A Swift Tutorial for Google Maps SDK

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The free mapping service by Google that gives you various types of geographical information we call as Google Maps. To use this mapping service on your website, you use an API given by Google. Here you will learn how to use the API and use the mapping service.

Code for creating Google Maps

First thing is to become familiar with JavaScript. If you know a little of HTML, it will help. Here is the code that will make a map for you.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<h1>My First Google Map</h1>
<div id="googleMap" style="width:100%;height:400px;"></div>
<script>
function myMap() {
  var mapProp= {
    center:new google.maps.LatLng(8.91011,12.1314),  zoom:5,
  };
  var map=new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById("googleMap"),mapProp);
}
</script>
<script src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js?key=YOUR_KEY&callback=myMap"></script>
</body>
</html>

There are tons of things you can do with maps. From presenting a location to discovering the routes, the map proves useful for the user. iOS was using Google Mobile Maps for all its needs until recently. But, things changed and Apple began to use the Map Kit for its mapping services. Ever since Apple stopped using the Google Maps, Google decided to use its own Maps SDK for all platforms including iOS. This then is the strong contender for all map SDKs used on every platform. This is why writing Google Maps SDK for iOS is definitely worth it.

Always Suggest To Read : Consider this 10 Common App Rejection Reasons

You need to get the API Key if you want to use the Google maps in your project. This consists of a special string of code that you get from Google which you can use within your app to call the maps function. This you do by fetching it from the special place for Mobile App developers known as Google Developers Console. You need a Google account to operate from this place.

Using your Google account, sign in to the Google Developers Console and click to the API Project Option. Next expand by clicking on APIs & auth menu. You need to find out the Google Maps SDK for iOS and so go through the list presented to you. Click on the correct tab and you will go to the page where you can enable the API. After that, click on Credentials options under the APIs and auth menu.

In the new page, click on Create new Key button. This will be on the bottom left side. Once you click the button, a dialog window will open asking you what type of key you want to create. Inside this box, you have many options shown such as Server key, Browser key, Android key, and iOS key. In the next window, you can type or paste the bundle identifier of your app. You can copy the value of the com.appcoda.GMapsDemo and this step makes our app authorised to use the Google Maps API.

Once you click on the Create button, you create the API. If you want to add or remove the app bundle IDs you click on the Edit Allowed iOS Applications button.

Advantages of Custom Mobile App Development

custom-mobile-app-development-services

Making a website is half the work on the internet, making apps is the other half.  The apps make the site extensible and improve its functionality. It means the website can now do more things than it could before.

Adjust scalability to suit your business

This is important since you need to adjust your business to the growing customer base. By keeping your website hidden, you will not grow your business in its entirety but will only achieve partial growth. This means, there will remain some aspects of the business that has not come to light and so you will not achieve full profit though you are increasing your turnover.

Keep control of your apps

If the third party app developer of a sudden decides to stop the app, you feel left out on a limb. You need to find an alternate solution. By designing your own apps, you gain control over how the site behaves. This helps you to control the responses which are the main aspect of interaction with the customer base. The customer develops a perspective of your site by the responses you make and if you trust a third-party, then the responses will not be adequate and the customer will take his business elsewhere.

Always Suggest to Read : Importance of Test Cases while Testing your Mobile App

Maintain personalized contact

When you develop your own apps, you can keep up the personalized contact with your customers. This means you are able to make promotions and give discounts as per your discretion. If you want you can give discounts to people who buy from you for $200 and if you see this is working you may want to make further improvements.

Easy to maintain the project cycle

Since you develop the apps to suit the present condition, you are able to maintain strict control over the deadlines and project progress.  Since all the apps are your own, you can set the limits and the parameters so they are always functioning in the best way.

Your own app will help you harness the mobile market

The growing mobile base users’ numbers is reflective of the expanding customer base. now days many of Top Canadian App Development Companies increase customer view ratio By designing the app to be compliant to the mobile segment, you can tap into the market with ease. If you use a third-party app, you cannot tweak it to respond in the way you like. You may need specific controls to keep the interest of the customer focused on your product.

