The core parameters to be tackled in order to achieve the rich mobile web experience as specified by MS officials are:

1. User Interface of the Browser.

2. Compatibility of the WP enabled devices with a wide array of website layouts.

3. Considering battery conservation and its smooth rendering performance.

The desktop specialist houses a separate team that is incessantly working hard and implementing strategies that would serve the common man with the best mobile browsing experience. This team is trying its best to enable the contents and services on the mobile browsers more appealing to the users when using their Window Phone.

WP 7 is slowly and steadily stepping into the mobile space with leading companies developing stuff on the IE9 for the Mango. The most popular sports channel ESPN had great feedback about the process of developing for the IE9 browser on WP. Their mobile site development team was quiet satisfied about the CSS3/HTML5 support and pointed out that the process of developing on the IE9 had a similar environment as that on the Personal Computer.

For that scintillating experience of your favorite sport on the ESPN, be sure you visit their website on the Window Phone; I bet you will be overwhelmed with what the ESPN has done onto their mobile site on the IE9 browser. The IE9 browser is that wonder browser that will remind you of the days of desktop browsing but now on a smaller mobile screen.

Mobile browsing is not just about accessing content pages or static websites on the mobile device. Watching videos online too is another aspect the Window Phone team considers for improvement. In other mobile operating systems, YouTube videos are perhaps watched on a dedicated app for that delightful experience even if the video site HTML5 compatible. But, Window phone device can directly play your desired video directly without downloading any app. I think it’s one of coolest features of the Window Phone 7 enabled device.

Another noteworthy trait of the Microsoft’s goals is that it wants to appeal to the common man audience with simplicity and greater functionality. By keeping track of Window Phone users the development team has done major changes to its UI by keeping the address bar at the bottom of the screen, the refresh button was moved out of the address bar as desired by the Window Phone owners and an ample breathing room for the browsing is created for that perfect experience while digging into the internet space.

Last but never the least is the Mango app marketplace. The users can download their utility apps from the app market worry-free as the apps uploaded are of high quality and no junky stuff unlike the other app marketplaces. So in case you are already a proud window phone owner, you are probably happy and in case you want to try a hand at owning it then your decision is never wrong in my opinion. Developers too can enjoy a profitable journey by creating apps on this platform and am sure the returns are lucrative in the days to come.

Very often, we find that a small problem puts a hold in carrying out our web development services. Interestingly, what we mostly need is a small, powerful tool to fix the problem. All you need is an instant access to the right information to assist your end users and support your web application. Thankfully, a number of web applications are present today to help developers do time-intensive, complex jobs in just a jiffy. These web application have been designed to make development projects a lot easier and quicker. Given below is the list of 4 most efficient web applications, that are superbly purpose and enhance your web development services.

0 to 255:

Color scheme is the most vital aspect that demands your attention, once you are done with the the wire framing stage and are all set to begin with the designing of the actual look and feel of the website. 0to255.com is a perfect to handle this situation. You may either pick a color of your choice from the color swatches by making a way through the hex code or simply ask 0to255 to generate color for you, randomly.

What actually 0to255 does is it generates a gradient of color shades in steps in sync with your web design as per the originally selected color. To discover highlight or shadow color that best matches your base color, you just need to hover over the array of shades and will get to see the two colors in a kind of looking glass. On finding the perfect combination, click to copy the hex code to your clipboard.

Periodic table of HTML5 elements:

The periodic HTML elements table by Josh Duck is extremely useful. This is probably the best known way to have enlisted all 104 HTML(5) elements in the working draft along with the latest two defined aptly. Also, you may have this organized accordingly on the basis of form elements, meta, root, grouping elements. In addition, it also lets you view a small detailed description on clicking on an element along with a link to a more detailed description.

As a user, you may type in any site name and the site will go off and report back on all elements used by the page and will also provide you with a running count of number of times each element is being used.

HTML5 Rediness:

We all know about the features of HTML5 and the truly amazing capabilities of CSS3, but is that enough? Knowing precisely when and how to start using it is the prime question. Created by Paul Irish and Divya Manianit presents a pretty stunning and interactive way to immediately check whether or not, your target browser supports a specific element.

