8 Great Reasons For Considering iOS6 for your iPhone

For the typical user, updates may seem just a routine thing to do in technology. They barely give thought beyond the UI to the expansive work that goes on by manufacturers and mobile application developers.Its only when there’s a major overhaul in user experience or software innovation will they pay attention. The rest of the time, the excitement is mainly shared by those that make the difference. Every little tap and click on the device sets forth an operation that resembles factory mechanisms, except that they are intangible such as mobile apps.

Apple recently announced beta 4 release for iOS 6 version available for developers to test iPhone applications. The main points have been extracted from their press release.

1. iOS6 can be tested through the iOS Simulator
2. To check for content accessibility an app can check it through the authorization status API
3. Warning to not follow proper instructions on installation could render the mobile as unusable.
4. Once upgraded the device cannot return to its former version.

Now for some more interesting changes to look forward to:

1. Siri, iPhone’s digital assistant can install apps.
2. Facebook is integrated as a built in application to fulfill all the social needs.
3. FaceTime now has a cellular connection where the call receiving option is also available on the iPad and Mac.
4. ‘App Banner’ is a feature that advertises native apps which users can easily view, click and download.
5. iCloud allows easy sharing of photos
6. Additional apps are an attractive bonus. Such as Passbook for loyalty cards management.
7. Apple is introducing its own mapping app, Maps which features various services
8. Bluetooth sharing is another exciting feature for users who prefer to share data with those in close proximity.

In short, reviews have been extremely positive and worth the upgrade. The iOS6 is expected to be released this fall.

Hakim Sadik Found this Post on SocialJitney

Hakim Sadik exponentially improves the reach of businesses and online marketers. A social media expert, Sadik, is the insightful leader of SocialJitney client service team. 

Is Apple Isolating Users Through Limited Content?

No one knows for sure what the up and coming iOS6 will have, but they are certain of what it will not have, which is, its competitors’ services. Already Apple ousted Google Maps and instead indicated they have their very own mapping technology as pre installed application on iOS6 devices.

This is now followed by the termination of their contract with the YouTube app, another Google acquisition. Apple confirmed they intended to use Vimeo, acquired by Apple a few months back.

Very brave decisions. Apple Inc may have weighed the pros against the cons, but can’t say they can be commended. Sure there’s valid reason behind them, such as excessive advertising of Google AdSense.  Also Google has the upper hand to promote their content over others. The previous month’s comScore report showed Google in the top slots in the US online video ranking and Vimeo though slowly gaining viewership is down at 10.

But in their bid to be independent and focus on high standards, they are not just isolating themselves, but the users. Other smartphones have a large share in the market because they cater to the masses. YouTube ranks highest among the video websites in the world. That such popular apps have been discarded will prevent people from using iOS technology. No matter how brilliant their iOS apps, very soon they will find themselves losing their largest share of smartphone customers.

User needs should be given top priority. Everything is about connecting and integrating. People want an expansive and extensive reach wherever possible. This was earlier achieved through the internet, became more so through social media and games apps which proved more capable in allowing people to share content. Most importantly, users want as many choices available so they can decide which service to use. Excluding popular apps and installs will just leave them wondering what it is they are missing out.

As if this wasn’t enough, analysts believe that the world’s top search engine, Google is next in line to be sliced off iOS6. At the minimum, it will not be the default search engine and worst case, it will not be present at all.

At this point, media has concluded this to be more than healthy competition. They consider it as outright ‘rivalry’. Most affected are the end users. What they could be offered instead are the best of both worlds. Perhaps third party app developers could make some merger apps that could be native to iOS and compatible with Android OS. This is still early speculation and there are chances for all kind of possibilities to develop. Maybe even an iOS-Android smartphone…!?!

Hakim Sadik Found this Post on SocialJitney

Hakim Sadik exponentially improves the reach of businesses and online marketers. A social media expert, Sadik, is the insightful leader of SocialJitney client service team. 

Celebrities Score With Apps

If you think all celebrities do is take home their winnings, you’re wrong — they have taken the plunge into the tech world to do more than sing and play—they are letting you do the playing…

A celebrity’s popularity is directly related to the app’s popularity. That is the newest strategy that mobile application developers in USA have lately adopted to market their apps.

By working with celebrities during the development process, developers create celebrity-centered apps. ‘Bolt!’ stars the fastest runner in the world. Two-time Olympics gold medalist Usain Bolt aka Lightning Bolt helped develop and launch the game app. It was intentionally set to coincide with his triumphant win at the London 2012 event. The game now ranks as the 25^th most popular app.