Keep your product competitive

By getting a feel of the market, you get to know what is lacking and where you have to concentrate to beat the competition. You can add these features so that your product is always much sought after.

Make the apps that help you in your business by studying the market. The best way forward is to make apps as versatile as possible and then tweak them as you go along.

Top Web Development Frameworks In 2017

iqlance-web-development

In recent times a mere online presence is not enough, people are looking at the most updated trends comprising the latest technological features. However, to have an online presence taking into consideration all the latest features can be a daunting task but if the developers are well aware of the latest web-development frameworks things become easier. In fact, when the latest web development frameworks are put to use you can expect quality work at lesser time and cost.

Top Web Development Frameworks

Let us have a look at some of the top web development frameworks in 2017.

angularjs-logo

Angularjs: If you are little up-to-date with latest web AngularJS development frameworks then you must have heard this name. It is a Java script open-source framework. It was particularly designed for single-page web applications that use the MVC architectural pattern. It is a front end framework and not a full-stack one. The result is that it deals only with your web pages.

laravel-logo

Laravel: Laravel has been a framework that has showed bright paths to web developers. The specialty of this framework is that it is a free, open-source PHP web framework that has been built using the model-view-controller or the MVC architectural pattern. In fact, Laravel is considered the best PHP framework.

ruby-on-rails-logo

Ruby on Rails: This is a framework that is considered among the best by the Ruby On Rails web developers. The specialty of Ruby on Rails is that it makes work a fun activity for the developers. Right from its inception it has been free of cost and it operates on Linux. The other advantage of this framework is not only that it helps the transition from the planning to the development stage very fast but also it is quite easy to handle this framework when compared to other technologies.

symfony-logo

Symfony: Like Ruby on Rails, Symfony is a framework that is based on PHP. The specialty of this framework is that it is more suited for large scale and enterprise level projects. Another important feature of the latest version of this framework is that it helps developers to create websites which are scalable. The result is that websites can be easily changed with the changing business needs. The platforms with which Symfony are compatible include PHPBB, Piwik, and Drupal.

nodejs-logo

Node.js: Node.js is not just a framework, it is a complete environment. It has been a favorite among developer’s for a long time and is expected to retain this status for quite a while. It helps to create scalable and fast network applications since it is capable of handling a large number of simultaneous connections with high performance, which provides high scalability. If you want a complete JavaScript environment with all the tools, development using Node.js or to hire nodejs developers may be ideal for you.

ASP.NET Logo

ASP.NET: As far as ASP.NET is considered it is one of the best Microsoft built web development frameworks. It is a framework that is largely valued by developers. This is because with the help of ASP.NET web developers can think of building dynamic websites, rich web apps, and also web portals right from its inception in 2002. The good thing about ASP.NET is that web developers can write the code using any language that is supported by .NET.

Besides the ones mentioned above there are other web development framework as well that makes the web development process easier.

Always Suggest to Read : Technology Business Trends that Will Dominate 2017

The Bottom Line

When finalizing your decision let us remind you that it is never about the number of features that a particular framework provides. It’s about the actual functionality of the framework and how the functionalities can be utilized within your own web Application development project. Hence, choose one of the frameworks as per your project needs and save time and cost.

Doctors Will Play New Roles as Wearable Tech Evolves

wearable-tech

Most of the health conscious people in the city have their own fitness tracking device. They have one for their exercises and another to watch the food they eat and their sleep duration. Is this such a bad thing? No, this is the way the world goes and the ones who are not so conscious will remain behind.

Futuristic wearable technology

Wearable tech such as the Apple watch apps and the Fitbit can help track activity and give advice in a wide range of situations. For instance, Siri in the Apple Watch can read out instructions to follow in case one has a heart attack. It also takes notes from doctors who cannot sit down to write it in the middle of their activities. The wearable technology is becoming more adaptable but is it as much a gain for mankind as well?

The challenge to the evolutionary process comes from the establishment in the form of the FDA and the HIPAA.  The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has lengthy processes for giving its approval. Doctors can only rely on those prescriptions and deductions that have met the approval of the FDA. What does this mean? If you diagnose a head injury through the revolutionary cap the player wears, you cannot treat it unless you use conventional methods of analysis such as the CT scan and MRI scans.

