iPhone App Development

Inside the iPad Mini - Samsung A5 processor found!

elan technologies — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 11:17:09 +0000

With Apple launching its first low-cost iPad, all eyes are now on Apple-Samsung rivalry since it is carrying Samsung’s own A5 chip. Apple is all ready for the holiday season with two spectacular new devices, as is always expected from the company. The new iPad (fourth) which is named iPad mini puts Apple’s device in direct competition with the low end Android tablets: Kindle, Nexus, and other Android tablets.

Apple had launched the chip Apple A5X amidst adulation and praise and with much fanfare. With the launch the company also sneaked in a new 32 nm version in both the products. Apple never reveals its secrets and most analysts are evaluating products based on technical specifications or by revealing their live experience with the device.

Because of this past behavior, many speculate Apple A5 processor to be launched secretively. There are A5 package markings which can be found in the iPad Mini which are similar to the markings seen in the fifth generation iPod.

The new foundry which Apple will have to order A5 chip for Apple devices from is thoroughly confirmed to be Samsung. Once the images of the chip are kept in a cross section, one can easily find the same gate pitch and k metal gates with a host of similarities.

Apple believes in re-use so while the board is a little different and filled with blank areas, one has the RF and baseband chips. It is not just a big iPod but a seriously well thought out foresight for the future and one will see major differences after you see the layout of the iPod. The iPad Mini is populated with the LTE version.

The Image Sensors include OmniVision which are primary and secondary sensors. It has a 5 Mp primary camera which are similar to the camera found in the 5th generation iPod touch while the 1.2 Mp secondary camera is the same as the iPad.

iPhone Development | iPad Development | Android Development | iOS Development

Android Apps: What you need to know about them

elan technologies — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 11:05:55 +0000

Android apps are applications that have been typically devised with the Java programming language, in collaboration with the Android Software Development Kit. However, there are other development kits such as Android NDK or indigenous tools for extensions or apps in C/C++.

There is a visual setting which is known as Google App Inventor which the beginners and trainee developers use. This is also used by the multiple phone web-based application framework.

The end-users can get Android apps in two methods. They can get them from an applications store like the Amazon App store and Google Play. They can also download them and set up the APK file of the app from a third-party website.

If you are using the Google Play Store, you can surf through, download, and modify apps that are created by the developers and launched by Google. These apps are featured on Google Play Store and can be pre-installed on gadgets which stick to the compatibility criteria of Google. The list of applications that are well-suited to the gadget is screened by the app. In addition, the app developers might limit their apps to specific bearers or transporters for commercial purposes.

Till the month of September 2012, the number of applications available for Android crossed 650,000 and the projected figure of apps which have been downloaded from the Google Play Store surpassed 25 billion. Statistics say that the number of devices in which Android OS was installed crossed 400 million.

Multitasking of Android Applications

The multitasking feature of Android application has been upgraded with the launch of Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 version. If the users keep pressing the multitasking button or the home button of an Android gadget, a task manager will come up which features a list of the apps which have been opened lately. The users may choose to start using the app in the state it was used on the previous occasion.

Android software development

This is the procedure where new apps are being generated for the Android OS. A survey conducted in June 2011 substantiates that over 67% of cellular phone developers have utilized the Android platform for publishing apps. Mobile developers are finding the platform extremely user-friendly. In the second quarter of the year 2012, approximately 105 million Android smartphones have been sold which represents an overall share of 68% of smartphone sales figures until that quarter.

Android app development tools

The following tools are used for the app development process:
Android Software Development Kit (SDK)
Android Open Accessory Development Kit
Native development kit
HyperNext Android Creator
App Inventor for Android
The Simple project
Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL)
Basic4android

It is worth mentioning that the app developers always face challenges associated with Java standards since no set standard is used for developing them. For this issue, many tools have been developed which help in Android conversion activities. When you review the credentials and prospects of Android app developers, you must make sure to take following tips into consideration, including experience, location, skills etc.

Hire iPhone App Programmers and Android App Developers from Elan Emerging Technologies a leading iPhone App Development Company provides iPhone Application Development, iPad Application Development and Android Development services.

