Category: Technology

Cracking iOS: A Beginner’s Guide to Designing Apps for Apple Devices

March 5, 2012

If one were to consider various platforms available for developing applications for mobile devices, there possibly couldn’t have been a better time. Industry research firm Gartner revelled that Apple overtook Samsung in the number of Smartphoens sold. Though Android has overtaken the figures of iPhones sold, one must remember that Android phones are sold by several companies while iOS devices are sold only by Apple. Developers stand to gain more than anyone else when they develop apps for iOS devices. iOS 5 iOS 5 is the current version of Apple’s famed mobile operating system, and the one which developers need to know very well. It offers more than 200 new features if compared with iOS 4. What really have changed in the current version are the notifications. Earlier, notifications would disrupt running applications and that did not go very well with a lot of users. Notification Centre allows users to drag from the top of the screen and see all the notifications that need to be attended to. It is rather similar to how notifications work on Android devices, but more polished and sleek. iCloud lets users sync all their data across Apple devices with the help of the cloud. Apart from these two important features, iOS 5 features deeper Twitter integration, better camera applications and a host of other features that developers must know. Developing Applications for Apple Devices In order to develop apps for iOS ecosystem, developers would need to have some amount of objective C understanding. While it is not actually necessary, knowing C language can help developers a lot. Designing applications for the iOS platform requires one to jot down the plan, engaging in coding and finally publishing the application on the App Store. Administrative Tasks While Developing Apps Much of the time would be spent in coding but a developer would also have to perform a number of administrative tasks. While juggling between administrative tasks and coding can be done by just one person, some people choose to work as a development team. Administrative tasks are usually carried out at the beginning and end of application development. The person who signs an agreement with Apple in order to become an Apple developer is also known as the team agent, and bears legal responsibility for the team, and for the application. Maintaining Quality of Apps Unlike other platforms, the applications that are available on the App Store are carefully curated by Apple. Thus, an application must be approved by Apple before it can be published on the App Store. While this may mean stringent measures employed to maintain quality, it also means that the end product is flawless. Apple also requires developers to engage in code signing, which makes an application’s code resistant to malicious tampering. Talking about coding, much of the time of a developer is spent in Xcode. Xcode brings user interface, debugging and coding under its umbrella and developers would use it until an app is published. Developing Applications for iOS 5 With iOS 5 running on most Apple devices now, developers must keep in mind the higher screen resolution and iCloud. Higher screen resolution and retina display provide crystal clarity screens and thus developers need to keep that in mind while designing applications. An app that is designed for a lower resolution will not look good on newer iOS devices. iCloud allows app data to be synced across all the iOS devices a person may use. This means an application that’s used on iPhone may also be used on the iPad, and when a user switches from one device to the other, the data too is transported in real time. This would affect the design of UI layers and data models. Apple applications are known for their performance and lack of bugs. Such performance is possible only because Apple requires developers to tune their applications for performance. Apps must not degrade battery life of devices, must not crash often and must remain responsive even at times of duress. Developing applications for Apple devices can ensure digital fame and success, which naturally translates into wealth. However, app developers must bear in mind that Apple places stringent rules and quality standards in order to approve applications. While this can sound intimidating to developers, it is perhaps the reason why consumers choose Apple devices to others.

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Cross Platform Mobile App Development