CSS3 Please:

With the idea of HTML5 and CSS3 in mind, it becomes imperative to know about the CSS3Please. This is a really interesting web development tool that allows you to interactively work with the recent features in CSS3 and view their effect directly on the page, similarly to what you may typically do with Firebug. Once you avail the ideal look and feel, it offers you the ability to turn off and on the rules. All you have to do is to copy the whole of style rules or the part you require and paste it into your project’s CSS file, and your job is done. It is actually a real time saver and works wonders with those who are new to CSS3.

Nowadays, almost every developer is making consistent attempts to discover and develop more and more of such web applications to simplify web development services. In addition, since these applications are designed for a specific job, you may stay assured of having a faultless working experience. Hence, it would not be wrong to state that they are efficient as well reliable.

The number of users accessing websites and web applications on their mobile devices has been increasing steadily. Likewise, popular search engines like Google also use mobile friendliness as a key metric to rank websites. Hence, enterprises nowadays focus on enhancing the mobile user experience of their websites. They even require developers to build mobile websites that keep visitors engaged and convert them into customers. The developers can make a website mobile-friendly in a number of ways. They can further accelerate mobile website development by implementing several techniques and best practices. However, it is also important for developers to avoid a number of mistakes to make the website deliver optimal mobile user experience.

8 Mobile Website Development Mistakes Each Developer Must Avoid

1) Not Adopting Responsive Web Design

A developer has option to choose from several mobile website development approaches. But the developer must opt for responsive web design to make the website look good on both computers and mobile devices with a single code base. Responsive web design allows developers to build websites using open technologies like HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. Also, the single code base makes it easier for programmers to add new functionalities to the website and deliver updated content to users.

2) Not Focusing on Loading Speed

Most users nowadays abandon websites that do not load in 3 seconds. Likewise, Google also uses loading speed a metric while ranking websites. Most users nowadays access websites over mobile internet connections like 2G, 3G and 4G. The mobile internet connections are slower than wired networks and Wi-Fi. No developer can keep the visitors engaged without increasing the website’s performance and speed.

3) Not Optimizing Components for Touch Screen

Responsive web design enables developers to make a website look good on different devices with a single code base. But the developers must enable mobile users to navigate the website seamlessly with a single hand. Also, the users must read and access the website content on smaller screens. That is why; it becomes essential for developers to optimize key elements of a website like buttons, menu navigation, and tap elements for touch screen.

4) Not Optimizing Forms for Mobile Device

The mobile websites also accept user information and feedback through forms. But the developers must optimize the forms for mobile devices to make it easier for users to submit input. Unlike web forms, mobile forms need to be concise. The mobile forms must require users to submit only relevant information. Hence, the developers must remove additional and irrelevant fields from the mobile version of a form. The mobile websites can further accelerate user data submission process by generating information using the built-in hardware features of the mobile devices.

5) Not Including Mobile Icons

Many users nowadays spend more digital media time on mobile apps than mobile web. The modern users even love mobile websites that look, function, and perform just like native mobile apps. While developing a mobile website, the developers must explore ways to make it access the native hardware and software features of individual devices. Also, they can make the website look and function like mobile apps by including commonly used mobile icons and symbols. They must use mobile icons to convey information and instructions, and perform common actions.

6) Still Using Flash Instead of HTML5 Videos

While developing websites, many developers still deliver videos through Adobe Flash. The developers must remember that certain mobile operating systems do not support Flash. Also, most users hate accessing videos with third-party plug-ins and extensions. The developers must use HTML5 videos instead of Flash to deliver videos quickly and seamlessly to various devices. HTML5 further helps developers to embed videos into a web page without affecting its loading speed.

7) Using Too Many Popup Windows

The desktop versions of websites use popup windows to run advertisements, convey special offers, and receive user feedback. While developing a mobile website, many developers still generate popup windows to accomplish various tasks. The developers must remember that the popup windows affect the mobile user experience of the website directly and adversely. They must avoid generating additional popup windows to boost the website’s user experience and engagement.

8) Not Reducing Web Page Weight

While optimizing a website for mobile devices, web application developers often ignore the weight of individual web pages. The weighty web pages direct affects the website’s loading speed and user experience. The developers can reduce the weight of various web pages in a number of ways – optimizing images, minifying JavaScript and CSS files, and compressing frontend resources. But they must assess and reduce the weight of individual web pages to make the website load faster and keep visitors engaged.

