Category Archives: Mobile Development

iPad: The Super Sized Apple

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Have you seen the phones with the gigantic oversized number pad designed to help the elderly read and place calls? In the age of cell phones perhaps they are fewer and far between but I remember my grandmother having one as she grew along in years and had trouble placing calls. I was always amazed by them as a child, I found them comical and almost cartoonish, and for that reason alone as a young boy I was intrigued. The first time I saw the iPad I couldn’t help but think back to that old oversized phone dial.

I confess I’m no expert on the iPad. I’ve never used one, and self admittedly am one of those people who shrugged at Apple’s latest invention without giving it much thought. Honestly, my first reaction was, “It looks like a jumbo-sized iPod Touch.”

And to some extent I suppose I’m correct. Apple’s marketing campaign for the iPad touts it as “the best way to experience the web, email, photos, and video. Hands down.” If you take those core features and add in the capability of music, which the iPad effectively handles as well, you really get a lot of the same features found in the popular iPod Touch on a much larger scale. Apple even uses the same operating platform system for both products, albeit a mildly different version.

However, the iPad has it’s distinctions from it’s pint sized counterpart. Apple also proclaims on the iPad website that you’ll find thousands of apps in the Apple app store specifically designed for the iPad, with more coming every day. Perhaps of the biggest differences between the iPod and iPad can be found in the iPad App Development.

One place the iPod Touch can’t compete with its new big brother is in the application arena. The size and screen area of the iPad make it ideal for handling new applications the iPod would not be effective handling. For example, the iPad borrows from the success of Amazon’s kindle and brings magazine viewing to a whole new arena. It’s really a neat feature which allows readers to obtain and read digital copies of their favorite magazines including Popular Science and many more.

Additionally, iPad Apps Development takes gaming to a whole new level. Thanks to an enlarged viewing area the iPad becomes the perfect device for playing all of your favorite iPod gaming apps and adding exciting new games which wouldn’t play out well on a limited smaller screen. A promising new feature involves using the iPad itself as a steering wheel for racing games, with the onscreen play adjusting to the players motions through the iPad. Very cool indeed.

Although there are a lot of similarities, and the new iPad takes on more than ever before in a format any iPod fan is already used to. Apple has gone above and beyond in distinguishing the iPad and ensuring that iPad Development gives users something distinctive that they will not find from their iPhone or iPod Touch. While it might look like the super sized edition iPod, it seems the iPad has a lot of individuality to offer packed into all that space.

Consider A Career In Web Development

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Despite the thousands of template companies and domain hosts out there telling you it’s easy to create and publish a website in minutes, developing a website is no simple task. In fact, to establish a significant presence on today’s internet a specialized team of web developers and designers is required. Out of the box webpage templates are And because the business world is becoming more and more web-centric Web Development is an excellent career choice for techno-savvy individuals.

Web development loosely describes all the people and steps involved in designing, building, and managing a website. This encompasses everyone from marketing team members, writers, computer programmers, designers, and IT administrators among many others. Because this basic definition is so general in nature, it can be confusing figuring out exactly where a web developers main responsibilities lie.

For the purposes of this article we will break up the web development process into two categories; design and development. It’s also important to note that while each category requires specialized knowledge and expertise, the core functions of a web developer often blend together between the two categories and often times include duties in management and maintenance as well.

Web Design is the first thing most people think of when discussing the web development process. Web designers are the graphic artists of the web world. Web designers are almost entirely rooted in the styling and aesthetic value of a website. The designer’s responsibility is to create a website template that is visually stimulating, pleasant, and easy for the visitor to navigate. The designer is responsible for creating a website which mirrors the look and feel of a given company’s overall marketing and promotion objectives.

Recent industry trends have encouraged distinguishing web design from web development. Where designers function primarily in the realm of form, developers operate almost exclusively in the world of function. Web developers focus primarily on the aspects of coding, building, and maintaining the companies web presence. Often times web developers are also asked to handle most of or all the back end tasks associated with maintaining a website, such as handling the hardware infrastructure, hosting plans, and budgeting associated with publishing web content.