The New Features of iOS 6.1 and the Progressive Apple World

elan technologies — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 07:23:55 +0000

iOS 6.1 has arrived with a bang with incredible new features. Here is an overview of some of them.

The iOS 6.1 beta has been talked about everywhere since analysts are of the opinion that the new features are many and good enough for the new version. It has been revealed by many tech magazines with Apple’s upcoming update which was expected for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

One of the magazines discovered several new features within a recent update with Apple’s mobile devices. The beta version gives a taste of what iOS 6.1 has to offer and would be more aboard the update because of the new features. One of the big new features of iOS 6.1 includes the features which will leap through the UI concepts around the place. Before, iPhone and iPad one could check movie times but one could not insert memory cards more than 32 GB since they were not scalable externally. Not all features were greeted by applause and cheers, but most users loved the new platform.

Apple Maps is now better with less bugs and more presence with iOS 6.1.The location search has been improved from the version 6.0 and now it feels less jerky to use them. Now 6.1 does have the “Report a Problem” function in Apple Maps where all problems can be sorted out without worrying much. This button was very small and difficult to spot after a user swipes up the screen. Now with the latest version and update, the button to Report a Problem is situated in front and center on the iPhone as well as the iPad. Apple will improve application as time goes by with Apple Maps expected to be targeted for enhancements.

One of the minor cosmetic changes that would be skipped by any company while observing are the lock screen’s music controls which is now spaced out than in iOS 6.0 which would aid in navigation of music a fantastically comfortable experience. A new reflection affect is included now with the volume slider to add to the overall magic. So those features are just the start. There is a possibility that Apple would bring in more features with iOS 6.1 since there is a very good chance of fixing bugs and maintenance operations are performed on the platform in tandem after iOS 6. Those features will likely come to the fore with the beta versions of the software. iOS Developers are excited with the new platform and one can even watch movies by commanding Siri with their voice.

iOS 6.1 boasts Siri enhancements with specific quotes like “three tickets to see Toy Story 3″ which would be acted upon without any glitch. The voice assistant will comply easily and use the Fandango app for taking the user to the purchase menu. Not all theaters are supported through the app but will soon identify compatible theaters with small movie tickets.

As discussed above, iOS 6.1 uses an updated Map Kit framework to perform map-based searches for any points of interest. Another portion is the relevance behaviour for boarding passes which has changed drastically. One needs to have the date matching the passes for being relevantly perfect.

iPhone Developer | Custom iPad App Development | Android Developer | iOS Developer

The best iPhone and Android Apps of the Year

elan technologies — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 05:27:14 +0000

Here are some of the best iOS apps:

Camera Awesome
The best new app of 2012 is led by a photo-sharing service which can help in clicking awesome photos. The app is developed by a decade old photo-sharing site SmugMug and is named as Camera Awesome. This app makes us to believe that you can ditch digital cameras any time. The app has automatic leveling features and comprehensive color adjustment options. It also includes many presets and filters for $0.99 for each of them or nearly $10 for all of them. You can share the photos across your social channels including the new Instagram app.

Pocket
The Pocket app is known as the best bookmarking app which is free and was earlier known as Read It Later. It has new features including the ability to view videos and images seamlessly which is part of its simple and classy interface.

TouchTV
News provider SkyGrid has come up with a new app called the TouchTV, which shows videos from cable networks onto the iPad. TouchTV includes videos of more than 5 minutes from 16 different providers which include hotshots like ESPN, Bloomberg and the like. The app also offers a glimpse of what app-based TV would be like. It is one of the best video discovery services on the iOS platform.

Any.Do
Any.Do finally comes up with an iOS version. The app is backed by Eric Schmidt, Google’s chairman to be one of the best productivity apps every made easily letting the user to complete their tasks with a swipe of a finger. It includes a comprehensive voice-dictation technology which records the words without the need to type manually. One can share lists with friends too.

HomeSnap
HomeSnap is an app which is assisted by augmented reality to help users to know the value of a home by snapping its picture. One can see school information and historical data related to the house too. Although it is not yet wholly reliable, it is efficient enough.

