Does Your Business need a Mobile App?

A number of recent reports have highlighted how mobile apps will reshape the future of businesses in the upcoming years. The steady increase in the sale of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices also indicate the necessity of mobile applications for enterprises. However, a business has to consider many factors before developing a mobile application. Also, it has option to consider several alternatives including mobile websites. Therefore, it has become essential for each enterprise to decide if it is time to invest in mobile app development.

5 Reasons Why Each Business Requires a Mobile App

1) Reach and Engage Most Relevant Customers

You may be finding it a daunting challenge to promote your products or services by targeting the most relevant audience. The mobile apps make it easier for you to reach the most relevant customer in real time. At the same time, the application will also enable you to keep the customers engaged by accessing their location and detailed profile information. Along with promoting your business, you can further encourage the app users to purchase your products by offering coupons, interactive deals and similar incentives. With most users downloading business applications, it becomes easier for you to attract and engage the most relevant customers and prospects.

2) Serve Mobile Ads
Many reports have highlighted how mobile ads are more effective that other conventional and digital advertising techniques. Often businesses have to incur additional expenses to server mobile ads through publishers and marketing companies. The enterprise mobile app will make it easier for you to serve mobile ads by targeting the most relevant users, while avoiding additional expenses. Along with giving coupons and discounts, you can also easily send location-based push notifications. The innovative advertising methods will further keep your customers interested and engaged.

3) Add Value to Your Customer Service
Often the quality of customer service and support helps a business to retain customers. The business mobile app will make it easier for you to deliver prompt customer service, while adding value to your existing customer care services. Many customers, nowadays, gather information about a product or service directly using their smartphones and tablets. Similarly, many people even buy goods using their mobile devices to save both time and effort. So you can always build a base of happy customers by providing smart and quick customer service through the application.

4) Allow Customers to Shop on the Go
Each customer wants to buy the best product at his own pace and convenience. Along with gather information about a specific product or service, many people, nowadays, prefer shopping through mobile apps. So you can always use your enterprise application as a mobile store that enables users to browse through the products and shop on the go. Many reports have highlighted the growing popularity of mobile shopping options among customers residing in different regions. So you can beat competition through the application by providing smart and flexible shopping options to customers.

5) Avoid Losing Customers
Despite the growing popularity of digital and mobile shopping, many people still prefer shopping at local stores. As the customers will not gather address and contact numbers by visiting your business website, it is important to allow them to access the information in an instant. The application enables you to let customers access your contact information without initiating a web search. Further, the app can use the GPS tracking feature of their mobile devices, and enable customers to find your business without any hassle. The combination of mobile advertisement and option to target all types of customers will help you in building a base of regular customers.

Each business can further choose from a number of mobile application development options. In addition to developing the enterprise app by deploying its in-house team of developers, it can also consider hiring a freelance mobile app developer or outsourcing the project. Many enterprises prefer outsourcing the project to a reliable company to develop, launch and promote their mobile applications without investing any extra time and effort.

You can hire certified mobile app developers from top mobile app development companies in India who can help you build mobile apps within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide mobile app development services. If you would like to know more about the expertise of our expert mobile app developers, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.

Maximizing benefits of attending conferences

Significant software testing conferences of the regional or international level are highly popular among leading practitioners or industrial professionals worldwide. Popular forums experience active involvement of software industry, government as well as academia for exchange and sharing of experiences, learning or ideas. Conferences offer an exclusive opportunity for the general visitors to share the same platform with renowned attendees or world class speakers from the nation and abroad as well.

Purpose of software testing summits

Built on several themes along with the latest market issues or topics relating to software testing analysis, such international forums provide everything starting from assurance to confirmation. The summits with their more enhanced latest editions display experiments, ideas or experiences to explore new challenges or suggest best practices along with techniques to successfully deal with the theme. The presentations or discussions focus on how an establishment transforms itself on multiple aspects such as process, people, tools and technology. Discussions mainly focus on the best organizational practices to scale or increase the multi-faceted efficiency.

Benefits of Attending Conference

By attending such presentation programs you can have a detailed view or understanding of the track that concentrates on tools as well as techniques for the purpose of enabling increased adoption with scalability and thus rendering non-linear development for the organizational practices. The single most crucial challenge is addressed to change the perception or mindset that the need of the hour is to step ahead from assurance to confirmation, and in this respect discussion, debate or agreement on the requirement of the change are highly important. It is high time to provide confirmation more inevitably.

