Learning Handling Copy from ResearchKit

As previous post, I did concern how to manage copy inside the app. So I did download ResearchKit and learn something about managing copy or string that display in your app.

Here is how they code a string

`ORKLocalizedString(@"CONSENT_NAME_TITLE", nil)`

The ORKLocalizedString is defined as follows.

#define ORKDefaultLocalizedValue(key) \

[ORKDefaultLocaleBundle() localizedStringForKey:key value:@"" table:@"ResearchKit"]

#define ORKLocalizedString(key, comment) \

[ORKBundle() localizedStringForKey:(key) value:ORKDefaultLocalizedValue(key) table:@"ResearchKit"]

And of course they translate the copy for these languages.

This are the most professional code for doing translation and copy.

Separating User-facing Text from your code
https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/MacOSX/Conceptual/BPInternational/InternationalizingYourCode/InternationalizingYourCode.html

Copy inside App

For iOS apps, we use NSLocalizedString(NSString *string, NSString* ref) for make string to localized. Then we create Localizable.string for many languages, you need to make file for base language in our case English.

Then we create other localization from the list.

But this way is actually very cumbersome. We are looking some way to make this process easier and intuitive.

App Dashboard

For traditional development we only put data, information at build time where all of the stuff have to be finalized, properly checked and so on.

By having the dashboard, you have the full control of what your app should show the information on the app, in real time.

This is especially for app that is always directly connected to the network to get the information like tvOS app. Everytime you open the app it will always connected to the server, fetching what the latest feed.

• Push Notifications • App Data • Messages • Users • Analytics • In-App Feedback

And for the other apps, it also important to fetch lates news and information, if the user has the internet. The strong point of having mobile app rather than use the website is to have faster and caching to the latest information on the mobile phone. And if the phone is connected to the internet and we check the metadata first weather the data is latest that the metadata on the phone then only we do fetch and download the whole data. And it's important to check user's in on 3G or Wifi, or even worse signal. We know that if users on bad network it will takes longer time to download the data.

This user experience is related with which network you are connected with. We might to see the implementation for both iOS and Android.

Technically, the dashboard is time consuming and currently there are plenty of company that doing this things as services like Firebase, OneSignal etc. But some how, as whole, some company has some features, and another company has another features. So to have a complete control of the app, and complete solution, the way to do it is build by your own, and perhaps you can hook up the existing service with thier API.

At iReka Soft, we are just in plan to do this, clients are strongly use Wordpress as backend and also thier front-end as website for starter. Wordpress is actually being build to have API hooker so it can be used for app development someday. Doing with Rails is more time do use because the configuration and have complex detail to get start with it.

And lastly, naked PHP is sometime being used for simple API, it's very development stage that only suitable for developers to manage it. For testing, it just fine.

So for the app admin, it's most likely need to have app dashboard to control and manage their apps, and to make sure the operation in control without having too much reliance on the developer. For that, lets see want we can make for you guys.

Mobile Compatible

The UI for most dashboard seems only to support desktop. But to think when you gonna use the dashboard. Most likely when you are on the go. You want to see the analytics, what's going on, you want to make decision on the go. You want to do marketing, email people on the mobile. 

For developer, when on the go, we can't do the development so get the insight of what app is doing is what we are doing. 

Bootstrap Column : lg, md, sm

Looking at the Apple.com, the 4 panels below the hero changes 3 times according to device's width. So without further ado, lets dive into the concept and code.

<section id="featured-apps">
<div class="container-fluid">
<div class="row">
<div class="col-lg-3 col-md-6 col-sm-6 box">
1
</div><!-- col -->
<div class="col-lg-3 col-md-6 col-sm-6 box">
2
</div><!-- col -->
<div class="col-lg-3 col-md-6 col-sm-6 box">
3
</div><!-- col -->
<div class="col-lg-3 col-md-6 col-sm-6 box">
4
</div><!-- col -->
</div><!-- row -->
</div><!-- container -->
</section><!-- featured-apps -->

Do You Want a Website?

We would like to ask some key questions if you do want to have a website.

1. Is it your first site or are you redeveloping an existing site?

2. What would you like to change about your site?

3. Are you looking to get new leads from your site?

4. Will you be selling a product and collecting payment online?

5. How often will content on your site change?

6. What existing brand or image assets do you have?

Online Presence for Mobile App Business

Online present for mobile app business is common right? We live in online, people buy apps online, so why are you not online right. There are some places online that mobile business should be in. This is the second link from the previous post 'How to Start Mobile App Business'.

1. Website. People look an app on Google too.
2. Twitter.
3. Facebook.
4. Instagram
5. Google Plus
6. GitHub. Share your coding skill.

 

and many other social network to join, especially for China market. So that is for now, make sure mobile app developer has majority of the chanel and try to get more followers. 

Until next time. Happy coding.

Starting Mobile App Business

Nowadays, seems a lot of people want to start as app developer as they spark some ideas in their head and want to create something on mobile phone. Well it is not that hard to get started with something. To make it successful is what it count and it's a whole different story. But now lets talk about how to start mobile app business. What do you need. What you have to pay.

For iOS

1. Apple Developer Program: this is yearly membership cost about USD99 to publish app on iOS App Store, Mac App Store and also Apple TV Store. With this account you can access iTunes Connect, the portal that manage your app on the App Store. Link. If you want to register under a business entity you also need DUNS number.
2. Knowledge of Managing App: at least you must know how to upload the app to App Store and using iTunes Connect, creating app details and much more. You may want to develop by your self, hire people, outsource the project or even buy a source code. Whatever your path it's quite important to know the publishing side of the app.
3. Macintosh computer: It is a must for developing apps for iOS platform, it's not only a great computer for developing but essential to create the app as the tools only on Macintosh platform. At least you need Xcode program to create and upload to the App Store. If you out source the project, you might not need it.
4. Devices: You may need at least one device that run iOS, preferably the latest one, so you can test latest features. Don't care much on the previous generation of device, because in the future people gonna use the latest hardware, and as developer it's important to think for the future. Well, if you do have more resources, yes, definitely have older devices and support them too. You may also ask outsourcer to test the app if you outsource the project.

