Web design in california | Web development in california

How Windows 8 will fare against iOS and Android?

Praveen Joshi — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:28:42 +0000

In this day and age of fast paced technology, it is only fitting that the humble mobile phone is replaced by feature-packed smartphones. This has opened up a whole new market for mobile operating systems. Currently three main software companies are competing for the number one spot –Apple’s iPhone OS, Google’s Android and the new entry of Microsoft’s Windows 8.

Mobile phones today come with different variants of operating systems. Samsung has both Android and Windows phones, Apple’s iPhones are in a separate league, while Nokia is currently bringing the Windows 8 platform to the fore. Other brands such as HTC and Sony Ericsson too are experimenting with different platforms. Each has its own set of pros and cons. We have attempted to compare these software based on a few general parameters.

User Interface

When it comes to user interface the three operating systems are neck-to-neck in terms of usability, ease of access and attractiveness. While Android and iOS phones feature widgets and icons on the home screen, Windows 8 phones come with an attractive display of larger tiles. It also allows the user to customize the tiles and add more apps to the screen, though it might be a little sluggish to swish through. iPhone applications, on the other hand, come with simplicity, greater functionality and better features such as child lock for certain apps. Android’s Jelly Bean too makes for a smooth homescreen experience.

Apps

Apple has been reigning the App scene with a wide range of iPhone applications, and Android came a close second. Windows 8, however, has upped the ante with the introduction of two new apps – the Wallet and Maps. Wallet allows for easier payments using services such as PayPal. While Wallet is in direct competition to Apple’s Passbook App, the Maps app is by far unbeatable. iOS has recently moved away from Google Maps by launching it’s own map application. However, the launch of this application proved controversial with various errors in the geographical data. Android relies on the Google maps for the accurate data.

Browser

Safari is a standard iPhone application and the latest version brings over more features such as offline reading and integration to iCloud allowing for tab syncing. It also features a Smart App Banners which help sites promote their app. Android phones feature the Android Browser, however the Google Nexus 7 is set to get Chrome, packed with advanced security features which is sure to make for a smoother browsing experience. Windows 8 isn’t far behind and comes with the latest version of Internet Explorer, IE10 that is also high on safety measures. It uses a phishing filter and SmartScreen service to keep the user from being tracked by malicious websites.

Hardware Compatibility

Mobile application development can truly be successful if it is compatible with external hardware, making it easier to access and share files using multi-core processors, HD screen, tablets, SD cards, etc. After many user demands for better hardware support, Microsoft has delivered on that front with the Windows NT kernel. Also as it supports a resolution of1280x768, syncing your phone with the Microsoft Surface tablet seems very likely. Apple iPhones sync well with the iPad, but Google takes the cake in this respect. Android 4.0 was seen as the OS that united both smartphone technology with tablet PCs by combining Gingerbread Honeycomb and brought forward a seamless experience. The Google Nexus 7 device is now deemed to be the next step.

In the past the iOS based Apple has been the leader among smartphones with the iPhone or iPad. However, they have recently been taken over in terms of total sales by Android based Samsung. It remains to be seen how the new Windows 8 will fare in the market. Windows 8 is fairly new in the game and though it packs a punch, it will have to gain the benefit of doubt from the users. As long as it ensures regular updates, it is sure to create a better fan following for itself.

Impact of recession in Europe/USA on Outsourcing Industry

Praveen Joshi — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:15:14 +0000

The world economy saw the most gruelling time this year since World War II and Europe and USA bore the brunt of it. The first quarter saw a 0.2% dip in UK while USA never fully recovered from the recession in 2009. Consequently, this has had a positive impact on our Indian economy since US and Europe are the largest customers of the Indian outsourcing industry and account for 60 percent and 31 percent, respectively, of IT and BPO exports.

India has been the preferred outsourcing destination for most IT companies in UK and USA, mostly because of its affordable labour, English speaking workforce and stable infrastructure. European countries such as Austria, Denmark and Finland have derived benefits from India’s workforce in fields such as mobile computing, digital media and offshore software development. In fact, latest figures on the Information Services Group’s (ISG) TPI index showed that Europe spent as much as 27 per cent more on IT and BPO outsourcing in 2011 than in 2010, and outsourcing contracts crossed €44bn, out of which BPO and IT contracts alone were estimated to be above €20m.

