for brands but also present new opportunities across verticals. Gone are the days when there were just a few service providers and brands like Ford could afford to say that they “can sell a car in any color as long as they are black”. Today, the customer and end user rules the market. Any degree of inconvenience will come to strike back badly.

It has been for enough reasons that 84% of global companies were committed to a customer experience goals in 2014. Today, more companies are joining the bandwagon and investing to make their brands more customer-centric. Here are the latest trends in this regard:

1.       Invisible UX

The concept is similar to an iceberg – 10% visible and 90% surprise. The latest app development concept has been termed “Slippy UX”, wherein user interactions are mostly invisible and non-distracting. This UX trend compels developers in creating scenarios that eliminates all unsafe and unwanted attention to the app, thereby increasing its usability. From smart homes to wearable devices, everything is being integrated with the “Slippy” experience to cut back the problem of information overload and giving end users an incredible experience.

2.       Material design

A Google initiative, Material Design is aimed at developing usability and graphic standards to work across a variety of devices including smartphones, wearable, desktops, smart TV, etc. Material design will support new input methods like gesture, voice, touch and mouse that simplify usability and integrates an element of ‘fun’ into the purpose. Material designing is also moving towards the concept of skeuomorphism that makes digital screen behave as physical objects.

3.       More of physical experience

It has been said time and often that the only limitation of digital experience is not being able to match up with real physical processes. Shopping for example has gone digital but many still prefer a first-hand feel of products before they pay for it. Well, this problem would be solved soon. In 2015, we already see a rise in Internet of things, wherein the line between digital and physical experience gets thinner and blurs out.

4.       Security and Privacy

Lastly, the biggest challenge and development in the lines of UX has been security and privacy. Everything is being processed and done through information – information which could be stolen. We are certainly making progress in the field of data encryption, stricter access, regulated logins and identity safety.

These are just the beginnings of a new era in UX. UX has and will continue to amaze and surprise us. Write in to us and let us know which element of UX will be your key success factor in the near future.

Having a mobile app for your business is no more a choice but a requirement. Customers across industries and product lines expect brands to have a dedicated application that can be used to check products on the go and when required even place an order. Mobile devices have made life more convenient and it presents a great opportunity for brands to market their products and expose them to customers worldwide. The trend of mobile app development has been here for some years now. Most of the brands already have an app on either iOS or Android store but what will define competitive advantage now? Why are some apps getting more exposure and popularity than other in the same product genre? Answer lies in the quality and uniqueness of the app.

B2B branding goes up a notch with mobile apps

Going by the statistics, 11% of global employees are using tablets and applications to improve sales, productivity, customer satisfaction, and gain a competitive advantage. Today, mobile devices have effectively been able to replace desktops and laptops. Technology ensures that end users are provided with a more powerful hardware and software for better device experience. Automatically, a smart phone owner spends more time on his mobile than he did when he carried a desktop system. Brands can create applications that can take the advantage of continuously improving battery life, cloud based storage, powerful chipset, faster network, bigger and better screen and better data security architecture.

The return on investment with a high quality mobile application has always been able to outweigh the development costs several times over. Mobile apps also have the advantage of attaching little or no maintenance or upgrade costs. It would be apt to say that the whole world has gone mobile and if you don’t have an app to represent yourself in this platform, you might as well have lost the battle.

Benefits of mobile applications

ü  On the go marketing: Visitors and customers can access you business and browse your product line from any place.

ü  Social advantage: It goes without mentioning that social networks like Facebook and Twitter have proved to be an engagement to the extent of addiction in some cases. Users are spending a lot of time in social networks and this gives the opportunity to the marketer to exploit the platform.

ü  Data capture: In this age of information, brands cannot succeed without a strong database of customers, users and clients. Mobile applications can be used to collect information that wouldn’t have been normally possible with a web platform or application.

ü  Engages customers: Creating a highly interactive mobile application not just creates brand awareness but also helps win the loyalty of your users. If you have been able to inspire a customer to download your app, there is negligible chance that he/she would opt for other alternative brands.