Here are some of the best Android apps of the year:

Flipboard
Flipboard is one of the favorite Android apps and a socially curated magazine which showcases news, photos and status updates. Flipboard is also one of the best ways to read content from third-party publishers on smartphones.

Instagram
Instagrams is one of the best photo-sharing apps which attracted more than 5 million downloads in less than a week. Instagram was later taken up by Facebook; the app has since then achieved cult status and the identity of a true pop-culture sensation.

Google Drive
Google Drive is rated to be a far superior and more cost-effective solution for sharing documents through Dropbox. Many companies rely on Google Docs, so Google Drive can be easily added to the list too. It has dominated the market in the face of ruthless competition from Dropbox.

Airbnb
Airbnb’s is part of the Android family since January and is a vacation-rental marketplace which helps property owners and travelers for sending quick messages. The app has reputed travel recommendations from celebrities like Ashton Kutcher and Jack Dorsey.

Hire iPhone App Programmers and Android Developers from Elan Emerging Technologies a leading iPhone App Development Company provides iPhone Application Development, iPad Application Development and Android App Development services.

The list of best recent Android Apps from the Google Store

elan technologies — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 09:16:51 +0000

It is hard to pick the best Android apps nowadays since the number of apps being uploaded is huge.

Here are some of the best apps though.

Chameleon Launcher’s developer shelled out thousands of dollars to get a better Android homepage and now it is out for public use. The Android’s default widget system is given a fresh look and several APIs are provided for developers to tinker with, in it. You can tweak the screens and add a bit of spice.

Amazon MP3 on the other hand, is not new but popular now with the Brits. Amazon launched its newly developed Amazon Cloud Player in UK which enables users to play music from the music locker. One can also add new songs to the Cloud Player automatically.

The new app Talking Ginger has more than 500,000 installs within days of its release, which is incredible to say the least. As the other “talking apps,” its animal hero will repeat the words you speak back to you. This app is very popular with kids and adults alike.

Additionally, this year’s Guinness World Records book has come up with its own augmented reality companion app developed by efficient Android app developers which brings different types of interesting sharks, slam-dunking parrots, unique set of spiders, the longest snakes and world’s shortest men with spectacular effects.

Subscription music service eMusic has its Android counterpart which was launched in early 2012. One can listen to their listing of songs and even ask for recommendations from others. In its paid service, one can download music from the service too.

The International Cricket Council has released its own Android app which focuses on the latest cricketing news and action, team information, along with comprehensive text commentary during live matches. One can view live matches too.

Bloomberg is one of the most active broadcasters and has fantastic apps developed by different Android apps developers for multiple platforms. The latest app brings its radio station to smartphones with live audio of the radio. Shows are also available on demand.

The Triggertrap is an Android app which is designed to work with an SLR camera and includes features such as time-lapse, long-exposure and Star Trail. A dongle is required to make the connection between the Android device and the SLR camera.

Geotracks is a GPS-based app which is also a location-sharing app with the ability to share location with friends in real-time. It is using the Geoloqi’s API and functions as a standalone app.

Distress Signal is known as a mobile emergency solution app which can help people to contact local emergency services if they are far away from home. Emergency text is sent in the local language to the emergency services. It is working in few countries as of now.

Former athlete Michael Johnson is back with a fitness app Motiv8 in Android which tracks the runs while playing music. The vocal encouragement along the way will be from Michael Johnson himself.

Insomniac’s official Android app is finally done with. This app provides comprehensive information and content of the events it is hosting along with relevant photos, videos and a radio station.

MyShelf is a new app which helps its users to store notes, pictures and links and is similar to Evernote. It can exchange data across devices with the help of Wi-Fi or USB.

iPhone Development | iPad Development | Android Development | iOS Development

Custom iOS app development in business and its far-reaching effects

elan technologies — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 07:07:48 +0000

iOS app development has long been in demand and has resulted in far-reaching effects in the tech world today. The surge of apps is due to the increasing demand and craze for something innovative every time. The iOS trends have started owing to the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) culture that the offices have started employing. This has prompted individual employees to buy their own iPads and iPhones into the office. Many organizations and individuals were surprised by the productivity gains which they saw and many organizations have opted to develop custom business apps for the iOS platform. The most common business uses were taken into account before the development of custom apps. Apps were used for solving specific tasks including inventory management and bill invoicing. There are apps which help in dealing with customer relationship management, as well as research and surveys.