Other celebrities have also previously left their imprint on the app stores. These include famed boxer’s ‘Mike Tyson: Main Event,’ Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco’s ‘Mad Chad’ and Portuguese soccer player’s ‘Heads Up with Cristiano Ronaldo.’ Companies too have invested in mobile platforms for sports and entertainment. Mobile content developer Babelgum offers free ad-based video content on iTunes through which they have recently launched a game app featuring musical band Coldplay on the iOS. The app also contains newsfeed, catalogue and contests for fans where winners get free tickets to Coldplay’s concerts.  ESPN runs their own ‘Developer Center’ to connect with other platforms. In house as well as third party developers can use their APIs to build sports apps. This open up new avenues for sports fans and celebrities to come together, just as their motto relays “Where geeks and jocks stand united.”

Another initiative involved singer/actor Jon Bon Jovi pitched in on the government’s cause to provide care to homeless veterans. The joint project Reach (Real-time Electronic Access for Caregivers and the Homeless) invited software developers to an open challenge to create “an online and web application that would provide real-time info to connect service providers who aid the homeless” from which five finalists were selected.

Why celebrities? Applications are also an excellent tool for fan engagement and celebrities consider mobile platform a way through which they can gain a wider international audience. Users prefer real-life personalities more than they do imaginary ones whom they can relate to, or pretend to be! For developers, besides successful marketing, it has opened a window of job opportunities. As one website rightly confirmed “This could be the start of a big trend on iPhone, and a big new source of income for developers.”

Hakim Sadik Found this Post on SocialJitney

Hakim Sadik exponentially improves the reach of businesses and online marketers. A social media expert, Sadik, is the insightful leader of SocialJitney client service team. 

Smart Businesses On The Go

It would have been hard to believe just a few years ago, that a small device would be able to monetize in a big way, made possible through smart phones.

To provide a glimpse into the kind of businesses that are sprouting across the globe, there is a business that exports packaged organic seeds of fruit and vegetables. Another company has created a mobile application that takes a photograph of a bill through the camera lens and the bill is paid with by ‘clicking’ a tab. Yet another company has introduced a clothes line for the economically constrained and eco-friendly consumers that are reversible and multipurpose. The list of possibilities is endless.

Even though Blackberry Smartphone pioneered technology driven mobile devices for business, today all major Smartphone companies have integrated business applications into mobile devices. The results have seen many businesses flourish ‘on the go through their resource savings.  Not only do they save time, but are also cost efficient, available at little or no cost.  Furthermore the convenience of access and ability to hold meetings with overseas clients has been most valuable, providing endless opportunities for trade and bringing on a whole new dimension to business conduct through m-commerce.

Google too, has invested in their efforts at bringing business to the forefront through Android apps. They did not stop here but went on to create apps compatible with all platforms known as ‘Google apps for business.’ Features include emails, file sharing, creating business documents such as reports and presentations. Multiple e-mails and calendars can also be synchronized with other devices. Since the app is used online, it may be limiting, but on the other hand, it provides a security through password protection, an important aspect that encourages confidential business communication through mobile devices.

Given the wide range of mobile applications, it means that one users experience may differ from the other, and the user would have to experiment with some to find one that is most suited to his or business needs. The apps have been praised for their round-the-clock support services that provide assistance to the user. A free trial is also available for a limited period which helps users gauge the usefulness of the apps. While Google apps for business offer most features at a small price, one can avail all the features on ‘Google apps for business with vault ‘with ‘advanced security and e-discovery features at an additional charge. Once payment is made, Google does not offer refund and therefore users are advised to choose the ‘flexible plan’ which costs less than the ‘annual plan.’

Recently, Google attained the ISO27001 certification for these business apps. Techcrunch reports that although it does not guarantee complete security on applications, but enough to assure businesses that their information cloud storage is safe with Google. Another recent take by Google that complements their business apps is their offer to allow business companies to conduct in-app transactions.

It is a wonder how technology has spurred startups to develop business, take them to the next level, that is, of implementation of these ideas, and finally, create an application for it.

Hakim Sadik Found this Blog on SocialJitney.Com

Hakim Sadik Exponentially improves the reach of Businesses and Online Marketers. A Mobile Apps expert, Hakim, is the insightful leader of Social Jitney’s client service team. Hakim has helped over 1000 clients bring their Mobile Applications to life.

Automated Social Media Marketing

Back during the early days of industrialization, there was a threat looming over the daily wage earners—that of being replaced by machines. But it brought immense relief to manufacturers, who were able to maintain uniformity and quality in their products. That certainly did not stop the demand for labor, even today. The web faces a similar issue, except that automation is not as simple as mere replacement of humans.

While social media automation may sound like an ideal solution for the novice or amateur businessperson, experienced marketing strategists will vouch against the idea because social media marketing requires more than just software to generate ROI, at least not if used in isolation. Such marketing efforts like automated emails and content lose the essence of what makes for successful social marketing, which is, human interaction. Facebook has over 900 million users and Twitter has over 500 million.These numbers speak for themselves of the importance of the human element operating in a most advanced technological environment. Unlike production, the web revolves around human activity and networks have a strong social influence that have impacted people’s lifestyles compared to any other media.