In addition to avoiding common mobile website development mistakes, it is also important for the developers to keep in mind the latest guidelines issued by popular search engines like Google. The search engine guidelines help developers to make the mobile websites discoverable and deliver richer user experience.

It’s hard to keep up with the big guys but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. We all drink from the same waterhole and word does get around. Now, if you are itching for updates on web design trends established internet marketing companies are already applying for their clients, here are some of those I’ve seen them do.

1. Less Flash, More CSS3 and HTML5

Yes, they are back! And bigger than ever, might I say. A lot of new websites have been applying CSS3 and HTML5 more by virtue of its “friendliness”. We all know how testy flash can be online. And despite being attractive, it doesn’t really do well for any site to incorporate flash and experience navigation troubles. Besides, flash isn’t useful for SEO.

2. Color Experimentation

Businesses are apparently embracing alternative color schemes today other than the usual black, white, and blue. Most of the new websites are already incorporating, yellow, green and red – which makes them unique, eye catching and appealing. But of course, there is a limit to the application and web designers seem to stick to at least three tones. Anyways, I for one think it’s a nice change to have something different to work on this time.

3. Mobile Internet Ready

Given the emergence of more smart phones and people’s growing preference to surf through them, web designers and businesses have made it a point to create websites that appear as well planned on mobile phones as they are on computers. But of course, they try not to compromise the quality of the design by using CSS3 codes that can easily conform to whatever viewer medium is used.

4. Creating More Depth

Whether it’s applying Parallax Scrolling or just manipulating codes to get that 3D effect, sites today are now able to pop out from computer screens and give users a whole new browsing experience. Depth evokes more feelings as it stimulates the visual sense to investigate and admire the patterns and how woven they are on the website.

5. Using Photographs

This is another technique web designers are currently using to give a website that dramatic and unique look. High resolution images that occupy most of the site are certified to grab the viewer’s attention and are currently dominating the scene. Of course, it is required for the pictures to be well set, edited and content appropriate for it to be utilized. It shouldn’t overpower the text as well.

Internet marketing companies should do more than just give you what you want. They should keep you in line with what’s applicable today. So maybe you should check if you are getting updated services from the experts you are consulting with. Have them explore what current trends out there in all elements of internet marketing and let them get back to you with a timely action plan.

Once enterprises decide on a mobile strategy, it’s time to decide between native mobile application development and web application development. Native mobile applications have a lot to commend them. They are native and hence more in sync with specific features of iPhone/ iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, etcetera – resulting in a smooth user experience.

The downside of this approach is the high cost of development and the time and effort spent on recreating a native app for multiple platforms. Moreover, even if you have the required budget and time, it’s not possible to cover every mobile operating system in the market, what with emerging new platforms and the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend inundating corporate spaces.

The cost of native application development has led to the rise and growing popularity of MEAP tools or Mobile Enterprise Application Platforms. As the name suggests, MEAP is a platform for developers to develop code once and deploy it across multiple mobile operating systems and devices. It’s economical and faster than native app development. You get features that enable you to build sophisticated apps that can match or nearly match native apps in look and feel. And you maximize your customer outreach.

Is MEAP good enough?

While MEAP offers many advantages over native mobile app development, it has some cons too. Firstly, it is an emerging technology. It is not equipped for all kinds of applications such as those with complicated scenarios involving video, audio, or intensive graphics, and highly sophisticated design. Secondly, MEAP comes with security issues that are addressed differently by various MEAP vendors.

To combat these concerns, many enterprises choose to develop one native application for the major mobile operating system or device used by their employees or customers and MEAP based applications for others. Again, your approach will largely depend on the kind of mobile application you target. Many businesses want purely informational apps or e-commerce portals. These can be easily created with MEAP at reasonable rates and timelines.

Typically, MEAP tools support the leading web development language of today – HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS. HTML5 enables mobile application developers to create impressive user interfaces and designs for high performing apps. The last two years have seen HTML5 grow significantly, with developers and enterprises pitching in to make it stronger and more capable.

