New security solution protects Android apps throughout their lifecycle
Although mobile apps may be tested for security threats present at the time they're developed, they are of course subject to attacks once they’re out in the world.
Security solutions company SEWORKS is launching a new SaaS-based protection for Android called AppSolid, which will give development teams proactive protection and tracking of their apps across their entire lifespan.
How APIs are key to digital success
In the digital world it's increasingly APIs that hold everything together, allowing information to be easily shared between applications.
A new study from SmartBear Software gathered responses from over 2,300 software professionals around the world to paint a picture of the current state of the API industry.
New query tool makes life easier for .NET developers
Standard query tools can often lack the flexibility required to deliver precise results which results in the need for further processing and adds to data traffic.
To address this problem ScaleOut Software is announcing a new computational query tool that combines Microsoft's LINQ query with the company's own data-parallel computing technology to offer more powerful and flexible query tools for grid-based applications. Available with ScaleOut Software's suite of in-memory data grid products, including ScaleOut StateServer and ScaleOut ComputeServer, computational query makes it easy for .NET developers and architects to harnesses the full power of the grid's data-parallel compute engine and dramatically accelerate query processing. It's available for use with Java on both Linux and Windows systems.
Microsoft buys Xamarin to strengthen mobile side
If a few years back we were laughing off Microsoft's efforts in the mobile market, today we are looking at the software giant in a different light. That "mobile first, cloud first" mantra that Satya Nadella introduced us to when he became CEO now defines Microsoft, which has quickly evolved into one of the most important players in the mobile space afterwards.
Under Nadella, Microsoft has tackled mobile in a more meaningful way, refocusing its strategy so that it could become a major developer for more than Windows and Windows Phone. Today, the software giant's best services and products are also found on Android and iOS, the most important mobile platforms, and more have been added following high-profile acquisitions like Acompli and SwiftKey. Now, Microsoft adds Xamarin to its mobile portfolio, proving once again that it is dead serious about conquering mobile.
New platform enables real-time in-app support
The pace of modern app development often means that support can be something of an afterthought. New startup RevTwo is launching a platform that allows support to be built in to any app on any device.
The RevTwo In-App Support Platform modernizes the in-app support model by enabling users to connect with app evangelists and users from across the world for real-time support.
Mendix products now available on Microsoft Azure
Platform-as-a-service provider Mendix and Microsoft today announced a partnership which will bring Mendix services on the Azure cloud platform.
Mendix says the new partnership will allow Azure customers to seamlessly access Mendix’s rapid application development capabilities, adding that two versions are available -- free and commercial.
Apple open sources Swift's Benchmarking Suite
Following the release of the Swift programming language as open source back in early December 2015, Apple has followed up by releasing the code for its Benchmarking Suite on GitHub.
By releasing the Benchmarking Suite as open source, Apple is trying to assist developers to create faster, more efficient code. It will allow programmers to find areas where their code is running slowly, so that they can find a faster way of coding their applications before they are committed. Specifically, the suite consists of tools, benchmark libraries and utilities.
Apple's CloudKit gets server API
Apple has made CloudKit much more appealing to developers by adding a server-side API to its framework. This will allow them to add much more functionality to apps that are powered by the service and to utilize it even when users have not interacted with iOS, Mac, or web apps.
Previously, CloudKit interaction was limited to the APIs that Apple provided in apps. It was useful for developers but did not give them the opportunity to implement more advanced features. Today’s modern apps make use of servers to perform tasks and collect information when a user is not using the app. With CloudKit’s new web API, developers can add these more advanced features into their apps using Apple’s tools instead of having to rely on third party services to do so.
Facebook irks devs by shutting Parse mobile development platform
Facebook is closing down Parse, its mobile development platform, just three years after acquiring it for $85 million. The shutdown comes as something of a surprise as it is not long since Facebook was talking about using Parse to make giant steps into the Internet of Things.
But it seems that Facebook's IoT future is going to be one that is Parse-free. The shutdown will take place over the course of the next year, but starts with immediate effect. As of right now Parse is in wind-down mode, and will be fully shuttered by January 28, 2017. Believed to power tens of thousands of mobile apps, the killing of Parse will see Facebook diverting funds to other ventures.
Should your business build a mobile app?
You are thinking about having an app built to help grow your business. After all, the biggest and the best all have apps, so should you, right? Ideally, you do need an app for your business.
In fact, a recent study published by the Gallup Poll reports that 52 percent of the population checks its smart phones several times per hour, and of the remaining 48 percent, 20 percent of the people claim to check their phones once per hour. These numbers are a marketing team’s dream! So many easy to reach people in one place! So yes, you need an app!
Slack announces App Directory store
The business communication tool Slack is trying to end the year on a high note, and looking at what the company announced yesterday, it seems to be on the right track.
The team-communication app, which now has two million daily users and 570,000 paying customers has announced three things -- an app store which will offer other productivity tools (like Trello, for example) to integrate with Slack, an $80 million fund to help developers create more apps for the store, and a new framework called Botkit which should simplify the process of creating apps.
Backblaze launches low cost cloud storage for IT departments
The advantage of storing data in the cloud is that there are no physical limits, though there is of course a cost.
A new offering from cloud storage provider Backblaze, better known for its consumer backup offerings, aims to offer a service similar to Amazon S3 or Microsoft Azure, allowing the storing of unlimited data in the cloud, but at a lower cost.
Facebook's Page plugin ventures into CRM territory with new Events and Messages options
Facebook has done an excellent job of becoming the social network, connecting people all over the world. More recently, it has tapped into business markets by providing companies with a quick, easy, and -- importantly -- free way to create an online presence. Now, with an update to its Page plugin, Facebook is making it easier for businesses to connect and communicate with customers.
The update makes it possible to better integrate Facebook with an existing website. Companies can easily add the ability to send a message via their website, and the communication will appear on Facebook on the Messages tab. The update also makes it easier to share news about upcoming events, keeping all-important customer engagement going.
Application developers struggle to adapt to changing licensing models
Application producers are aware of rapid change impacting their ability to make money from their software products, but they're not adopting the automated licensing and entitlement management systems that would protect them from those changes and enable them to be more agile, and grow revenues and profits.
This is the conclusion of a new report by Flexera Software which shows that producers are aware that rapid technology changes are impacting the business climate, creating new opportunity and risk.
Mozilla launches new JavaScript-based Add-ons Validator for developers
Like apps hitting a store, browser add-ons have to go through validation to ensure that they work properly and are secure. This is the case with Firefox, and developers will be only too aware that the validation tool provided by Mozilla is unreliable and difficult to use.
Today the company announces that the old Python-based validator could soon be a thing of the past and unveiles a new version of the tool based on pure JavaScript. Although described as "not production-ready", Mozilla is looking for feedback, and is making the tool available for testing.
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