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5 Software-as-a-Service Security Best Practices for Developers

The majority of applications used today are Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions accessed via the cloud. The convenience of apps such as Google’s G-Suite, Salesforce, Basecamp and others brings with it the challenge of securing all the data being transmitted by millions of people every day. 

As the demand for SaaS and cloud-based solutions continues to grow, so too do the opportunities for hackers to steal sensitive information. Recent high-profile security breaches include 2017’s Equifax hack, which affected 148 million consumers. A leaked password led to over 57 million Uber customers’ information being compromised when hackers were able to access the company’s GitHub account and steal AWS login credentials.

The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) released a report detailing the top 12 security concerns when it comes to SaaS and cloud-based software solutions. Several vulnerabilities occur during the development process itself. Software developers can help prevent future attacks by making security a top priority throughout the development process. Here are 5 best security practices developers should follow when creating SaaS solutions. [more]

6 Things to Avoid When Promoting Your Mobile App

You’ve just gone through the development and QA phase and now you’re ready to introduce your awesome mobile app to the masses. You may think the hard work is already done and now it’s time to reap the rewards. But marketing your mobile app is every bit as important as building it in the first place, and there can be just as many challenges.

If you’ve done your homework, you already have a great marketing plan that has been in place from the very beginning of development. And hopefully you’ve done a bit of pre-launch marketing as well. Now it’s time to tell everyone about your application and hopefully experience a high level of success while minimizing any marketing missteps.

Here are six things to avoid while promoting your mobile app. [more]

Top IoT Security Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Gartner predicts that the number of IoT devices will reach 25 billion worldwide by 2020. From smart phones to smart cars to voice-activated assistants that respond to our every whim, we as a society are more connected than ever to the Internet of Things. And these connections we’re making? They’re not all that secure.

The problem with the majority of smart devices is that the firmware they are built on is easily penetrated by hackers. In 2016, the Mirai botnet attack took down popular sites like Twitter, Netflix, and Etsy. It did this by accessing IP cameras and launching a DDoS attack on the DNS provider. The hack was made possible by the fact that the software versions were out of date and most of the passwords had not been changed or updated.

So, how can you protect yourself from these types of attacks? If you’re going to use smart devices, you need to be smart about security. Here are 5 common IoT security mistakes and how to avoid them. [more]

Artificial Intelligence in Mobile Applications 

Many people have an irrational fear of artificial intelligence. It conjures up images of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. The term “machine learning” is reminiscent of all those angry machines in Stephen King’s Maximum Overdrive. It can be quite frightening.

What most people don’t realize is that they’ve already conquered this irrational fear. They are currently using and benefitting from artificial intelligence on a daily basis thanks to AI in mobile apps.

Artificial intelligence in mobile applications includes everything from Siri or Google Assistant to Shazam and Uber. The more addicted we all become to our mobile devices, the more exposure we gain to artificial intelligence.

Here’s a look at how artificial intelligence in mobile applications is changing not only the world in which we live, but how we operate and behave in the ever-changing world of advanced technology. [more]

Top Tools for Android Development

According to Statista, the Google Play store had over 2.8 million Android apps available for download as of March 2017. That’s higher than the Apple App Store’s 2.2 million and Microsoft Windows’ 669,000 available apps.

Given that there are way more Android mobile devices on the market today than any other operating system, the demand for apps and experienced Android application developers is only going to continue to increase in the future. 

Android developers are able to churn out all these apps much faster and more efficiently thanks to a profusion of sophisticated, integrated development environments (IDEs) as well as other time-saving tools and applications.

There are a few Android development solutions that tend to show up over and over again on Android developers’ “favorites” lists. Here are the top 20 favorite tools currently being used for Android application development. [more]

3 Stages of Design Thinking for Startups

“It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” – Steve Jobs

Ever wonder why Apple fans camp out for days and stand in long lines to purchase the latest product? Or the fact that they held candlelight vigils at Apple stores all over the world upon Steve Jobs’ passing? It’s not just because they love their iPhones, iPads and Macbooks. It’s because, to them, the Apple founder and CEO was a deity. Jobs was the living embodiment of an “intelligent designer.”

Apple products are addictive not only because they make people’s lives easier, but they’re just cool products period. They’re beautiful to look at it. That’s what great design thinking is all about.

Design thinking refers to the process of creating a product that solves everyday problems. It is applied throughout the entire lifecycle of a solution, from ideation to market delivery, with major emphasis placed on user experience. Just as an artist contemplates a painting and the emotions it will evoke in the observer, a good designer immerses him or herself in the persona of the one who will be using their product. [more]

Salesforce Essentials: 9 Major Benefits for Small Businesses

Salesforce is the largest and most popular customer relationship management (CRM) tool on the market. Thousands of enterprise companies all over the world use Salesforce to manage their sales and marketing processes.

In an effort to court small businesses who haven’t been able to afford Salesforce in the past, the company released Salesforce Essentials – a pared down, less costly version of the full-service solution. Salesforce Essentials will replace Desk.com and SalesforceIQ, which will both be phased out in March of 2020.

The question is, will Essentials become as popular for small businesses as the original Salesforce solution is for enterprise organizations? Only time will tell. For now, here’s everything we know about the new Salesforce Essentials solution and all the benefits it has to offer. [more]

20 Interesting Mobile App Statistics for Developers

If you haven’t yet heard of Statista.com, you’ll want to head there immediately and bookmark the site on your current web browser. It is the absolute best place on the web to get the most-up-to date statistics and infographics about pretty much anything you can possibly think of.

Statista features survey results, reports, and charts from over 22,500 sources, broken down across all industries. When it comes to the mobile app market, there are a multitude of interesting stats…from the most popular apps all over the world to the ones people are hoping will “die off” soon. (Sorry Twitter, but you happen to be at the top of that list!)

If you’re a mobile application developer and are looking to get inside the mind of today’s mobile app users, Statista is certainly the place to do it. Here are 20 of the most interesting stats we found when it comes to mobile application development. [more]

10 Popular Real Estate Software Applications

Whatever the market holds for home prices and sales in the future, one thing is for certain: real estate software development is booming. There are hundreds of solutions on the market to help real estate agents and brokers manage their businesses.  

From customer relationship management (CRM) programs to 3D home tour applications, technology is changing the way people buy and sell property.

Here are 10 of the most popular software applications and solutions currently being used by real estate professionals. [more]