March 1, 2012

Recently I switched from iPhone to Nexus S. This was a major transition as I moved away from iOS to Android. There were few Apps and Games which I liked a lot in my iPhone and naturally after I started using my Nexus S, I tried searching for those Apps and Games in Android Market, as I never wanted to be departed from those. Like me there are many such users who have a similar instinct. I was surprised to find the exact same games and Apps for Android as I was using in my iPhone. This made me more inquisitive to find out how these little things are developed to provide the same user experience and feel in various platforms. Generally the marketplace for any Smart Phone platform contains the native apps for those platforms. And these native Apps are notoriously known to have compatible issues. So any native App developed for one platform will work only in that platform. So in order to have same Apps or Games available in all the Smart Phone platforms same App needs to be developed separately for each platform. This is not only time consuming but also requires additional overheads. To address this, another category of App called Hybrid Apps took birth. The Hybrid Apps successfully bridged the gap between Native App and Web App and also solved the major issue of cross platform compatibility. Cross Platform App development methodology As technology is constantly evolving, we have a plethora of tools and frameworks at our expense to build real cross platform applications which can even access most of the native features of the device in which it will run. One such technique of building cross platform mobile app is called cross compilation. The framework used in this process provides a platform independent API using dynamic languages like JavaScript, Python or Ruby. This API is used to build the mobile application. The code is then processed by a cross compiler which transforms it into platform specific native app based upon the target platform. The applications developed in this way are faster and can access most of the native features of the device like camera, GPS etc. Another method in which we can develop cross platform application is by using the virtual machine technique. In this method, the framework used will provide an API as well as the runtime environment for the app. The main disadvantage of this method is slower performance. Another more popular but less powerful method is building mobile web app using HTML5 and CSS3. The powerful nature of HTML5 and CSS3 let us build apps that gives almost similar user experience like a native app. Usage of JavaScript framework like Sencha Touch can take this approach further. Cross Platform Frameworks There are lots of cross platform framework available, few of them with Open Source license and few with commercial license. Some are quite powerful and some are there just for the sake of it’s existence. The most widely used and popular among them are PhoneGaap, Appaccelerator Titanium, Rhodes, Adobe Air, Sencha Touch, Jquery Mobile etc. PhoneGap PhoneGap is the most popular framework to create Cross Platform application easily. It leverages the power of standard web technology like HTML, CSS and JavaScript to build native applications. It is popular because of it’s flexibility, ease of use and open source nature. PhoneGap uses the web approach for app development using HTML, CSS and JavaScript and run on a mobile browser embedded on a thin native App wrapper available for all supported platform e.g. iOS, Android, Blackberry, Web OS, Symbian and Windows Mobile 6.5. The native device features are accessed via a device independent JavaScript API. PhoneGap lacks support for native UI components and dev tools. But it can be used with other UI reach libraries like Sencha Touch and JQuery Mobile to provide superior User Experience. The table below shows which device features PhoneGap can access under different platform. Titanium Titanium is used for both cross platform mobile application development as well as development of desktop application. It is based on the cross compilation technique we discussed above. Before the launch of Titanium mobile SDK the cross platform mobile app was a distant dream and the only way was to create same app for different platform was rebuilding the complete app from scratch for different platform. So Titanium is the pioneer in cross platform mobile app development technology. Titanium mobile SDK supports over 5000 UI elements and hardware controls thus gives a superior user experience and gives a truly native app. Titanium is currently supported under the two most widely used platform iOS and Android and support for blackberry will be introduced soon (currently in beta). The primary advantage is much faster performance, ease of use and built in UI elements and the disadvantage is, it currently supports only a few platforms. The table below shows access to device native features under different mobile OS platform for Titanium. Rhodes Rhodes framework is based on the virtual machine technique of building cross platform mobile app. This provides a complete toolbox for developing end to end cross platform mobile apps. It uses Ruby to build the business logic and the UI is coded in HTML, CSS and JavaScript. This provides a templating language which helps in building portable UI. It uses JQTouch to provide animation capability in webkit based browser as well as native feel. Rhodes framework is supported under iOS, Android, Windows Mobile 6.5, Blackberry and Symbian. Main disadvantage of Rhodes is any update in the code requires a complete rebuild. It uses a not so popular programming language so popularity is less. The table below shows access to device native features under different mobile OS platform for Rhodes. Sencha Touch Sencha Touch is world’s first cross platform JavaScript framework for developing mobile web app. It leverages the power of HTML5, CSS3 and JavScript to give superior App that gives the look and feel of native app. Sencha Touch is based on

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Photoshop: To Skip or Not to Skip?