It is backed by industry biggies such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon.

When is MEAP the right choice?

MEAP allows enterprises a lot of leeway in terms of development costs, time to market, innovation and flexibility. Once a mobile app is developed using MEAP, the development team can spend time on enhancing the application, upgrading it and introducing new features rather than recreating it for other platforms. Moreover, MEAP is simple enough for web developers to use. You don’t need to hire expensive Java, Objective-C or Android programming experts.

MEAP supports device agnostic mobile app development. Enterprises don’t need to worry about app compatibility with emerging mobile operating systems. Moreover, MEAP is easily integrable with existing enterprise systems such as legacy systems, data stores, CRM, etc., making it a perfect fit.

With increasing interest in MEAP, many small and large vendors have entered the market. Competition has brought down costs and forced vendors to offer more value with their product. Open source options are also available where customers can contribute to the development of secure enterprise or commercial mobile applications.

Not all rosy

MEAP tools, as yet, cannot match native SDKs in all aspects. They also suffer from technology and vendor-specific issues. For example, MEAP solutions are tough to migrate. This can create vendor lock-in.

Though MEAP tools are far better now than before, there is a lot of ground to cover. Web applications created with HTML5 will always be compared with native peers – so choose the right approach judiciously.

Mobile app is the best of both worlds – native and web apps. Hybrid apps are gaining popularity amongst the developers because they have to code apps for once and then run them on any platform with no extra coding.

• Ionic

Ionic is the pioneer of mobile app frameworks. If your app performance is a major concern for you, go for Ionic framework. Ionic is based on HTML 5 and it mainly focusses on performance. It needs no third party integration with JS library. To make a big interactive app, it can be clubbed with Angularjs. Both frameworks together work really well. Ionic has few reusable HTML classes and a set of inbuilt icons set called Ionicons.

• Sencha Touch

Sencha Touch is mature framework based on HTML5/CSS3. An enterprise targeted framework, Sencha Touch has its core at ExtJS. It scores high because of the fact that you can create great performance applications with near native experience.

• Mobile Angular UI

Angular is pretty much the perfect solution for handling data binding. Data binding in Angular apps involves the automatic synchronization of data between the model (or customer input source) and the “view”. When the model changes, the view rejects the change, and vice versa. By cutting short multiple steps, Angular can be a very appealing option.

• React Native

ReactJS is an exceptional framework for managing the DOM (Document Object Model), especially when when if comes to handling huge amount of data. React works by creating a virtual DOM in JavaScript that acts as an intermediate representation of the DOM. Because of this representation it becomes easier to decide which elements to change in the DOM and what the results may be.

• PhoneGap

PhoneGap is based on Cordova and is used for comping and packaging to release the app. It comes with set of APIs that can connect to phones basic inbuilt functions like camera, location, contacts etc. PhoneGap community also has an amazing support team.

• Famo.us

It is quite similar to Phonegap but more lightweight. It uses lightweight javascript to eliminate performance issues on HTML5. This new kid on the block focuses more on graphics. It is used for more sophisticated, graphic rich applications that focus on rendering 2D, 3D graphics, game related animations and stuff like that. This framework is mainly used for hybrid mobile development and not for web based applications. It can be used with Angularjs too.

Hope this article was helpful in learning about the most famous mobile app frameworks. Are you looking for a company to create hybrid mobile app for you? Feel free to contact us. We have an in-house mobile application development services team that is experienced and dynamic to handle all types of applications.

Mozilla Firefox is a free web browser developed for Linux, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS X. Its latest version – Firefox 12 – is fast and reliable, offering many advantages over other web browsers. This new version gives you improved video management, enhanced performance, and simplified privacy controls. Other notable features include comprehensive pop-up controls and live bookmarking.

With a streamlined user interface and the latest open web technologies, Firefox 12 is one of the best web browsers on the market. The browser enables easier navigation, featuring innovative applications that are ideal for both advanced and beginner users. Like other browsers, it has adopted a synchronization feature. This new version adds over 80 developer tool improvements and lots of customization through extensions.