The services sector in India contributes as much as 52% to the GDP growth and includes BPOs, KPOs, IT companies, ITeS etc. Due to the economical crises in America and European nations, the Indian outsourcing industry has evolved. This is because global IT companies are cutting down on costs and are seeking more cost effective solutions by seeking cheap resources. These include several changes in corporate behaviours such as staff reductions, bringing in new decision makers, better payment management and simpler value propositions.

Of course, changes in pricing trends see American and European companies deflating pricing for globalization services. Large companies, especially those that work on long term engagements such as TCS, Satyam, Wipro, etc. are not adversely affected. In fact, Indian IT services companies will prove beneficial to recession hit countries due to their ability to compete better. Business relations between India and these nations will improve, as a result.

Recession essentially means the paying rates will come with approximately 20% profit margins, even to countries such as India who actively contribute to offshore software development. However,

A Forrester report said that though companies are now holding back their IT budgets to cut expenses, after some time, they may outsource more of their processes when cutting costs pressurizes them, in case the present recession settles to become a mild one. There is a general assumption is that outsourcing is likely to benefit from the credit crunch, but at the moment things are highly unpredictable.

A negative impact of recession is revised political and tax regulations, not to mention, visa and travel restrictions. This means a major decline in travel by offshore workers. However, anti-offshoring measures may be countered with newer policies such as free trade.

The Indian IT sector is dealing with Western recession in many ways. These include exploring the domestic market, improving internal efficiencies to maintain cost competitiveness and improving product portfolios. Experts say the focus needs to shift to non-dollar economies. At the same time, they are optimistic that this recession period won’t last for more than two or three years.

Mobile Technologies for your Business (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry or Windows Phone) Development

Praveen Joshi — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 09:11:05 +0000

Owing to consumer demands, mobile devices today are capable of delivering content in any format. The age of eCommerce has now moved on to mCommerce, pushing enterprises to restructure their business models in sync with current market trends. Having a website or online store isn’t sufficient any longer – mobile apps are the next big thing. This is the influence of mobile technology.

There are many mobile operating systems that businesses can work with such as Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Apple iOS X, Symbian, JavaFX Mobile, LiMo Foundation, Android, Ubuntu Mobile and BREW.

Growing Impact of Mobile Application and Significance in Business

The question most businesses are asking today is how can mobility enrich their enterprise and manage internal operations better? There are many benefits that mobilization has to offer to enterprises, the most obvious one being, greater flexibility – between employees and their seniors. Other key aspects include better response time, easy access to resources from any location, better decision making, freer interaction with partners, etc. These aspects will contribute greatly to the growth of any business, be it a small company or a large corporation.

Another area where mobile applications have had a huge impact is retail. The IT boom saw many changes in the retail industry with outsourcing and internet applications to achieve competitive differentiation, operational excellence and flexibility. The next step for these businesses is adapting to mobile technology and creating a competitive edge that will, in turn, improve profitability and productivity. It has already been seen that technology is power and has the capacity to innovate, if integrated well with business processes and values. Mobile technology helps build a wireless workforce that enables better business transition between clients and customers. Mobile communication provides services that help accelerate better business outcomes, beat competition, bring new potential clients and enrich people with the experience of being connected from anywhere and anytime.

Retailer Apps

To influence the tech savvy shoppers of today, retailers need to seriously consider developing better, improved mobile apps that provide key tools and information. Customization is key and mobile app capabilities need to adapt to consumer requirements accordingly. Smartphone owners are demanding, and it is not enough to provide just a mobile-optimized version of your website with basic product information and transaction capabilities. A more relevant and tailored in-store shopping experience using a retailer’s dedicated app/site will attract consumer loyalty. By enabling mobile capabilities at each stage of the store-shopping journey, retailers can influence sales revenue and potentially improve conversion rates.

If you are not sure what should be the best mobile application strategy for you business then please contact BSL Information Technology (BSLi) for free consultation service