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

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

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

Storage

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

Categorizing & Classification

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

Duration of storage

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

Secure disposal

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

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

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

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

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

The changing programming environment

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

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

Libraries and scripting

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

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

Speed, scale and asynchronicity

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

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

Sesame Street is a New York-based world-renowned NGO which creates famous Sesame Street television series for children. They have an android and web application for children named – ‘Sharing Is Caring’. The game is fun to play and teaches children in the age group of 3-5 years the concepts of sharing. It also encourages children to manage resources efficiently and effectively (spending, saving, sharing) and stresses the concept of dividing in ‘equal parts’ from a whole.

How did GoodWorkLabs help Sesame Street in developing a gaming app? 

GoodWorkLabs is a leading game development agency in India, US, and Europe. They believe in developing interactive mobile and web gaming platforms with engaging UI/UX design. They have immense experience in building futuristic and immersive gaming applications for iOS, android, windows, and web.

While developing the gaming application for Sesame Street, GoodWorks design team used the power of strong visuals and storytelling to create game designs that are interactive, fun, and visually appealing to children. The game was designed for both mobile and website. The team at GoodWorkLabs ensured that the designs accounted for situations that encouraged children to manage resources efficiently and made “sharing” a second-nature for children.

What are the key features of the app? 

• 2D and 3D designs
• Enhanced UI UX for easy to use and understand
• 130+ Sesame Street real-world game ideas
• Integrated with Sesame Street’s Caring for Each Other online resources

During the end-to-end development of this application, we achieved:

• Great response from schools, teachers, and children across the globe
• One of the most successful fun learning application for kids

What technologies did you use to develop this application?

• HTML 5

Download from Android play store or play from Sesame Street website.

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

Release date

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

Marshmallow 6.0 features

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

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

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

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

1.       Platform wars

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

2.       Data quality becoming a priority

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

3.       Cloud technology

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

4.       Focus on app security

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

5.       Wearable technology / Internet of Things (IoT)

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

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

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

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

1.       Beginner friendly

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

2.       Suits MVP

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

3.       Keeps investment under limit

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

4.       Happy to be a developer

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

5.       A great community

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

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

Simplicity

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

Zero cost

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

Great CMS

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

Versatile

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

Elastic, measurable and effective

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

Extensions and other ad-ons

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

Highly supported

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

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

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.