Your To Do List During A Conference Session

• Take notes and use mind map as your note taking tool
• Focus on the challenging and thought provoking analysis and solutions
• Share your views and arise queries to enhance your organizational growth and advancement
• Learn, discuss and share at the same time
• Ensure that attendees or speakers are not disturbed
• Leave the session with knowledge of something innovative or interesting
• Talk to other testers, speakers or buddies about the testing apart from the context they work in
• Focus on the challenges they face alongside the several ways to solve them

Questions To Be Asked

Use the following questions intelligently to start conversation so as to learn from the experience of other fellow practitioners. This is how the conference becomes great and not just average.

• What does your organization do?
• What is your major concern about enterprise application testing?
• What kinds of products are normally tested by you?
• In what way do you approach testing?
• What is your view of automation or certification?
• What is your opinion about the advancement of software testing profession?
• What was the most challenging issue you found or how could the defect be recovered?
• How would you formulate static testing?
• Anything that you would advice to implement so far as random TestSpicer or test generator is concerned?

Highlights

The huge gathering of agile testing professionals recognizes new talents or emergent professionals for their contribution in the field of software testing. The award giving ceremony being one of the major highlights encourages newbie professionals while providing impetus for their contribution to the testing processes, skills or principles that make testing an imperative part of the software development life cycle. It will also inspire innovative approaches along with breakthrough achievements in the testing process that aims to produce developed products as well as services in the IT Industry.

To make the best use of the summit try meeting as much people as you can as important visitors from different fields will help in enhancing your market knowledge with the exchange of valuable information. Having a lunch or breakfast with unfamiliar faces can be a good idea. Don't forget to carry business card always as many people ask for it. Give yours and ask for one too. Apart from all these, visit booths to see innovative products while trying your hands on the latest tools to get an idea about how tools are advancing and the direction in which the service industry is heading.

We provide software testing and automation testing services and we do attend events and conferences in related fields. If you are looking to hire automation test engineers, please do speak to us, you will be amazed at your expertise and experience. And we will be glad to assist you.

What impacts Mobile App download numbers?

According to a statement released by research firm Gartner recently, “Mobile app stores will see annual downloads reach 102 billion in 2013, up from 64 billion in 2012. Total revenue in 2013 will reach USD 26 billion, up from USD 18 billion in 2012.” The statement also predicted a steady growth in the upcoming years, while adding that free mobile apps constituted for 91% of the total application downloads this year. These constantly increasing number of downloads further encourage many enterprises to invest in mobile application development.

But with more and more companies venturing into mobile app business, the field has become highly competitive. Each enterprise, nowadays, has to implement a comprehensive mobile application development and promotion strategy to make its apps popular within a very short span of time. At the same time, the strategy also needs to identify the key technologies and market forces that affect the number of mobile app downloads.

Important Factors Affecting Mobile App Download

Performance and Speed of the App
Many reports have highlighted how the mobile app loading time can have a huge impact on the user experience as well as number of downloads. Often users avoid applications that take more time to load, or require them to take a higher number of actions. So the performance, efficiency and speed of the mobile application must be optimized, while making it more focuses to keep the users impressed and engaged.

Options to Get User Feedback
People love to use mobile apps that are more interactive. Most users also appreciate the feedback mechanism provided by applications. At the same time, many mobile users also look for constant consumer-centric improvements in the app. The right feedback mechanism will help you in gathering the user feedback and comments, and implement these suggestions to deliver improved user experience. Further, you must convey information about the updated version of the mobile application to users, and encourage them to download it to avail a set of fresh and innovative features.

Make the App Easy-to-Customize
Each user wants to customize the mobile application according to his personal preference. So you can easily make the application popular by incorporating features that enables users to personalize it by adjusting settings. It is also a good idea to allow users to change the color, font size, font type and privacy settings to add more value to the app, while delivering more personalized user experience.

Use Dedicated App Marketing Channels
Most mobile application stores allow application developers and resellers to promote their apps by availing customized advertisement options. However, you have to choose the marketing channel according to your mobile application. For instance, the iOS apps can be promoted through Apple’s iAD, whereas the Android apps will be promoted through Google’s AdMob. As these dedicated mobile application marketing channels are effective in reaching out to a large base of mobile users, you can use these advertisement options to get more mobile app downloads immediately after its launch.

Make the Application More Searchable
Many users gather information about mobile apps using online search engines. So the landing page of the application must be optimized to appear at the top of major search engine results pages. Similarly, the title, descriptions and feature list of the application also need to be optimized by using the most relevant keyword and phrases. You can always make your app more searchable to increase the number of downloads without relying on the app stores.

