Over the last decade, the popularity of Ruby on Rails as a web app development solution has always been on the higher end of the graph. Knowledge in Ruby on Rails can land developers into great jobs, projects and lucrative positions in Ruby on Rails development companies. From startups to highly established app development companies, everyone agrees to the same conclusion that Ruby on Rails would be the best choice even when compared to alternatives like Java, Python and others.

So what makes Ruby on Rails so popular?

1.       Handy and versatile

In just 5 lines of code, programmers can choose to take an existing class and overwrite its behavior. While this may seem to be counter intuitive, there is risk in everything. Ruby also makes it much more versatile to draw codes. Ruby does miss out on some features available with newer languages, but all in all, it can be used as a ‘language power continuum’.

2.       Pragmatism

Ruby integrates deep pragmatism into its coding DNA. In collaboration with the other benefits, it has been producing elegant solutions since the last decade. Often referred to as ‘tent’ by programmers, Ruby on Rails doesn’t encourage any level of scripting complications. With Ruby on Rails development, it’s actually more of convention than configuration.

3.       Expressiveness

Using Ruby on Rails is just like studying English. The internal DSL of the language extends with the language’s semantics. With other languages, constructing DSL is always risky as it’s an external addition. With Ruby however, programmers don’t require external parser and yet strike an even balance with the DSL. The platform is perfect to use DSL where it makes good sense and demonstrate self-control. The bottomline of programming in Ruby on Rails is inherent usage of the high quality syntax and smart naming.

4.       The Community

Ruby on Rails is supported by an army of committed programmers who ensure that it stays in the most updated condition. With other languages, one might experience projects simmering down with age but with Ruby, the sparks are retained! A great addition to the language has in fact been its package manager, known to us as RubyGems. Though it was sidetracked for a little while RubyGems found its course and remains unified and acts as a superb resource for bright programmers. There is a provoking synergy between the cool language and its superb community and the pragmatic web framework.

5.       Maturity

When it comes to important decision making, anyone would go for tools that have a proven track record.  Ruby fits the criteria perfectly as it has been around the block for quite some time now and has established several runtimes and interpreters to make it conducive for programmers.

6.       Marketing

Lastly, compared to its younger alternatives, the Ruby site is awesome. Even in the older days, Ruby’s screen cast was breathtaking and one would totally agree to the point that when frameworks are in question, it is best to be in the crowd. Ruby is an obvious choice!

Experts say that the platform gives a perfect solution for the rapidly changing technological environment by speeding up the development processes and saving money and time in the process. These reasons show us why Ruby on Rails remains so popular even after so long.

Ask people what they want to do, and most of them will end up using terms like ‘business’, ‘start-ups’, ‘entrepreneur’, etc. So, what exactly is required to have a profitable business, an idea? True, but just an idea isn’t sufficient. There’s a lot more that is essential including effective outreach methodologies, publicity and revenues for the organization to survive in the competitive world.

With the growing popularity of smartphones, many companies have started investing in mobile advertising by creating mobile application software (app). This technique, without a doubt, makes the app visible to a wider audience, but visibility doesn’t guarantee returns; ‘download’ is the keyword. Interestingly, only 2% of the app developers claim 54% of all app revenues. Today, we look at6smart app monetization techniques to ensure that the app remains a profitable product for your agency

1. In-app Advertising

In this kind of app monetization model, the download happens for free. The goal, here, is to create large user database, after which the information gets sorted, and app publishers pay the developer to publish targeted ads. This technique is widely used because, well, who doesn’t like things for free.

2. Freemium

This android app monetization technique offers the customer to ‘use and try’ services before selling. There’s no download cost, however, only limited features are provided on download, i.e. some features are gated. The aim is to accumulate and engage app users until they are convinced to pay for the upgrade and enjoy all features.

3. In-app purchase

The in-app purchase monetization method works like a super-market where many companies showcase their products and on any physical or virtual goods purchase, some percentage of profit is given to the app developer. The catch remains in the fact that the users save a lot of their time and easily get what they want.

4. Paid Apps

This android app monetization technique generates direct income from the user. In order to download the app, the user needs to pay the mentioned amount. However, with this technique, it is essential that the entire app experience is creatively designed to arouse the interest of people and compel them into purchasing.

5. Paywalls (Subscriptions)

Paywall is similar to the freemium model, however, here, instead of the features, the content is gated. The users are allowed to see predetermined amount of content and need to pay to get full access over the information. This iOS app monetization method allows the user to not just ‘judge the book by its cover’, but also experiment with it.