February 28, 2012

Web designers can be roughly classified into two groups: The first group chooses to translate ideas and sketches into Photoshop, and then design the website in HTML and CSS. The second group directly dives into HTML and CSS by skipping the option of working with Photoshop. There are arguments to support both the choices and it is difficult to conclude which could be a better way to design websites. In truth, each client must be considered individually and depending on the kind of project that the designer has to tackle, an appropriate method can be chosen. Why Skipping Photoshop May Be Necessary Web designers who choose to directly work with HTML and CSS after initial sketches do so successfully, and have several arguments to back their decision. Photoshop Is Static A Photoshop mock-up is static, and can’t easily be edited, updated and changed as and when it may be required. One would have to make changes to the original Photoshop file, and then upload the file through FTP servers in order to make the changes available real time. A website that has been designed entirely in HTML and CSS can be edited and changed very easily. In a content-rich world where one uses a lot of text, using HTML and CSS could be a better way to design websites than diving into the complex world that Photoshop presents us with. Working with typography is always easier on an HTML website. Photoshop Is Complex HTML and CSS based websites are minimalistic in nature and are best suited for those websites that are text-heavy and dynamic. Websites that use only HTML and CS allow more interactivity and team-work. It is easy for coders and web designers to maintain sites that make use of only HTML as codes can be written, rewritten or altered in a matter of seconds to minutes. HTML websites also allow for more accurate feedback instantly. Using Photoshop Always May Not Be Economical Content-driven websites rely heavily upon linking, and it is not possible to link Photoshop mock-ups as easily as HTML-based websites can be. Photoshop gives prominence to details and production of a website, and can be very important when designing feature-rich websites that incorporate layers, textures, colours and designs. However, much time and effort, and valuable money is spent unnecessarily when web designers choose to work with Photoshop and then use HTML and CSS. HTML and CSS Are Simple, Interactive and Easy to Edit Thus, by skipping Photoshop web designers can make sure that the websites are more interactive in nature and that they are text-friendly. Making changes to the layout, editing, and reformatting websites can be extremely easy when one chooses to work with HTML and CSS. HTML and CSS websites provide the simplicity that many clients have begun to love, and there is nothing wrong with websites that are not complex to handle. Sometimes, Photoshop Can’t Be Skipped At the same time, one cannot dismiss Photoshop. It offers the most complex and most detailed tools to design static pages, and layouts which are simply not possible with HTML and CSS. The minimalism and simplicity that HTML and CSS offer may not be well-suited for websites that require rich-graphics, colors and images. Thus, Photoshop-based websites are better suited when clients specifically require feature-rich websites that are eye-candy. Using Photoshop is very important while designing websites for fashion, luxury, entertainment and art. Though web designers stand to save time and effort when they choose to use only HTML and CSS, but such websites are best suited for clients who need webpage that are text-driven, and seek minimalist and simplistic layouts. Skipping or Not Skipping Photoshop Depends on the Context At the end of the day, skipping Photoshop or relying heavily upon it are not mutually exclusive. Regardless of what web designers prefer using, it is important to be at ease with designing websites that do not need Photoshop, and also that which need this wonderful tool. It is as simple as assuming that certain kinds of websites do better with Photoshop and certain kinds of websites just do not need it. Depending on the context, content, target audience and maintenance goals of a website, the choice of skipping or not skipping Photoshop must be made. This article has been contributed by the Indus Net Technologies Web Design team, based on experience of few team members, while they produced websites for our numerous clients.