Another career area in development and content which has just begun to gather steam is in the arena of Mobile Development. Mobile development is quickly becoming a specialized and highly desirable career path. Consider that mobile games and applications comprise a $5 billion industry, one which is growing at a breakneck pace. As more and more companies look to cash in on the smart phone trend, they are looking to experienced and innovative mobile developers to help put their company in the hands of millions of consumers daily. There are many mobile applications that are designed to specifically mirror their website counterpart, from social networking sites such as facebook and twitter, to arcade style games like bejewled and minesweeper. And behind every successful mobile application stands a dedicated mobile developer.

If you like computers, design, and problem solving, the wonderful world of web development might just be for you. There is no shortage of careers in web development considering almost every business today has some sort of web presence and in order for businesses to survive in the next century strong web branding is important. There are a number of schools that offer courses and degrees in web development and design and upon graduation the career possibilities are endless. From in-house development and management to outsourced project development and consulting, there’s bound to be a career path that is right for you.

App Development: The iPhone Gold Mine

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At last count there were over 135,000 active applications for the iPhone on iTunes. That’s an impressive number and it’s still growing at a breakneck pace. In fact, it is estimated that a new iPhone application is submitted to iTunes every two in a half minutes. To put it in perspective, by the time you’ve finished reading this article there will be somewhere between two to three new iPhone applications for your enjoyment.

Over 3 billion iPhone applications have been downloaded since the iPhone’s inception. Some projections state that the average iPhone user has between 60 and 70 downloaded applications on their iPhone and the average iPhone user spends roughly $80 on downloads. With 3 billion applications at an average cost of $1.65 per app the financial impact comes out at a staggering $4,950,000,000 of revenue generated. Five billion dollars means iPhone Apps Development is nothing short of a gold mine.

So how do you stake your claim? Like anything else, it takes an innovative idea and know how to start developing third party applications for the iPhone. But if you have an idea for a great new game or widget that can turn your iPhone into a UV index device you could make millions.

That’s what happened to Steve Demeter, creator and developer of the popular iPhone app Trism. After putting his idea into practice Demeter saw Trism become one of the most popular applications on iTunes and with it came a proverbial fortune. Trism made Demeter over $250,000 in it’s first quarter after being released. All in all, Demeter made in the neighborhood of $2 Million from his idea.

iPhone Development is no amateur walk in the park though. To develop and code applications for the iPhone takes a great deal of familiarity and knowledge with Apples iOS operating system. iOS uses the same type of Darwin operating system core found in Apples Mac computers. In order to better assist would be third party developers Apple released a iPhone SDK or software development kit in late 2007 to the public. After paying a developer fee, technological entrepreneurs are free to create, test, and place their applications through Apple’s App Store. Developers are free to set the prices for their applications and in agreement with Apple will receive 70 percent of generated revenue. Meaning, an application with one million downloads at a set price of $1, would net the developer $700,000. Not too shabby for a few months work.

Now let’s say you have an idea for the next big iPhone application but programming is not part of your repertoire. No worries! At one point during development our friend Steve Demeter required assistance collaborating on his project. It was reported that Demeter paid $500 to a contracted designer to assist on the Trism project. There are a number of iPhone App Development companies out there, willing to assist you with your next big hit.

Sourcebits.com has over 200 developers familiar with iOS and certified with iPhones SDK. If you have the idea, they have the know how to develop and code your very own iPhone hit. Whether it’s a cool new game, or a restaurant guide, companies like Sourcebits have the ability to get your idea out of your head and into the hands of millions of iPhone loyalists. And best of all, with each download you’ll be one step closer to your own seven figure bank account.

iGames Equal Big iBusiness

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Just when I went out and bought a new state of the art 50 inch plasma television, along comes OLED and puts me in the dark ages. It seems like every time I finally get around to purchasing the latest must have technology, the next day it’s blown out of the water by the newest counter-option. So I shouldn’t have been all that surprised when I finally traded in my old original iPod for a gleaming new iPod Touch. The next day my wife brought home her new favorite family member, a brand-spanking-new iPhone. Hello darkness my old friend.

