Mobility In Education

2014 marked a substantial increase in usage, quality and quantity of mobile apps. While app stores for Android and iOS crossed more than a million apps hosted way back in January 2014, it also set a new high in terms of downloads. As of Oct ’14, there were 85 billion downloads in Apple app store¹

With games (20.38%), education (10.36%) and business (9.43%)² forming the top 3 segments of apps available on app stores in September 2014, smartphone user interest has certainly been versatile. The downloads came from a large swathe of industries and niches including publishing, games, entertainment, music, stores, utility, enterprise and others. Since the birth of smartphones, apps have not only been attracting extensive investment from marketers of all forms but also converting it into billions of dollars as revenues. This trend is only set to grow further, and the onslaught of several startups is only going to fuel the practice. Now that we are well into 2015, here’s looking back at the best trends set in the app market.

Growth of messaging apps

From WeChat (438 million users in Nov ‘14) to Facebook Messenger (200 million) and several players like Viber (105 million), Line (170 million), and KakaoTalk (50 million), messaging apps have seen a massive increase led by WhatsApp (600 million)³. Smartphone users have been found to set a clear division between communicating through a social network (Facebook messenger) and exclusive messaging apps. However, messaging apps of today aren’t just limited to texts and picture messages. Today, to send a video instantly, one needn’t create and send an MMS. It can be easily done over platforms like Lettrs and Cyber Dust and more importantly in a bare minimum of data usage. Messaging apps are also integrating music, shopping and even games to make the interface much more entertaining and engaging.

Educational apps

There has been a substantial rise in the number of educational apps in 2014. Tablets and smartphones are proving to be a great means of information exchange and spreading awareness. In some schools in California, iPads have been included in the school kit to create better access to education and syllabuses. This certainly is a great moment for developers as their designs are directly helping create a better society and not just entertaining kids (games).

Enterprise apps

Some of the most innovative apps brought into the stores have been developed by companies, to be used by their staff. Enterprise apps have been able to break the barrier and create remote collaborations and easier team building. Taking a closer look, enterprise apps like HP Flow CM, Worx Home, IBM Worklight and Quip have been able to bring about a change in the way companies and entrepreneurs do business.

Free gaming

Gaming has always been a much wanted accessory with mobile device. However, since the launch of smartphones, gaming has gained much prominence among users. 2014 has seen a rise in constructive and free-to-use gaming apps with popular titles like Candy Crush Saga, Lumosity, The New York Times Crossword and Angry Birds.

Internet of things

The most talked about titles in the app world come from the wearable apps, including Google Glass and Smart Watches. While there is a lot of technological challenge involved in this category, they seem to be the hottest topics in the Android and iOS marketplaces.

Stepping into 2015, we can only say that the app industry will continue to spread its wings and we certainly can expect to be impressed.

1- http://www.statista.com/statistics/263794/number-of-downloads-from-the-apple-app-store/
2 – http://www.statista.com/statistics/270291/popular-categories-in-the-app-store/
3 – http://was-gb.wascdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Slide41.png

Computer programming languages are quite the same as our spoken languages. There are several categories and each of these further includes logic based, object oriented, imperative or functional elements. However learning the second language in the same category is quite easier than shifting to a whole new category itself. In most cases however, learning that first language becomes difficult enough.

If you are in the programming and IT development field, you will have idea about Ruby on Rails to a certain extent. RoR is a full-stacked programming framework that integrates both front end and back end designing. It has been the reason why Twitter, Basecamp and 43Things are getting so much attention and scaling up seamlessly in line with their business growth. Even brands like eBay and Amazon are adopting RoR elements in their e-commerce projects for reasons such as versatility, user friendliness and high demand.

In case you need to start on the path to a new programming language then its worth every minute of your time exploring Ruby on Rails. Here are the top 5 reasons why every programmer should learn Ruby on Rails.

1. Easy to learn / beginner friendly
The best thing about Ruby on Rails as a programming language is the cleanliness of code structure. Even a beginner would be able to start picking up the nuances early on. The interaction between front and back end is highly simplified wherein all the elements work in a perfect sync, making the experience enjoyable for the developer. While experienced programmers would be able to easily pick up RoR, it wouldn’t take a lot of time for beginners too. For a newbie, Ruby on Rails is the perfect language to start with.

