What Does 2014 Hold for Enterprise Software Development?

The frequent changes in the lifestyles and changes of modern people have made web application development undergo many changes.

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In the warmer, longer, lazier days of summer, the living may not be easy, but your life probably feels less chaotic. Even adults tend to adopt a "school's out!" attitude in summer. That's why this is a perfect time to improve your health in a fashion so seasonally laid back you'll barely notice the effort.

read more...

Developing iOS & Android Apps built up with Visual Studio

A partnership between Xamarin and Microsoft has been announced so as to facilitate the building up of the local platform mobile applications which run on Android, IOS and Windows. Developers now can, owing to this partnership, build mobile applications with Visual Studio. They will be receiving training and learning under the guidance of professionals in Xamarin University. Advanced support will be provided to developers who are working in C Languange and Visual Studio.

Xamarin is a software company based in San Francisco, California and has developed high performance technologies which will enable the creation of native applications with device-specific experiences. It is also one of the VS2013 SimShim partners and will be launching the integrated version of their tools on the same day as Windows is set to launch Visual Studio.

The following points describe the primary aspects of the agreement that has come to be as a result of the Xamarin-Microsoft partnership:

Xamarin will collaborate with the team o Microsoft professionals to help better integration of their technology into MS developer tools and services.

Xamarin University, which has been launched only recently, is to be made available for free for a specified number of MSDN subscribers.

A special pricing on Xamarin subscriptions will be made available for MSDN subscribers.

Microsoft Portable Class Libraries, which were initially restricted to Windows, are now included in Xamarin, and the restrictions have been lifted.

Xamarin University has designed the online school's training courses to include support and learning material so that developers can be taught to create a fully native cross platform mobile applications for IOS and Android.

According to Nat Friedman, CEO and cofounder of Xamarin, the professionals in the University are involving themselves with Microsoft and working closely to ensure that the processes involved in building native Windows, iOS and various other Android applications within Visual Studio becomes easier than ever before. Microsoft and Xamarin are involved in discussions which will see that road-maps are aligned.

The details regarding their discussions are yet to be revealed as are the consequences of this partnership.

The first of the courses to be provided by Xamarin University are scheduled to begin in the first two months of 2014. They are starting off with two courses, each with duration of one month. The curriculum of the course will include the following:

1. Fundamentals of iOS and Android
2. The Mobile Application Lifecycle
3. Controls and Native UI
4. Cross-platform architecture
5. Mobile Best Practices
6. Integration of Secured Backend
7. Advanced topics like memory management

During the training period with Xamarin, developers will need to undergo over 20 hours of live online classes held by Xamarin experts, one-to-one coaching from mobile developers for a period of 2 hours and have access to on demand videos, labs, code samples, tutorials, and a forum consisting of dedicated members. The number of seats is, however, limited.



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What Does 2014 Hold for Enterprise Software Development?

The frequent changes in the lifestyles and changes of modern people have made web application development undergo many changes. The consumer devices and cloud computing further made it easier for users to access information and data anytime and anywhere. At the same time, new devices and operating systems also require enterprise software development to change.

So enterprise software development will be affected in 2014 by many trends. We are highlighting some of the important trends that will drive enterprise software development in 2014.

5 Trends that will Drive Enterprise Software Development in 2014

1) Growing Popularity of HTML5

The rapid growth of HTML has made many businesses realize the advantages of this technology for enterprises. In 2013, many enterprises invested in HTML5. Also, many organizations converted Flash to HTML5 to make the advertisement, banners and videos more engaging. Most enterprises will now look for more customized HTML5 applications that works across web browsers. Also, businesses will look for innovative features like advanced drawing tools, multi-media playback, offline file storage, and drag and drop. Thus, more and more business web applications will be developed with HTML5 support.

2) Gamification of Business Apps

The concept of gamification is considered to be more effective in keeping the users engaged. As the concept has been used effectively by mobile app developers, enterprises will gamify their apps to deliver rich user experience. An enterprise also has option to boost the productivity and efficiency of employees by gamifying the business environment. Once the tasks are quantified, an organization can implement the primary mechanism required to complete the tasks on time. So many organizations will build integrated systems and software applications to reenergize the workforce through gamifications.

3) Client-Side Based Web Applications

The enterprise software applications, traditionally, are developed to run on the server side. But the popularity of mobile applications has made it essential for the enterprise software to function like a native app. So, most companies will build powerful and fast applications that run on web browsers. The reduced load on the server will further make the application run faster. The growing popularity of desktop-like website and web applications will compel businesses to develop enterprise software applications that run on the client-side. The enterprises, however, will use frameworks to build complex client-side based web applications at rapid pace.