6. App Promotion and localization

App Promotion refers to using various social interfaces as a platform to sell the app, whereas localization refers to extending the app’s reach across borders and monetize international traffic by offering region-specific content. This iOS app monetization technique is rather indirect but very useful, as you can either increase the cost or the customers.

The above techniques are one of the many ways to survive in the mobile advertising world; an app developer can actually customize and use a combination of them to create a successful business. Now, that’s what we call more than just an ‘idea’!

Getting your app accepted into the Google Play Store for Android is a winning step as your business/brand/skill is now exposed to more than 81% of smart phone users across the planet. That will be equal to more than 1000 million users! However, getting your app through the selection process is not an easy job, especially now that Google has come up with tougher App Store approval standards. Before sitting down with an app development process, you need to be aware of these mandates that must be kept in mind to avoid app rejection.

Top reasons why Play Store rejects some app submissions

The Android app store guidelines set by Google for app submissions are explicit and strict. However, many developers fail to follow them and end up disappointed.

ü  Irrelevant keywording: The era of the ‘inorganic’ has long gone. Using keywords that don’t justify your app but might bring in more traffic can be highly penalizing. Misleading visitors with irrelevant keywords and tags will get you rejected.

ü  Excessive keywording: Along with the inorganic, “keyword stuffing” too has been done away with. Google’s SEO aims to provide the most relevant suggestions based upon customer reviews, quality of content/app and organic sharing. Instead of stuffing keywords, give a detailed description of the app. This would help both credibility and Play Store acceptance.

ü  Revisit Google’s Keyword Spam policies: The Play Store has a set of clearly defined policies that maintain the types of keywords allowed in content, the maximum number of repetitions, etc. Refer this before submitting your app.

ü  Get your process streamlined: Applications are meant to make the life of users easier. Consequently, Google will give more credibility to android apps that have a proper roadmap to usage. Also, you need to be well aware of the future errors and the ways to fix them.

ü  Don’t market your company: Applications aren’t meant to market brands. Though Google is a bit lenient, apps meant for business purposes go through stricter scrutiny.

ü  Demo apps are of no use: Demo applications with limited functionalities are of no use. Not only will they make the job frustrating for the end user but also be eliminated outright from the Play Store.

ü  Never copy existing apps: Don’t build apps just for the sake of entering your name into the Play Store author’s list. Play Store doesn’t allow duplicate applications to be uploaded to the platform. Build only if you have come up with a unique idea; be it in the category of a game, a utility, an information app, or anything else.

ü  Be professional: Applications allow you to connect with a customer base that is looking for convenience and professionalism. Though you need to highlight upon interactivity, a professional tone of content will get you a better credibility than lose content.

The Play Store is a great platform to showcase your coding expertise and UX creativity. The growing user base of Android only stresses on the need to be genuine and unique in your submissions.

As the world of smart devices continue to unfold and reveal layers of astonishing benefits, businessmen and executives are turning to maximize their use of these devices to boost workplace productivity. Apple too has integrated these devices with hardware and software that makes it a highly capable tool to assist both work and living. However, it needs to be supported by special apps that meet unique requirements of the business class mass. Here are 5 iPad apps that businessmen across the globe are using every day on their iPads to improve productivity.

1. OfficeTime

Perfect for freelancers and self-employed professionals, OfficeTime will help keep track of the time you have put in professional responsibilities and generate an invoice for the same. A time management solution, this has been helping professionals who bill clients by the hours they put into the project weekly or monthly. You can even use this app to allocate time slots to different projects every day. Keeping track of your time will not just be a professional requirement but also reason your earnings.

2. Pixelmator

Everyone loves to take good photos. Even if you aren’t a serious photographer, you can use Pixelmator to makes your snaps say a story. The app comes integrated with dozens of beautiful templates, frames, typography and other features to add to the images you click. Further, you can even combine images, add text, shapes and use several image editing tools that were limited to Photoshop. For the business user, this can be a valuable part of presentations.

3. Evernote

This app lets you take notes on the go, Evernote has been around in the iOS marketplace for a long time now. A fully-featured solution, the app makes it easier to enter text and will even capture information by taking images with your device camera. In fact, several other productivity apps integrate with Evernote to save content. All the documents gets automatically synced with attached devices and it is being used by professionals globally to create meeting agendas, organize invoices (after taking a picture), and even prepare travel itineraries.

4. Goodreader

Office work isn’t complete without going through some documents every day. It would be great if you can take your documents to mobile and read them at your own convenience. This is exactly what the Goodreader aims to offer. Popular as the best PDF Reader available for iPads, Goodreader even allows you to edit and use full markup capabilities. Users can even use this app to attach comments to specific lines/paragraphs of documents, add text/pictures, rearrange text, extract and conveniently email the same on the go.