ü  Acts as guide: Customers are always searching for information, credibility and the reasons to trust a brand. Your application can be the exact tool to inspire these elements.

At the end of the day, mobile applications make life convenient both for your customers and your marketing team. It’s a win-win situation.

Future homes will probably be smart places that realize your expectations and work accordingly. From the light switching off the moment everyone steps out of the door to programming the air conditioner according to the usual time of your arrival, devices will begin to understand rather than require being operated manually. This would be a scenario where Internet of Things (IoT) could be leading us soon.

The concept of IoT was initiated in 1999 but today it is becoming the mainstay in our homes offices, vehicles, travel and healthcare. Calculating the current rate at which devices are getting connected via internet, ABI and Gartner predict that by the year 2020, the world will be connected with more than 30 million devices, working simultaneously to combine data and artificial intelligence to make out life more convenient and comfortable. The first clues towards this end are certainly portrayed by the increasing usage of smartphones and its implication in every activity we do.

The Internet of Things and us Humans

Though most believe otherwise, the implication of IoT would be more that being able to control or manage our devices. We can already connect our air conditioners back home from our smartphones, sitting at our office desk. There will come a time when office biometrics don’t just resister our attendance but also initiates email accounts, logs into ERP systems and other work apps automatically. Thus, the moment we take our seats at our desks, the work pages would already be open in the screen.

Back in November 2014, Gartner had estimated that by the end of 2015 our life will already be connected to 4.9 million different “things”. This is a 30% increase within a single year. The number of new devices supporting the concept of IoT will grow from $5 trillion to $7.1 trillion in value according to IDC (device analyst firm) between 2014 and 2020. Another sector that would be benefitted most would be the smart homes. To this end, we already have devices like HoloLens from Microsoft that would completely change the concept of living.

Concern about Data Security

However, along with the advantages comes a major concern from the consumer side. Since our completely lifestyle will take a digital turn, there could be greater risk of data privacy and security. We have already been through this problem when smart LED bulbs leaked out Wi-Fi passwords. If this remains unsolved, it could lead to disasters. In January 2015, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), US produced a report that addresses these privacy issues. At the core of the report is a belief that the IoT has integrated privacy and security at its outset, rather than focusing on it as an afterthought. Further, the report recommends minimization of data feed which would prevent keeping data beyond the exact needs, anonymous and encrypted databases and high end network security. ARM and Intel are already working on security measures to define new devices but there is plenty left to be done before we can leave our worries to the ‘machines’.

The most popular language for web development, PHP is currently being used in more than 20 million domains and major sites like Facebook, Wikipedia, Drupal and WordPress. Though an easy to learn language, there are just a few PHP developers/programmers who make a cut above the rest.

Successful professionals are made by experience. People who have worked in live projects, deployed self-designed commercial applications and are conversant with the various databases are highly demanded in the industry. It’s a long ride for PHP developers looking to make it to this ‘elite’ class. Here are some tips to help them out:

1.       Using OOP

Object Oriented Programming (OOP) always puts you at an advantage. OOP uses classes that help tie things together and minimize the need for code repetition. In simple terms, OOP makes it a lot easier to wrap functions into error free and executable programs. Acquaint yourself with OOP and you will have to deal with less coding and more logic.

2.       Don’t end anything with ‘_once’()

Every PHP programmer knows ‘include()’ gives warning when it fails and ‘require()’ kills the script if it comes across any error. However, include_once() and require_once() are very heavy on server resources. If you are working on a huge framework especially, these things are better not included.

3.       Keep ‘error reporting’ on

Whenever staring a new project, it is best to first turn on the error reporting to E_ALL. Also, make sure you turn it off ten seconds before the script goes into the production mode. It couldn’t be better if you can have a completely error free production mode. Besides, error reporting picks up all those minor discrepancies that even professional programmers seem to make.

4.       Use frameworks when you need them

Many experts, including the likes of Rasmus Lerdorf would say that frameworks make a code much slower than the normal. However, firstly remember that you aren’t a Rasmus Lerdorf as of yet and secondly, you need not write the “Hello World” application every time you are seated at your desk. Frameworks make things really simpler and you reduce the risk of wasting your time in writing bad codes. Why not use resources you have?