2. Great for MVP
Ruby on Rails is a highly recommended framework for building prototyping web apps and minimum viable products (MVP). It is highly important for any tech startup to gain customer validation with proof. RoR will help in building quick prototypes and also roughly demonstrate the technical and project management capabilities of the startup within short period of time.

3. Cheap and dynamic
Learning RoR is relatively less expensive, with several free resources, boot camps and short term courses. All you need to invest is some time, depending on your experience level. What you gain is a reflective, dynamic and general purpose programming environment wherein you can lean on the “creative” with least frustration.

4. A dynamic community
Ruby on Rails has a great fan following worldwide. The language offers thousands on free online tutorials, tech help forums and FAQ sites like Stack Overflow. For someone looking to build a career in programming, RoR has helpful meet-up groups where members are bound to have some working solution to any particular RoR related query or doubt.

5. In demand
You not only get to learn a language that is easy but a language that is in high demand. As of now, RoR is the 13th most popular programming language and is experiencing incredible growth in all spheres. Not only among employers and web owners, but RoR is also becoming a commonplace in DevOps roles (Chef and Puppet). RoR supports complex web programming possibilities and is being used in all types of project sizes. It’s really an amazing experience for the developer.

Write in to us and let us know about your experience working on RoR.

Ever since its launch on 17^th September this year, the iOS8 has been making the headlines. It is being touted as the biggest-ever software update from Apple and there are several reasons why the statement can be said to be true. The new platform has been integrated with hundreds of new tools for developers. It also provides nifty features that optimize device speed, productive and offers seamless integration with Mac. Here are some of the small but important features offered by iOS8.

Setting up a Medical ID

Though it seems just like a new (rather redundant) feature, iOS 8 can actually help save your life! Setting up a medical ID will record all important medical conditions of the user including blood group, allergies, emergency contacts and much more. This feature can also be accessed from the emergency dialer of the lock screen without entering credentials. With this critical feature, medical emergency professionals will be able to move in quicker to save your life.

Quick Web search with Safari

Though responsiveness is something that every developer stresses upon, in some situations mobile versions of websites can be really confusing and claustrophobic. The new iOS8 presents a unique solution to specifically ask for the desktop version of a website on your Apple device. Although this feature is already available on Android, but Apple goes one step ahead and integrates its own browser with this capability. To access the desktop version, just tap over the “search bar” and drag it down to access the option for “request desktop site”.

Launching Siri Update

While some might speak of it as a clone of “OK Google”, it can prove to be rather handy. Further, interacting with the interface gets more engaging. Just call out “Hey Siri” and the application launches on your command. Don’t worry about the power consumed when iOS constantly tries to recognize your voice. This feature is very useful while driving since there would be limited background noise to block your voice command.

Battery draining indicators

A common problem for every smart device user is quick draining of the battery. However with iOS8, you will easily come to know how you have been losing out on battery charge. The unique battery tracking feature will list all the apps used in the last 24 hours and the percentage of battery consumed. The list also identifies all apps running in the background. Users who are constantly looking to save their battery for a few more miles can always have a check on the consumption. They can then “stop” the apps that have been draining a lot of battery. Even developers will find this feature useful to make their applications run efficiently.

While these are only some of the features, it still doesn’t take away its usefulness. The iOS can be said to be new form of convergence with improved design and efficient programming. If you are using iOS8 on your Apple device, then write in to us and let us know if you were able to find practical application of these features beneficial in your daily grind.

A gaming environment is quite an interactive parable. It is said to be an adventure experience that can evolve to being more than a real world’s journey. As a game designer, you serve a group of people who are ruled by their passion. Together with a great user interface, you also need to work on an immersive journey that will make people forget reality and embrace the world within the game. As such, a game designer is nothing less than a superstar for the gamers. Here are some nuances that help you get the right gaming experience to your audience.

Knowing the Emotion you want your Player to go through when playing

The key to creating/designing the perfect gaming experience is asking yourself “what do I need the player to feel in the course of the game”. Is the core objective of the game to inspire excitement, mystery, fear, sense of adventure, or insanely challenging? The “Impossible Game” should be a perfect example to bring out now, wherein users feel challenged and stressed apart from the frustrating title! These emotions should be deeply laid out before you even begin writing the storyboard. “Knowing the emotions” can act as a guideline to your story and the game architecture.