5. OneNote

Developed by Microsoft, OneNote is one the best iPad apps ever developed and allows users to create notes on the go. Whatever industry you may belong to, ideas always keep running in and you need to take every opportunity to jot them down for later. OneNote doesn’t just allow you to take notes on the go but also sync the same with your computer and other attached devices. You can even do all kinds of text formatting including bold, highlighting, underlining, indenting and change font colors.

Talking to the smartphone has been a part of the culture for quite some time now. The trend started with Siri – the voice assistant introduced by Apple in 2011 with the iPhone 4S model. Google joined the race with Google Now in 2012 and now Microsoft is close to introducing the Cortana in its full colors. Though these tools have been making our life easier, the frustration involved with your voice assistant misunderstanding the commands can be quite high. Though Siri, Google Now and Cortana handle themselves pretty well, it becomes pretty challenging to determine which is better than the other. So, let’s compare!

Introducing the Various Digital Assistant Apps

• Siri: Siri by Apple has been available to users owning the iPhone 4S or anything above. The application offers the flexibility to set up appointments, ask questions, set reminders, search the web, ask for directions, and even set up a digital nickname – all through voice commands.
• Google Now: Google Now has always been about simplicity and ease of access. To use the voice commands, users simply have to say “OK Google” and then provide the instructions. Google Now is great at delivering personal recommendations that are based on your preferences and history and also to look up for online information.
• Cortana: Microsoft’s voice assistant is comparatively new, though it has been researching in this field for over a decade now. Cortana speaks the voice of Jen Taylor, the famous actress form Inheritance and is available with any device later than Windows Phone 8.1.

Voice

While Cortana allows you to interact with a recognizable voice, Siri too has lived up to be an iconic speech across the globe. It’s Google Now that fails instant recognition of any kind. However, Siri wins this category because of its customizable voices. If someone doesn’t like a male voice guiding you, it’s simple to switch to a female tone. Cortana however locks itself to the same Jane Taylor voice.

Voice Activation

Voice assistants have been a great tool for users looking to hands free usage. Google Now seems to take the winning accolades in this category by integrating the ‘always listening’ feature. Anytime, you need to activate the voice assistant, all you need to do is speak “OK Google”. However, this feature is only available in higher end models. Siri on the other hand gets activated whenever the phone is connected to a power source – the car charger or charging at home/office. Cortana fails to make any mark in this aspect.

Touch Activation

Siri’s one-touch activation requires holding down the “HOME” button for a while. For Android devices, it’s swiping up from the on-screen key from Home and for Microsoft devices, it can be activated by pressing against the “magnifying glass” shaped icon in the main screen. The later doesn’t even require unlocking your phone. Siri however wins this category gain by asking for the fewest number of motions.

Speed and accuracy of gathering information

If you put in a voice command like “Where can I watch the trailer of The Terminator”, it takes Siri 3.5 seconds to answer, 5.47 seconds by Google Now and 6 seconds by Cortana. The accuracy of information varies according to the line of question. Cortana is more accurate in delivering weather information while Google Now is best in searching up information on web. However Siri wins with its speed of delivery.

Our take – we can comfortably say that Siri is the best voice assistant among the three. Google Now catches up pretty close and it’s still some road to cover by Cortana. Do write in with your thoughts on which is the best out of the three.

No matter what experts say about the pricing and features of the watch, Apple has still managed to sell an impressive 3 million units during April-June, 2015. During its launch, Tim Cook had revealed that there are 3,500 Apple Watch apps available, but now that number has jumped up to 8,500, which is definitely a steep progress towards its march to match iPhone’s 1.5+ million apps.

Apple Watch received mixed reactions during its launch, and inspite of the price of at least USD 549, the cost of the basic version, there were loyal buyers clamouring for it. This bodes well for Apple Watch app devleopers who wish to learn from the first wave of app development that showed the below experiences.