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Windows Mobile 7.5 App Development – An Introduction

February 28, 2012

Much talk related to mobile OS is still limited to iOS and Android, and occasionally, RIM’s BlackBerry OS pops in. However, one needs to remember that Microsoft’s Windows Phone is a serious contender that might give the other three operating systems a run for their money. A note of caution: Windows Phone is the successor to Microsoft’s Windows Mobile platform and the devices that run on Windows Mobile are not compatible with apps designed for Windows Phone. App developers would stand to gain if they concentrated more on the current version of Windows Phone. Developing Applications for Windows Mobile Devices In order to develop applications for Windows Phone devices, one would need to be familiar with Visual Studio. The tools that developers need in order to develop applications are Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone, Windows Phone Emulator Resources, XNA Game Studio and Expression Blend. Developers would also gain if they had access to previous samples, documentation, guides and the ever-supportive Windows community. Windows Phone 7.5 makes use of the cloud similar to Apple. Microsoft understands that people tend to use several devices including but not limited to computers, smartphones and tablets. Thus, the latest Windows Mobile OS aims to make use of the cloud and much of the data would be available on all the devices connected to a person’s account. What Windows Mobile Offers to Consumers The first version of Windows Phone 7 was released in 2010 and a year later, Windows Phone 7.5, codenamed Mango appeared as well. Windows Mobile is equipped with the latest features but has very few devices that run on it. Nokia Lumia is one of the models that run on Windows Mobile 7.5. Windows Mobile is radically different from its predecessor and has an impressive speed. Mobile devices that run Windows Phone come with the Metro interface, which is offered by Microsoft. Metro integrates the OS with third party services and also controls the phone’s hardware. Windows Mobile 7.5 offers live tiles on the homescreen, unlike apps on iOS or widgets on a device running Android. Devices that run on Windows Mobile 7.5 visualize the homescreen as a large canvas, where one can have their favourite contacts or apps as singular tiles. The tiles would then be updated real time. This is a fresh approach to interface design. The latest update integrates multi-tasking in a nifty manner and social integration is quite intuitive as well. For instance, pictures can be tweeted right from the gallery. Productivity and Functionality of Windows Mobile OS Of course, being a Windows phone, the Windows Mobile 7.5 device would offer more productivity than any other OS, and it syncs contacts, emails and calendars from one’s Google or Live account. The very fact that Microsoft Office can be used in its native ecosystem makes it particularly attractive to enterprise users. As developers, there are a number of ways in which one could utilize the tools offered by Microsoft. For instance, developers can look forward to being part of a growing ecosystem, which received rave reviews at the CES 2012. However, developers need to remember that though Windows Mobile 7.5 is attractive and is a top-notch OS, consumers have been slow to adapt. While it may not be advisable to look away from Windows Mobile ecosystem, but it definitely demands patience. Therefore, in our opinion, this should be prioritized after Android, iOS and Blackberry. However, it may move the third position very soon if Blackberry continue to decline in popularity. The Future of Windows Mobile While iOS and Android clearly dominate the market, and RIM’s BlackBerry devices are struggling to save their North American market, Windows Mobile 7.5 is not usually spoken about in the media. However, that does not mean developers must ignore or forget this unique but promising operating system. At the moment, Windows Mobile 7.5 is top-notch and everything in the bundle works just fine. However, the OS is lacking in the application realm. A reason for this can be the entry level cost of buying Visual Studio by prospective developers. The development tools of competing products are far cheaper, if not free. This somehow causes a negative impact on the developer ecosystem. Therefore, we are back to the “War of Operating Systems” again. The difference being – Microsoft is the challenger to Apple and Google instead the other way around! This is the beauty of technology business – you skip a beat and the game is reversed. BTW, If you have an app in iOS or Android and you wish to port the same to Windoes Mobile 7.5, feel free to drop us a line and we will be happy to connect you with our mobile consulting team.

