Deliver the Best of Android Experience; Here are 5 Design Tips

When the Linux-based operating system, Android was launched, it had to compete with some of the already popular platforms namely iOS, Symbian, and RIM. The open source mobile OS lacked consistency in early years. The mobile market was so fragmented that Android had to offer something unique to stand out amongst competitors.

Android development was considered to be a mobile platform with little appeal. But, things have considerably changed after the launch of Ice Cream Sandwich. Android had 75% worldwide market share in the third quarter of 2012, which is a great growth for an OS launched couple of years ago.

 

One of the major factors where Android lacked in was an appealing interface. ICS and Jelly Bean however have a beautiful interface.

 

Developers love to work on Android because of the immense popularity of the mobile platform. And when you are creating something for the new Android phones, here are design tips to help you.

 

Deliver User-centric Experience with Simplified Designs

 

When the navigational structure will go hand-in-hand with the presentation, users wouldn't find it difficult to move between the content.

 

How you can achieve a simple design?

• Use animations
• Rely more on images instead of text
• Simplify the UI pattern

Gestures & Transitions are Important

 

Google's "Project Butter" has resolved the issues of choppy performance in Android devices. The improved speed of 60 frames per second have resulted in smoother transitions and enhanced animations. Designers can leverage on the recent transformations to deliver more fluidic and gesture based engaging experience to users.

 

Utilizing Intents

 

Applications like Facebook or Twitter require you to hard code the communication for iOS. In case of Android, two apps can share the information if they have the ability to utilize the intents. Designers can use this positive aspect of Android to create a shared network between apps.

 

Understand the Difference Between iOS and Android

 

Designers have to keep this in mind that UI and navigation patterns for users are different in iOS and Android. Try to move the unnecessary actions to the action bar.

 

Also:

• Use gesture based navigation instead of tab-like buckets.
• Do not mix up the visual paradigms of iOS with Android such as heavily designed UI elements or button arrays.

 

Design for Flexibility

 

The best part of new Android platforms is that they are able to run on all the devices. Therefore, try to consider the layout of phone and tablet in your application designing.

 

What else to do?

• Use 9patching, the technique of Android for creating stretchable bitmap images.
• The naming conventions of Android are ideal to manage assets on the basis of screen size and density.

 

Follow the design guidelines to deliver a refined and beautiful Android experience to users.

 

This article has been posted by Copper Mobile, an eminent Android & iPhone developer providing enterprise app development solutions.

 

 

 

The Shrinking Lead of iOS over Android in App Monetization

The statistics in app world are changing. Apple's iOS patform is no longer considered to be the best for application monetization.

 

The app market has stuck to the notion for a long time that iOS monetization was five times better than that of Android. The Android platform was undoubtedly bigger, but users who actually paid for apps were most likely using iPad, iPhone, or iPod. There were more free applications in Google Play, then in App Store but they were not driving in any profit. But, in-app purchases, traffic coming through social channels, and advertising are now changing the app monetization trend & Android is no longer as far behind.

 

A number of ways have evolved to let developers know who all are interested in their apps and how they can make money from users.

 

Josh Williams, President & Chief Science Officer at Kontagent said, "When we compared app downloads in Android and iOS across same geographic area and on smartphone versus tablet trend, iOS monetized only 40-50 percent more than Android, which is not a very big differentiator". He also added, “by focusing on the core objectives, developers & marketers both can make Android more profitable”.

 

The profitability on Android can be higher. Though it monetizes a little on a per user basis when compared to iOS, the acquisition cost on Android is lower on a per user basis. Businesses consider this acquisition cost factor and allocate their spending on marketing and development on the per user per install basis.

 

BlackBerry and Windows platform aren't able to get much attention from application developers. If a business is looking for real branding by approaching mass market, then it might consider developing apps on platforms other than iOS & Android.

 

More than 70 percent of the applications in iOS are meant for enterprises. Since, Buy Your Own Device culture is spreading, there are many users complaining about security issues on Android, which is working in favor of iOS.

 

We can't deny that iOS still is loved and preferred by most developers and Android will have to acknowledge all the concerns to get an equal or more market share.

Meet Adobe Connect 9 and Connect 2.0 Debuting for Android & iOS

Adobe has just launched new versions of the Connect videoconferencing tool and by the initial response to Connect 9 and Connect 2.0, it sure seems to be a hit among users. Though introduced for both the mobile and desktop devices, the mobile version of the Connect tool has garnered more attention than its desktop counterpart. Not only do Connect 2.0 and Connect 9 give you a complete and improved experience as a web conferencing tool, they promise fun as you use them for education purposes or while connecting to the web. Below is a brief checklist of the additional features of these tools:

Tapping the Video Streaming Web Facilities - There is no doubt about the fact that video streaming is one of the most used functionaries of the web. In spite of online streaming companies making their mark, users prefer to stick to the web rather than use the services of these companies for video advertising. Adobe Connect 2.0 and 9 have tried to gain the interest of the people who want visually oriented programs and are on the constant lookout for rich, powerful and engaging video snippets. Do you identify yourself in this category? It is time you tested these fun Adobe tools!

Fun Features for the Young - What’s more, you may also become an active member of the Engagement Dashboard of Adobe Connect 9 if you are the most involved member amongst a host of users. A fun feature of this new tool helps identify the most active speaker using SiteCatalyst in a group. The SCORM and HTML5 features of Connect 9 on the other hand promise improved e-learning techniques and training activities for students.

Connectivity at the Workplace - At the workplace, Connect 9 can be used to establish connections with more than 1,500 people at the same time by activating the email reply option. The social media integration option, on the other hand, will permit an event login without a password. You can simply use your email id instead to gain access. The best part is that these features come equipped with a 30 days free trial period!

