How To Develop Apps For Mid-Sized Companies

If you have a definite idea for your app and know exactly which platforms it will run on you probably already asked yourself -"how will I make it"? Let's say you are not a programmer and not going to become a one. There are two ways left then: hiring app developer or using online app builder service. In this blog entry we will filter the advantages of the second method and give the correct answer to the question why online builders are better. To expand one's business and attract new clients you need a powerful mobile app. The more platforms it will support the better. Don't forget about web apps they are popular and besides can be a good alternative to your existing website. The number of people being online from mobile devices is increasing that's why such an app seems even indispensable not to lose contact with your clients. Let's list the disadvantages of hiring developers:

- It is not easy. Good developers are hard to find
- It is expensive. On shore mobile apps developers in USA cost $80.per hour
- It is unreliable. Outsourcing to India creates variable results
- And again it is expensive. If your app is dynamic and needs to be updated frequently you will have to hire developers each time and pay for it.

App building services don't need programmers, spend less time on app development days vs months (using already existing code to better meet your needs), and moreover it is some times cheaper. Snappii web service will fit your business requirements perfectly. The app development here is quick and inexpensive.  Snappii supports iPhone, iPad, Android and Web apps. A great range of features allows to create really flexible and powerful apps which are robust and rapid. Visit Snappii site today and get your app live already tomorrow.

Some Tips On How To Create Profitable Mobile Sites

It is really important to get a mobile optimized website nowadays. The chief reason for this is that mobile devices are becoming a trend today and many people prefer using them to PCs or laptops, hence users spend more time to be online from gadgets. Mobile websites for businesses are already must-have things. When accessing usual sites from iPhones or Android your potential clients will have to scroll and pinch the wording to make it readable. That frankly speaking is not a pleasant thing to do. According to the stats 40% of first time visitors will never come back as they didn't like their first experience on your site. It is inconvenient and besides takes quite a lot of time while pages are loading. Here are some rules of better user experience of mobile friendly websites:

- mobile sites should work on all possible platforms and devices including widely spread Android and iOS

- horizontal and vertical orientations should be supported

- good mobile optimized sites are user-centric, which means they’re built with taking some advice from your audience. Ask your users what they like and dislike in your website and try to change it to better  meet their needs

- sites should be quick and easy to navigate so users won't spend much time and could get the data they need in seconds. No scrolling and pinching are desired

- include functionality you know your clients will use for sure: nearby to find nearest and useful locations, contact info to easily reach you, forms to collect feedback and offers etc. However be moderate, if you overload your site with a lot of functionality it will spoil the general impression as will give users plenty of info at once (making it hard to find what they actually need) and deaden speed of the site work

- make user interface more friendly so that each person could easily navigate your site and press the buttons they were going to click on not depending on the size of their fingerprints

- automatically redirect users to your mobile optimized site if they access your site from mobile devices. Users always should have a chance to see a full site option.

Snappii can make mobile HTML5 apps for you in hours. Just fill in the App Request Form and your web app will be created shortly. No long reviews, no extra charges. Save you time and money and get your own powerful app. It will greatly fit your business and your clients will definitely love it. Our apps meet all the rules we have listed in this blog entry. 

New iPhone 5 Has Come

Finally it has happened. IPhone 5 has been released. Most Apple admirers all over the world are waiting impatiently for Sep. 21. when iPhone sales start in USA. In addition to this country, the new iPhone also goes on sale in Canada, UK, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore on September 21. Let's review the advantages and updates new device has in difference with its predecessor:

- first of all the latest Apple kid is ligher than iPhone 4 and weighs only 112 grams
- it is thinner only 7,6 mm (18% less than iPhone 4)
- the screen also packs in more of pixelsx97326 pixels per inch, as a matter of fact, on a 1136x640 display
- front-facing camera is now a FaceTime HD 720p HD camera
- rear facing one gets an update with a new dynamic low-light mode and sapphire lens cover
- while making videos iPhone 5 allows also to take pictures which is the for the first time in Apple history
- WiFi connection got improvents as well. It supports 802.11 a/b/g/n standards, and works on both the 2.4GHz and, for the first time, 5GHz spectrums
- now LTE is supported. That's on top of the GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, HSPA, HSPA+, and DC-HSDPA options the iPhone 4S already offered
- 4 inch screen will make you enjoy your new toy
- and many other cool and tiny features Apple lovers will find useful and nice to have

Pricing and storage options match the iPhone 4S: $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for 64GB. Of course, all those prices require two-year carrier contracts. At this writing, Apple hasn’t yet offered details on pricing for an unlocked iPhone 5. The unlocked iPhone 4S cost $649 for the 16GB version, $749 for 32GB, and $849 for 64GB. That can be a bit pricy for everyone however if you love Apple products and enjoy using them you will have an obvious desire to get it for your own use.

