Friday, November 23, 2012

A newbie’s guide to Android development



Android is a great platform. The development tools are free, all the documentation is online, and you don’t need to purchase a special developer phone or register your hardware as a development device. In fact, thanks to the very slick and functional emulator that comes with the Android SDK, you don’t even have to own an Android-powered device (not that I recommend releasing an app without running it on real hardware).

There are more guides on the Internet for setting up an Android development environment than your average java-script program has semicolons. And not only are there just as many tutorials for writing an Android version of the revered “Hello World!” program, but there is actually a wizard included with the Android Eclipse plug-in that will generate it for you.

Yet despite the wide availability of information and a low-to-no startup cost, I still hear complaints from new developers and experienced developers transitioning to Android from another platform that it’s overwhelming to know where to start. Setting up a development environment and writing a “Hello World” app is vastly different from understanding Android conceptually, and the unique approach required to writing an app that does something useful. I get asked all the time what an Android project looks like, how the layout manager works, and what are the overriding design best practices for implementing Android applications.

My goal with this guide is to answer some of the common questions, and also open a dialogue with TechRepublic readers. I’d like to hear lingering questions of developers new to Android, as well as insights from experienced Android developers. Perhaps collectively we can make the road to creating that first killer app a little smoother.


content from http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/app-builder/a-newbies-guide-to-android-development/1216

Android SDK Tools, Revision 21



Along with the Android 4.2 SDK, we also launched a brand new update of the Android SDK Tools (Revision 21). The update includes new tools and capabilities that can help you work more efficiently as you create applications. Tools such as a new multi-config editor, and new Lint rules will help you develop apps more quickly, while a new UI test framework will give you more ways automate testing and QA for your apps. For new developers, one-click SDK download and new app templates help you get started more quickly.

Multi-config editor
A new multi-configuration editor allows you to develop and prototype your UI across various orientations, screen sizes and locales. For example, while editing your layout in portrait mode, you can see if your edits aren't visible in the shorter landscape orientation. You can see previews for other screen sizes from small phones to large tablets, you can see previews for the layout using all the available language translations in your app, and so on. You can even see how the layout appears when it is included as a fragment in a different larger layout. Finally, Android allows you to create specialized layouts for any of these configurations, and the multi configuration editor shows you these overridden layouts.
Here is a screenshot of the layout editor showing one of the layouts from the Google I/O application, across a variety of screen sizes.

More app templates
Tools R21 brings three new app templates to help you to easily add new screens to your app. There’s a new full-screen activity for use as a photo or video viewer, a settings activity to handle basic user preferences and a login activity to capture username/password.

UI Automator Test Framework
One common approach to UI testing is to run tests manually and verify that the app is behaving as expected. UI Automator is a new software testing framework available in Tools R21 that provides you with tools to easily automate UI testing tasks. It provides a GUI tool to scan and analyze the UI components of an Android application (uiautomatorviewer), a library containing APIs to create customized functional UI tests, and an execution engine to automate and run the tests against multiple physical devices. UI Automator runs on Android 4.1 (API level 16) or higher. To learn more head over to the UI Testing documentation.

One-click SDK installer
New Android SDK developers now have a convenient way to download all the various SDK components like Tools, Platform Tools, Eclipse ADT, and the latest system image with a single click. Existing developers can continue to manage their SDK components and get updates through the SDK Manager.

Revamped AVD creation dialog
The new dialog makes it easier to create Android Virtual Devices (AVDs) matching real device profiles. The AVDs will also appear in the layout editor to show you how the layouts will look.

More Lint rules
And to wrap things up there are 25 new lint rules which catch several common sources of bugs, for example deviations from Android design guide for icons, checks for mismanaged wakelocks, common sources of locale-related bugs and so on. So make sure you upgrade and let Lint loose on your projects before your next app update!


content from http://android-developers.blogspot.in

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Mobile apps can improve Diabetes Care


Diabetes is growing at an alarming rate and currently affects over 366 million people worldwide. For diabetes sufferers, mobile apps and electronic monitoring devices can help control the disease and manage lifestyle changes that create improvements in their condition.

A routine appointment with a doctor is not enough time to discuss and educate the patient about Diabetes. However, the main concern is the lack of awareness of Mobile apps. Patients can use a Mobile application to feed data into the phone, which can then be sent directly to the physician or clinic. We should get more people to use Mobile apps to manage diabetes and prevent pre-diabetes from developing into full-blown disease.

The technology available for monitoring blood sugar levels has moved far ahead. Diabetes monitoring technology is increasingly available via mobile phones. For example, the device displays results, analyses glucose patterns and offers graphs and statistics to help users track their disease. The benefit of combining monitoring with mobile phones and apps is that it uses familiar and increasingly ubiquitous technology.

However, the truth is that Technology still plays only a small role when it comes to self-tracking health indicators. This could change as more apps and devices come on to the market, and as diabetes sufferers are increasingly individuals for whom technology is an integral part of daily life. The challenge then will be what to do with patient-reported information.