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Option - For all users who like to work with their iPads even at the workplace, Adobe Connect 2.0 provides you with facilities to better your experience. From sharing documents from your mobile device to launching meetings and using the camera for a presentation, Connect 2.0 provides added interactivity options.  If you are using the android and iOS apps, you get a free version of the new Connect 2.0 tool. Just make sure to install the AIR Runtime 3.2 before getting the new Adobe feature.

If your business is involved in mobile app development for enterprises, the new Adobe Connect tools will surely bring a new leash of life to the regular web meetings and webinars. You can now host digital meetings with partners, colleagues and customers anywhere across the globe. The communication and collaboration using the Adobe Connect 2.0 and 9 become especially effective as you can use any mobile device to access these tools. Similarly, if you are providing mobility solutions to an enterprise, arrangement of online marketing through compelling events will assure you of maximum attendance and optimum results. Finally, you can also train new entrants in your business through deployment of e-learning facilities on mobile devices by using the new Adobe Connect tools.

Do let us know how you like the new Adobe videoconferencing software tools. We look forward to your comments.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean: A Preview

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean has finally arrived on Nexus device in market. Though, it is not the most remarkable update from Google but Jelly Bean covers up for the areas where its predecessors just lacked in.

Google might have taken the decision of introducing Jelly Bean because of the low response that Ice Cream Sandwich has gained. The ICS operating system was present roughly in 10 percent of the devices a year after it was released.

While Android 3.0 was exclusively for tablets and Ice Cream Sandwich aimed at giving smoother UI to Android devices, Jelly Bean is expected to receive a widespread adoption. Google Nexus 7 tablet is the first Android device to feature Jelly Bean OS.

So, What are the New Things That Jelly Bean Has to Offer?

If reports are to be believed, Android Jelly Bean is so far the best version if your device is capable of running it. You won't find Jelly Bean appreciably different from Ice Cream Sandwich at first glance. But, the newest version has relatively lower boot time when compared with device running on Ice Cream Sandwich.

1. Notifications & UI

The notification pattern in Jelly Bean is completely changed. The neon blue highlights have been replaced with cleaner & more visible white. Moreover, the size of notifications has also increased. Users will be able to see quick preview of incoming emails & other built-in apps in the Android device.

The current time is displayed at left and day of the week is present atop the date. You can return to missed calls through handy callback button and share photos immediately after being taken.

2. Widget Placement

It was a tricky affair to place widgets anywhere on homescreen in earlier versions of Android. But, with Jelly Bean you will be able to move icons & get a customized layout. Moreover, you can also resize the widget the way you want to. You will also find a Sound Search Widget, similar to Shazam application on the homescreen. You can get artist, track, and cover information about the song while it is playing on the device just by tapping the widget.

One thing that might disappoint you is the lack of tablet-friendly applications support on Jelly Bean. For example, Netflix is said to be supported by the OS but when opened on Nexus 7, it displayed a too small or too big layout before setting up accurately.

3. Project Butter

Project Butter, as named by Android 4.1 engineers is one of the significant improvements but you won't get to know about it till the time you actually use a Jelly Bean device. The Project Butter has made the responsiveness of the device as smooth as iOS. Whether you own a smaller display Android device or Nexus 7, the responsiveness will be similar. Google has used different methods like "Vsync timing" (to ensure consistent frame rates on all screens) and triple buffering (the key element for overall smoother feel across the UI).

4. Other Features

The list doesn't end here. Android 4.1 Jelly Bean comes with a number of small features too.

• Google Chrome browser is now the default browser in Jelly Bean devices. This successful transition will give you a smoother & faster browsing experience.
• The soft keyboard in Jelly Bean is smarter and more accurate than the one in Ice Cream Sandwich.
• Text-to-speech feature is improved with Jelly Bean and voice typing works even without data connection.
• Face Unlock feature in Android 4.0 was nice but there were chances of somebody else accessing the handset by using your photo. Jelly Bean has Blink Detect feature. User will be asked to blink eyes to confirm that it's not a static image.
• Viewing photos is a faster affair in Jelly Bean. You can quickly swipe from camera to image view mode and delete unwanted images with a swipe up button instead of tapping on the picture.
• There's an accessibility option for blind users. They can use new Gesture Mode to navigate the UI with only touch & speech output.
• Map users can save the data offline, which is beneficial for Wi-Fi only devices.

Android Jelly Bean is a fast and fluidic platform, thanks to Project Butter. But, the OS still lacks in security features like remote lock or wipe. The new operating system is expected to be a nice boost for Google's Nexus branded hardware and we are eager for its release for other handsets as well.

Kouziro Launches 21.5 inch Android Tablet

Kouziro, the Japan-based company has given competition to Viewsonic's 22 inch tablet and Asus Transformer AiO's 18.4 inch tablet by launching a 21.5 inch Android tablet.

The stylish looking FT103 is one of the largest devices running on Android platform. The 21.5 inch device has full HD resolution of 1920x1080 pixels but only operates in horizontal mode. Here are some features of the tablet:

• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS

• Dualcore 1GHz processor
• 1.2MP front camera
• 1GB RAM
• 8GB internal memory and microSD slots for expansion
• Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi
• micro HDMI port
• USB 2.0 port
• 2x1W stereo speakers
• Headphone jack and microphone

With dimensions 512.8x24.8x353mm and weighing 5kgs, the tablet comes with a kickstand so that it can be comfortable placed on a desk. The tablet has low screen resolution when compared to its screen size, less internal storage, and can only be charged through adapter because there’s no space for battery.

According to TheVerge, Kouziro FT103 will be available in the market by end of July at an approximate price tag of $438.