Develop a Prototype Accordingly

Now that you know what you want your user to feel, start developing a storyboard that instigates the objectives (the apt emotions). This is where the story is conceptualized and requires a lot of creativity to be pitched in. Users need to be guided to your objectives using scenarios, animations, sounds and virtual rewards/recognitions. Even the gaming graphics can leverage a sense of emotions when put in place. This should be the purest state of your game.

Choose the Test Player Wisely

Before releasing a game to the end users, you need to practically test whether the real use case has been able to live to the “objectives”. Every developer offers his creation to a ‘test player’ who is meant to give the first valuable feedback for further refinement. However, be sure that the test player clearly defines your end user. To take an instance, if you have been working on a game that is meant for kids between the age of 5 and 10, you cannot have a test player who is middle aged employed person. Consider the test player as your first user and make sure he/she is capable of providing a appropriate yet relevant feedback.

Add More Suitable Elements to Bring a Zing to the Game

Now that you know the quality of your game and the suggestions for improvement, it’s time to add other additional ingredients that will uniquely identify your game from others in the market. It’s just like dressing the turkey for a delightful presentation. However these additions should also again strictly comply with your game objectives. You simply cannot have a funny clown dancing to nursery rhymes if you are trying to create a horror experience.

Compare Initial Game and Newly Refined Game to see if the Expected Experience Comes Across

The second and final process of review is to ensure that the new changes brought into the game design/environment puts the right thoughts across. If you could visualize more integration, go for them. Your game should be able to ace the gaming experience.

Tech giant Google has always maintained a policy of including technology overhauls in major Android updates, and the Lollipop released to developers on June 26 this year is no exception. As an Android smart device user or developer, you might be interested in getting to know the Android L better and know more about its new feature sets. If so, then this blog post is just for you. Here we present some key improvements and new features that come bundled with Android L –

New Design

With Android Lollipop comes Google’s latest minimalistic UI design – “material design”. With this design, Google has adopted flat style icons for both home screens and the app drawer. Seen before in Apple and Microsoft Windows Phone devices, these flat style icons really add an element of simplicity and elegance to the UI. There is less clutter and more ease in navigation, thanks to this design philosophy being implemented in Android L.

Greater Consistency across Devices

Android Lollipop aims to cut down on the differences of usage and elements across different devices. Previously, there were certain design and functional nuances which were unique to a given phone or tablet brand. With Lollipop, users are set to get a cleaner, more uniform, and consistent look and feel irrespective of their device choice. Display size and resolution agnostic usage is one of the key points that Google wants to highlight with this version.

Fitness Assistant

With Android Lollipop, you can now have all your fitness data in one place. Google Fit integrates with devices like smart watches and health apps, to keep all your fitness data at one place. It is easy to store, recall and process data and fine-tune your fitness regime with the new Google Fit.

Touch Feedback

If you have been an Android user for long, one thing you must have missed is any kind of visual feedback when using the three main soft Android buttons. With Lollipop, Google has included a visual tweak- a simple animation that signals with a transparent circle when the device registers a touch on any of the three Android buttons at the bottom. This is set to make usage more intuitive and fluid.

New Look Gmail

Google has managed to put in a major design revamp for Gmail with Android L. This will make the look more consistent with their “material design” theme. Without looking gaudy or overboard, the Gmail app now incorporates a riot of colors and is a visual treat.

Chrome Tabs in Recent Apps

If you access your recent apps list, you will now be able to see all tabs open in Chrome as separate tiles. This lets you access any particular tab directly, and also to selectively close the tabs you no longer need.

Better Notifications

For your notifications, you now have the option to specify particular interruption rules when you go into the settings menu. These instructions enable you to prioritize notifications from certain apps. It also helps you use your notification system in a much more fine-tuned and customized manner.

New Keyboard

The “material design” philosophy has been brought over to the Android keyboard. The keyboard in Lollipop is borderless. This imparts an elegant look to both the extended keyboard and the dialer. Simple gesture support has also been added for easier operation.

If you are an app developer, you might be well aware that the enthusiasm for a new app is almost always at its peak right after its launch. Targeted marketing, social media visibility and a general high degree of activity characterizes the app store launch phase for your app. With time, however, the daily downloads dwindle and interest in the app slowly wanes.