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Introduction to Android OS

February 27, 2012

Until Android gained the wide spectrum of mobile consumers it has today, Apple’s iOS and BlackBerry OS were the major operating systems used to run Smartphones. In early 2012, one could safely conclude that Android has not only moved ahead of BlackBerry, but is also more widely used than iOS devices. Thus, app developers have a lot to gain if they learned how to develop applications for Android devices. Introducing Android Environment to App Developers Android is based on Linux V2.6 kernel and is a complete OS ecosystem. While initially it was meant to be a low-cost OS for smartphones and flip-phone devices, it has grown into a mobile OS juggernaut that has practically gobbled a huge market share. Android offers rich functional support and a full range of computing services which allow devices that run on Android to do much more than stripped down-versions of mobile operating systems. Android Can Play Both Ways: Consumer and Enterprise-centric Devices Android has the capacity to please both consumers who like to play and enterprise users who need a lot of work done efficiently and securely. The first smartphone to run on Android was G1, manufactured by HTC with T-Mobile serving as the carrier. The Android platform is much more complicated than iOS and features layered environment built upon Linux kernel. Android’s UI subsystem features windows, views and widgets for displaying drop-down lists, edit boxes etc. Faster Connectivity and Rich Graphics Android phones offer excellent connectivity options and there already are many Android-running smartphones that support LTE-4G networks. Thanks to the built in 2D and 3D graphics, playing video games and running media-rich applications are easier, when compared to other platforms which rely on text more than graphics. What One Needs to Know Before Development Developing Android applications requires knowledge of Java along with other software skills. Android applications run within the Dalvik Virtual Machine. Activities are begun when a user launches an application from the home screen or app launcher, thanks to the visible UI. Android also checks for updates and monitors your network as part of its services. Android can handle multi-tasking and switch between applications with relative ease. In order to develop Android applications one would need to download the Android SDK and the Eclipse IDE. One can use Linux, Windows or Mac computers to develop applications. Android Is Versatile Some of the advantages of the Android platforms are room for customization, rich features, security and ability to debug easily, and a complex and layered environment that allows innovation in development of applications. Android also runs on non-mobile household devices like ovens, Air-conditioners and even refrigerators for which applications can be developed. These Android apps can be used to control a device and the way it functions with the help of touchscreens. Android is increasingly being used on such household devices and when these devices connect to the Internet over Wi-Fi, they offer increased interaction and customizability. What Is Unique about Android OS While Android is Google’s flagship OS and is well received by enterprises and consumers, it lacks the simplicity, minimalist and intuitiveness offered by iOS 5. Nevertheless, being an open source OS, it is easier for developers to design applications for the Android ecosystem than for BlackBerry OS or for iOS. The very fact that an Android application which has just been developed cannot be reviewed by specialists leaves room for errors. Nevertheless, by sticking to well-accepted protocols and by adapting stringent quality controls, Android applications can prove to be more interactive and feature-rich than apps that run on other OS. Developing for Android Smartphones and Tablets As more people begun to replace their tablets, laptops and even desktops with smartphones, it becomes increasingly important for developers to have a presence on all the important mobile operating systems. Moreover, the tablet market is growing too, and applications designed for smartphones should be able to run on tablets as well. Android tablets have begun to carve out a niche for themselves, and many enterprise users have begun to use them too. Thus, app developers must keep both smartphones and tablets in mind. Thus, the future looks bright for Android developers as the market share of Android devices will only increase. Note: Indus Net Technologies Mobile Development team works on Android. If you want to develop an app from scratch or port an existing iOS or BlackBerry app to Android platform to take advantage of its explosive growth, drop us an email to info@indusnet.co.in or visit http://www.indusnet.co.in/mobile/

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10 Tips for Optimizing Your Website For SmartPhones

