5 Best Software to Build Mobile Apps

As an enterprise, your primary goal is usually to save time and money while delivering great product/services to your customers. Building and launching an excellent mobile app will also be a part of your strategy. Here are some of the best app building platforms in the market to help you deliver and leverage spectacular mobile apps.

1. AppBuilder: Businesses can either use the online toolkit to build their own application while simultaneously getting trained on the platform. Or there's an option to work with the AppBuilder platform to develop the app together. One can save time in building an app for all the platforms.
2. Mobile Roadie: Helps in immediately updating an app's content and works with all types of media. App previews are also possible when Mobile Roadie confirms quality of the app.  In addition, it allows the data to be pulled from multiple formats such as HTML and CSV.
3. Appy Pie: Is a cloud-based app builder for iOS, Windows and Android platforms. It assists in instant publication to app stores and also permits push notifications, real time edits, app monetization and better customer interactions.
4. AppMakr: Is free, DIY and allows you to create great Android, iOS and HTML5 applications. Apart from that, it also displays your app's App Quality Index (AQI) so that quality can be improved. AppMakr provides features such as customization, push notifications, live updates, chat, video streaming etc.
5. BiznessApps: An app creator that is optimized for all business types. It offers a number of business features like shopping carts, push notifications and loyalty programs among others. BiznessApps offers instant updates, easy to use CMS and hundreds of templates to choose from.

These are just some of the app building tools that can be used to build apps with. Each of them has a set of unique attributes – so select one carefully based on your project/enterprise requirements.

What makes OpenCart the best eCommerce Platform for a New Business?

All new businesses need to have an online presence – and this is not limited to a company website. The act of buying and selling on the web has grown exponentially in the last few years. Due to this, any new business looking to grow must be able to sell efficiently on the web. OpenCart is a popular choice for newcomers in the eCommerce world. This article covers the pros & cons of the platform for considering it for your organization.

Advantages

• Easy to Manage : A simple, neat and easy to use admin panel is one of the greatest benefits of OpenCart. This is what makes it ideal for those new to the platform.

• Wide Variety of Plugins: OpenCart's free version may not be as feature rich as PrestaShop or Magento. However, it makes up for this by offering around 1600 free and 4000 paid plugins. In addition, when businesses need to download/purchase advanced client report plugins, there are about a dozen to pick from.

• Large Community of Users: Discussion boards on technical issues and other forums provide much need help when needed. While the community support is not as exhaustive as that of Magento's, it is substantial to meet your organization needs.

• Code Modifications: The MVC model used by OpenCart makes it easy to work around with the code and modify it from a developer/programmer perspective. This is especially true for those developers who have used MVC in the past. In addition, OpenCart also has a clear structure of graphics templates so OpenCart website development shouldn't be a problem.

• Optimal use of Infrastructure: OpenCart doesn't have a number of built-in functionalities like Magento or PrestaShop. However, that's what leads to it being less demanding on server resources/ RAM. But including too many plugins may slow it down and make it less efficient.

Disadvantages

• Plugins and Updates: Custom updates and plugins may be an issue with OpenCart. When you buy a plugin for OpenCart and update the script, some of the functionality may get lost or get errors. Better to check with plugin authors about release updates.

• JavaScript and CSS: The very basic and poorly optimized version of OpenCart script makes clients download 500KB of just JavaScript and CSS code while accessing the store. The amount is same for Magento but since it's a larger platform, it can handle the load.

• Limited Functionality : OpenCart doesn't come with a large variety of core functionality. It lacks features like reporting and analytics. Large organizations must check whether OpenCart provides everything they need. It may also be a good idea to check out their paid and free addons. 

In conclusion, OpenCart is a great alternative for businesses looking for a 'no-frills' shopping cart. It works well with a sizable number of products, has many free add-ons, provides fair community support and is ideal for beginners/new business owners. 

Have you used OpenCart in your organization? Tell us about your experience with it in the comments section below.

3 Tech Trends to Watch in 2016

Technology is ever evolving. While 2015 may have seen virtual reality and wearable devices growing in prominence, a number of other developments are expected in 2016. According to Gartner, a number of these technological changes will pave the way for digital businesses through 2020. Some of the top trends are as follows:

1. Device Mesh: This refers to an increasing set of endpoints used by individuals to use applications, get information, and engage with social communities, people, government or businesses. Mobile phones, automobiles, consumer electronics and sensors in the Internet of Things (IoT) are a part of the mesh.


2. Information of Everything (IoE): All the devices or technologies that are a part of the digital mesh generate, use and transfer information. The data produced can go beyond video, audio and text to include contextual and sensory information.  IoE has the strategies and technology that can link data from all these disparate sources.


3. Artificial Intelligence (AI): Artificial intelligence gained a lot of prominence in 2015 and will be even more popular in 2016. Technology companies like Facebook and Microsoft are rushing to open source machine learning technologies and other such tools. Similarly, in the enterprise tech space, organizations like IBM have begun to scale their Watson cognitive computing system by slicing it down to services and engines that link to the cloud through APIs. On the consumer side, whether it is Google, Apple or Amazon, all the big names have gotten their feet wet in some form of artificial intelligence play.