A question now arises on how to keep the momentum going after a few weeks of app release. While there are scores of knowledge resources on how to achieve app release success, there are very few articles on how to keep potential users engaged after weeks or months of app release. Leaving your apps to stagnate is in no way a productive strategy, and you need to offer regular updates which actually give your users useful, value-adding and meaningful additions to your app. Before you think of releasing that all-important update, here are a few things to consider –

• Respecting Trends – Nowadays, public opinion is influenced to a large extent by trends – be it movie releases, major current events or viral social content. With your updates, it is always essential to leverage the added coverage and attention that adapting to trends can bring to your app. Capitalize on current trends and you can significantly add to the popularity of your app. A good example is the Icon Pop Quiz that brings icons for the iOS app, Icon Pop, based on trending themes, topics or celebrities.

• Update or New App – Updates can be small bug fixes, small feature additions or complete overhauls. Alternatively, you can opt to release an entirely new version of your app. Before contemplating an update, decide what kind of an update you want to push, and what it will offer in terms of value and consequent returns. Whatever you do, you need to keep a dual focus on existing customers as well as potential market.

• Immediate or Collective Updates – Updates can be small or large, depending on the elapsed time between updates and the effort put in to include enhancements. Small updates come more frequently, and are particularly helpful if you want to constantly test your marketing strategies and monetization models. Larger updates are essentially more radical, and allow you to provide users with a blast of new features. If your app is competing in a tight market, a large update might give you the necessary boost you need to eclipse your competition.

• Considering User Feedback – The best way to identify bugs in your app and get ideas for new features is to listen to user feedback. Check to see if a large volume of people are reporting a bug or requesting a particular new feature. This is the kind of feedback which you need to pay attention to during releasing updates.

• Keeping it Relevant – Many developers push updates just for the sake of it. You need to treat app updates seriously and ensure that every update adds something to the usage experience. It might be something as small as a bug fix or as voluminous as a UI overhaul. No matter what, be practical and keep your updates relevant.

With considerable demand for Ruby on Rails driven applications, we are constantly on lookout for professional talent in this domain. Over the last few months there are some specific characteristics we have noticed in the hiring-training-absorption phase that generated good talent in-house. The below listing is based on what we feel are strong factors that will help companies and hiring managers select the right talent for Ruby development.

1. Aligning to company values – if you are a start-up or midsize company you need to be clear about aligning organizational objectives with the candidate’s expectations. If the company culture promotes honest and transparent employee-employer relationship, there is very high chance of the employee performing productively and adding value to the company. Though good paychecks do hold forte in the hiring process, company values matter too.

2. Work environment – Once hired, the Ruby on Rails programmer is bound to come up with his/her own set of ideas (from past experience or recent qualification). The key is to utilize such non-routine ideas to make an existing project better. It might happen that the company has been using Test Unit for rails application testing. However if a new employee justifies the merits of using Rspec or Cucumber for application testing then as a business owner you can give it a shot.

3. Open Source contribution – If the candidate has significant resources put up by way of knowledge, insights or experiments on forums like GitHub, then the candidate is more often than not likely to see through set norms and go above and beyond to deliver excellence to the client. Since programming for the love of it is a key trait that defines our success in cut-throat competition these days, our suggestion would be – hire such early adopters or norm breakers before somebody else does!

4. Basic premise – Do get your candidates checked for sound foundation of basic knowledge such as OOP principles. Many companies have the tendency to grill potential recruits on advanced concepts such as APIs. However we truly believe that a person with sound knowledge of programming concept can readily grasp these.

5. Team spirit – Programming and development projects are often entrusted to multiple people. Try to gauge how good a team player is the candidate. Yours is a team-oriented operation. Lack of humility or empathy to team spirit can be a serious baggage later on. Make sure you are adequately covered on this soft skill aspect when interviewing potential hires. You will be sure to pick the right candidate this way. This factor becomes all the more necessary for a growing or midsize organization.

While measurable expectations will set the tone for initial rounds of interviewing, we believe that this is not the sole criteria when hiring Ruby on Rails developers. One has to look beyond qualification and experience and study their general aptitude to professional life.

If you see a surge in Ruby on Rails project demand, and want to capitalize with insight based talent sourcing in this domain, then we hope this post is of assistance to you.