Create App Profiles
You can always optimize the exposure of a specific mobile application by creating profiles on directories, review sites and similar online platforms. It is also a good idea to submit the app to popular app reviewers, and request them to post app reviews. The app reviews will further help you in determining the flaws that affect user experience negatively. You can even use the data to increase app downloads by launching its updated version.

Track the App Constantly
The app promotion strategy must be modified and updated regularly to optimize the campaign. You must keep track of the app consistently using a set of tools and services. The constant tracking will make it easier for you to gather key information about the app including the audience, their age group and usage pattern. You can even consider using mobile app analytics to gather detailed information about the performance of your mobile app, along with identifying its flaws and weaknesses.

The number of mobile app downloads is also impacted by the current and upcoming trends in technology and user demand. At the same time, an enterprise also needs to update its app at regular intervals to increase the number of downloads.

You can hire mobile app programmers from top app development firms who can help you build mobile apps within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide mobile app development services. If you would like to discuss with an expert mobile app developer from our team, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.

Here's Why Mobile Startups Prefer Apple's iOS Over Google's Android

Even with the immense popularity of Google's Android, Apple's iOS is being increasingly preferred by the users. Now, there are several reasons supporting the growth and development of the iPhone OS. For instance, the iOS apps ensure smooth operation on a small range of iPhones and iPads whereas when it comes to Android, there are numerous devices of different versions with equally varying screen sizes and processors. Let us look in details at why the mobile startups prefer Apple's iOS over Google's Android.

Reasons Behind Preferring Apple

The present scenario implies that a majority of the Android users are working with the most advanced version of this particular operating system. On the other hand and quite in contrast, about 93% of the Apple's mobile device users were making use of the advanced version of the OS a day before iOS 7 was even released. The fragmentation of Android calls for high costs on part of the developers considering the point that they need different engineers for the different versions.

When it comes to the generation of revenue, it is found that the Apple's App store generates more than double of the revenue generated by the Google's app store. For the startups, this is a strong reason behind why they go for the former. Added to these are the several capital- raising issues encountered by the startups these days. As such, starting on two different mobile platforms becomes difficult resulting in an ultimate choice of Apple as the dominant platform instead of Android.

Arguments in Favor of the iPhone OS

Research on the matter reveals certain other points that make startups go for the operating system of Apple instead of the other. Here is a list of such points:

• It is often argued that the iOS, being an out of the box app, is more functional while also working without flaws. Compared to this, a few users find the Android applications to be rather chunky and that too, loaded with notifications.
• iphone operating system is considered to be better optimized than Android. Android is slower than the iOS. At the same time, a great advantage of Apple is that it checks every app prior to publishing them in the store and this is what makes it safer than Android.
• The interface of iPhone OS is much simpler to use. This leads to the shortening of the initial learning curve and hence, is beneficial for the non hi-tech users. IOS is also regarded better than the other in terms of the touch feature and the running of the flash games.

A Few More Benefits of Apple iOS

• Fluidity of the iPhone OS: The Apple hardware might have slower processors but the operating system is way faster and more fluid for most users. Apple puts utmost priority to the user interface, which somewhat compensates for the slow processors. The fluidity quotient of the other operating system in question, on the other hand, is the lowest.
• Apple iPhone OS is More Easily Learnable: It is a widely held notion that the Apple iOS is more intuitive, offering users with a hassle- free experience of learning than the other operating systems. There are certain counter arguments, which point out to the fact that different people learn in different manner and therefore, the choice of platform is subjective.

All said and done, it is accepted that Apple is more concerned about the aspects of usability and design standards. The growing preference for the iOS largely owes to the consistently satisfactory experience that it has been providing users for quite a long time now. Notwithstanding the fact that Android looks excellent out of the box, it is the Apple iOS that stands above the former especially in case of mobile startups.

You can hire developers from top android mobile apps development companies in India who can help you build mobile apps within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide android mobile application development services. If you would like to know more about the expertise of our expert android app developers, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.

Introduction of How Android Works for Java Programmers

A constant increase is noted in the number of people using their mobile devices to access the web. In addition to gathering information and data from various online sources, people also use mobile devices to carry out various types of regular and financial transactions. At the same time, the mobile devices are widely used to play games, listen to music, watch videos, and use apps. In comparison to other mobile operating system, Android is more popular among both users and mobile application developers. The huge popularity of the mobile platform has further made application development for the mobile platform one of the most popular trends in Java programming.

