Marie Moe, a research scientist from the SINTEF ICT exclaims that it’s about time that “hospitals start worrying about computer viruses and not just the regular germs”. We are into the age when pacemakers can be controlled and monitored from outside and sensors that can read your heart rate, diabetes levels and other vital functions. It’s not just medical devices that pose a threat but the more the idea of automation itself. When air conditioners know when people would leave the house and when they would be getting in, they can also expose some serious private data to cyber criminals. Same is with automated cars. To address these issues, all types of smart device makers are working on the liabilities, trying to make them much secure, but in the world of internet, every new day is a fresh start for hackers too.

The disadvantages of IoT can have three definite implications:

Privacy

NASAs spying revelations has exposed more amount of information accessible to its government and hackers alike. It might not be a comforting though when you know that there could be someone who has access to your personal details like the places you have been in, the people you talk to over phone, the amount of time you spend at any place, etc.

The risk of a widespread malware

With the whole world and most of its human residents connected to the same platform called internet, it would take just a single click to evade the globe. The results can range from minor inconvenience to widespread corruption. Now, to fight back in such a situation, it would again take a worldwide sweep of every device that has been infected.

Intrusion

It may very well happen when brands and manufacturers would be offering daylong advertisements and offering on your smart TV screen, refrigerators, dryers and dishwashers. These marketers will use data that is generated you your own residence to share a product relevant. The choices will seem forced rather than self-made decisions.

And then there could be these:

ü  You don’t want your health information to reach the insurer but being unhealthy, your premiums go up!

ü  You don’t want to submit your finances or your whereabouts and the government authorities might have a means to tag you to be a criminal and tap into your phone!

The world of automation is exciting but some would rightly say that we mustn’t lose our human side to it. “We might not still be living in dystopia but we are pretty sure that some have already opted for the starter kit”. Cyber security is biggest kinds of threat today – the government uses it, the banks use it, the hackers use it and even the terrorists use it to their devastating ends. Weighing the rightful adoption of connected devices is the best we can do. As they say they “with great powers come great responsibilities”. As humans, we must understand the implication of everything we bring into our life and limit their use to convenience they are supposed to provide.

The major app stores today (Google Play and iTunes) were hosting near to 3 million apps by July 2015. The popularity of apps has even gone on to replace business websites as the platform for revenue generation. However, getting noticed takes more than a workable app. According to a research by MobileDevHQ, almost 47% iPhone users in the United States find apps by browsing through the iOS store. On the other hand, 10% go for the top featured apps in category charts and 9% depend upon Apple’s featured screen. The behavior is the same with Android users. This only goes on to suggest that there isn’t a substitute for high ranking.

If you have been into SEO, App Store Optimization (ASO) wouldn’t be more complicated. To get more holistic ranking, the focus should be on creating listings that give the best chance to your audience. Here are the basic things you must take care of:

1.     Keywords

Obviously enough, keywords are the first point of contact between the audience and the app stores. The same white paper by MobileDevHQ suggests that using the proper keywords in the title of you app can result in an increase of 10.3% when it comes to ranking. The aim should be to accurately suggest/convey the subject of your app and this should ideally depend upon:

ü  Keywords with the highest volume of searches

ü  Keywords with the lowest competition

ü  Keywords with highest relevancy

Tools like KeywordTool.io could be of huge help when trying to find the best keyword, categorized by language and country. You can always opt for changing the title of your app in the future but this would mean losing on the acquired “search power”. So, all of it should be taken care of from the beginning itself.

2.     User acquisition channels

The explosion in the number of mobile users has also leveled up the competition. Currently, advertising and app store search are the most popular channels for acquiring users. For businesses, the advertising spend is mostly limited to paid install campaigns, also called cost pr installs (CPI). Fiksu suggests that the current cost of acquiring each loyal user can run into $4.14 (as of September 2015). CPI has been used by businesses (especially the new ones) to get that initial “burst” and rise up the charts. This can give you the much needed visibility and from then on, you can work upon acquiring organic optimization.

3.     Optimizing in app stores

Recent data suggests that users looking for an app would generally use a two-three word phrase. It’s important to know the best ways to describe your product (apps in this case), its features and how the target audience would look for it. Now, both Google and Apple play stores have different kind of app listing fields but some similarities do exist:

Both present a name and title and would be the perfect way to speak about your features. Apple allows a 255 character limit while Google allows only 30. Apple further provides 100 hidden/private character field that can be of help.