5.       Exploit inbuilt functions

Why loop an array and simply incrementing value of every iteration when counting the number of keys? The built in PHP functions like count() can replace all the lines you would have written and give you the same result. Like count(), PHP integrates several other functions that make the many basic tasks a matter of just a command insertion.

6.       Protect the database

The safest and most recommended way is using mysql_real_escape_string() with all databases before they are added. This function will make the string safe in term of functions that can harm with malicious codes and in terms of quotes.

7.       POST instead of GET

Though this will not be always possible, POST is always safer than GET especially when using form submissions.

8.       Wireframe

It is always better to draw your projects before getting to the task, even if it means scribbling a few lines and drawing a schematic. The basic idea is to get behind the mechanics of the application before starting to code.

As with anything else, practice makes a great programmer. Code something that draws your interests and you will eventually love to go deeper.

On September 23^rd 2015, Apple brought out a minor update aimed at several bug fixes for the recently launched iOS 9. The update comes just a week after iOS 9 was released on 16^th September. For users who have already adopted iOS9, this update would prove beneficial to squash the bugs in the OS. There have been several reports of disambiguation with the iOS 9 and Apple answers with the iOS 9.0.1. Here are the problems that these update is meant to resolve.

• Incomplete setup problem with iOS9

Apple’s support page for iOS 9 reported that some users were unable to complete the setup after having downloaded and installed it. This is the biggest reason why iOS 9.0.1 was released. The bug prevented several users from updating their devices – iPhones, iPod Touch and iPads. According to the users, once they have downloaded the iOS 9, the bug caused the device screen to freeze and the “Slide to update” became irresponsive.

Initially, Apple suggested users to force restart their devices and restoring the data from iTunes. Users would need to first take a backup of their device, download iOS 9, force restart and restore from iTunes. Factory reset was another alternative. IOS 9.0.1 now allows users to complete the setup through a hard reset.

• Failing timers and alarm clocks

While setup was the main issue with iOS 9, some users also reported that after iOS 9 was installed the timers failed to make any music / sound. This issue was also resolved through iOS 9.0.1 and you can get back to your regular timer scheduling.

• Distorted frames with paused videos and photos

This was among the most annoying problems with iOS 9. Early users of iOS 9 reported that whenever they paused a video in the Safari mobile browser, they would encounter distorted frames. The same thing happened with photo slide shows. IOS 9.0.1 however fixes the issue and you can expect a smooth experience henceforth.

• Lost cellular data with custom APN setup

APN setup allows iOS users to edit access point names (APN) to manually select the network path for cellular data. Users who had downloaded the iOS 9 on their iPads and iPhones reported that the version somehow caused them to lose cellular data. Again, iOS 9.0.1 fixes the issue.

Apart from these, iOS 9 has received an exceptional feedback from global Apple users. The week that the new iOS version was launched, more than 50% of users had already downloaded it. This has in fact been the fastest adoption for any version of Apple. The immediate release of the iOS 9.0.1 was well timed to not disappoint the audience. This set of bug fixes was quicker than it had been with iOS 8.0.

However, one problem still remains unanswered by Apple. Alicia Marie Tan from Mashable reports that a security loophole still allows people to get around the pass code through activation of Siri. This gives access to the clock app (and thus your schedules) photos and even contacts. Apple is expected to resolve this problem soon. Till then, make sure that your phone/device doesn’t get into the hands of someone who can infringe your privacy.

The life of a student is much complicated than their parents think. It is probably the most eventful period of one’s life full of fun as well as loads of stress. They often miss assignment deadlines and forget important dates because of the pressure of their studies. College going students often indulge in part time jobs to pay for their expenses. What they sorely miss is the technological help from mobile apps that will make their life easier by decreasing the amount of stress they encounter in their daily lives.

Students fail to put their smartphones to good use and limit its functions to texting and clicking selfies only. The good news is that there are quite a lot of mobile apps available on all OS platforms that can help in stress management of students and help them streamline their academic and personal life. Let’s look at some real stress buster mobile apps for students:

Google Calendar

Available on every Android based smartphone, the latest versions of the mobile app are extremely useful in reminding students of various events, lectures, seminars and their crucial dates. You can set alarms, notifications or take notes for a particular day. Remembering important days would not be a problem now as the app will notify you if you have marked a date.