We should also regularly exercise, take medication and monitor diet. Mobile phone apps for managing diabetes are quite handy when it comes to timely reminders on everything from what to eat to how many calories you have to burn in a day. It is common for individuals to miss a dosage of insulin. Mobile apps with ready-made information on these matters prove to be a big boost.

Mobile phone apps more or less provide features for recording blood sugar levels, symptoms and such, which can be synchronised with personal health record (PHR) systems or patient portals. Mobile devices also allow data to be transferred to healthcare professionals. Wireless-enabled glucose meters automatically upload blood glucose levels to a database that can be accessed online.

Mobile phone apps are taking the world by storm. Technology can also support individuals in making the kinds of lifestyle changes needed to improve their condition. There needs to be a concerted move to bring the public and the healthcare system for conditions such as diabetes.

For more information about iphone application developmentandroid application developmentMobile application development please visit www.srishtis.com

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Know what a mobile application is?


As mobile technology is taking main space in today's world, organizations focus on the new advancement in this technology which helps in keeping people connected. With the development of iPhone based mobile applications, this technology is creating a high boom in IT sector.

Srishtis provides economical mobile solutions across all popular platforms. We utilize latest technologies to develop and implement value-added applications that surpass client expectations.

•             Android
Srishtis has a dedicated android development team who are keen in meeting the client requirements who implement custom-build application on android. Our team has ample experience and expertise in developing android-based applications. Android is a software platform and operating system for mobile applications which has conquered the new era of the mobile application development industry.

•             iPhone
iOS is the mobile platform which came to the forefront in the new technological surge. The process of developing an iPhone application requires keen knowledge in the area and experts in the field to handle it dexterously. Srishtis’s expert professionals in the core area focus in studying the market and the needs of the end user while they develop applications.

•             Windows Mobile Development
Srishtis assures to provide end-to-end development services in windows applications. Our expert developers with immense knowledge in the field will assist you to expand your business horizons. We provide application development on broad Windows OS platforms such as Windows Mobile 5.0, Windows Mobile 6.0, Windows Mobile 6.1, Windows Mobile 6.5. Srishtis's in-house development team of resources enables us to deliver applications that are vigorous, reliable and easily updatable for future improvement as per client specifications.


For more information about iphone application developmentandroid application developmentMobile application development please visit www.srishtis.com

Mobile Application Development – The Next Generation Technology


Due to the changing economy of today and the enormous diversity, the brands are facing aggressive competition, particularly their Marketing & Public relations divisions. It has become very essential to update and upgrade to the latest technologies and implement them in order to achieve success.
Nearly, all companies in the domain follow the same sales strategy to get the attention in the market.  The important thing here is that it might not be always safe to follow your competitors’ strategy. The increase in the amount of product development and due to the latest technologies creeping in, the consumers normally get confused in differentiating the products from one another. This ratio is been recently stated to be 21% as compared to 10% decrease than in 2003 where products and services prove to have worth full differentiation.

Thinking how that is possible. Consumer is the king of the market and he has got the complete freedom to choose his choice. But with the increase in the rate of competition, there has not been a significant change in the media and marketing opportunities which makes the marketers express and differentiate themselves as safe as possible.

To Support my statement earlier, try to put yourself in the shoes of people who represent big brands like Vodafone, McDonalds, Blackbucks… It must be so challenging for these brands to survive in the local market that is owned by the end consumers.  For companies like these, a small change in the cost price would significantly result in the change of their market value and consumer mindset. The strategy to brand this services / products lies in the creativity and innovation; the right time to hit the market, risk management and going beyond the traditional perceptions of media & marketing strategies.
I highly appreciate the vision Google had, long back in 1990s, when it launched its first search engine services.  No one ever had a clue of how important and drastic role would a search engine play in searching, getting traffic, targeting the right market.  The world has changed today and the traditional marketing strategies have changed to web marketing strategies.  This was one of the opportunities that was not to be missed and for those who utilized it have attained persistency in the market

Today mobile phones are no more a talk & text devices anymore.  Mobile phones have now evolved to be an excellent branding opportunity like the Google’s search engine.  I am sure some of the business with cling on to this opportunity and get their presence more established over the wireless media marketing. This is an innovative way to reach out to the customers with a personal touch that was not possible before. Mobile application development gives you an opportunity to tap the new market where you can reach out to the customers on the go. Mobile Application development is the new generation growing technology that help you creation of various innovative and unique applications such as web browsing, mobile sites, email at the go, Internet faxing, games, intranet applications etc.. Mobile Application developer can help you create a custom mobile application which can be one of the most cost-effective ways of communicating with your target customers.
The Mobile application development industry is very young and growing today. As a part of a mobile application development company, I would highly recommend people to grab up this extremely fast growing opportunity and tap the unseen market to your business. This is one of the smartest way to reach your customer and a new innovative way to market your business. The easiest way to get a mobile application is to approach a mobile application development company and share your ideas of mobiles. They will help you to convert your idea to into reality and deliver a mobile app that would leverage your business benefits.