Most developers, with prior knowledge and experience in Java, are showing interest in developing Android apps. Some of these programmers also keenly follow the latest trends in smartphone application development to impress clients by building a hugely popular interface. If you have experience in writing Java programmers, you can avail several benefits by learning Android for Java programmers. Along with building mobile applications to target millions of users, you will get the opportunity to implement your innovative ideas and creativity. Also, the similarity between Android and Java APIs make it easier for you to acquire new programming skills without putting any extra time and effort.

Why a Java Programmer can Easily Switch to Android Programming?

Easy to Understand the Android API: If you are familiar with Java API, it will be easier for you to learn how Android works. The Android API is very much similar to the Java API. But it does not support all classes available in the J2SE SDK. It only supports some of the key and critical Java classes. Google has further provided a Java API to make it easier for programmers to write code. The API is also effective in compiling the code into class files. So you only need to learn a set of new features and classes to switch to Android programming.

Tutorials to Learn Android SDK: When a Java programmer decides to build Android apps, it becomes essential to understand how to install the Android SDK, and set up the initial environment to develop applications. The experienced developers and beginners have options to choose from a variety of tutorials. Along with designing the app, the tutorials can further help them to learn how to incorporate advanced features like location service, social media and Google maps. Once you decide the features and functionality of the app, you can refer to the tutorials to implement the ideas perfectly to boost user experience.

Option to Use Same Development Tools: Often Java programmers use customized tools to optimize user experience without writing lengthy code. But some mobile operating systems like iOS do not allow programmers to use the existing tools. A programmer is required to learn the iOS SDK and Objective C to start building applications for Apple devices. On the other hand, a Java programmer can use the same tools for Android programming. For instance, a programmer has option to build Android apps by using IDE like Eclipse. So you can develop robust smartphone apps at a rapid pace using the tools you are familiar with.

Enhance the Compatibility of Your Web Applications: The popularity of a web application, nowadays, depends on its compatibility with different operating systems, browsers and devices. A constant increase is also noted in the number of users accessing the websites and web applications on their Android devices. The clients also require the website developers to make the website compatible with popular mobile operating systems. As Java is being used widely to build websites, it will be easier for developers to make the applications compatible with Android. Further, they can easily integrate innovative features to make the website popular among millions of Android device users.

Each Java programmer can switch to Android programming to avail a number of benefits. Along with retaining the clients, he can develop an application to reach millions of users. Also, a developer has option to use customized Java frameworks to build Android apps. The frameworks enable android widget development teams to build robust mobile applications without writing longer lines of Java Code.

We provide android app programming services. If you would like to know more about the expertise of our expert android developers, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.

Android-The Best Platform for Building Office and Business Applications

Android is the growing to be the smartest and most popular mobile OS. Recently it has also been reported that every smart phone manufacturer is introducing an Android version of their devices since the advantages of using this open-source platform are huge. Increasing usage statistics and the high sales of non-IOS phones prove that android apps are very effective and productive for any kind of business, who wants to reach out to a wider segment of the audience.

Android apps are richer business applications which run effectively on different smart phones. Business people can also get custom made finance apps to manage their business finances and also roll it out to their employees. This technology has evolved and grown to such a high level that Android does not just have a prominent place in the mobile OS domain, but even gives a tough competition to Apple's iOS as well.

Here are some facilities that one gets with android business applications:

• Image upload
• File management and sharing
• Import and export different documents in a synchronized manner
• Ability to transform images into PDF format
• E-mailing options
• Share files with Gmail
• Easily edit and modify office documents
• Store files and documents in Google drive
• Prepare presentations and documents

This platform offers great flexibility to the developers in creating amazing new applications. The apps are fun to use, OS is lightweight and thus people who start using Android will most probably stay and now keep switching OS. Developing applications for this OS creates numerous opportunities, without incurring license expenses. Modification programs are freely available, which will further cut down the development costs. Businesses gain significantly from investing in app development using this OS. Let us take a closer look how.

1. Large earnings with low budget

It is extremely affordable to invest in an Open source Google OS based apps. Besides, one can get an experienced Android application developer at cost effective rates, thanks to the widespread use of Google mobile Operating system. Also, the OS comes with no licensing charges and one can develop advanced applications with minimum outlay. Loads of innovative applications are now being made with Android, used by millions of gadgets across the world.

2. Advanced integration

Android application development is ideal for all kinds of inter-application integration. The technology is perfect for any snugly knit connection between different software applications. Loads of developers have been using Google OS to innovate applications.