February 7, 2012

A new research by Canalys revealed that global smartphone shipments overtook client PC sales. More people bought smartphones that ran on iOS, Android, BlackBerry OS and Windows Mobile OS than they bought personal computers in the form of desktops, laptops, netbooks and tablets. This leads one to believe that Internet traffic will be driven by smartphone users and websites need to be mobile device optimized now, more than ever in the past. Until now, web designers concentrated on designing websites that were well-suited to open flawlessly on major browsers. With the increase in smartphone-driven Internet traffic, web designers need to make that webpages are compatible with different mobile devices that run on complex mobile operating systems. Thus, mobile development is cross-platform and cross-browser at the same time. With serious bandwidth, screen-size, platform and interface deficits, mobile devices present challenges that were unknown to web designers of yesteryears. Here are 10 important aspects to keep in mind, while optimizing webpages for smartphones. Precision of Content Precision of content is an important feature a web designer must keep in mind while designing mobile-optimized websites. Reduced screen size and lower resolutions mean that each pixel is valuable and only relevant content must be optimized. Low priority content can be hidden or removed altogether. Images and videos must be optimized to suit a small screen and content must be very focused. Horizontal scrolling must be avoided and as much as possible, vertical scrolling must be used. Single Column Layouts As the screen size is reduced, users would have to skewer their eyes in order to be able to read text comfortably. Even when the text can be maximized and increased in size with the help of zoom, users would not like it when content appears in two or more columns. Thus, it is very important that vertical scrolling and single column formats are adopted. Interface and Navigation An intuitive mobile website renders information in the least confusing manner and the lowest number of clicks and taps possible. Making sure that there is always a search box near the logo on the landing page allows users to type keywords and retrieve information intuitively. Curtailing Text-entry  Dropdown menus are always preferable to keying in text. Pre-fill options, automated input using GPS and suggestive options help in creating intuitive websites. Parallel Versions of Mobile Websites While most smartphones today have a good resolution above 480 x 800, there are older cellphones which have screen resolutions of 128 x 160 pixels. A mobile website that is designed for a larger resolution screen will never look tidy or synchronized on a screen with a smaller resolution. As a designer, one may have to design parallel versions of mobile websites for lower and mid-level resolution screens. Touchscreen and Non-touchscreen Devices With an increasing number of people using touchscreen-only devices, web designers might be tempted to design sites that are touch-optimized. Doing so would alienate users that still use certain models of smartphones by BlackBerry and other companies, which sometimes have QWERTY keypads and no touchscreens. Location Tracking Optimizing a website to track a user’s location can give valuable information to owners of the website. This information is usually used to help users discover things and people nearby that matter to them. It may also help in driving contextual content to a user’s screen. Communication It is important to make sure that communication takes place effectively and intuitively in fewer numbers of clicks and taps. Telephone numbers on the websites must be enabled to be dialed directly, and clicking on email addresses should direct the user to email applications within the smartphone. Social Media With the advent of social media, website designers should design sites in such a way that content can be shared across Twitter, Facebook, Google+ Tumblr, Reddit and other social bookmarking and networking sites. Minimalism A web designer must always try to keep information, content, media and even design to the bare minimum. When there is very little real estate available, space is very valuable and that is just the case in mobile websites. As of December 2011, Android devices held 47.3% of market share, Apple’s iOS held 29.6% of market share, RIM’s BlackBerry OS a share of 16%, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile has a market share of 4.7% and only 1.4% of smartphone users used a Symbian device. Web designers would however need to keep in mind that all of these operating systems are equally important and while designing a website, one must optimize sites for every major platform. We, at Indus Net Technologies can help you optimize your website for smartphones or develop one from scratch. You can get in touch with one of our consultants at info@indusnet.co.in or http://www.indusnet.co.in/mobile/