The Future of Wearable Tech

Adults say they’re interested in features that extend well beyond measuring health metrics – especially features that would give them additional control of everyday tasks and help them move through life more efficiently.

Future of Wearable Tech

Preference for conventional methods

You can see how difficult it is for the technocrat to sit still and watch this drama. And it is not like they are forcing the pace and making people change or anything. The technology is there – CheckLight is a smart cap from Reebok that can detect the head injuries of the player who wears it. It can send out alerts if the head injury is serious and the player needs immediate help – but the physician isn’t. The physician needs the head X-Ray and the CT scan; he does not want the CheckLight.

We can visualize a similar situation in the case of the Holter Monitor. This electrocardiogram is portable and gathers data as long as there is power in its batteries. Usually, this is for o 1-2 days and you get full information about the patient and his or her health. But, this information will not serve as medical evidence for the physician at the clinic.

More people use apps

The trend is definitely on its way as we see more people wearing watches to track their exercise goals and meet the fitness requirements. The Mi-Fit Fitness tracking app is available for $20. People use these apps to track their sleep and activity levels.

The wearable intelligence devices industry is growing at a rapid pace. Credit Suisse expects the industry to grow up to $5 billion by 2019. Most of the devices will need iWatch apps downloads to function. But then, you will see more than 50,000 apps waiting for your call.

How Retailers Can Improve Customer Experience through Mobile Shopping Apps

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Shopping has advanced from the roadside seller to the mall to online apps for stores. The shoppers now shop and get extra information on the things they want to buy by browsing on their mobiles. Here are ways that the mobile shopping apps can improve the customer experience.

Give the customers a retailer app

retail-mobile-app

Use of the app in the retailer’s shop helps boost sales. Maybe it is the feeling that they are getting something for nothing but it helps build the bond between the customer and the brand that the shop sells. By providing an in-store app for the customer, the store is getting a big edge over the competition.

Give free Wi-Fi within the store

Customers who don’t get a signal within the shop will not stop to shop there. The Wi-Fi helps the customers stay calm and use their resources including the advice of friends to make the best decision. Many of them will come to the store to use the free Wi-Fi but it is likely that will shop also. The shop owner can interact with the customers and provide information on the various products on sale.

Showcase reviews and product information

When the customer is reviewing a product, you can use his or her phone to push information through Geo-location features. This will help the customer to make the right decision and many of them will find this useful feature as a positive aspect of their shopping experience. It will help build the customer base.

Offer coupons over the mobile phone

This is possible if the customers use their phones when they are inside the shop. You could hang a couple of banners inside the shops that tell the customers of deals and coupons offered over the mobile phones. This will make them use the phone and get discounts. This helps to link the discount coupons to the mobile phone that enhances the mobile phone use for shopping.

Read also : Step-By-Step Guide To Building Your First Mobile App

Make the app clutter free

This is needed if the store has an app for the customer to use. Use of light colours and clear font will help retain the attention of the customer and help them make purchases without any problem.

Keep related products together

Once the customer shows an interest in shampoos, there is a good chance that he or she will need bath soaps or toothbrushes. When the purchase shows up in the store app, it will direct the buyer to the next product so there is more sales.

Information boards

This is the “You are here”, “The broccoli is over here”, “Move to the next aisle”, kind of boards. These remain displayed when the customer uses his phone and searches for something using the store app. The chances of improving sales depend on how accurate the information is. The customers will always appreciate some extra help.

Discounts for the next ten minutes

Using your shopping records, the store will announce well-timed announcements that the shower mat has a discount for the next ten minutes. Well…you had been considering the mat it is there in your browsing history. And, when you hear this announcement it will push you into buying it. Well, you wanted it, did you not?

Give easy options for shopping

Tagging the items in the mall and then pushing the numbers on them will get them packed for you. If you need some potatoes, you must check their number and then push the number on the store’s app. Then, add the quantity and your ID to have the potatoes packed and ready for you.

Shopping always is exciting and adding the mobile phone has increased the fun. But, it is more likely that simplifying the shopping experience will bring in more shoppers.