4) Integration and Compatibility with Third-Party Applications

Earlier, enterprises were concentrating on enterprise software with the right features and functionalities. But most users, nowadays, want to avail combined benefits of multiple applications. Further, many individual users and enterprises are switching to Cloud computing. Therefore, the enterprise software applications have to be integrated with other applications and services to deliver rich user experience. However, the application must be integrated with several third-party services seamlessly to avail competitive advantage.

5) Shift in User Interfaces

The huge popularity of mobile devices has made the concept of typical user obsolete. As users can access internet on a variety of devices, the enterprise software must be accessible on a variety of devices. Along with the existing models of computers, cell phones, smartphones and tablets, the application must adapt capabilities to work on a variety of devices. According to many reports, the wearable devices will become hugely popular in 2014. So the enterprise software development plan must consider the emerging devices. Further, most users, nowadays, use their handheld devices to work on remote networks. So the enterprise web application has to support several operating systems and devices.

Earlier, enterprise software development was not impacted hugely due to new and emerging technologies. But it has become essential, nowadays, to plan enterprise software development by keeping in mind the emerging technologies from the consumer space. The new technologies also need to be implemented in various stages of the project to attract, impress and engage end users.

You can hire developers from top software development companies in India who can help you accomplish your project within allocated budgets and time schedules.

Website and ERP Implementation for Sanctuary from Philippines

Sanctuary is a beauty care and wellness spa located in Philippines. The scope of the website designing includes the Home page, About us, Contact us, News and Events (CMS), Careers(CMS), Beauty care, Ask the expert, Wellness, Customer Benefit Program, etc.,

The website designing and development has implemented the technique of RWD – Responsive Web Design which is an extensive approach to optimize the viewing experience by making the website adaptable to mobile phones, tabs, laptops and desktop computer monitors. This project has the features of Book an Appointment which utilizes the CMS (Content Management System), making it easy to manage the content for the client without the assistance of the web developers. The Beauty Care page/link will guide you to provide the listings of services at the spa. The Ask the Expert link will connect you to the complete solution i.e provided by the spa experts regarding the queries raised by the clients/customers. The Dermatology link will guide you regarding the technology and various therapies. Wellness is another link which discusses the services of spa in concern with the well-being of the customers. The Customer Benefit Program (CBP) provides access for the customers to know details on the Loyalty Card Program; also Login is given to Registered Members to check basic details like Loyalty Points, redemption and other relevant information.

The project also includes the Enterprise resource planning, or ERP, is a type of business management software that allows an organization to use a system of integrated applications to manage the business. The different modules are Scheduling, Inventory, Payroll, Synchronization, Accounting, Reports, Loyalty, Marketing, Sales, Search, Online Shopping, CRM Functionality and Transactions. The ERP helps to synchronize the activities of all the branches of the spa. It also gives the functional support by processing the Book an appointment online feature which is on the website by scheduling an appointment for the customers by verifying the availability of resource for the service. The special feature called CBP as explained above is managed through ERP by tracking the point accumulation, redemptions. The Online Shopping and CRM (Customer Relation Management) module helps to track the online payment and payment through mobile and also functions in the direction of improvement of good customer relation through customer feed backs and suggestions.

SEO and PPC as Drivers of Mobile Traffic

How would one get the concept for mobile marketing, allowing it to be actionable and profitable? Everyone is starting to be in the adoption curve for marketers, but it is growing steadily. It has reached a point wherein winners in their markets are to be decided.

Would one require mobile marketing stats? Here is the list: 1) Out of 6.8 billion people on the planet, 5.1 billion have a phone, as opposed to 4.2 billion that have a toothbrush.

2) It would require on average 90 minutes to respond to email and just about 90 seconds for responding to a text message. (CTIA.org 2011).

3) The percentage for mobile subscribers that have a Smartphone has gone from 31% in January 2011 increasing to 48% in January 2012 (Nielsen 2012)

4) In the 18-34 year old age group, 80% of those who acquired a phone for the past 3 months had acquired a Smartphone (Nielsen 2012).

5) 9 of 10 mobile searchers take action following a phone search (Google 2011)

6) 7 of 10 mobile searchers would enact within an hour.

7) Google has made a prediction that mobile search would go past desktop search at some point within or between 2014 and 2015.