So I might be exaggerating a bit. The iPod Touch and iPhone are a lot alike. They’re both based off the same operating system with the major difference being that the Touch lacks the almighty ability to place and receive calls. Outside of this there are really only minor differences. It comes as no surprise that both carry the iTunes mantle extremely well, with an insane amount of room for even the seasoned music collector. The one surprising thing that both do extremely well, much to the enjoyment of my wife and myself, is the gaming options.

iPhone Game Development is big business. By most accounts there are already over 13,000 games and growing available on iTunes for the iPhone and iPod Touch. By comparison the extremely popular, old, Playstation 2 console has a library of around 17,000 or so games. That means the iPhone has seen only roughly 4,000 fewer game options in a matter of roughly three years. This is an incredible feat in and of itself and puts the iPhone on pace to dominate the gaming market by the end of 2010.

It’s not just games that are big business for iPhone. In fact, games development accounts for somewhere around 17 percent of the total iPhone Application Development scene. By my latest guesstimate there are approximately 76,000 assorted applications available for the iPhone. In keeping the comparison between the iPhone application library and PS2 application library, this means the iPhone dwarfs the PS2 by nearly 175 percent. Of course, practically speaking not many Playstation aficionados are looking for an alarm clock application or spell checker game, so in some regards the comparison is skewed.

But that is one of the draws of the iPhone. Outside of being a sleek looking and functional smart phone, the iPhone offers users access to just about anything one can think of. Consider it the ultimate problem solver. Having trouble getting partygoers to mingle and connect? Try a game of virtual spin the bottle. Or for the less adventurous, how about horseshoes? Need a reliable alarm clock in that crummy motel room your company booked for the latest business trip? iPhone has you covered. The possibilities are just about endless.

And for those who have the ultimate game or application in mind there are some great companies out there that specialize in iPhone Games Development. Sourcebits has over 200 engineers on staff to help make your idea into the next most downloaded application on iTunes. If you have the next great idea for a hybrid organic recipe/pedometer app, why not turn to the pros to help design and develop your million dollar idea. Until then, grab an iPhone or iPod Touch and test your skills on one of the thousands of apps and games already available.

Blackberry Development in the Mobile Marketplace

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Smartphones like the popular Blackberry brand mobile devices are indispensable tools used by millions of businesses and consumers alike. Blackberry was launched in 1999 and introduced its first smartphone to the world in 2002 which offered integrated features such as calling, texting, e-mailing, web browsing and much more. Research in Motion (RIM) owns Blackberry and the devices are considered to be some of the best smartphones ever made. More and more people are buying and carrying these hand-held computer phones these days due to how innovative and easy to use they are. The rise in popularity of the Blackberry phones has led many businesses to become interested in Blackberry Development that creates customized apps for this smartphone that is enjoying a 55% market share in North America.

The mobile movement is in its infancy now so if you want to be a part of the next wave of mobile development you should consider getting involved in Blackberry development. It was not too long ago that just the mention of Mobile Development would make most developers cringe. However, with the Blackberry platform, there are no new languages to learn so developers can take the programming knowledge they have now to create amazing apps that are sure to impress users.

It is essential that a developer has a thorough understanding of the features and capabilities of the Blackberry platform in order to succeed at building useful, effective and efficient applications. This platform features some unique capabilities that takes a lot of the work out of developing apps. Blackberry offers the Developer Zone on its website which is the place to get tools, resources and information to develop, test and distribute for the Blackberry application platform.

Most business owners who wish to get involved with Blackberry development in the mobile marketplace hire a company to do the work for them. The best company will build cost effective applications to enhance connectivity and which render rich, multimedia user experiences. Great applications are scalable, sport a high level of functionality and have on-board security features to give something of value to the user. These apps are custom made to fit the business and a wide range of applications can be created ranging from business apps like organizational tools, schedulers, connectivity apps to humorous and interactive mobile gaming experiences.