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native-vs-webapp

Pros & Cons of Mobile Apps (aka Native Apps) vs Web Apps

February 7, 2012

Looking into the phenomenal growth of mobile browsing, businesses are shifting their focus to mobile web. Their overall web strategy is gradually leaning towards mobile web. However depending upon the business the mobile strategy will vary. For example a business related to selling products like Amazon or Ebay will have a different strategy then a business offering news to the readers. Whatever be the business, the bigger question while creating mobile strategy is whether to use open standards like HTML, CSS and JavaScript to build the Mobile site or build it as a native Mobile App for the device you are targeting. To start with both Mobile Web App and Native App have their pros and cons. So before you start building the application a thorough evaluation is essential. Difference between Web Apps and Native Apps Before we proceed, let’s understand what exactly is the difference between the 2 types. Native Apps are applications specifically designed to run on a particular platform. The whole application is installed in the device and can be executed. They are usually dependent on mobile firmware as well as the Operating System. So an app designed for Android will work only on Android devices and not on an iPhone. It needs to be ported or adapted to iOS to be used in iPhone. These Native Apps are mostly obtained through a marketplace. Web Apps are applications which are usually accessed through a web browser and the whole or part of it needs to be downloaded onto the device each time you access it. These are created using open web standard like HTML, CSS and JavaScript. These are usually platform independent. These web apps are loaded automatically in the mobile web browser through the use of sophisticated detection technology when the site is accessed through mobile. The image below depicts how US smartphone users use Mobile App and Browser for various tasks. Pros and Cons of Web Apps & Native Apps Both Native and Web Apps have their pros and cons. A clear understanding of the benefits and demerit of each along with your mobile web strategy will help in choosing one over the other and if requires choosing the both. Rich User Interface: Native Apps seamlessly integrate into the device features and provide a rich user experience. They integrate with phone in such a way that gives the feel of built-in functionality of the device. The improvement is mobile web technology is helping the Web Apps to gradually go through a phenomenal change in user interface. But the Native Apps clearly win here. Connectivity: Native Apps can be used to some extent even if there is no data connectivity however Web App requires connection to Internet to function. Native App is winner. Performance: As Web Apps require HTML and JavaScript rendering they are comparatively slower as compared to similar Native Apps. Native App is winner. Availability: The Native Apps are distributed through a marketplace like Android Market or iPhone Apps Store. And these are available subject to Approval. Even if an App is approved now, in future that may be rejected based upon the terms. This dependency of Native App for distribution is a hindrance for Enterprise to go for a Native App for their business application. On the other hand the web app can be accessed from any device without such restrictions. Web App is winner. Updates: The updates to Native Apps happen through the market place where as the web app update is instant. The moment you make any changes in the web app users will be able to see the updated features instantly. Web App is winner. Cost of development: The most notable advantage of mobile web app is that you build it once and it will be available to all devices irrespective of the configuration and platform with few changes. Native Apps being platform dependent, considerable amount of money has to be spent to develop same App for different platform like Android, iOS, Windows 7 and Blackberry. Web App is a winner here. Engagement and Branding: Because of the stronger integration with the mobile platform Native Apps provide a better engagement. Also they help in creating a stronger branding for your business as there will be a dedicated icon of your brand on the mobile device which is used to launch the Native Application. Native App is a winner here. For further elaborate learning on this Max Katz has created a table that shows various differences in various categories between Native App and mobile Web App. Conclusion: Thanks to HTML5, CSS3 and jQuery framework like jQuery Mobile and Sencha Touch the gap between a Native App and Mobile Web App is gradually reducing. With few exceptions most of the native apps could be written into Web Apps and can provide almost similar experience. Another form of the App called Hybrid App is also seen now a days which is a web app placed inside a native wrapper. According to Jeff Haydn the Native App and Mobile web are not mutually exclusive and need to co-exist for some time. Feel free to contact us at info@indusnet.co.in for our advice. We will be more than happy to help without any bias, as we have both capabilities and only suggest the right fit to our clients. You can also visit our mobile section.

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Is your business ready for the mobile web?