If we’ve learned anything, it’s that there are 3 objectives stores’ could strive for to set their apps in addition to the competitors: reduce the path to acquire, make the lives of clients more convenient, and also develop a seamless omnichannel client experience.

There are numerous tactics retail brands could apply to accomplish those goals. The methods you choose depend upon the desires as well as requires of your clients, and now is the moment to invest in enhancing your retail mobile application.

How to Double your Mobile Sales with Google Shopping Ads

google-shopping-add

The specialized listing service for products that permits merchants to exhibit their product on the top of the Google search listing page is Google Shopping ads. This means, the results appear above the search results in the results page. So, if this is so special, why doesn’t everyone want to use it?

Exclusive selling platform

Google shopping has undergone significant changes that have made it more exclusive. At first it was a free shopping site. It then introduced specific promoted sections but now it is a fully paid platform. Google Ad-words is the paid advertising platform for Google; from this, the users manage their Google Shopping Ads. This is a tough chore for those who are unfamiliar to paid advertising.

Also Suggest to Read this Post : PPC Metrics: What They Mean And Which Are Important

You have to add key information regarding your product so that the search engines are able to identify it perfectly. This information includes the ID which you use to identify the product. The product should have a unique text. This is the description that comes up when someone clicks on it. Next is the product type and category. You must define the product type and the product category, you can choose from the predefined groups by Google. One useful piece of information you must include is whether the item is in stock. If not, it should read not available.

Best things about Google Shopping Ads

You have many small advantages of using Google Shopping Ads other than the big ones.

  • You find the results display when the customer is trying to decide if you should make the purchase.
  • The competition from the other retailers is small and if your product is good, you will probably get the sale.
  • All the work on matching the keywords to searches, Google does. In specific instances, the use of negative keywords too did not matter.
  • You get the ability to promote products that have good conversion rates. You can also suppress those that do not do too well.
  • When your product is shown above the search engine listing, your brand name is mentioned too.
  • The images of your product appear above the organic listings and search engine results, which is good publicity for your brand.

So, how does one get their product to feature on the top of the page? The guidelines regarding this is not clear but it looks as though it depends on how much your product is related to the search and how much you are willing to pay per click. (You don’t have to pay if the searcher does not click on your product.) And, if they do click, the chances are that they want to buy it.

Before diving into the tactics of optimizing Google Shopping for smartphones, make sure your product pages provide a totally friction-less shopping experience for your customers.

Your site should have an entirely flawless UX across all devices.

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By allowing the online merchants the chance to showcase their product on the Search Engine Result Page (SERP), Google has enhanced the probability of a sale for the product that appears on the top of the page. The sales can be boosted using the product listing ad (PLA) services. The PLA helps target the Smartphone segment of the market.

This is no surprise, as mobile PLAs sit atop the Google SERP (search engine results page) and shoppers love thumbing through the interactive, image-centric carousel.

shopping-add-view

Use of online data

The possibility of using data amassed from the phone usage leading to better conversion than the use of data from the retailer’s site makes the PLA service a boon for the marketer. This means, more people are browsing on their Smartphones than on the retailer’s site. The behavioral changes are studied to improve the predictability and anticipate the trend.

By capitalizing on the Smartphone market, Google Ads campaigns have the potential to reach once-unreachable customers. Online marketing is tough and if online marketers do not keep on updating their websites, they will lose the touch and the market to Google Shopping ads campaigns. Once must make an optimal bid for an ad so it pays well when it converts.

Get The Right Traffic Learn how to get traffic that brings results. Get your free copy Not all traffic is created equal.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setup your Mobile App Re-Marketing

App re-marketing services

What is Mobile App Remarketing

Re-marketing is the art of getting back what you lost. Other than the social media marketing like Facebook and Twitter, there are two main channels, those dependent on Google networks and those that are independent of this network.

To help you navigate the landscape of Mobile app marketing, here is our starting lineup of app re-marketing strategies that are proven to be effective.

To tackle the social media market

The first step is to integrate the Facebook SDK into your app. You must choose the events that you would like to target such as app open, level up, sign up, or log in. Depending on the behaviour of the users, you can use the tag to target your audience.