Making an address of mobile PPC fundamentals, there have been core places spotted.

1) It would now be critical setting defined goals, such as lead generation, application download, buy now, phone call, and in-store visit.

2) Do not just assume similarities with desktop search.

3) Make an evaluation of websites and their landing pages for determination if they are mobile ready via testing on different devices plus browsers.

4) Also incorporate the mobile analytics. One should capture plus make a report on device plus browser information as well as behaviors associated with them for future assessments.

Wells has made a recommendation for setting up a different mobile campaign from desktop campaign and has made a note that Google AdWords is to syndicate on mobile to start (so you may wish to stop that from happening). More key pieces regarding mobile campaign developing:

1) One should make a bid for position 1 to 5 to end up on Page 1 for mobile results; however a lot searches would end up only on 1 to 3 ad messages for first page results.

2) Leverage the misspellings and make an emphasis for shorter keyword phrases.

3) Begin broad match to find different mobile keyword phrases and then utilize negative keywords plus phrase matches for optimization.

4) Make a geo-targeting and take advantage of awareness of location.

5) Place in Day-Parting as desktop search off-hours become mobile search for on-hours.

6) Make a selling of the click more than ever with the need for short ad copy for shorter attention spans.

7) Mobile searchers would be looking for instant gratification and would like to view one-click actions.

8) The most common action mobile would be a phone call.

Keep in mind that there are various differences between Smartphone and tablets. You would need to make site assets that have a tackling of both.

With these developments in SEO and PPC, you would like to remain on the top of your game. This is why you would need keyword research tools like KeywordSpy to give you accurate information on the keywords and ad copies that work for other sites, so that you could include them in your strategy.

Now about your hair. Your hair should be neat and clean. Try to keep it out of your face. As for makeup (for you women out there), keep it simple. If you're going to be on camera, you should stay away from anything iridescent, frosted, or glittery -- matte is best.

As your mother may have told you, sit up straight. When you slouch you look bored. If you're bored, how do you expect your audience to feel? You'll also look more confident if you're sitting or standing up straight. Look like you're happy to be there. Put a smile on your face. Don't fidget, bite your nails, or play with any jewelry you are wearing. Oh yeah — don't forget to breathe.


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8 Summer Steps for Healthy Living

In the warmer, longer, lazier days of summer, the living may not be easy, but your life probably feels less chaotic. Even adults tend to adopt a "school's out!" attitude in summer. That's why this is a perfect time to improve your health in a fashion so seasonally laid back you'll barely notice the effort.

To get you started, WebMD went to eight health experts in fields such as diet, fitness, stress, vision, and oral health. We asked them this: If you could only suggest one simple change this season to boost personal health, what would it be? Here are their top eight tips.

1. Give Your Diet a Berry Boost

If you do one thing this summer to improve your diet, have a cup of mixed fresh berries -- blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries -- every day. They'll help you load up on antioxidants, which may help prevent damage to tissues and reduce the risks of age-related illnesses. Blueberries and blackberries are especially antioxidant-rich.

A big bonus: Berries are also tops in fiber, which helps keep cholesterol low and may even help prevent some cancers.

2. Get Dirty -- and Stress Less

To improve your stress level, plant a small garden, cultivate a flower box, or if space is really limited, plant a few flower pots -- indoors or out.

Just putting your hands in soil is "grounding." And when life feels like you're moving so fast your feet are barely touching the stuff, being mentally grounded can help relieve physical and mental stress.

3. Floss Daily

You know you need to, now it's time to start: floss every single day. Do it at the beach (in a secluded spot), while reading on your patio, or when watching TV -- and the task will breeze by.

Flossing reduces oral bacteria, which improves overall body health, and if oral bacteria is low, your body has more resources to fight bacteria elsewhere. Floss daily and you're doing better than at least 85% of people.

4. Get Outside to Exercise

Pick one outdoor activity -- going on a hike, taking a nature walk, playing games such as tag with your kids, cycling, roller blading, or swimming -- to shed that cooped-up feeling of gym workouts.

And remember, the family that plays together not only gets fit together -- it's also a great way to create bonding time.

5. Be Good to Your Eyes

To protect your vision at work and at play, wear protective eyewear. When outdoors, wear sunglasses that block at least 99% of ultraviolet A and B rays. Sunglasses can help prevent cataracts, as well as wrinkles around the eyes.

And when playing sports or doing tasks such as mowing the lawn, wear protective eyewear. Ask your eye doctor about the best type; some are sport-specific.


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