Snappii Has Released Web Apps Support

A quick email to share with you a very existing new development. Now Snappii supports creation of mobile friendly websites, also know as HTML5  apps or web apps. In addition to native apps you can select mobile website as a target platform and we will generate the HTML5 app code. Many of the features that are available for native apps are also available for web apps. Web apps are quick and easy to do.  You don’t need to have Developer accounts with Apple or Google.  There is NO review and approval process.  Your mobile sites are available to the public instantly!!!
 

The following features are supported for web apps currently:

1. Call, email
2. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
3. HTML
4. Web links. There are 2 modes (user can select mode in Editor):
- link is opened inside the app
- link is opened outside the app
5. List control
6. Nearby, Map
7. RSS
8. Form – only email mode. User can use text, number, datetime, multiple-choice (with single choice only) inputs.
9. Discussion
10. Text area
11. Image
12. Color theme
13. Customizable footer
14. Customizable initial screen (ability to change background and buttons colors)
15. User management – only user groups
16. An opportunity to show app icon in the app (see picture)

Please keep in  mind this list is always growing because our aim is to make web apps as powerful and functional as our native apps are. Soon we will hit our target. In a meanwhile these options are enough to create a useful web app and release it immediately to run on various mobile devices. The app development process is the same as for native apps. If you have already made some apps with snappii you won't see any difference. If you are a newcomer it will be helpful for you to check out our site, videos, FAQ and of course try to build your own app in the editor. It is free.
After your app is created just go submit it as usual. Among already existing options (Submit to Apple Appstore and Google Play) there is a new option Publish HTML5 Web App. Clicking on it will open another window with a QR code and the URL to install your HTML5 app. Then you can install your app on the device and it will look like a common native app with icon. Web apps are really easy and quick to update. Create web apps on your own or have us made it for you by filling out the Request Form. Just give it a try and enjoy your web app already in seconds after you make it!

Why Do Mobile Sites Matter?

By the year 2013, forecasts predict that there will be 1.7 billion mobile Internet users. This is the high time to think over the importance of getting a mobile version of your site. More people access Internet using their gadgets and it is not surprising. People always use what they can handle without troubles, at any time and anywhere. Mobile devices are easy and convenient to use as they are always in the bag or in the pocket on your go.

If your website doesn't fit mobile devices you will have a high level of bounced rate. A few people have enough patience to stay on the site if it is not mobile friendly. Pinching pictures and text to make it visible is troublesome and not a surprise people hate it. They will definitely go away from your site after some clicks are made.

It is really easy to get such a site today together with a web app which can work both as mobile site and a native app installed on your device. One of the greatest features such app can offer is its ability to work offline. You can even fill in the form when no WiFi or cell connection is available and the entered data will be sent out when connection is back again.

You can get such an app already today. Just let Snappii team know about your requirements and they will make you the mobile app exactly as you want it.

With smartphones and tablets getting more advanced and the Internet is available just about everywhere we go, it should be your priority to create a mobile friendly website so that you don’t miss out on potential customers. As a business owner or marketer, it is important to recognize just how necessary mobile websites are because you will be at an advantage over your competitors. Get your site mobile friendly, provide a great user experience, and convert those users into pleased customers!

Why Does Mobile Optimization Matter?

You have already created a powerful website for your business where potential prospects and your current customers can find all the necessary information about you. Though it is not enough from modern point of view. First of all the popularity of mobile devices is growing that means that the majority of people all over the world prefer to use mobile gadgets to search the Web, exchange messages, emails, watch films and listen to music instead of using PCs and laptops. The main condition of mobility progress and success roots in always expanding WiFi connection which appears even in remote spots of our planet and the simplicity of mobile devices usage. So why to change already existing sites and get a mobile optimized website as an alternative. Why does mobile optimization matter?

·        It provides the best user experience on a mobile device.
·        Much faster load time (hugely important w/mobile searches!)
·        Easy to read.
·        Enhances the user (your customer’s) experience and impression of your brand.
·        Simpler matters in mobile.
·        People are already looking for your site on their phone.
·        11% of mobile users have actually screamed at their phone in frustration because a standard website loads so slowly – or doesn’t load at all (flash websites, especially).