Bigcommerce vs Shopify vs Volusion – Which Shopping Cart is Right for Your Business?

As a new business, one of the decisions you'll be forced to make is – which platform to host your online store on? Selling products online has never been easier, yet the wide range of eCommerce platforms available can confuse even the most seasoned of business owners. If you're in a similar situation, our article may make your life a little easier. This article will explore the three most popular platforms – Bigcommerce, Shopify and Volusion. As far as popularity is concerned, Shopify is a winner with 200,000 online stores. However, the decision cannot be made on the basis of popularity alone.

The aim is to point out the salient features of each to help businesses choose one that fits best with their requirements.

Bigcommerce:

The Bigcommerce platform is very user friendly and even a lay person can learn the ropes quickly to use it. A major advantage is the ability to edit the online store elements without any restrictions. No other eCommerce solution provides the range of features that Bigcommerce does. In that respect, Bigcommerce platform leads the race. Also, the Bigcommerce theme customization option makes it possible for enterprises to custom design their online store. The platform allows unlimited storage space, products and bandwidth. With the import tool, transfer of existing products and categories is simplified.

Despite the host of benefits, Bigcommerce still hasn't been integrated with a Point of Sale (POS) system yet. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to find an alternative POS system to integrate with in their app store.

Shopify:

Shopify is a top choice for many organizations setting up an eCommerce store for the first time. It is supposed to be the easiest platform that can be used to build a store on. Their App store has a number of a paid and free applications can be used to include additional features to an online store. Also, the store themes are responsive across devices so that enhances both the viewing and shopping experience for consumers. Additionally, customer support is available around the clock to answer any questions you may have. Their popularity is also a result of having a checkout in 50+ languages and multiple currencies!

While it's a great platform to work with, there are some aspects that businesses need to consider. One, the transaction can be as high as 2% depending on what plan you're on. The fees can be waived provided their payment gateway is used. If you're on an inexpensive plan, the ability to edit themes maybe limited. It may also be difficult to make use of the abandoned cart recovery tool or set up real-time shipping rates.

Volusion: 

The biggest plus point with Volusion is that they don't charge any transaction fees. This is a boon for small businesses who can keep more of their profit. With an unlimited storage space offered by most plans, businesses can upload a number of product images. Volusion is fast, secure and has a vast variety of eCommerce tools that make installing and running an online store, a breeze. They have been given an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau.

Some drawbacks included a limited bandwidth, if you go over, there is an overage charge of $0.007/MB. The themes are responsive but there aren't many options for those on a basic plan. Apart from this, there's no blogging platform built-in.

Having considered all three, there are two aspects that stand out – scalability and flexibility. Bigcommerce performs the best on both of them. Their shopping cart offers the largest variety of built-in features and other tools that makes the Bigcommerce platform a true leader. Further, it can be easily integrated and customized with new features.

What eCommerce platform do you use to host your online store on? Did you consider any of the three above? Let us know what drove your final choice.

How to Select the Right Platform for Developing Mobile Applications?

There are a number of considerations that go into the selection of a platform for building mobile applications. Yet, it may not always be clear which app platform is best for creating a mobile application. Each has its own pros and cons. Since not all mobile apps are at par with each other in terms of quality, the platform chosen to develop and launch the app can make it or break it. Prior to selecting one, there are some key considerations that enterprises need to take into account. Paying sufficient attention to them will enable businesses in making the right choice as they embark upon the process of developing an app. These considerations are:

• Identify the Target Audience

Some of the most important questions a business should ask itself are: Who are our customers? Are they also our target audience? Are members of the target audience Android, Windows or iOS users? Depending on the answers to these questions, pick the development platform. Typically, Android and iOS have the largest user base irrespective of geographical location. Although demographic data does reveal that Android's market share comes mainly from South East Asia. So, if your target group belongs to this region, you know what to choose for your application.

• Earning From Your App

iOS is said to be a high revenue generating platform. iOS developers tend to make comparatively more profits than the average Android app developer. Also, the revenue/app download is greater for iOS than Android. This is primarily due to the fact that most Android apps are free in contrast to the iOS app store. However, both the OSs offer the benefit of a large and ever expanding user base. Therefore, the financial rewards will continue to differ depending on the choice of development platform.

• Time Required To Develop

If speed is a crucial requirement for your business, it becomes essential to understand the time taken to develop an app for/on various platforms. Some experts believe that Android app development takes longer compared to others. This may be due to the fragmentation present in it. Additionally, unlike Apple's Xcode, Android development frameworks such as Android Studio are not very mature - one factor that adds to the development time. Some organizations may choose to use an alternative route. Developing multi-platform apps with Xamarin, PhoneGap, Sencha and Telerik are increasingly being used for building cross platform mobile apps.

• App Store Convenience & Popularity

Developers are of the view that it is easier to publish apps to Google Play than it is to the iOS App store. Google Play has a fewer rules in place where Apple follows strict guidelines before any application can be published to its iOS store.