The new hi-tech Austin Convention Center proposed elimination of paper work orders resulting in 200 percent ROI for the tech giant. Similarly, Lee Medical automated its healthcare processes with business apps, which helped in quality of their services and several lives were saved at reduced costs. West Paw Design introduced FileMaker Go for iPad which prompted its entire business to go automated right from the first part of order entry to the final delivery, which saved thousands of dollars on an annual basis. Many organizations are very keen to automate their processes to iOS devices but most of them are stuck on how to implement them cost-effectively. The biggest challenge that many of them face is how to create and update iOS apps for business needs. Organizations need developers who can provide custom iOS application development but the remuneration per hour is huge.

It is good to have a web app which is advertised with mobile browsers. This requires extensive programming with JavaScript and CSS. Such apps lack complete interactivity with native apps and need a steady web connection to run. Additionally, the time and cost involved in the integration of custom apps is huge. Also, there is a strong need to acquire or build custom libraries for much of the functions in an organization including charting, reporting, or even signature capture. It is good to have an alternative which would imply using a platform designed for development and maintenance of custom business apps. One such platform is the popular FileMaker which is actually an Apple subsidiary. Employees expect a lot from the iOS platform and the iPhone experience since Apple is known to be the pioneer of smart design and great quality in smartphones. Its design is pivotal to adoption. The tools need to be easy to use and design. Additionally, the iOS apps need to be simplistic yet comprehensive.

The alternative platform should boast of support to the native iPad and iPhone clients since users will be expecting the same quality which Apple presents. It should have gesture support along with several touchscreen actions such as pinch and zoom, with support for location. A good platform goes far beyond client expectations and mostly offers support for common data exchange APIs along with integration with popular authentication systems. The popularity of the iOS and the supportive devices like the iPad and iPhone are making them essential for boosting business productivity.

iPhone Application Development | iPad Application Development | Android Application Development | iOS Application Development

Custom iPhone App Development and the trends revolving around the App store

elan technologies — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 07:05:55 +0000

iPhone app development is demanded by many companies in the western
world. Also, the trends around iPhone app store are changing too. The
Apple iPhone 4S is a phenomenon now, while the iPhone 5 is ready to be
rolled out by September 21 this year. What makes the phone a must-buy
all the time? Obviously Apple and Steve Jobs have created a brand which
is insurmountable. The high adoption rate of these smartphones is
testimony to the class of the products and its unmatched features. More
than 50% of all US smartphones are iPhones which is continually building
on its earlier success.

But with recent years, demand has been heavy for custom iPhone apps from
the enterprise markets as well as other mobile development companies.
Android-based phone sales have literally doubled over the year while
Windows Phone is trying to make inroads into the market. The App Store
has become increasingly crowded since there are about a million mobile
applications available on the App Store across various categories. To
stand out and make a mark in the App market, it is necessary for
companies to partner an established partner and a development company
which has the right kind of experience and expertise in the field of
mobile app development. It is necessary to look out for competent mobile
development companies who have years of experience in the field as well
as a team of developers who are expert enough to create any type of app
for any domain. The company should have experienced professionals who
are well versed with the iOS 6/iPhone 4S apps along with development of
apps for the iPad, and any other Apple product.

The iPhone 4S SDK development process is difficult for the newbies but
those accustomed to developing apps on the platform will find it easy to
create apps for a wide variety of requirements. The offshore technology
team of mobile app developers and iPhone developers
need to get ahead of the technology curve for being the best. One
should stay ahead of the overall competition for making a mark. Offshore
development companies always try for getting mobile application
developers who are willing to put in extra time and effort for success,
obviously in a mutually beneficial relationship. The biggest advantage
of outsourcing iPhone app development process is that the costs involved
are very less compared to developing apps inhouse. One can see
significant cost reductions and the development time is less too.

