Tag Archives: Android

The Web is Dying—and Google Just Put the Final Nail in the Coffin

Everybody thinks they love the web. How could you not? “Apps” run the same everywhere on any device.

Well, that’s the theory, anyway. But you typically watch a blank screen—or, at best, some colored boxes—while the UI takes time to refresh. Not just once, but over and over again.

Sure, they’re adding new functionality all the time, but web apps are severely limited in what they can do compared to a native app. Yes, there are JavaScript bridges, but that adds more time and complexity.

Even the last bastion of web popularity—news sites and blogs—are now being subsumed by native news outlets like Facebook instant articles and Apple News.

But, but… what about Deep Linking, you ask? Both iOS and Android have deep linking now, so it’s no longer a web-only concept.

But displaying formatted text in a web view is so much easier than creating it on native platforms, you say. Well, since at least version 8, iOS text views have the ability to display HTML-formatted text. This is true even on tvOS on Apple TV, which doesn’t have a web view at all. Problem solved.

And look how things are progressing. Apple Watch doesn’t have any web functionality—and neither does Apple TV. The push is on for native apps.

Surprisingly, it was Google who put the final nail in the coffin.

Google just announced (or, rather, leaked the news) that

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Nokia X Services SDK

Yesterday, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Nokia announced the Nokia X, a line of Android (AOSP)-based smartphones that use Microsoft services instead of Google Play services.

Nokia Developer now has an SDK available for those who want to integrate with those services on Nokia X-compatible apps.

It installs a Nokia X virtual device, so even if you’re not developing for the Nokia X now, you can get a feel for what Android connecting to Microsoft services feels like.

I just tried it out and, oddly, it doesn’t use Bing for search, but rather uses Google. The contacts & calendar apps and “Add Account” in the Settings app, however, do ask for Exchange credentials. (I just did some more research and it looks like this virtual device is just for testing your services–it doesn’t look like the UI on the actual Nokia X phone, and doesn’t include all the bundled apps such as Bing and Outlook.)

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Nokia X and Samsung Galaxy S5 debut at Mobile World Congress 2014

Two major new phones debuted in Barcelona at this year’s Mobile World Congress: The Nokia X and the Samsung Galaxy S5. One is more interesting than the other, and you may be surprised which one that is.

First, the Galaxy S5. Much as the iPhone 5S was an update on the iPhone 5, the Galaxy S5 is Continue reading →

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Are Sapphire Screens the Key to Hardened Mobile Devices for the Enterprise?

Sapphire screens have made a big splash in the rumor mill lately for the next generation of iPhones. All the stories I’ve read tout sapphire’s scratch resistance, shatter-resistance, and even caustic substance resistance as great for consumers–but what about the enterprise?

In the days of yore, Windows CE handhelds were available from some  manufacturers as ‘hardened’ devices to withstand the rigors of factories, and use by field workers and healthcare workers. However, two things conspire against the availability of hardened devices in the age of iOS and Android:  Continue reading →

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Last Day for Early Bird Discount at Modern Apps Live in Vegas

I will be giving a talk on enterprise iOS development for Windows Azure at the Modern Apps Live conference. This is held next month in Las Vegas.

The whole conference is about using Azure as a back end for apps written for iOS, Android, WinPhone8, Windows 8, and the Web (responsive design).

The talks are about the design and coding of Continue reading →

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9 Steps to Enterprise Mobile App Self-Actualization: Part 3 of 3

Well, I finally finished the third installment of my blog post series “9 Steps to Enterprise Mobile Self-Actualization” on the Magenic.com web site.

If you’re looking for inspiration for your enterprise mobile strategy, and how to take your apps from blah (low ROI) to wow (high ROI), Continue reading →

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Modern Apps Live! Conference on Enterprise Mobility and Azure

Join us at Modern Apps Live! in Orlando, Florida this week, where we discuss using a single Microsoft Azure back end to power iPad, Android, Windows Phone, and Windows 8 apps. I’ll be discussing how the iPad app was architected and coded, including third party libraries like AFNetworking and Azure Mobile Services.

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Enterprise Apps, Platforms, and Total Cost of Ownership

Whether you’re a CMO with business-focused teams reporting to you, or a technical manager or CIO with technical teams reporting to you—and you’re deciding which platforms to support for your internally-facing enterprise apps or externally-facing consumer apps—ask your teams this:

Why does Apple’s simulator only give you 5 device options (really just 3 distinct form factors), while Android’s emulator gives you over 20—and that’s just the popular ones?

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