This is important to have mobile friendly website or web app at least which can replace websites easily. Moreover web apps can work perfect both on devices and be installed as native apps and function in a browser like a usual website. You can request such an app already today. Just visit Snappii site and fill in the form with your requirements. Snappii team will create you a web app in the next 48 hours already with a lot of useful and great features. These apps don't need approval process and go live immediately. Request an app and get it entirely completed in a couple of days only. The world goes mobile, don't forget that you are a part of it. 

The Advantages Of Mobile Sites And Web Apps

The up-to-date world goes mobile. Everything is intended to be mobile to better suit modern people's needs. Websites are not an exception. Today the popularity of mobile optimized websites is constantly growing. Here are only some of the advantages of mobile friendly websites:

- no need to work from desktop, mobile devices are easily kept in the pocket and are always with you
- mobile optimized websites have simpler but at the same time more comprehensive layout and information. Usual sites often contain excessive data which users wouldn't need at their first visit to the site. Mobile sites give exactly the things that prospects may need and nothing abundant.
- mobile sites development is usually far more cheaper than app creating. This is an important reason why most businesses make mobile sites first and only then decide to get a mobile app
- a mobile app is faster, more interactive and can integrate with all kinds of other phone features. But the app must be installed to be of any use at all, while a good mobile site can simply be navigated to on a user’s whim.

There is one cool thing which can combine both (mobile site and mobile app) in one. It is as fast as mobile app and easy to make and get to work as mobile site (just enter the url in any browser). Snappii specializes in creating both native apps and HTML5 apps. If all native apps are to go through Apple or Google review web apps don't need to. It saves both time (Apple review takes up to 2 weeks) and money as well. You don't have to pay annual fees to be a part of Apple or Google Developers programs. Just create an app and get it live in a few moments. Go try to make your own app for free.

Why Are Mobile Optimized Websites Important?

Mobile devices are becoming more and more popular nowdays. The main advantage they offer is that people can use them on the go. Recently users have had to use PCs and laptops to surf on the net, but now this habit has undergone a change. Not only the youth prefer to search for something with the help of gadgets but also small children and old people use iPads and iPhones for fun and business in all over the world. Devices can be easily taken wherever and whenever you go and they can practically fully replace PCs' functionality. The situation is obvious - mobiles are going to exclude PCs usage and already made this in cases when people work in fields and need to handle large amount of paper work.

This conformity leads to mobile optimized web sites increase. When people look at usual websites using their personal devices they lack some features. First of all the mobile devices have smaller screens that cause a lot of scrolling and pinching to make the view abequate and easy to read and understand. Besides one needs to do it to fit reasonably an input mode. Common sites usually contain enormous quantity of data which seems sometimes even excessive and useless for users. That makes the first rule for mobile optimized websites - the description should be short but at the same time really informative.  Even though you may have lots of things in your desktop website, mobile users aren’t as interested in a lot of content, they usually use their mobile devices to look for specific information. So keep it simple, and also keep it logical: prioritize the information and show the most important things first. Secondly besides of keeping mobile site simple, you must keep your contents well organized, in a single column layout. This way, your users will have no problems finding the needed information, and if you can also prioritize the information, they will have a better mobile experience in your website, which is essential for business. The easier they can reach you the better your business will be promoted and soon become visible among other competitors. Mobile sites are also important as mobile apps. To be continued...

Why Web Apps Are Better Than Native Ones?

Web apps are a good alternative to native apps. Web applications are popular due to the ubiquity of web browsers, and the convenience of using a web browser as a client. The ability to update and maintain web applications without distributing and installing software on potentially thousands of client devices is a key reason for their popularity, as is the inherent support for cross-platform compatibility. Snappii web apps include a lot of functions such as nearby, maps, list and catalogs functionality, social channels and many more. Everyone can create them on his own using DIY platform or order such an app by filling in the App Request Form. The main advantage of such apps is the absence of reviewing process. Once an app is made just click on Submit button in the WYSIWYG editor and it will go live immediately, tap on the link or scan the QR code and the app will be installed. You will be able to share this link with your clients to let them install the app on their devices and get the whole benefits of using your site and other helpful options implemented in the app.

The second reason to take such an app into account is that it can work offline, no WiFi and 3G connection is needed to use the app. That is really necessary for people who work in fields or travel a lot. So active and busy people will definitely prefer web apps to native apps the functionality of which often depends on good Internet connection and is greatly limited when no connection is reached. For instance web apps will greatly fit bank services and allow users and clients to handle their accounts and other bank issues on the go. Snappii is launching web apps functionality in the very nearest future. Don't miss a chance to obtain a powerful and simple in use web app.