Positives

The product was launched just 3 months ago and is still in its early stages of development, therefore, 8,500 apps do not sound bad at all. Plus there are a plethora of weather apps and basic entertainment apps like Shazam and TuneIN Radio that are currently available for the smart watch. Here are a few positive experiences –

• Apple has managed to get a few games for the watch. But, the games are limited to quizzes and trivia only because the small screen of the device prevents it from hosting full-fledged games.
• The presence of Twitter and E-mail is a boost for the Apple watch as people are expecting more and more apps in the social networking circle. We can soon witness the launch of the Facebook app for the watch as the company has promised to develop one soon.
• In terms of travel, you get apps like TripAdvisor and Yelp which inform you about the famous places around your location. While these two are third-party apps, Apple’s own “Find Near Me” is great for searching restaurants, banks, bars, etc. The app can also be used through Siri.
• Many parties are contributing towards Apple watch app development and thereby, the watch does not lack in sports related apps too. Onefootball is one of the most popular apps in terms of sports. It gives live updates on matches of your favourite team and notifies when there is a change in scores.
• The watch can perform basic calculation through various apps exclusively available for it. There are some Apple Watch apps available which store passwords for various social networking websites and e-mail service providers.

Negatives

There are a few negatives of the watch that Apple needs to look into, to give its users a better experience.

• The biggest flaw is that you cannot reply to e-mails. You can view it, but you cannot respond to it. This is a strange thing as Apple could have easily provided a Siri assisted input system for e-mail.
• Though it has apps in almost every category, it lacks in variety. The company should make sure that Apple Watch app development is in the right direction if it wants to floor Android based smart watches.

With these experiences, Apple Watch looks to have created a new tech frontier which promises to evolve for the better in the future.

Ruby is a widely popular programming language deployed in applications ranging from Simulations, robotics, 3D modeling, to web applications and business security. For beginners, the best way to learn Ruby on Rails is to go through the various free and paid resources and tutorials, community support, instructor guided courses and several reference tools available on the internet. Here’s a list of the top 8 Ruby resources that every developer should look into.

• Treehouse

Treehouse is an active community of developers that beginners can use to learn the web design fundamentals, Ruby development foundations and also create some basic Ruby applications. The resource is equipped with video tutorials supported by a browser integrated text editor. This forum is suitable for students at all experience levels. Treehouse resources are also available on iPad and native iOS apps. This is a paid resource that will cost you between $25 and $49 per month.

• Code School

Code School integrates interesting 80’s arcade and Zombie themed courses for Ruby and Ruby on Rails. Each of the course chapter comes as video and slide presentation that seek to breakdown the language in comprehensive tutorials. Learners can try out the interactive challenges and the free orientation courses like “Try Ruby” and “Rails for Zombies”. Code School registration costs $29 per month.

• Codecademy

Highly popular among students of Ruby, Codecademy is perfect for anyone looking to get introduced into the language. The course consists of several hours of interactive material that helps develop a solid understanding of Ruby foundation, thus helping in exploring the language. When you think to have progressed enough, you can even check out some of the Ruby API tutorials and learn how to connect your applications with Twitter, Twilio, Box, WePay, SendGrid, Ordr.in, easypost, 23andMe and Mashape. Codecademy is available free of cost.

• Codelearn

A test based and highly interactive walkthrough for Ruby, Codelearn’s interface is split into columns that mimic the real time workflow process between file browsers, terminals, app output, and code editor. Codelearn has been deemed to be one of the safest ways to learn Ruby on Rails before you begin with the root folder.

• RubyMonk

RubyMonk integrates several interactive lessons to guide learners towards Ruby development basics. You are required to solve problem sets (they get harder as you progress), with the help of The Master! RubyMonk is a free resource.

• Thinkful

A great choice for someone who can afford to pay $500 per month, Thinkful will let you work with a one-on-one mentor who guides you throughout the learning process. You can use this resource to be able to build applications from scratch and even come up with a job-ready portfolio. Another advantage with Thinkful is that you code alongside other passionate developers in the industry and collaborate with them on their projects.

• RailsCasts

RailsCasts is as old as the language Ruby itself and helps learners in a modular fashion. It integrates more than 400 screencast episodes by Ryan Bates, the master programmer. RailsCasts is available both as a free version and a paid version costing $9 per month.

• Why’s (Poignant) Guide to Ruby

Bizarre but effective, this guide is an entertaining way to learn Ruby programming. The book is also considered to be the root of several jokes popular in the Ruby community. Program with a soundtrack!

In the last couple of years, there have been ground breaking changes in framework technologies. Over the decade, PHP frameworks like Phalcon, Laravel, Zend, Symphony and Codeigniter have gotten bigger and consequently better. Today, they are the leading tools for developers looking to create large applications with ease. Frameworks today is one of the most crucial skill set for development professionals. Here are the situations when you need to use a framework in PHP.