3. Better syndication

A lot of techniques are applied when it comes to developing Android based applications. With this, it is possible to disperse different kinds of retailers using syndication programs. For instance, clients can use various Google apps to personalize offers and advertise products or services. There are so many solutions revolving around Google OS, helping develop advanced apps.

Many business applications are built using Java and Android SDK. Since the OS is based on the Linux operating system, one can be rest assured of the fact that the business applications will be highly stable and secure. Also the rich libraries in android SDK help application developers to build fully featured and highly functional android enterprise applications. The custom app development platform is so dynamic in nature that the business applications developed are 100% scalable to meet future business requirements.

Android business applications are also known for their flexibility to integrate with third party applications. This further improves the application functionalities and features. Business owners can easily streamline day to day document and file management tasks in a matter of few seconds. The interface of these applications is also simply amazing allowing owners to toggle between various features.

There are many mobile application development companies which offer affordable android office/business app development solutions.

We provide android widget development services. If you would like to discuss with an expert android app developer from our team, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.

A Consistent Approach to Android Application Performance Testing

Android offers an open source software platform for mobile devices, initially created by Google and subsequently by Open Handset Alliance. The popularity of Android is on the rise as this platform is paving the way for a number of user-friendly apps. With more and more technological advancements, Android is making room for brighter features on Android phones. Irrespective of the time dedicated for Android design or the fact that an application developer is very careful with the programming part, nobody can deny the fact that mistakes can occur anytime leading to appearance of bugs. To reduce the impact of programming errors, and enhancing the productivity of the development procedure, it is crucial to adopt a consistent approach for Android application performance testing.

Phases of Efficient Android Application Testing

Before going into the details of consistent performance testing, let us discuss the crucial phases involved in testing of Android apps.

• Software Validation Testing: This testing phase can be sub-divided into functional testing, followed by non-functional testing, and finally documentation review. Code walk-through is a significant component of functional testing which involves tracing of the source code with the help of a miniature test case. The state program variables are monitored manually in order to analyze the assumptions and logic of the program. Most of the tests done revolve around the call flow and user-interface, involving a final testing done to locate new bugs. The non-functional sub-phase involves testing of user acceptance, compatibility and usability. Finally we have documentation review wherein things like design document review and architect reviews are performed.
  
  
• Performance Testing: This involves two elements: performance elevation followed by performance consulting. Performance elevation involves testing of code profiling, database, endurance, end-to-end transaction and so on, while performance consulting comprises capacity planning and architecture validation.
  
  
• Test automation: This phase ensures the quality assurance and comprehensiveness of the software through establishment of an automation framework, test execution, scripting and regression testing.
  
  

Significant Components of Android app performance testing

So far as performance testing is concerned a consistent delivery model needs to be followed across varying scenarios. This enables Android app developers to comprehend the performance level of the application on any given device from the end-users point of view. Let us understand the significant components of consistent performance tests on Android apps by taking a banking application as an example.

• Server Component: This component takes care of the business logic in case of the banking transactions initiated from a desktop browser or a mobile client.
  
  
• Network Emulator: This helps in the recreation of a range of network conditions like jitter, latency, packet error, reordering or loss, bandwidth restrictions, and so on, enabling developers to replicate environment like LAN, WAN, GPRS, 2G, 3G, etc. The network emulator helps in the determination of the traffic load that the application generates under diverse network conditions.
  
  
• Load Generator: This tool helps subjects the application to load under test conditions and evaluates the load times. Changes in configuration can be made like enhancing simultaneous users, increasing the load and boosting transactions occurring per second.
  
  
• Android Device: Both high-end and low-end devices are used for testing because performance varies and it is essential for a device to be configured accordingly.
  
  
• Performance Monitor: With the help of the performance monitoring tool ‘Perfmon’ which has windows mapping, the performance counters undergo configuration prior to the test. The data collector set once configured and started, leads to automatic data collection for every scenario.
  
  
• Android Debug Bridge: This is a tool that accompanies Android SDK, enabling interface with and control of the Android devices.
  
  
• Dalvik Debug Monitor Server: This tool for Android debugging makes room for things like screen capture, port-forwarding services, radio state information, location data spoofing, logcat and more.
  
  

It is very important to understand the plethora of resources involved before going for android app development. Performance testing is indeed crucial to understand how the application will perform with respect to satisfying the needs of diverse user groups.

We provide mobile app development services. If you would like to know what makes us expert android app developers, please visit Mindfire Solutions.