Optimizing app store listing is only the start of a long ASO process but it does ensure that you are working organically towards success. Research hard to understand the best practices.

Just a decade back, we were used to computers being networked but now that time has come when everything gets networked, and this ‘everything includes your cars, watches, TVs, diabetes calculators, treadmills and even pens. Devices like the Apple iWatch or Google’s FitBit are rising in popularity and more people are allowing themselves to be connected to the internet via these devices. The resultant advantages include convenience, safety, security, analytics driven automation, better monitoring and much more.

From the first internet connected toaster that was invented in 1989, we are aiming a stage where small sensors can go into our body and clean us cancer cells. Today, our devices aren’t just steel and plastic boxes that are wired for functionality but elements that can actually interact with us and each other. Air conditioners of today are capable to gauge the required room temperature and operate themselves. They interact with vehicles and prepare themselves before we are home!

The dilemma of security

As the famous dialogue goes “with great powers come great responsibilities”, the logic is the same with IoT when it comes to security. Along with the numerous benefits of IoT, there still some risk lurking behind. Smart devices give more chance to hackers and cyber criminals and it will again be the job of us humans to use the technology responsibly.

In the coming years IoT will be influencing every industry, from marketing to healthcare, from schools to researches. Here are 10 facts that would showcase the growing importance of IoT in our lives.

1.     ATMs were the first IoT devices to go online

2.     In 2008, we already had more interconnected devices than people in our planet. By 2020, the number of interconnected devices would cross the mark of 50 billion.

3.     Last year, we had nearly 1.4 billion smartphones shipped across the globe and this number is expected to cross 6.1 billion by 2020.

4.     IoT would connect several devices we have in our homes, ranging from smart refrigerators to smart thermostats. To this end, Google has already purchased Nest Labs, the smart thermostats make for a whopping $3.2 billion and Samsung acquired Smart Things, a connected home device manufacturer for $200 million.

5.     By the end of 2020, interconnected vehicles will open up several new possibilities in automated driving and in-vehicle services.

6.     In 2015, the worldwide market of wearable increased by 223%, wherein FitBit shipped over 4.4 million devices while Apple sold 3.6 million of its watches.

7.     We will also get to wear smart clothing by 2020 and this will certainly be an overwhelming advance.

8.     The RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) market is currently worth $11.1 billion and in 4 more years would increase to a $21.9 billion market.

9.     By 2024, there would be 27 billion machine to machine connections and China is expected to take a leading share of 21%.

10.  Lastly, we also have rumors of interconnected kitchens that would help the food and beverage industry to save as much as 15% of the current waste.

The above data around Internet of Things sounds pretty interesting for anyone, but this is just a small part of the bigger world we are stepping to.

The last time we checked Statista; there were 1.6 million apps in Google’s Play store while Apple’s score was at 1.5 million available apps. Even if all these apps were free to use (they aren’t) and you could try them before buying, it would be a tough ask for both, you and your phone. So how do you choose the best app in any category? Well, we have some staples like WhatsApp, Skype or Instagram that the world recommends and without a good enough alternative. However, what if you are interested in the best “photography app”, or say, the “best Weather” app? Here’s our take on how to choose the best app under a given category – 

1.     Firstly, the “Top Lists”

Both the Android and iOS app stores have handy charts to help your search for the best app. if you are on an iOS device, search for “Top 25” and you will get to see the current top sellers across categories. Though, top selling apps are by no means the best pick for your needs, this is a good place to start with. The Play Store too has a “Top Chart” helping out new smart phone users.

If you don’t find the relevant app in these “top” lists, it’s time to navigate to the “categories” section. The Play Store has a helpful demarcation of all kinds of categories you would normally seek an app in. find your area of interest and generally, the top users are features ahead in these “categorized” lists.

2.     Reviews

Customer and user reviews are invaluable when looking for an app. at the first glance, anything that has acquired more than 4 stars would be a good app and anything under 3 stars would be worth avoiding. Further, the reviews of users would lead you to the specific advantages and disadvantages that people are enjoying/facing with the app. Browse through all the details to ensure that your device is compatible enough to give you the features you are looking for.