Users can download the browser’s latest version from the official website. If you choose it as your default browser, Firefox 12 will automatically install a Windows 7 Taskbar icon. The browser integrates Firefox Sync, giving you access to your bookmarks, passwords, and open tabs. Firefox 12 offers enhanced security features like Do Not Track and Content Security Policy. Those version also has a number of tools and applications that make browsing easier and quicker:

• Syncing for tabs, passwords, extensions, and browsing history

• Pinned sites

• Bookmark organization with Panorama

• Fast JavaScript performance

• Increased accessibility with Find As You Type

• Tab browsing mode

• Comprehensive pop-up controls

• New HTML5 capabilities

• Permissions Manager

• Over 80 developer tools

• CSS-3D transform is supported

• Easy navigation

• Automatic add-on checking

Firefox 12 is an excellent choice for college students and other individuals who conduct online research. The browser’s latest version features virtual sticky notes that can be accessed through the toolbar. Users can save frequently visited sites as icons on the toolbar by using the “pin as app tab” feature. Firefox 12 gives you the ability to integrate third party add-ons, view your tabs as an array of thumbnail images, and create fun applications. Firefox HTML5 support includes 3D graphics, hardware accelerated videos, professional typography, and offline data storage.

This is one of the last remaining browsers that uses separate address and search boxes. A new web developer menu features tools for building and debugging websites on one location. The History and Bookmarks menus have been redesigned. This new version has integrated private browsing. It also offers enhanced protection against spyware, viruses, phishing sires, malware, and pop-ups. Its interface is well organized and intuitive. Packed with innovative features and advanced developer tools, Mozilla Firefox 12 proves to be one of the best free web browsers around.

Once upon a very boring day (yes, I also experience it just like you) I was surfing the net trying to look for something good to read. Good thing that, after almost 3 hours of infinite surfing going to different links and back to home pages, I found a few interesting latest technology gadgets on a website that features cool gadgets of today. So, I decided to come up with my own idea to share new technology news to the rest of you who have not been to this website.

Our favorite RTS on HTML5 as feature on new technology news

If you were born during the 80’s and earlier, you might have spent your childhood playing early RTS (Real Time Strategy) games on our inexpensive, yet beloved consoles. Command and Conquer anyone? We still see this game on our consoles today with improved game plays, excellent displays graphic wise, and better gaming environment.

But we all do remember those days when we boasted and fought against our friends on how we destroyed the enemies camp with our own version of dirty tactics of war. Even though the first C&C was in 2D with a lousy GUI and slow paced (sometimes laggy), we all love it.

But a software and web developer in the name of Aditya Ravi Shankar brings all nostalgia on the loose as he made a clone of our once favorite RTS game to our browsers. He developed the game using HTML5 to improve his coding skills and was supposed to try simple tower defense games. But, without definite reasons he jumped straight to doing RTS games and made it special when he decided to do Command and Conquer.

He finished making the clone in a 16 hour per day work for an entire month, and not to mention a whole week of fever because of the extended work hours. Although the game is still yet to be completed with all the bugs and glitches, Shankar is getting the help that he needs from fellow players who tried the game on their own computers.

On a Facebook reply chain, one avid fan of C&C has made a neat list of different bugs and glitches that need to be worked on for Shankar. But despite of these glitches, the smart innovation of this guy has caught the interest of many people especially to old and die hard fans of Command and Conquer. We could all hope that he fixes everything and all of us can enjoy playing this game again at the convenience of our own desktops.

Cross platform mobile application development is a welcome respite for developers that find it hard to manage sizable teams for each of the mobile development verticals. Moreover, developing an application using this much-in-demand platform is a profitable affair as it helps in popularizing the product among a larger section of potential users. The lines below talk about this very topic and discuss various open source tools that developers use to create interactive apps.

Rhomobile

Previously known as Rhodes Framework, RohoMobile Suite is used to build native mobile applications that can function on multiple devices and operating systems. Owned by Motorola Solutions, the open source framework currently supports numerous platforms including iOS, Windows Phone, iOS, BlackBerry and so on. It uses Model View Controller (MVC) pattern where HTML and Ruby are used for writing views and controllers, respectively.

Appcelerator

For developers wishing to create applications for desktops and tablets alongside mobile phones, Appcelerator Titanium is a welcome choice. It supports iPhone, android, iPad and Blackberry based applications and also allows the programmers to use JavaScript to develop native apps for Android and iPhone. Knowledge of Titanium API is important for coders willing to use it.