1.       When development relies on Coding and file organization

Just because you have a “/inc” folder with “functions.php” doesn’t necessarily mean that your code is organized. Every PHP framework comes with a certain folder structure by default. Developers are expected to follow these standards and subsequently keep things organized. This can however be a challenge for developers using the vi. Here, there are more numbers of smaller files. However with IDE and other code organizers, it will get easier in searching what you need and when you need.

2.       Using Utilities and libraries

PHP provides countless numbers of libraries and tools. However, when it comes to building websites, most developers will either hunt for third party libraries/codes or write them on their own. However, diving deep into existing PHP libraries will give you better opportunities with things like form validation, database abstraction, input/output filtering, cooking and session handling, pagination, calendar, emails etc.

3.       Using the MVC structure

Model View Controller was introduced into PHP back in 1979 but it still remains one of the most important aspects of programming. Models in MVC represent data structures interfaced with the database. Views on the other hand contain the page templates and various layouts. Lastly, Controllers bind everything together including handling page requests.

4.       When you require strict security

PHP provides a variety of input and output filtering options to protect the final website against hacks and other attacks. If you have handled them manually, it would have been tiring and you might even have skipped some. Frameworks like Codeigniter however does the work automatically by filtering any value pressed to a database object, thus rescuing the code from SQL injections. Similarly, user inputs can be guarded from XSS attacks and encrypting cookies add additional layers of security.

5.       When you want to write less code for faster development

Scripting has always tested the patience and focus of developers. However, once you have passed the learning curve of PHP, you will be able to do more with less coding. As an example, you will not have to depend upon 3^rd party libraries or worry about manually chasing possible bugs.

6.       When you need the support of experts

Being the most popular programming platform today, PHP also attracts a huge community of developers who help each other at every step. Using mailing lists and message boards, you can seek to clarify your problems from experts in the industry.

7.       When development is about teamwork

Another great advantage with PHP libraries is that it facilitates teamwork. You can divide the work among designers (for the Views part), database specialists (Models) and programmers to create reusable plugins, libraries, etc. Further, you can have a separate team working on unit tests as Frameworks come with special tools in this aspect too.

PHP frameworks are continually being improved and give great lengths of opportunities to any web developer.

Apple announced the grand and brand new iOS9 at the Worldwide Developers Conference on 8^th of June at San Francisco. As we have experienced earlier, Apple has always dropped support for older version whenever a new OS version launch is made. This time however, iOS8 users will be able to upgrade to iOS9 at zero cost. The public beta version (also a first for Apple) will launch in July but Apple is already ecstatic about the fall launch and consequently, we would like to know about the new iOS9 experience. Here are some of the lesser known features that users can expect.

1.       Search feature in settings

For someone not quite conversant with the hardware and software features of their phone, a search setting has been long denied under the settings tab. With iOS9, if you know what to change/modify, you can directly access the same from the search bar.

2.       Siri speaks and listens everything

Siri allowed users to communicate with their devices in several dialects and multiple accents. However, until iOS 8, choosing to listen to British Siri also meant that the phone was tuned to understand only British voice commands. IOS9 changes that and language input and voice will be two separate functionalities. You may talk in an Indian accent and receive response in a Brit tone.

3.       Siri doesn’t work with a silent ringer

If you want Siri to shut down when you have silenced your device, iOS9 adds an option. Especially in a crowded area, Siri can now communicate using text messages.

4.       Low power mode

Smartphones consume a lot of battery. However iOS9 has an answer in the form of Low Power Mode where the device will turn off background effects, animated wallpapers, disable app refresh to give you extra hours of usage.

5.       No more “Is my Shift key on?”

This had been bothering all Apple users since long. However, iOS9 introduces optional lower case keys that doesn’t require Shift key anymore.

6.       Keyboard shortcuts

If you had been using an external keyboard with your iPad, you’ll soon be able to do more. Apple introduces several new keyboard shortcuts. A good example would be the Command + Tab to switch between active apps.

7.       Introducing an iCloud Drive app

A long awaited feature, iCloud will now be available as a physical app. After you have installed iOS9, just go to the iCloud Settings and enable the option.

8.       Easier to move out from Android

Apple introduces “Move to iOS” app for users who are planning to switch from their Android devices to iPhones. The app expedites the data transfer to a great extent and also does a clean job.

9.       Six digit pass code

As opposed to a four digit pass code until iOS 8, iOS9 will ask for a 6 digit alternative to enhance the security.

10.   Have your devices organized for separate functionalities

Many Apple users have complained about receiving phone calls on their iPad rather than their iPhone. Similarly, text messages on the Mac are irritating. Thankfully, iOS9 introduces granular control that will help you manage your devices and their preferred functionalities.