3.     Featured

Featured Listing is another handy place to start your search. Since neither Apple of Google receives payments for these features, the apps in there can be believed to be the best in what they are promising.

4.     Ask around

Well, if you are seeking something niche-specific, it’s also a good idea to ask around. Going back to the start of this article, if you have been looking for the best photography app, it would be helpful to reach out a photography community in Facebook. Your colleagues and friends too can advice on your pick.

The above should do the job, but you should again understand if you really need an app. Apps certainly are the driving features in smart phones but maybe, you don’t need some Afterall. Some apps like Facebook eat up a lot of RAM and if you aren’t going to browse too frequently, it is advisable to look into the mobile version of your Facebook (m.facebook.com) profile when required.

The app stores love to flaunt their size and say that the choices are close to being limitless. But having hundreds of choices will also mean more stress and more complicacy. Choose only the ones you really need to add convenience to your life.

A number of choices exist when it is about platforms available for your customer or enterprise mobile application development. However, the one which is the best suitable can be figured out need a lot of consideration. A Mobile App can be divided broadly into 3 types, the highly functional native apps, the newer HTML 5 software dominated apps for developing cross platform app versions and lastly, the Hybrid apps which have the combination of positives from both native and HTML 5.

Mobile platforms like Apple iOS and Android share a larger chunk of the demand over other OS’s like Blackberry in recent times.  Now, each platform comes with its advantages and disadvantages. Some have the ability to lower the development cost of the apps while some have the tools that will ensure a dynamic presentation. Depending on your purpose, one must choose a platform that enables high performance with limited issues.

Whenever a business enterprise is trying to make a mark in the online world using mobile applications, there are a number of considerations and aspects which need to be put under the lens. Here are the key points to focus on.

1.     Select Maximum Engaging platform

It is important to know which is the most used platform used by your target audience. Each of Android and iOS has a highly segregated user base.  If you are looking to connect with young high level executives, iOS would be the way to go. However, if you are looking to address the mass the in general, Android has a better penetration. By the last quarter of 2015, Android dominated the market with an 82.8% share while iOS shipped only 47.5 million devices.

2.     Digging into technicalities and deciding software’s which can aid business needs

There a lot of technicalities which needs to be identified when selecting the software for the app development.  If you require a cross-platform app but with the efficiency and functionality of native apps, hybrid apps would be the solution. For example, selecting palm OS can be a bad idea in case the businesses requires the application to be run in the background. IPhone OS can help protect the memory and the Symbian in Android enables memory warning callbacks.  Hence, depending on the needs, the OS must be selected.

3.     Ease of development and maintenance

Hybrid apps and HTML 5 are easy to script and maintain compared to the native apps. On the other hand, native apps need the best features to be installed, including faster downloading graphics, camera, GPS and several others. Further, native apps require the application of appropriate languages and coding to work for a particular platform.

4.     Cost considerations

When it comes to the financial aspects in app development, the native apps are costliest to develop. Consequently, iOS developers earn the highest amount of money in making their apps. The debugging, prototyping and various app design processes involve a comparatively lower amount of financial investment especially in cross-platform OS like HTML 5 over the native apps on some of the platforms.

5.     Futuristic prospects

We already know that Apple has been trying hard to save its market. In the second quarter of 2015, its market share dropped by 22.3% but it still was able to save its popularity, thanks to bigger screen devices. Depending upon the business you are in, there is a need to research about the market trends and the devices that your demographics prefer.

As obvious, the selection of the perfect mobile development platform depends upon the nature of the audience and the business to be delivered from it. The choice requires through analytics and understanding both the market and the available app development platforms.

For digital marketers, it’s a common problem of users not interacting with a brand like they are supposed to. The job of a UX designer is to bring about the best conditions under which the end audience is sufficiently encouraged to perform a desired action. The core to understanding this lies in the behavioral psychology that initiates the ‘call to action’.

What triggers a change in behavior?

If you are working on a website or an app that is supposed to encourage users to exercise more, you need to look for the core motivations. Psychology provides two ways to achieve this. Extrinsic motivation like money or some kind of reward can do the trick for some. For others, it’s about the enjoyment or a feeling of satisfaction (reaching a goal) and then sharing their accomplishments with their social connections.