Mobile App Remarketing

Register app with Facebook. To do this, go to developers.facebook.com and check that your SDK is working perfectly. Find and click App Insights à Choose App à Select App Events. If the table is showing the events, then the SDK is working fine.

Make custom audience. This is a key step in the Facebook Re-marketing. This is also based on the actions of the users applicable within the app.

Ad Manager à Power Editor à Audiences. This will be in the left menu. Now open Create Audience.  This will be on the right side drop-down menu. Click on the Mobile App Custom Audience.  Now you are ready to Create Ad.

Set up your AdWords campaign

If you follow the given steps, you will be able to set up the campaign easily.

  • First, click on Campaigns.
  • Now, click the +Campaign button to create a new campaign.
  • Make the option Choose Display Network only after this.
  • You will get a new screen. Check the box next to Buy on your website. This will come under Marketing Objectives.
  • Set the location. Now, next two steps are Define your bidding strategy and then you should Choose your Budget.
  • Give a good name for your Remarketing Ad group. Set the Max CPC bid.
  • After you have done with the naming and setting the Max value for the CPC, you come to the Interests and Remarketing.
  • You have the Remarketing lists. Click on this and then on the Use Dynamic remarketing ads.
  • You have another drop-down menu where you must select Retail.

You must be careful to use the Remarketing tag for your campaign. Click on Set up re-marketing. AdWords will generate a remarketing tag which you need to add to your website. This tag is the piece of code that adds the visitors and customers to your remarketing lists. So, when you have visitors to your site, you can show them these ads. You can also use the Google Analytics tag instead of the AdWords Remarketing tag. But, you must get the permission of the Google Analytics edit.

Start the Working on Media Marketing

You can do the retargeting of the market in four separate ways. Each has its strategies, plus, and minus points.

  • Use of mobile
  • Using Facebook
  • Over the internet
  • Dynamic methods of re-targeting

The Google re-marketing code for your mobile app is the first step to take. Go to adwords.google.com and click on Shared Library in the left side menu.

Create Custom audience 
  • Choose Set up Remarketing.
  • Give your email id to get the remarketing code.
  • Use the Tag Manager to add the remarketing code to your mobile app. You can easily integrate multiple codes including the Google Remarketing tags if you integrate the Google Tag Manager in your mobile.
  • You must add the remarketing code to the main pages in the mobile app. Adding them to the separate screens in the app will be difficult but possible.
  • Choose the in-app action and create the custom remarketing list. You can also use the Google Analytics in apps.

All that remains is to create the Marketing list. This is simple. Go to AdWords Account à Shared Library à Audiences à Create Remarketing List. Now, name the list and define the conditions.

Remarketing is an immensely and effective strategy to consider. It is important to gain new users for your app, but it is equally if not more important to retain who are already there.

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Android OS Vs. Apple iOS – Which one Is Better for Developers?

Android-vs-ios

The mass migration of the world to the internet regime soon as they wake up from sleep has become easier with the advent of the Smartphone. This device remains ruled by two operating systems – the Android OS by Google and the Apple iOS by Apple. Which one should the fountain bless? And why should it do that?

Use across multi platforms

Every app must have the capability of operating across all the platforms. The exception being apps that are Objective C based that cannot run on Android device and the Java apps that will not function on the Apple phone. You can use many tools to develop apps that work on many platforms. But, you may meet difficulties in displaying information when it comes to a different mobile OS. This is the challenge that game developers face today. The answer is to rewrite the app in the language of the device native language.

Doing multitasking

The Android OS has lots of features built-in for multitasking. This makes it difficult for new developers to understand, learn, and operate the app on the Android OS. Further, the Android has a highly fragmented platform that adds to the difficulty of the Android programmer.

When we compare the Apple iOS, the platform is stable and exclusive for developers. It defines tools clearly specifying the boundaries and capabilities. This helps Apple designers make apps easily.

Use of a programming language

The Android OS uses Java language which is most common among developers. In this respect, the Android OS is easy to do. The iPhone OS uses Objective C language. Only those that are well-versed in C and C++ languages can write programs. So, programmers who have not yet mastered the C and C++ languages will find it difficult to develop an app.