Newshunt

Mass communication students absolutely adore this app. This one brings all popular newspapers as well as online news portals at one place. You can access these portals and e-papers through the numerous categories mentioned in the app. Business Standard, Economic Times, India Today etc. all will be available in this mobile app. This one is also useful for students who want to boost their general knowledge and keep themselves updated with current affairs.

inClass

This app can be used to categorize your classes and set time-tables. Students can also record the assignments for each class along with the deadline of their submission. Available on iOS and Android the mobile app helps in smart stress management. Students can also add documents along with their notes in order give themselves a better view of the assignments.

RealCalc Scientific Calculator

Students of maths are going to feel blessed once they download this app. It can perform all functions of a scientific calculator and can be used as a replacement of original ones. It will save students from the hassle of carrying their calculators all the time while studying as they will just need to keep their smartphones with themselves.

Whatsapp

Students can use Whatsapp not only chat with their friends but also to exchange notes. If you fail attend a lecture, you can ask a friend to record the lecture and send the audio file through Whatsapp for stress management. You can also ask your friends to send pictures of the unique notes he/she has.

Dictionary.com

This is a must have for every student regardless of the field of interest. You will need a dictionary at all times and downloading one in your smartphone seems to be a good plan. The app also explains the meaning of the word through examples and sample sentences. You can also look for synonyms and antonyms of a word in this mobile app.

We will be happy to know your pick of most used mobile apps to aid with your academic phase of life. Write in to us and let us know.

Since the Apple Watch was launched, iWatch app developers have been regularly dabbling with the UI/UX design of the software. The company even launched a GUI PSD template for other designers to explore and react to the concept and capability of the Apple Watch. Lately, a lot of opinion has been presented about the Apple Watch. Tech experts like CNet believe that “the Apple Watch is the most ambitions, well constructed smart watch ever seen” and there are others like Endgadget who think that the device is “more status symbol than wearable revolutionary”.

What has been consistent across respondents is that the Apple Watch presents a unique platform for interactivity, has a perfect brand integration, supports several complication features, has intensive developer involvement and controls that work exceptionally well for the end user.

Here’s what some industry experts have to say about the gadget:

Scott Vachalek, iOS App Developer

Apple has covered a lot many practical applications with the iWatch apps, making it a device to look forward to. The implications of the Apple iWatch will certainly grow in the near future. What makes that iWatch so helpful is the notifications feature. Further, there would be several apps that can make a better use of the iWatch app notification. This include coupons that pop up right when a user passes a particular store and similar other things. Notifications on the iWatch app make it much less intrusive to be used, making it a practical device than smartphones.

Paul Goldstein, App Developer and Entrepreneur

Paul believes that the Apple Watch is a pretty ‘cool’ device. He works on both Android and iOS platforms and is a user of the Google Glass and Android Wear (Samsung). However, he has plans to work with the Apple Watch since it has got pretty interesting feature for a developer.

Wearable devices bring notifications right onto your wrists. Users just need to glace down to see every new email, every new message take calls and of course check the time. However, wearable devices like the Apple Watch let the user go beyond notifications. Developers are always coming up with cool stuffs and everything from music, navigation, fitness and games is just a tap away on the app store.

The only thing that a user would miss badly with the Apple Watch would be Wi-Fi or GPS integration. This can even act as a limitation until the expected features aren’t included.

Glyn Williams, iOS App Developer

Though not particularly crazy about apps that go on the wrist, Apple has been able to come up with a better platform for quick communication, reminders and notification. There are several things that come built in with the iWatch and added to this is a commercial opportunity for developers to fill up the app store with apps customized for iWatch.

Overall, the developer community has welcomed the iWatch with open arms. The best thing is the programmable features that allow any developer to try his/ her own app on the device. The concept of the smartwatch and iWatch apps is indeed to make ‘moving around’ more efficient, practical and safe.