The best example of an extrinsic motivation is the Pact App. Users of Pact exercise to earn money and reach health goals. This would work well with the audience group that isn’t self-motivated to exercise. In other words, these are the people who don’t enjoy exercising. On the other hand, websites like Freeletics try to promote exercising by rewarding points to its users. This would be just like a game that comes up with a level of greater difficulty and challenge every time.

So where does UX fit into all this?

It is only by a deeper understanding of the end user and the way they interact with products, can we expect to come up with an interface that delivers value. Personas, the journey of customer experience can become useful tools to capture insights and thus serve as important references in the design process.

What makes a UX design fit for your users?

Generally speaking, people who use apps and websites to do certain kind of activity, ranging from shopping to exercising, follow these cues.

Users don’t want to think or work more than they need to

They will try to do the least to get things done and it’s better to present all necessary information that will build trust and make them ‘take the action’. Marketers also need to focus on affordability presented on the screen. Also, defaults in forms allow people to do less manual work.

Customers/users have their limitations

Users will only embrace as much information they need before they start losing interest. For UX designers, it thus becomes important to provide all the necessary information in a format that is easy to scan and read better.

Mistakes are a part of the process

“Its human to err” and this statement can be very important for UX designers. Designers will need to anticipate what kind of mistakes users might commit and make it easy to rewrite/undo or go back.

Customers are social

Technology has been a great motivator to build relationships, share news, and even encourage buying behavior. UX design should include all this to maximize the effects.

The complicated human memory

We only remember things that we want to. Research also shows that the average human can remember only 3-4 items/tasks at a time. Further, human memory can be fragile and degrade quickly. Only a product and interface worth remembering is carried forward in the journey.

Design is the way we like to interact with the world. The easier it gets, the better can it express and communicate our needs.

Apple has always been in the news for its innovative gadgets and path breaking technologies. Amongst a number of rumors surrounding the release of the second generation Apple watch 2, we are already excited about the launch. While the need to clear off any false notions with regards the watch has become quintessential, we have tried to be thorough about its release date, design, and functionalities.

Coming up – A fascinating new version

 Apple watch 2 is soon to be unveiled personally by Tim Cook himself. This watch has been a hot topic of discussion among tech lovers much before it is due to enter the market. We are definitely expecting some exciting turnabouts but most of the rumors on the internet are just expectations. The watch is definitely promises to have integrated advanced technologies processors which are much better than Apple watch 1.

The rumors surrounding the latest iteration of Apple watch

There are many rumors, but the truth can only be settled after the exact release of the watch. We have sources citing that the Apple watch 2 will have a strong battery which will last for weeks. Rumors surrounding the watch release also suggest that the watch can be expected sometime in March 2016. However, some other sources even suggest that the release date can be postponed till the spring or the end of 2016 and the event in March will focus just around the iPhone 6c. However, there is no definite confirmation on the release date till now.

The interesting features and specifications hoped for in the new watch

By June 2015, an estimated 7 million Apple Watches were sold across the globe. Surveys suggest that the existing Apple users already wish the second iteration to reach in tandem with advanced features of other company’s Smart watches like pebble, having high battery life. We hope this to be fulfilled by the Apple Watch 2.

Apart from that, newer stainless steel Milanese loop straps, face time camera for video calling, and wireless chipset which would allow less dependence on iPhone, are among the many hopes resting on the new watch. Some rumors even suggest a completely new avatar of the Apple Watch 2. Also, newer color palettes could be on this list.

Things that have been confirmed till now are waterproofing, adding GPS system and some other utility features. While native health apps have never been enough, the Apple Watch 2 will have added inbuilt features/ apps which can act as an overall fitness meter, even under water.

To meet the higher expectations, Apple Inc. seems to be working in the direction of making a durable watch with high battery life.  Only time will say how closely the real features will match the rumors. But we can surely expect the best of the technologies to come together!

If you too have been waiting for the release of the Apple Watch 2, this would be the space to watch out for. We will try to dig up anything that comes along the way!

The world is becoming more and more addicted to Smartphones. The variety of unique applications racking up on our devices proves how quickly we are getting hooked onto the technological revolution. User engagement levels are also up and surging like never before, be it about fitness or shopping from the convenience of your home. 5 major developments dominating the scene currently include:

1.     Internet of things leading to creation of apps with an edge

The network connections to a multitude of objects like wearable technology have surged in the modern times. Powered by IoT, wearable technology will grow from a $20 billion market in 2015 to a $70 billion industry by 2025. This has made it necessary for the mobile apps to keep pace with this towering trend. The outstretching imaginations are leading to more and more innovative apps which are beneficial for both commercial and industrial usage.  The smart sensors in the apps will alert and perform a number of useful functions.