February 4, 2012

In any business the most important success factor is the ability to reach out to the customers. While time is changing, the way we do our business is also changing. The technology that has impacted the most to the way we conduct our business is “Internet”. So it is important for a business to have web presence both in mainstream as well as in mobile web. Because of the convenience and instant access the focus is gradually shifting to mobile web. Hence mobile presence is of greater importance. According to a research conducted by Microsoft till 2011, 4 billion mobile phone users were present and out of that 1.08 billion are smartphones. By the year 2014, the mobile internet usage will exceed that of Desktop internet usage. Mobi Websites are an extended version of the mainstream websites, customized for a better user experience on devices with smaller viewing space. Looking at the popularity of Mobile web, ICANN gave nod to a mobile specific domain extension called .mobi in 2005. How mobile sites help your business: Having a mainstream as well as a mobile only site for your business definitely has it’s advantages. According to report provided by Compuware and Brand Anywhere and Luth Research if your site is not optimized for mobile experience you might lose as high as 61% visitors. Below are few advantages the mobi websites offer: Through mobile websites we can reach out to customers via one more medium. Reach to customers through mobile search Increase brand and business visibility Mobile sites help our products and services to be at our customer’s reach anytime and anywhere. With a mobile friendly site customers/ visitors will be glued to the site. Mobile sites will help in processing transaction in real-time. The mobile site can have a direct dial button to reach to support team directly. Approach for building successful mobile websites When you are sure that you need to have a mobi website for your business, you need to have a proper strategy in place. The first and foremost thing is to understand the business and customers and how they interact with the site. It is needed to talk to customers and do brainstorming among team members to come up with answers to few basic questions like: Why do they use your site on a mobile device? What features are they using? What features are crucial for them when mobile? What are some sources of frustration? What devices do they use to access the mobile Web? Once done with the preliminary investigation, there are 2 options to get the mobi website done. 1) Either you do it on your own: For this you need to be knowledgeable enough to perform the task. 2) Or Outsource it from a Professional: When choosing a professional, you should give special attention to their approach in convincing you. Mobile websites have to be always well thought of and since the number of screens and the screen space will be limited, it is important the professional outfit hired for the job has a detailed approach. Checklist for building Mobile websites: While designing mobi websites, special care needs to be taken to present as much information on as little space as possible. The content needs to be precise and the navigation should be simple. There are certain best practices and technologies under Mobile Web Initiative(MWI) that needs to be followed for a mobile ready website. Also to check the mobile readiness of your mobi there is a free tool called MobiForge. Following points need to be taken care while designing a mobi website: Make the content crisp and concise. Do not feed users excessive data in one page as it will slow the loading as well as cost money. Simpler navigation Make the user interface finger friendly Better User Interface Accessibility through all mobile platform Optimized call to action for better conversion Mobile site redirect, to automatically redirect mobile users to mobile friendly site Conclusion: The distinguishing feature of mobile web is its ability to offer users access to information anytime, anywhere. When you plan to launch mobile site, It is not that you create it and forget. You need to take input from visitors and customers, use analytics to know how users interact with the site and use those data to provide a better mobile experience. Businesses that are able to design and implement a successful mobile web strategy will be able to see the benefit of this ever growing and challenging medium. Are you prepared to take advantage of this new medium? If not, you might be losing a major chunk of your business to your competitors! Shameless Self Promotion: At Indus Net Technologies, we do consult and create mobile websites! So, if you have decided to outsource, feel free to connect with us at info@indusnet.co.in or visit http://www.indusnet.co.in/mobile/  

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Abhishek Rungta interviewed at SES London 2009

March 3, 2009

Byron Gordon, SEO-PR, interviews Abhishek Rungta, Founder and CEO of Indus Net Technologies at SES London 2009. Abhishek talks in brief about: Indus Net Technologies as an Internet strategy company, Its service offering spanning web design, web development and Internet marketing SEO outsourcing and How outsourcing helps the professionals hurt by the recession Click here to watch the full interview.  

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Indus Net Technologies powers Emami Chisel Art’s online auction platform

March 7, 2008

Indus Net Technologies has recently completed an art auction website for Emami Chisel Art Private Limited (http://www.emamichisel.com/). The website streamlines the process of online auction and allows registered users to bid on paintings along with the floor bidders, making it a powerful tool for traditional auction houses. Thus the charm of floor bidding remains along with the convenience of online bidding for people who cannot make it to the floor. The site concluded its first auction on 23rd February 2008 with sales for the evening touching Rs 240 million (US$ 6233766.23). Tribute to Hashmi crossed the $ 1 million mark, creating a record for any Husain ever sold at an auction, with Internet bidding contributing to a sizable portion. We wish them all the best and renew our commitment to deliver cutting edge solutions to companies around the world.  

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