The cost of Blackberry Development has decreased over the past couple of years. It is no longer necessary to spend any money in order to access the SDK and most of the application development can be done without having an actual device in your possession. Once a Blackberry application is completed it should be signed. This allows the developer to access restricted APIs on the device and it also prevents the user from having to look at annoying pop-ups when running your app. Distributing a new app can be done independently or it can be sold through RIM’s Blackberry App World which requires that an account be set up for the cost of $200.

How to Get Started in Android Game Development

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If you would like to develop a game for the Android OS, there is quite a bit you need to familiarize yourself with. It should not be too difficult for you to move into the mobile platform if you have some previous experience with game development as you will probably just need to learn the API and the architecture. However, if you are a beginner you will need to have a bit of knowledge about Android Game Development so that the process is a smooth one.

The Android platform is Java-based and because Java is widely accepted and a much easier language to understand than C++, your Android Application Development endeavors will not be so difficult for you to undertake. Google has done an outstanding job with documenting the API and gives many examples to use. These examples are called API Demos and there is one for nearly every one of the APIs. The experienced developer who is already familiar with Java should be able to get an app up and running with little trouble but if you are a novice you have a bit to learn as you go forward.

The first step involved in Android Games Development is to get the SDK or software development kit made for Android. Many experts tell the beginner to use Eclipse. Instead of jumping into the task feet first, you should be sure to take the time to familiarize yourself with the Android application architecture. If you neglect to do so, you may design things in a way that will make it hard to repair future problems the game may have. Take the time to understand Activities, Intents and Applications and pay particular attention to comprehending why it is important to design a game that offers users a dynamic, innovative and pleasant experience.

Every solid Android games development plan starts with deciding on what type of game you are going to make. Will you go 2D or 3D? Those games that are 2D are easier to learn to develop and tend to perform better. If you wish to go with 3D, you should know that you will need to use more mathematical skills and these games tend to have some performance-related issues as well. Your goal should be to make your game responsive and smooth. Even the best games are not fun to play if they do not perform well and consumers have little patience when it comes to playing games that involves a lot of breaks in the action. If you do not feel that you have the skills necessary to create your game you should not hesitate to seek the help of an Android development specialist who can design it for you and get it up and running.

If you do decide to hire a Android development company to work on creating your game, be sure to check references and credentials. Take the time to look at and play other games they have been responsible for making so that you see if these games run smoothly and if they were made to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. Remember that there is a whole lot of competition out there and that users will simply ditch your game if they find the experience boring, frustrating or buggy. The key to creating a successful game for Android is to test and retest the game to be sure that everything runs as you expect it to. Tweaking the game takes a lot of time but if done right, you should be happy with what you have created.

Android Apps Development Made Easier Thanks to App Inventor

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By now surely you are aware of Google’s operating system for mobile devices that is called Android. This OS is based upon the Linux kernel and GNU software. Recent studies have shown that unit sales for Android operating system-enabled smartphones ranked in the top spot among all smartphone OS handsets that have been sold in the United States during the second quarter of 2010, at 33%. Coming in second is the Blackberry operating system with 28% and iOS ranking third at 22%.

There are a great many Android Development specialists at work today who are creating apps for the handheld devices that feature the Google-owned operating system. There are now more than 100,000 apps available for download with more being submitted for approval on an on-going basis. Originally, only free apps were supported but paid-for applications have been available in the Android market since early 2009 which has resulted in a fast expansion of the marketplace.

Android Apps Development was recently made a bit easier for novice developers when Google unveiled the App Inventor which was specifically designed for their operating system. The App Inventor provides access to Android-enabled devices’ global positioning systems, accelerometer, phone functions, text messaging, speech to text conversion, web services and contact data. There is absolutely no programming knowledge required to use App Inventor because instead of writing codes you design your app visually and use blocks to specify the app’s behavior. There are blocks available that allow you to store information, for repeating actions and blocks designed to perform actions only under certain conditions. There are even blocks that can be used to connect directly with online services such as Twitter.