Another aspect to think about is - what category do you want your app to fall under? This also determines the choice of platform. For example, studies have shown that more number of iPhone users make online purchases than Android users. In such a scenario, a retail business can be better off in building their app on an iOS platform.

Ultimately, the enterprise decision makers need to weigh its business priorities and decide which platform works best for them. If speed is a factor, a business should consider Xamarin or PhoneGap. Similarly, small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) who want an app that works across platforms can choose either of the two. Large companies who need attributes, may go for the latest in iOS or Android development. Thus, a careful evaluation of enterprise needs and the points described above will help enterprises in the right platform to build their next mobile app.

3 Important Uses of Mobile Apps in Fleet Industry

Mobile devices have proliferated our work places and our homes. As consumers, we demand services on our fingertips, be it booking a taxi or finding a physician close to home. As businesses, mobile technology governs the way day to day operations are carried out. Take the case of transportation industry, while Uber may have radically altered the way we book or hail a cab, large scale automated solutions have made it easier to track and manage vehicle fleets. 

Technology, specifically in the form of mobile applications has made a huge contribution in making fleet administration simpler. Here are some ways that illustrate the impact of such apps on fleet planning and management:

1. Optimize use of Time and Money

Fleet management apps may include features that aid in keeping a record of fleet maintenance activities. Through keeping records, enterprises can potentially save money. How? Any oversight of required repairs will be reduced. With scheduled maintenance reminders, the possibility of unnecessary and expensive repairs will be eliminated. In the cab industry, fleet management systems are helpful in tracking costs so business owners know how much the drivers are spending on things such as fuel or parking. They can also capture and compare fuel expenses for all the vehicles in a fleet.

Apart from saving resources, these apps can also remind your drivers to drive safe and draw their attention to probable hazards or bad weather conditions. Companies can also monitor the speed at which a fleet is moving and warn reckless drivers who frequently flout rules. Implementation of safe driving practices prevents accidents. This in turn reduces insurance, repair or vehicle replacement expenses.

2. Integration with Accounting Software

Keeping a tab of mileage and associated expenses has generally been carried out with the help of Excel. With a Fleet management app, businesses no longer have to input rows of data into spreadsheets. Modern mobile applications can connect with and upload the necessary expense data directly to Intuit QuickBooks. This makes it easier to keep an eye on overall fleet expenditure and reimburse staff as needed. 

3.  Keep track of Fleet location

For an organization that uses a large fleet of vehicles, a fleet tracking app can point out precise locations of your fleet. In addition, it becomes easier to see where each driver on your fleet is and whether they need any real-time help with driving routes. Also, drivers can share their trips on social media sites such as Facebook and Google Maps/Earth.

Has your organization invested in a mobile app for fleet tracking and management? Did you face any challenges in implementing it? Share your experience with us. 

Why Phonegap Is a Better Choice for Cross Platform Development

Mobile apps are a great way to promote your business, irrespective of the size of your organization.

Android and iOS are the two most popular mobile operating systems, and apps launched on both platforms tend to do well. However, this is an expensive process, so is the additional cost justified?

The answer to that question is a resounding yes. One of the most popular cross platform development tools, PhoneGap, makes it easy for anyone to make an application for both Android and iOS devices.

What is PhoneGap?

PhoneGap, also known as Apache Cordova, is an open source, cross-platform, mobile development framework that helps developers code various apps for several smart devices in one go. 

It allows the developers to assemble hybrid applications using CSS3, JavaScript, and HTML5 rather than opting for platform-based APIs like iOS, Android, or Windows.

PhoneGap applications are developed with expanded features for JavaScript and HTML. These apps are hybrid and neither local nor web apps. They are usually referred to as packaged apps, as they come in bundles for the end user.

PhoneGap Apps and Their UI

Apps made with PhoneGap run in a windowless, full screen web browser, with the UI layer made up of CSS and HTML components. This makes them responsive and very easy to make, while ensuring maximum compatibility for a wide range of devices and screen sizes.

Why Choose PhoneGap?

Developers prefer PhoneGap for its advanced features and the advantages it offers. Creating native apps for each platform would require separate development teams for each app. 

Additionally, PhoneGap mobile development allows you to create a single base code for all platforms, and simply export the resulting application for both platforms.

Let’s take a look at what makes PhoneGap the better choice over other CPTs:

• Animations used in PhoneGap apps are usually faster compared to native apps, and CSS animations are more fluid, as compared to jQuery, because they are executed by browsers, which makes them faster and use lesser resources
• Apps made with PhoneGap use GPS to identify the client’s exact location. Then it extracts their details based on their location
• The integration of both -  the internal files and web services is more advantageous for clients with different needs
• Applications designed on PhoneGap can also run offline
• Apps can be recompiled for other platforms, without any additional coding
• Application logins can be set up to work with Facebook, Twitter, and Google accounts
• In depth tutorials and developer support community

PhoneGap is a great tool for creating any kind of mobile application. That said, every app development framework and tool may have certain limitations.

Have you considered using PhoneGap for your organization’s app development? Let us know in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you, and thanks for reading!