2.     Beacon technology- a big leap from the native technology

All iOS users can now get alerts from even the dormant retail store apps as these are woken up by the beacon technology. Whenever customers are physically inside a store, the beacon allows identifying the exact location. If the customer is standing in the jeans section, the message is immediately received by the store app which alerts the customers regarding the discounts on the needed product. This technology is the new profit racking instrument for retailer and the trend will continue into the future.

3.     Craze for building mobile videos in Enterprise Apps

More and more enterprises have sprung up to take advantage of the growing trend in app usage on smaller screen. Hence these apps are leading to excessive profit making for the enterprises. Creative mobile videos have become an important tool for brands and enterprises to reach out. These video ads are no more just meant for the websites; but to directly target customer’s attention clearly on the mobile screens.  The enterprise video market will in fact grow to a $36.84 million industry by 2020. The companies are increasingly seen using multimedia site apps to project their videos ads so as to successfully propagate its image.

4.     The cloud app integration

Millions of apps that have mushroomed on various platforms are becoming very more user friendly with the integration of cloud.  Larger mobile apps are now able to fit in as a small subset of the bigger space, bandwidth and memory availability in the cloud network.

5.     Secured apps are a cut above the rest

The security of the apps has become a serious agenda for all kinds of applications, old and new. Serious competition among brands and businesses has led the need to address any security concerns in the apps at the earliest. While there are about 4 million apps in the major app stores, 75% of them would fall short of passing the basic security tests.  This is directly linked to the credibility of a business and isn’t a thing that can be taken lightly. Developers are thus continuously preparing and updating themselves to meet the expectations.

Mobiles and more specifically smart devices hold our future. As we roll into 2016, smartphones will become the change-bearers.

Ruby on Rails is among the most important and used programming languages and framework used in millions of websites already. More and more websites are shifting towards this language use in the modern times. Being learned and skilled in this language is an added advantage for a web designer to earn gracious salary.  The model view controller pattern applied in this language is hard to master. Hence professionals who have excelled in this difficult but productive web application framework, definitely have their career rolling at a breakneck speed!

Lucrative skill

The graph depiction of number of ruby developers since 2010 clearly suggests an increasing trend proving that this web development language is here to stay. The mind boggling salaries ranging from $70000- $100000 around the world and with quicker and higher raises is definitely driving more towards learning this ‘cash rich’ skill. Professionals skilled at Ruby are a rare bunch and hence attract high demand and less supply. This is also the reason why they are the ones who rule the web development market.

Showcase a Resume with a bright career scope

Like C or Java, Ruby is a general purpose language, although best known for its web programming capabilities. RoR offers several advantages including rapid development, less of coding and a wide resource of 3^rd party libraries. Companies ranging from startups to established multinationals use Ruby to their end. According to the latest (2016) data from indeed.com, Ruby is positioned among the top 10 programming languages, alongside SQL, Java, C#, C++, Python, PHP and iOS. This ensures that a Ruby certification can help you land up in a range of companies and promise a bright career.

Your Career can take off with Ruby on Rails skills

Making a good, secured website is a preliminary SEO requirement. Hence, eradicating any security flaws is the prerogative of the web developers of RoR.  A bachelor in computer science with the technical skills in various web tools including RoR can definitely bring the job seeker in the limelight.

With RoR enjoying a long run (with no indication of slowing down anytime soon), it makes total sense for a newbie in technology domain to master this language and enhance his/ her skillset. Some of the more essential pointers that a new programmer can focus on include the ways to implement upgrades, release codes and also make database changes.

The web applications development can become less intimidating for the people who know Ruby on Rails. Hence, the people who are at any stage of their career can upgrade their skills and add this wonderful tech skill into their CV to get their careers zooming up. The philosophies of this language like ‘don’t repeat yourself’, ‘convention over configuration’ makes it a practical programming language which requires less coding and hence less repetitions unlike other programming software. This makes Ruby a preferable platform for businesses and consequently a winning addition to your CV!