Considering the fact that this is an open development platform, those involved in Android App Development have the chance to build very rich and innovative applications. Developers are free to take advantage of the hardware, access location information and run background services, add notifications to the status bar and a whole lot more. The same framework APIs used by the core applications are fully accessible to developers.

Due to the fact that App Inventor lets you access a GPS location sensor, you are able to build applications that know where you are located. You can design and build an application that helps you to find your parked car and an app that shows you the location of your friends or colleagues for example. Using the phone feature of an Android-enabled smartphone allows you to write an app that sends out a customized text to whoever you want or an app that automatically texts messages to them that you are busy with work for example. Your incoming texts can even be read aloud to you if you wish.

There is a definite shift happening concerning the way that people use their mobile devices. As people become more comfortable accessing the mobile web, Google wants to help them create applications that allows them to engage the mobile space as developers, even if they have little or no programming skills. App Inventor is still in beta form and so far it is allowing us to do all this that Google promises. This tool has been found to be useful by educators who are trying to help students become the creators of technology instead of only consumers.

iPad Application Development – What is Involved and What’s Important

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The iPad is one of Apple Corporation’s newest devices which was released for sale in April of 2010. This highly anticipated tablet meets the needs of those users who want an e-book reader as well as a compact computer. The iPad offers an innovative touchscreen, flexible orientation and a wide variety of applications that make the device unlike any other on the market today. The iPad is Apple’s latest sensation and its popularity is sweeping the globe as more and more residents in many different countries are being provided the opportunity to purchase this clever device.

iPad Application Development is being undertaken by many developers and programmers who are interested in making special apps just for the iPad. The iPad does come equipped with several applications that the iPhone and iPod Touch users are familiar with. These include iTunes, Notes, Calendar, Contacts, Photos, Videos, Mail and Maps. The new tablet offers people the chance to create applications and sell them in the online App Store run by Apple. All revenue generated through the sale of approved apps are divided between the owner of the individual application and Apple itself, with the owner receiving seventy percent and Apple getting thirty.

Ipad apps development specialists are creating applications specifically for the device that makes use of it’s large 9.7 inch screen. Apple has released a software development toolkit that developers can use to create these apps with. For the business owner who does not possess software development skills, they can still take have applications developed for the new tablet by hiring a company to do the work for them. In order for this to be done efficiently and in a cost effective manner, it is imperative to hire a reputable and talented company that will manage the entire iPad application development process from start to finish.

Any business owner that wishes to go ahead and get in on the iPad Development for applications arena should consider creating a mock-up of the application they would like developed. Comprehensive market analysis should also be done on the app to see what the competition consists of, the price of similarly constructed apps and the targeted users.

It is imperative that business owners know that there is a great deal of competition in the App Store as there are hundreds of thousands of apps for sale. Therefore a full-scale and aggressive marketing campaign should be launched using social network sites and YouTube so that as many people as possible are made aware of the new app. A sound marketing approach for any iPad Apps Development is crucial and should also include an incentive or two such as advertising that the application is available in a lite or condensed version which is free. This is a good way to drive prospective users to the app and it can also create a buzz online which is great from a marketing standpoint. Pricing of the full version should be done with care as most applications at the App Store cost just a few dollars. Overpricing the app is never a good idea as it will inevitably mean that many users will simply pass it by and go on and buy a cheaper app that is similar to the expensive one.

Jump on the iPad Development Band Wagon and Enjoy the Ride!

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Apple’s iPad Development was very highly anticipated and it created a spectacular buzz both offline and across the internet as consumers eagerly awaited word on just what this tablet computer had to offer. In fact, we have not witnessed such a stir over the release of a new device quite like this since the introduction of the Apple iPhone back in June of 2007. Apple sold more than 2 million iPad units in just the first two months of the device’s launch in April 2010. The iPad can be used to send emails, surf the web, draw pictures and play games. It can also be used as an e-book reader. This summer, Apple began to sell the iPad in Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. The company says that the device will be available to additional countries later in 2010.