For Android

1. Android Developer Program: this cost about USD25 for lifetime. This will give access to Android Console.
2. Knowledge of Managing Apps: know how to manage the apps on Android Console publishing platform.
3. PC/Mac: Both platform support development for Android. The essential program to create Android apps is Android Studio. Link
4. Devices: The best development phases are testing where you make sure the app run smoothly and not crashing on the actual devices. You may use Google phone like Nexus, or use the common Android smartphone like from Samsung. You may also want to try on cheaper Android too.


So these are essential things to need to get started with mobile (iOS + Android) business. Well, there are many ways to learn, buy and outsource the apps. What you need to do is to manage the apps and make sure it runs well. Marketing the apps also important to make sure many people know about your apps.

Here are some tips on app marketing stratergy, hope it helps.

iRekaSoft.com 2016

Untuk penghujung 2015 dan awal tahun 2016 saya ada mengambil course online di Udemy untuk belajar bagai mana nak buat website Wordpress dan menggunakan Bootstrap.

Sebelum ini ada sentuh perkara tersebut tetapi lebih kepada cuba-cuba. Tapi kalau belajar dari someone yang hebat, nampaknya pemahaman dan aplikasi tu akan jadi lebih pantas. Betul guru yang bagus, boleh membantu pelajar menjadi lebih berjaya. Guru yang hebat tu di'online'kan dapat membantu pelbagai jenis orang di pelbagai tempat.

Saya belum lagi menghabiskan course tersebut, dalam 70% namun baru-baru ini telah belajar tentang core element dalam Wordpress di mana saya rasa kan ia amat membantu dalam memaintain kan website.

Ya ini adalah website iReka Soft yang di upgrade wajahnya. Versi ke berapa, versi yang ke 2016. Maaf tiada version jenis 1.0, 2.0. Ia diupdate mengikut perubahan bisnes dan iklim sesuatu kawasan.

Jadi, apa yang barunya?

• Wajah hadapan yang ala Apple, cuba tengok website Apple, ada gambar hero, dan juga sub category kat bawah tu ada 4. Saya tak tiru 100%, tapi lebih kepada konsepnya. Ada gambar produk utama, dan perkara-perkara yang menyokongnya. So untuk website ini, dibuat hero (gambar utama) adalah devices. Sebab kami memang develop apps untuk devices tersebut, dan ia lebih universal, boleh diguna pakai lebih lama, kalau malas nak update.
• News letter ni integrate dengan mailing list. Akan keluar pop-up bila tekan butang subscribe to mailing list bawah 4 apps.

• Secara back-end juga di pertingkatkan, sebab baru belajar Wordpress, dia boleh dicusomize kan look and feed the first page kita. Boleh tengok gambar bawah. Homepage ni boleh di-edit secara itemize. Ia sebenarnya lebih fokus dan tersusun berbanding edit menggunakan page editor biasa. Sebab kita dah specify gambar mana yang nak ubah, tag line dan link. Juga featured 4 apps juga boleh di ubah suai dengan mudah hanya tukar gambar dari panel dashboard.

• Di laman produk ada link ke # bookmark. Ini memudahkan pengguna untuk jump dari platform yang dikehendakinya tanpa skroll ke bawah. Webpage ini boleh kata kami start dari iOS apps sahaja, kemudian tambah Android, kemudian tambah Mac App, kemudian Apple TV dan Mobile (crossplatform iOS dan Android). Kategori tersebut sekarang jadi 5. Kami letakkan mobile paling atas sebab, pelawat mungkin mempunyai salah satu dari device iPhone atau Android, jadi lebih fleksible untuk mereka memuat turun aplikasi.

• Halaman detail app. Dekat sini tiada yang baru, cuma nak highlightkan dia tempat untuk dapatkan lebih informasi dan pautan ke App Store.

• Page lain yang ada Services, About dan Contact. Lebih banyak kepada edit copy dalam pages tersebut. Make sure informasi kekal uptodate.

Ok, baik dalam banyak masa kami lebih kepada app development, kami tak lupakan website design dan backend. Nampak macam remeh tapi penting juga, sebab kami bermula dari belajar pengaturcaraan web PHP,  jadi tak mahu dia berkarat kami gunakannya. Dan kami juga menawarkan rakan-rakan untuk membuat website mereka pada kadar yang berpatutan. Website ni kami fokus untuk membangunkan jenama masuk dalam talian, jadi lebih mudah untuk dicari. Marketing brand.

Itu serba sedikit tentant iRekaSoft.com 2016, well versi 1.0 untuk tahun ini, ada beberapa feature yang ingin ditambah seperti blog. Saya nak coretkan sedikit sebanyak tips-dan-code untuk membangunkan apps iOS dan Android. Tapi nak pastikan blog tersebut optimized dan cantik untuk tujuan programming blogging. Jadi nantikan nya, dan boleh like kami di facebook.com/irekasoft, dan boleh marah/tegur kami untuk nak kami buat blog itu dengan cepat.

Akhir kata, sekarang dah pertengahan bulan Mac 2016, sekejap sahaja kan. Kita tak nak sia-siakan kebolehan dan kepakaran kita ni, dan kita terus belajar pelbagai perkara yang bermanfaat. Jom jadi pintar.

#Visit iRekaSoft.com