Openness of development

Developers on the Android platform have more freedom to do as they wish. This open development platform allows them to use third-party tools and this augments the functionality of the app. This makes the apps developed on Android platform more versatile.

Read Also : Why iPhone Application is Better Platform for your Startup?

Apple lays many restrictions for the development of apps. The developer can only use a fixed set of tools to make the app. This lack of outside tools places a limit to what the developer can do.

Comparing demographics

The Android market is the larger of the two and it covers most of the lower-income areas. This is prominent in the developing world and among student pockets that prefer a cheaper solution to their app development.

The Apple iOS will have developers who are from the upper sections of society with higher education levels. They will spend more for developing their app and will show more engagement in their dealing. There are developers from the upper bracket who develop apps on the Android platform but they are few in number.

Testing of the mobile app

The developers on the Android platform get an excellent testing environment. Testing tools are neatly indexed and you can use the IDE to work the model source code. Developers can test their app thoroughly and debug them when there are defects. Thus, the model that comes out on the Android Market is perfect.

Xcode used by Apple does not have the same versatility. It lags years behind the Android platform.

Procedure for payment

iOS developers have to pay an annual fee of $99 to get access to the iPhone SDK. They get 70% of the revenue that the app sale generates. The app developers on Android platform too get 70% of the revenue but they need to pay $25 only once. Also, they can feature their app on other app marketplaces.

Boost up Performance of your Ruby on Rails Application

ruby on rails performance

Ruby on Rails or simply Rails is a server-side web application framework. The language used is Ruby and it is under the MIT license. So, you can design your web pages, web service, or a database using this model-view-controller framework. You can improve the performance using many well-known paradigms and software engineering patterns such as active record pattern, don’t repeat yourself, and convention over configuration.

Use the brakeman

The brakeman is a security analysis tool. When you run it, all the possible vulnerabilities are brought out after it runs through your application. The security warnings will be grouped according to their severity – High, Medium, and Low. Sometimes, you may not have any warnings but that does not mean your system is secure. This is because brakeman at times overlooks some of the basic security pitfalls. To make sure you have the security issue under control, use a second gem called the bundler-audit. This checks the security in your Gemfile.lock for all variable versions of gems.

Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY)

Every large software project is overwhelmingly complex. Most of us are not good at handling the complexities. The strategy for reducing the complexity is to divide the code into portions where each component represents a subsystem. This subsystem accomplishes everything you need in some specific segment.

Take the case where you are building a content management system. You can keep subdividing the portions into components such as user management which has a subsystem role management. When you reach the component that has a single responsibility we implement it in a class. This is assuming that we are building something using the object-oriented application.

The DRY principles states that you can only use these pieces of knowledge exactly once in the entire system. This unambiguous unique representation shows how we achieve something.

Use the Bullet

In the development process of the application, without the use of refactoring, you cannot spot the N+1 problems. But, this is a common occurrence in Rails. This means when an object is called a second object is also called. This results in a second query. This thing becomes huge and you find that instead of running 1 query with 100 results, you may be having 100 queries and trying to get one result. Because you use a tiny dataset, this thing is difficult to see. It only becomes apparent when moving to a database that is production sized.

To avoid this problem, we use eager loading. You use. include on querying code. The way to do this is to use the Bullet gem and this will clear all your N+1 queries. It works out of the box and you only need to install the app. It will visit the various routes in the development and you get alert boxes with messages that pop out when there are database queries.

Traceroute

You can clean the routes in Rail applications with this Traceroute tool. It will detect routes mapped to non-existing controller actions and finalize those applications that are not reachable. This simple rake task will thus eliminate needles time and effort. The controller helper methods both before and after filters must remain private because they will not figure in the public API. Even though this works fine, at times on mountable engines at time it shows false positive but you can see them and overlook those that are not true.

You can use many other principles such as YAGNI (You aint gonna need it) or the Deadweight tool. They function seamlessly once you download the tool and begin to run them. You see how to improve the speed of your Rail by using these simple tools. If you have any doubts about which one is the most appropriate, consult any web designer to clear your doubt.

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