Some of the features of highly successful custom iphone app development companies include:

High experience and skilled development team specific to iPhone app development
Proven success with app listings in the App store for the series of iPhones as well as iPads and Macs.
Cost effective project plans and flexible and scalable pricing models
Stringent delivery schedules and tight plans of development
Custom iPhone application development including all app functions found in a single roof

Companies which are able to offer apps related to other latest mobile
technologies especially for Android always have more business than a
technology specific app development
company. Apps are always in demand related to the smartphone hardware
features including the accelerometer, GPS, calendar and anything that
needs customization revolving around an enterprise.

iPhone Application Development | iPad Application Development | Android Application Development | iOS App Development

Steps to become an iPhone App Developer

elan technologies — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 09:07:35 +0000

Here are some of the profound tips for becoming an iPhone Apps Developer. One of the first steps that you need to do is buy a Mac. A Mac with an Intel-based processor which runs the Leopard version of MacOS X will suit you fine. A top of the range model is not necessary. Any Mac which can afford maneuverability for the developer will be needed. Mac Minis are more than powerful enough and can be serviceable if one already has PCs and a bunch of devices. Mac Minis are good to move around too. Developers can take them home for continuing their work. Owning the SDK is the next step. Apple provides the free SDK which is required for iPhone development and includes that an average developer needs to get going. It includes the development environment Xcode and the iPhone Simulator which is required for testing. There are some performance analyzers too, template-like interface builders and a huge reference library with enough documentation.

The third and one of the most important parts for iPhone app development is to learn Objective C. It is the primary programming language which is required for app development and an extension of C with OOP principles along with scripting elements. Any developer with previous programming experience will find it easy enough to transfer their skills for mobile app development. Apple adopted Objective C which was previously referred as SmallTalk. Since then, it has always used the platform. The best way to pick up the language is when you start with C/C++ and then learn about the APIs of the iPhone and the iPhone developer site is the best source too. The free tutorials on the web can get you help too. The official Apple SDK has good details about various features and one can get clarification on anything. To start out with development, the fourth step is to start writing something. Get a project to work on and start coding with Objective C. A Java programmer can also adjust and practice his or her programming skills for getting a project done.

A couple of modification tasks can help if one has not actually commenced on an original project. The SDK includes a host of sample projects which can help the developer with several aspects of development. One can start there with the process and just reverse engineer it. One can add new features and even create a new game. The fifth step is to eventually become a developer. Sign up to be an iPhone Developer and shell nearly $99 which would allow agreeing to Apple’s terms and conditions. One needs to sign up to even test the code on the iPhone. Depending on time available during some weeks and even depending on the level of programming knowledge, an iPhone game would take about two months to get finished. The toughest part is to adjust to the unsafe language since a new developer would get frustrated to find even a single bug in the code. Finally, submit the app to Apple. Apps need to be submitted to the App Store and uploaded with a description along with icons and screenshots. Apple mostly takes a week to approve the content.

iPhone Development | iPad Development | Android Apps Developer | iOS Apps Development

The First look of the new iPhone: How it feels to have iPhone 5!

elan technologies — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 09:00:36 +0000

The media greeted the iPhone 5 last week with a mediocre response. The new iPhone 5 has longer, larger screen, with a thinner body frame compared to iPhone 4S. If follows the first two parts of technology’s Olympic-sounding motto: citius, grandior, vilius which means, faster, bigger and cheaper.

But it is not all about statistics, and even though iPhone 5 does not break any records, it is still at the top of the league. Apple lovers will tell you that it is not about the records that matter, but the experience.

Raw specifications suggest that the new phone is 18% thinner and 20% lighter than last year’s 4S but these specs never reveal the feel of touching an iPhone. With the latest phone, typing or swiping feels like you are touching the core pixels. This is because a layer of glass is removed from the touchscreen. Though the 4in screen is longer, it has the same width and one can still swipe the iPhone across with a thumb, which is not possible with Samsung’s huge Galaxy S3.