But far from being an answer to marketing, this instant feedback has made marketing far more complex than ever. With awareness came increased competition. While statistics helped quantify and narrow the gap between demand and supply in the market, marketers had to dig deeper. Facebook advertisers realized that even friends within the same social circle do not ‘share’ common interests.

Not that you should cast aside marketing automation in its entirety. Formerly known as email marketing automation, marketing automation is one of three categories of marketing software, the other two being marketing intelligence and advanced workflow automation. Combined with manual effort, results are positive and profitable. Marketing automation tools (MAT) play a very important role in the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) processes that are great time savers and aid analysis and measurement of marketing campaigns.

Marketing strategists often refer to content as being ‘unique,’ or ‘authentic.’ This is mainly because with scores of products/services available online, each can only stand out when they have their own distinct personality. In-depth research means delving into psychology which helps understand consumer behavior. Over time, improved communication will form meaningful customer relationships because they will see the genuine effort involved — which no software automated tool can replace.

Originally Posted By Avenuesocial.Com

Smartphones to Predict Human Behavior

The social and behavioral sensing platform has been aptly named ‘Behavio’ which interprets human behavior through Google’s Android sensors. Journalism is taking yet another plunge into the tech world. And vice versa. Now we have tech specialists delving into journalism. As of this year, Knight Foundation that provides financial support to Harvard’s Neiman Journalism Lab, is following the order of the day by combining technology with journalism. This year, one of the six winners of the ‘Knight News Challenge’ were in fact, not journalists, but a team of Android programmers who received USD 1.3 million prize as funding for their software framework model.

Where mobile companies are being hounded by numerous lawsuits against them for invading user privacy and storing personal information, the same is being constructively inferred for social development. For instance, recording movements and tracking location over a period of time will generate an average median that forecasts travel plans. The assimilation based on mobile tracking sensors will even be able to gauge epidemics even before they hit particular vicinity.

This is not the first attempt of its kind. The Wall Street Journal reported last year how ‘people’s movements followed a mathematical pattern’ and how collecting past behavior patterns can accurately predict future behavior. Earlier studies involving mobile usage and behavior had proven how cell phones’ data tracking log can reveal character traits and predict crowd behavior. One instance is that of a two-year experiment by MIT researchers that involved 60 families. Cell phone sensors were combined with personal information to show the extent of influence certain individuals exercised over others. Other similar studies showed cultural and political divide within one community based on their interest and social activities.

Armed with this kind of authentic information, journalists will be able to report without requiring physical resources and coverage. And it will be a great source for academics, particularly sociologists and psychologists to not just understand, but solve issues in this context.

Funf (fun framework) is currently available in beta version, ‘funf in a box’ for mobile developers to createAndroid applications through a Dropbox account. Currently available as beta version, developers are strongly recommended i) their apps not be used for large amount of data collection and ii) to select their users carefully, because they will have access to each others’ data.

Originally Posted By SocialJitney.Com

Cloud Gaming Gets Smart

To say the experience will be enriching is an understatement because live streaming of mobile gaming via cloud are the present– not the future of gaming.

While businesses are still hesitant about sharing data via cloud storage over doubtful security management, cloud gaming is perhaps a safer bet. Despite its recent beginnings in the mobile industry, gaming on demand has become the most utilized among all other cloud services.

What makes cloud gaming highly popular is mainly their capability to access games through offsite, remote servers on any platform or device. There is no need for physical gadgets such as consoles and discs. However, some guides do recommend using a physical control device for smartphone screens because of the large estate they occupy for game controls on touch screens.

Virtual streaming of these games provides limitless choices on 3G and 4G smartphones. Some OSs are already running them as cloud game applications on their stores. OnLive, a cloud gaming application was launched for Android earlier this year and received a tremendously positive response. Android was their first choice among smartphone platforms for the same reason that cloud sharing is based on: an open source server for an open source platform.

And there’s more to come. Google announced the launch of ‘Google Compute Engine’ cloud service at their recent I/O conference that will allow app developers to create any kind of application with the use of raw virtual machines, such as JVM (Java Virtual Machine). This means multiple systems can coexist within a single device.

Apple’s iOS had had to wait awhile, but with box.net already a successful app plus cloud storage project, they will soon be joining forces in the cloud gaming zone. Last week’s news about Gaikai, an open cloud gaming platform, being bought by Sony has pretty much paved the way for them as well as other smartphones and tablets. There has been no direct reference, but the high price paid (USD 380 million) shows just how important cloud gaming has become for the once popular console manufacturers. It is not too hard to believe either when reviewers predict how this will spur Xbox and Playstation games to be streamed through into smartphone devices.

Originally Posted By SocialJitney