Celebrities Score With Apps

If you think all celebrities do is take home their winnings, you’re wrong — they have taken the plunge into the tech world to do more than sing and play—they are letting you do the playing…

A celebrity’s popularity is directly related to the app’s popularity. That is the newest strategy that mobile application developers in USA have lately adopted to market their apps.

By working with celebrities during the development process, developers create celebrity-centered apps. ‘Bolt!’ stars the fastest runner in the world. Two-time Olympics gold medalist Usain Bolt aka Lightning Bolt helped develop and launch the game app. It was intentionally set to coincide with his triumphant win at the London 2012 event. The game now ranks as the 25^th most popular app.

Other celebrities have also previously left their imprint on the app stores. These include famed boxer’s ‘Mike Tyson: Main Event,’ Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco’s ‘Mad Chad’ and Portuguese soccer player’s ‘Heads Up with Cristiano Ronaldo.’ Companies too have invested in mobile platforms for sports and entertainment. Mobile content developer Babelgum offers free ad-based video content on iTunes through which they have recently launched a game app featuring musical band Coldplay on the iOS. The app also contains newsfeed, catalogue and contests for fans where winners get free tickets to Coldplay’s concerts.  ESPN runs their own ‘Developer Center’ to connect with other platforms. In house as well as third party developers can use their APIs to build sports apps. This open up new avenues for sports fans and celebrities to come together, just as their motto relays “Where geeks and jocks stand united.”

Another initiative involved singer/actor Jon Bon Jovi pitched in on the government’s cause to provide care to homeless veterans. The joint project Reach (Real-time Electronic Access for Caregivers and the Homeless) invited software developers to an open challenge to create “an online and web application that would provide real-time info to connect service providers who aid the homeless” from which five finalists were selected.

Why celebrities? Applications are also an excellent tool for fan engagement and celebrities consider mobile platform a way through which they can gain a wider international audience. Users prefer real-life personalities more than they do imaginary ones whom they can relate to, or pretend to be! For developers, besides successful marketing, it has opened a window of job opportunities. As one website rightly confirmed “This could be the start of a big trend on iPhone, and a big new source of income for developers.”

Salman Ghaznavi Originally Found this Post on SocilJitney

Salman Ghaznavi is the founder of SocialJitney Inc. a company focused on Mobile Application Marketing and tool Design & Development. SocialJitney is one of the premium Mobile Apps Consultants, and My role is to actively pursue a global strategy, create and help roll-out  SocialJitney social tool, the SJ Pathways. 

8 Great Reasons For Considering iOS6 for your iPhone

For the typical user, updates may seem just a routine thing to do in technology. They barely give thought beyond the UI to the expansive work that goes on by manufacturers and mobile application developers.Its only when there’s a major overhaul in user experience or software innovation will they pay attention. The rest of the time, the excitement is mainly shared by those that make the difference. Every little tap and click on the device sets forth an operation that resembles factory mechanisms, except that they are intangible such as mobile apps.

Apple recently announced beta 4 release for iOS 6 version available for developers to test iPhone applications. The main points have been extracted from their press release.

1. iOS6 can be tested through the iOS Simulator
2. To check for content accessibility an app can check it through the authorization status API
3. Warning to not follow proper instructions on installation could render the mobile as unusable.
4. Once upgraded the device cannot return to its former version.

Now for some more interesting changes to look forward to:

1. Siri, iPhone’s digital assistant can install apps.
2. Facebook is integrated as a built in application to fulfill all the social needs.
3. FaceTime now has a cellular connection where the call receiving option is also available on the iPad and Mac.
4. ‘App Banner’ is a feature that advertises native apps which users can easily view, click and download.
5. iCloud allows easy sharing of photos
6. Additional apps are an attractive bonus. Such as Passbook for loyalty cards management.
7. Apple is introducing its own mapping app, Maps which features various services
8. Bluetooth sharing is another exciting feature for users who prefer to share data with those in close proximity.

In short, reviews have been extremely positive and worth the upgrade. The iOS6 is expected to be released this fall.

Salman Ghaznavi Originally Found this Post on SocilJitney

Salman Ghaznavi is the founder of SocialJitney Inc. a company focused on Mobile Application Marketing and tool Design & Development. SocialJitney is one of the premium Mobile Apps Consultants, and My role is to actively pursue a global strategy, create and help roll-out  SocialJitney social tool, the SJ Pathways. 