Those having an iCloud account can set up their new gadget with everything – including photos, apps, settings and even Wi-Fi settings and alarm times.

Apple is promising more than 225 hours’ of standby time and more 3G browsing and talk time amounting to nearly 8 hours. The new “Panorama” camera functionality is remarkable too. You can take a picture while moving and the camera goes on clicking until one has a perfect scene. You can move yourself up and down or around an object. You have 360 degrees of freedom for moving. Once the clicks are done, the software gets it all together seamlessly.

The iPhone 5 has a rear camera which includes 1080p video recording which also includes stills in between. There is the new enhanced Siri too which can find and book restaurants, tells you football scores, and offers turn-by-turn navigation to anywhere. It also helps the user to open apps and look out for film times and reviews. It is now easy to be updated with weather forecasts and particular stock prices too.

Here is a summary of what the new iPhone 5 can do:
The good: The iPhone 5 adds most of the things that were found lacking in iPhone 4S: It has 4G LTE, bigger screen by length, and the quickest A6 processor yet. The redesign of the iPhone is sharp, slim, and incredibly feather-light.

The bad: Some telecom companies like Sprint and Verizon models will not have voice and data simultaneously which is a bane. Also, the new and smaller connector makes the current accessories redundant without the multi-adapter. Also, there is no NFC feature compared to Android phones while the screen size is smaller than the big Android models.

iPhone 5 certainly rebuilds the iPhone enigma with a fantastic framework of a sleeker design and better features than its predecessor, providing a solution for most of its previous shortcomings. The best iPhone is here and it certainly makes it to the top bracket of the smartphone universe.

iPhone Apps Development | Custom iPad App Development | Android Development | iOS Development

Android App Development and the Various Tailored Services for Enterprises

elan technologies — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 06:22:21 +0000

The use of Android-based smartphones has grown considerably in the recent years. It boasts of an incredible number of apps in its market which is growing at an incredible rate of 32 per cent every month. There are brilliant smartphones available now for every price range thus giving them a huge number of options. The rise in interest has been credited with the new models like Samsung S III. There are certain HTC models which have been very popular along with Sony Ericsson which has launched mid-range budget phones in recent months. Android being open source has been extremely successful in attracting various developers for creating innovative apps.

There is a huge and open market place for developers for publishing their apps. There are less restrictions for Android app development compared to the iPhone market and apps can be created for and on any platform: Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X.

Companies offering Android app development are extremely in demand as there is a huge need of applications of different types in the mobile world. Android is preferred by many of the developers and inspite of its less number of apps in the store, people prefer Android phones because of range and budget. The newer phones boast of high end graphics too. Core library support is essential too for the creation of innovative apps

The apps which are shipped with the default software development kit are Email Client, SMS, and Google products including Google Chrome and the contacts section. One can easily reuse the existing framework APIs for better and solid third party Android applications. Programmers are also provided with basic or complex apps as they desire.

Coming to the enterprise world, mobile field personnel are lost when they are out in the field for getting a real-time notification about the inventory or even get an idea about a sales visit address. Sales orders are usually done manually and then entered in the system and updated after they are back in their office. The manual input of data is done in the company ERP database. This is absolute wastage of resource time and even the sales order updates are not of real-time nature. Sometimes sales personnel realize that they are short on inventory but are unable to deliver. This creates problems for the sales personnel since they do not have immediate updates. They might even lose the customer’s location and address.

Mobile field service apps are created as Android apps and are usually integrated with ERP solutions so that there is information sync between sales personnel and the database with real-time updates on both sides.

Many offshore companies are well-versed for creating and developing Java-based third party mobile applications, for mobile devices including tablets and smartphones.

Here is a list of the most popular Android application development services:

Application development for mobile devices
Custom application development
Java-based game development
Android games and utilities development
Mobile business software development
Third-party libraries implementation
Security-based mobile solutions
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS support-based apps
Communication apps
Design apps for companies
QA and testing services

iPhone Development | iPad Development | Android Apps Development | iOS Development