Apple’s iPad development has led to this tablet being featured in magazines and newspapers. It is on the television and radio and on buses and billboard the world over. This incredibly hot new touchscreen tablet is Apple’s runaway hit. Naturally, most iPhone app developers are looking to take the next step by moving into the iPad Apps Development arena. There are currently over 225,000 apps in Apple’s App Store and the iPad can run most of these existing apps without any modifications which means that iPad users have immediate access to the vast offering of applications. However, due to the fact that the iPad is a completely different beast than the iPhone you have the opportunity to take advantage of its unique form factor and capabilities when creating applications that users want and will welcome.

If you are interested in iPad App Development you should first be aware of who is using this device the most. The majority of iPad users are aged between thirty and fifty-four. Most are successful males who are interested in having functional tools to use to enhance their productivity and business applications. Ipad users are next most interested in news, games and utilities. Another important aspect of iPad app development is to understand and know that the iPad offers a different environment than the iPhone as the screen is much larger, a fact that you will want to take advantage of in order to enrich your application. The iPad also offers a split view which allows you to show your content in two separate panels, side by side.

A successful iPad app is one that is very visually appealing with high resolution graphics and realistic touches on the large and interactive screen. It is important to offer users well designed tools and to reproduce real-life objects and scenes which will increase user engagement. If you do not consider yourself to be particularly talented in design, then you may wish to consider hiring a company to handle the iPad app development for you. The time is now to get the ball rolling on that idea you have for an app which specifically targets the iPad using its big screen and powerful processor. The chance to compete directly with other app developers fell away quickly with the iPhone so you should take this lesson and get busy now working with a iPad app development company who can turn your idea into a reality.

The Making of an iPhone Game

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Even in a poor economy, Apple’s App Store is experiencing remarkable growth. The iPhone is now being marketed not only as an web-enabled phone but also as a game playing device as it is well suited for new and innovative gaming experiences. If you happen to have an idea for a game but you wish to have a third party developer do the work, you should hire an iPhone Game Development company that will work with your idea to turn it into a reality.

Half of the battle of iPhone Games Development is creating the game itself. The other half consists of getting your game noticed among the thousands of others in Apple’s App Store. It is recommended that awareness of the game be done through YouTube, social networks and other Web 2.0 channels. The ultimate goal is to get your game into Apple’s top 100 apps because once there, it gains self-sustaining momentum. Apple generously gives 70% of all revenue from the apps in the store to the owners of the applications while they keep the other 30%. This means that there is a tremendous amount of potential for making a good sum of money from the sale of just one highly successful and popular game when yours is among the best in the entire App Store.

By hiring an iPhone Application Development company that is experienced in creating games for the Apple platform, you will be working with a team of experts consisting of designers, artists and programmers who all work together with your idea to create a game that is aesthetically pleasing, challenging and fun to play. A successful game is one that offers intuitive game play without frustrating users to the point where they will not play the game. Also, the best game includes instructions as it is found that nearly half of all iPhone game players do indeed access the instructions at one time or another. However, this figure can vary depending upon your target audience as teenage boys are very unlikely to read instructions, which means you had better offer a game that is intuitive for this group of users because they make up a big chunk of the iPhone gaming audience.

The best iPhone games development company will know that the difficulty of the game should not be ramped up too quickly because this could scare off users. When people find that levels of a game are too difficult to beat, they tend to quit playing the game all together, and this is what you will want to avoid at all costs. It is also important to consider having the iPhone game development company create a Lite version of your game that people can play for free. There are just so many games out there today for people to buy that it only makes sense that most users want the opportunity to try out a game before purchasing it even though most iPhone games only cost a few dollars. By offering a Lite version, you may find that many of the users will indeed go ahead and click on your ‘Buy’ button.

It is highly satisfying to come up an idea for a game and to see it develop from just a few thoughts into a very successful game that thousands of iPhone users are playing and enjoying on a daily basis. The top-rated iPhone Game Development companies out there today know that it takes three essential things to make a game a hit: audience appeal, quality of execution and innovation. The aim is to have a game that offers a universal appeal and one that has a lot of ‘polish’ or an impressive element of innovation and which was optimized to offer the user an aesthetically-pleasing, smooth, challenging and bug-free experience.