Alternative Tech Makes Waves

If we want to simply submerge ourselves in the depths of tech creativity and creative technology, here’s yet another example of thinking out of the box: mobile apps integrated with sound-triggered technology…

Sonic Notify is the latest in unconventional tech solutions for personal or professional that provides media content via sound. Although the auditory sensory platform is currently popular with entertainment media, it is highly recommended for companies as well. Marketing and sales’ departments can run promotion campaigns from the SDK sound code-enabled ad to a mobile app.

Discount shopping and entertainment services are received from within an iOS or Android app – simply through the high-pitch sound inaudible to the human ear. Make sense? If not, then here’s what you can do: Download an app compatible with Sonic Notify. Bring the device close to, say a television broadcast. Previously unavailable content appears as timely notification. This could include photos, website links, maps and other relevant details. Users can choose to make their Sonic Notify app or apps content-specific by selecting the time and type of information they want delivered. Sound triggered updates appear even when the app is not open. Sound triggered updates appear even when the app is not open.

Access and installation is relatively easy. The platform is available in the iTunes store as a ‘Sonic Experiences’ app. Mobile app developers can install the SonicNotify SDK and create apps. The feature services depend on how developers program the app. All the extraction and interaction is done via the app. Such as earning rewards and votes. Sony Music’s ‘Miranda Lambert Official App’ gives an insight of how to make optimal use of the platform.

The technology is unique because it does not require any additional hardware install, but it’s certainly not new. Similar software was previously made available, some of which require NFC, QR codes and Bluetooth. Zoosh and ShopKicker proved to be massively popular in the use of sound waves to provide services.

But some concerns have been expressed in reviews. Apparently Sonic Notify does not invade privacy, but would lead to invasive advertising. Also the company assures the sound is of safe decibel (dB) levels that would not affect hearing ability in any way nor can it detect human voices. Unless they were as high-pitched as Lady Gaga’s who made headlines by using her voice to connect with a Sonic Notify app to promote her concert tours!

Salman Ghaznavi Originally Found this Post on SocilJitney

Salman Ghaznavi is the founder of SocialJitney Inc. a company focused on Mobile Application Marketing and tool Design & Development. SocialJitney is one of the premium Mobile Apps Consultants, and My role is to actively pursue a global strategy, create and help roll-out  SocialJitney social tool, the SJ Pathways. 

Tech Integrations: When Will Enough Be Enough?

In the world of technology, it is never enough. There is a pressing demand for more, and when there is more, then the need for an entirely new creation. Today, Apple is experiencing this sort of pressure. Despite launching several new product and feature launches at the Worldwide Developers Conference 2012, where even critics admitted they exceeded those launched during the previous conferences, there was plenty of dissatisfaction expressed from within the industry.

It has been exactly one year since Apple integrated Twitter into their iOS5 platform. The question that arose at the time was why they chose Twitter over Facebook. Now it’s déjà vu, except this time it is why Facebook and not Google plus. The former was understandable: Twitter, even with its 200 million users at the time, was no match for Facebook’s 700 million users. Various explanations, some of them outlandish were given by analysts for this decision as:

• Facebook in comparison was far more complex because of its and myriad features and services
• Apple had a fallout during negotiations with Facebook
• Windows Phone 7 had been the first smartphone to integrate Facebook and Apple did not want to play second fiddle
• Apple needed more time to prepare for the world’s largest social network

The last assumption sounded most plausible and proved to be correct, as Apple announced Facebook integration featured in their up and coming iOS6 platform during this year’s WWDC. Their rejection of Google services has been pretty much outright, not only of their social services but also of their applications, ousting the popular Google Maps and bringing in their own version of mapping technology.

While bitter rivalry turns to friendship and vice versa in the business world, at least Apple is keeping their priorities intact by providing the largest ground for mobile application developers to delve into. But it’s the second party apps, that is, the end users that are primarily running the show successfully. And if Apple keeps in tune with their demands for iPhone applications, then they will continue to provide as many options as possible. Where iOS5 users felt confined to Twitter, they now have Facebook, but they also want LinkedIn and Google+ and some lesser known social media as well to be available. For now, the line is pretty much drawn. In their own right, it makes sense for the company to withhold their own. But not for long, experts believe, when Google will find their way in tomorrow, as Facebook has done today and Twitter did yesterday, provided of course, Google remains in the league. Then integration may be the only way out for Apple yet again.

Salman Ghaznavi Found this Post on SocialJitney.Com

Salman Ghaznavi is the founder of SocialJitney Inc. a company focused on Mobile Application Marketing and tool Design & Development. SocialJitney is one of the premium Mobile Apps Consultants, and My role is to actively pursue a global strategy, create and help roll-out  SocialJitney social tool, the SJ Pathways.