For more information about iphone application developmentandroid application developmentMobile application development please visit www.srishtis.com

Android Mobile Application Development


Android is a Linux based open source operation system with robot or synthetic organism. People believe that Android is owned by Google but it’s just not Google. Besides Google, it are the various members of Open Handset Alliance that collaborated to Android. Open Handset Alliance is a group of various technology and mobile companies like handset manufacturers, mobile operators, mobile software companies etc.

Android is the fastest growing mobile application development platform that brings you the most popular smartphone devices today. These devices have the capabilities to perform task that of a computer with great speed and efficiency. With the constant growth in android mobile platform, android mobile application development took a great leap in the market. With this, there grew a demand for android applications which led to the increase in the number of companies providing android mobile application development services.

Android mobile application development involves the use of C/C++ & JAVA programming languages which makes it easier for developers to work on the android platform. The android Software Development Kit (SDK) provides the necessary APIs, tools and programming environment for developing android application using the JAVA. The developers also make use of native development kit for developing android applications that’s provides developers with more options and a large potential market.

Android is considered to be a leading up-coming technology in the mobile world and its popularity is growing day by day. To reason this, there are various features and benefits (listed below) of Android that would plead you to go to android mobile application development
  • ·         Easy to use, easy to handle
  • ·         Wide scope of mobile apps development
  • ·         It is an open-source tool
  • ·         It has a great visibility for developers
  • ·         Helps to develop innovative and dynamic apps

Android mobile application development gives a competitive advantage to your business. Android mobile application development is one such application development platform that can have huge impact on your business development and operations. Here are some benefits that you might want to consider for developing your next android application

  • ·         Easy to enter the android market
  • ·         Cost effective since it is an open-source technology
  • ·         Provides high returns with minimal investment
  • ·         No Licensing fees and no costly tools required for android application development
  • ·         Since it is based on Linux, it provides more robust and higher performance stability
  • ·         The development process is simple and quick which reduces the “time-to-market” for your apps
  • ·         Provides rich user interface experience
  • ·         Provides complete security to the mobile users
  • ·         It is ideal for companies looking to adopt the mobile technology

·         Unlike apple, you can distribute your apps to multiple third party stores which in turn will help you branding as well
·         It is known for its inter-application integration feature that allows integrate intern applications
Android mobile application development is an innovative technology evolved for developing business application and its growing at amazing high rate. It has brought a tremendous revolution in the field of mobile application development services with its “concept development” feature, as I term it. In order to stay ahead of the competition, many business owners provide their customers with various mobile applications.

Since mobile application development is the next wave of communication, it is very crucial for business to leverage this aspect of growth. And I suggest Android mobile application development services to develop business applications which as I foresee has a huge market to tap.
Android mobile application development helps you convert your ideas into mobile apps that you can publish on the android market to earn money and also provide someone the opportunity to use the same apps. So, go ahead and grab this mobile apps development opportunity to give your business a competitive edge.

For more information about iphone application developmentandroid application developmentMobile application development please visit www.srishtis.com

How Mobile Apps can help run your Business



Mobile technology has a direct impact on companies of all sizes, and the impact is going to increase in the future. Mobile technology can improve productivity and operational efficiency, while cutting down  costs and increasing customer satisfaction. If any company fail to "mobilize" their business  they may be at a competitive disadvantage. In fact, Mobility is becoming an essential part of doing business.

The latest functionality in mobile devices is the ability to double as a wireless, electronic door key. That capability is enabled by a technology called near-field communication, or NFC. NFC isn't new, but using it to speed up and simplify the hotel check-in process for travelers. This application would allow the user to check in to his hotel on his mobile phone, and have the code for his door key sent to his Mobile device. The challenge of keeping customers engaged is easy for companies using mobile applications.

If you're interested in moving forward with mobility, it's best to take it one step at a time. You need to be sure that the mobile application you are interested in will work with your device and with any other systems to which you want to connect. Compatibility is a primary factor, and it's not always clear who's responsible for getting the application to work.

Nowadays, broadband is available more and less expensive. Mobile devices are also getting cheaper and more powerful. Making them part of your business plan will empower your Sales force in their daily interactions. If they can do their jobs better and faster than the competition, your company will reap the benefits.

Today's consumer is always connected to their mobile device and a mobile presence is a must for any business. That does not mean that every business needs its own mobile app.  Mobile apps are great for engaging with existing brand loyalists, but in the app marketplace, exposure to new users can often be  achieved through presence in third party apps.

Regardless of the device, we should make careful, intelligent choices about the business tasks you want to enable. It is found that SMEs are more likely to use mobile broadband than their larger counterparts. And it's also been reported that small business fleets equipped with GPS systems increased their work orders by 25 percent, more than three times better than large fleets using GPS technology.

Mobile technology offers a way for SMEs to expand their sales area and close the gap in supply-chain management. They may even have an edge there, since it's easier for a smaller, agile firm to adapt than it is for a large enterprise.

For more information about iphone application development, android application development, Mobile application development please visit www.srishtis.com