PhoneGap

It is yet another much sought after cross platform mobile development framework. It lets the coders to use the combination of JavaScript, HTML5 and CSS3 together with standardized web APIs to build quality applications to run on a slew of OS and devices including iOS, Android, Symbian, BB, Windows 8, Windows Phone and more. Developed by Adobe systems, PhoneGap consists of Apache Cordova as underlying software.

MoSync

Developed by Mobile Sorcery, MoSync provides free, simple, and open source Software Development Kit (SDK) to build a flurry of cross-platform mobile applications. Developers can use it to create native apps with the help of C/C++, CSS, HTML5 and JavaScript. The framework supports iOS, Android and Windows Phone among others. The company also offers to download MoSync SDK and Reload tool right from its website for maximum benefit of its users.

Sencha Touch

Web developers prefer using Sencha Touch to build interactive application UI with the help of JavaScript library together with the combination of HTML5 and CSS3. With this framework, programmers can comfortably and swiftly develop apps that could run perfectly on the devices supported by Android, iOS and BB. The mobile web apps thus developed give the appearance and experience of native applications. An additional advantage with Sencha Touch is that it offers GUI based controls, which further simplify using the mobile web applications.

For companies and individuals into the business of mobile application development, these frameworks promise very cost-effective solutions as compared to the native platforms. Moreover, owing to the fact that the code written in all such tools are reusable, once written, developers can use them as many times as they want. Prominent reasons such as cost-effectiveness and enhanced visibility due to the availability of apps on multiple OS and devices, often tempt the clients from different walks of life to invest in these cross platform mobile development frameworks and rear exceptional benefits in the long run.

In the past year or so, Adobe, who has been dominating RIA (rich internet applications) since the mid 1990’s, has suddenly found itself in a war with two fronts. While pleading with Apple to allow Flash to run on the iPhone since its introduction in June of 2007, Google comes to the rescue with the Nexus One, which will be the first smart phone to support Flash. Ironically though, Google’s HTML5 might be the end of Flash as we know it. Will Apple ever allow Flash to run on the iPhone, and now the iPad? Will Google be the new king of RIA (both desktop and mobile) in the near future? What’s going to happen to Adobe Flash?

Will Apple ever allow Flash to run on the iPhone, and now the iPad?

Don’t let Steve Jobs fool you. According to wired.com, Steve Jobs stated that “Apple does not support Flash because it is so buggy.” Although it is true that Flash can be a little buggy sometimes, the reality is that Apple would never want to support Flash unless it was forced to. Why you ask? If the iPhone supported Flash, 3rd party companies could create their own “iTunes” stores that sold Flash applications which would create a huge dent in Apple’s app store revenue stream. As long as they don’t support Flash, Apple has a monopoly over every application sold for the iPhone. And naturally, Apple won’t admit to this because it would basically be like saying “yes, we are a large corporation that ultimately values profit over user experience”.

Google to the rescue?

Obviously, Adobe would like Flash to run in mobile devices because it creates more opportunities for developers to create Flash applications, and therefore add to Adobe’s revenue stream. Although Apple is refusing to support Flash, Google is saving the day by supporting Flash 10.1 on the Nexus One phone, Google’s new smart phone. This is huge, because if the Nexus One takes a large portion of the smart phone market (which it will), and it supports Flash 10.1, Apple will be forced to support Flash in order to compete with the Nexus One. When this happens, I’m sure that Steve Jobs will conveniently comment “Now that Flash 10.1 is very much improved, we now feel that it is appropriate to support Flash with all of our Apple products.”

Adobe’s ally will soon become its ultimate enemy

Once the Nexus One has firmly taken a significant portion of the smart phone market and Apple begins to support Flash, this is about the same time that Google’s HTML5 will begin to rise. This is really bad news for Adobe, because HTML5 is basically HTML with Flash capabilities built right into the new HTML tags, including a new video tag. Although a lot of people will tell you that HTML5 will completely eliminate the need for Flash, I think that the two technologies will coexist competitively much like Java and C# coexist today.

Good luck Adobe, you have a long road ahead of you!