Showing posts with label Android. Show all posts
10 excellent platforms for building mobile apps
If you've ever wanted to build an app after thinking up a brilliant idea, you're in the right place.
Sure, the fear of coding can push you to not act on building your own app or to put off looking for the best app building software. Well, the good news is that it's easier than ever to enter the mobile app market — no coding knowledge or experience required.
Whether it's for your business, blog, product, service, or just something totally random, app creation software options are both plentiful and easy to find, if you know where to look.
With a small investment of time and a willingness to learn, you can create and manage your mobile site or application using one of the app building platforms listed below.
1. Appery.io
Mobile app building platform: Appery.io
IMAGE: APPERY.IO
Appery is a cloud-based mobile app builder that you can use to create apps for Android or iOS, and it includes Apache Cordova (Phone Gap), Ionic, and jQuery Mobile with access to its built-in components.
Since the builder runs in the cloud, there's nothing to install or download, and it's easy to get started quickly. The Appery app builder includes a visual editor using drag and drop components to build the UI. Appery auto-generates the code for any components you drop in. You can connect to any REST API and use it in your app, and instantly add a cloud database and backend to your app if you need to store data.
You can add powerful functionality with the Appery plugin catalog, or create your own custom private plugins to use in your apps. If you're working with a team, you can easily share your project with them and collaborate in real time for an extra fee.
Price: Plans start at $60/month for Pro, $135/month for Team, and custom pricing for enterprise solutions.
2. Mobile Roadie
Mobile app building platform: Mobile Roadia
IMAGE: MOBILE ROADIE
Mobile Roadie is an app creator that allows anyone to create and manage their own iOS or Android app. Even better, the building happens in a very visual way. The platform supports all media types, with automatic importing of RSS, Twitter, or Google News keywords, and an auto-refreshing fan wall for real-time communication with users.
You can preview your app accurately via Mobile Roadie's back end, just as your users would on their devices. They will also guide you through the App Store submission process, with Mobile Roadie checking the quality and appropriateness of your content.
This app builder also gives you the option to send out push notifications. This can be content from your own site or via the platform itself. The platform as a whole is language agnostic, so you can pull data in a variety of formats, including XML, JSON, PHP, CSV and HTML. When you start, you are presented with several layout options, but you can also customize any of them to your liking. I will say that Mobile Roadie seems better fit for a brand or service, rather than product.
Price: Plans start at $145/month for the base plan.
3. TheAppBuilder
Mobile app building platform: TheAppBuilder
IMAGE: THEAPPBUILDER
TheAppBuilder provides a suite of apps to suit employees, clients, events, and brochures, with two different approaches available. This might be the platform to go with if you are designing an app as an intranet for a company. You can build the app using the online toolkit, and either the training provided or TheAppBuilder itself will work with you to define and build the structure of the app and populate it with initial content.
Using the dedicated AppLibrary, you can provide your users with a window into multiple apps and even customize it with your own branding. You can protect both public and private apps with usernames and passwords, and distribute them via the app store, making use of TheAppBuilder's Active Directory integration to enable login with existing credentials and user groups.
Updating the structure and content of your apps is easy, even after you go live, because you can make unlimited updates and publish on multiple mobile platforms in one click. The platform supports native iPhone, iPad, and Android, with updates going live within 60 seconds of submitting a change. The update timing appears to be unmatched from other services.
Price: Pricing available upon request
4. Good Barber
Mobile app building platform: Good Barber
IMAGE: GOOD BARBER
Good Barber provides a platform to build iPhone and Android apps, along with optimized web applications. For any of the platforms, you can control every detail of the app without writing out a single line of code. Several highly customizable design templates are available to get started, with plenty of beautiful icons and access to Google Fonts.
These progressive web apps could theoretically replace your current website, as they can be optimized for desktop, mobile, and tablets.
You receive immediate visual feedback every time you adjust any parameters in your app. Send unique, actionable push notifications and convert your readers into contributorsby letting them submit articles, photos, and videos. You can also organize your app and add sections ranging from videos, photos, sounds, live events, and more.
Price: Plans start at $32/month for Android apps and at $96/month for iOS apps.
5. Appy Pie
Mobile app building platform: Apple Pie
IMAGE: APPY PIE
Appy Pie is a cloud-based DIY mobile app creation tool that allows users without programming skills to create an app for almost any platform and publish it. There's nothing to install or download — just drag and drop pages to create your own mobile app online. Once it's complete, you receive an HTML5-based hybrid app that works with all platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows, and even a Progressive app. All revisions are in real time, with the ability to send push notifications, monetize with ads, see live analytics, and track location with GPS. You can also integrate social media feeds, blogs, websites, audio, radio, and more.
When using this platform you're presented with different themes, ranging from a restaurant to a radio station. They also have an appointment scheduler tool, which is especially useful for businesses such as doctors, salons, or spas with contact features such as one-touch call included. Using the code page you can embed custom code and embed iframes.
Price: Plans start at Free with ads and go up to $50/month for Platinum
6. AppMachine
Mobile app building platform: AppMachine
IMAGE: APP MACHINE
AppMachine is an easy-to-use platform to build and design professional native apps for both iOS and Android. Using the drag-and-drop interface, you can combine different building blocks that offer a variety of features, such as information, photos, and video. The building blocks also let you link your app to Facebook, Twitter, or online stores. You can design the app in your own unique style and choose your navigation paths, colors, fonts, and icons, taking complete control of layout and watching your progress using the Previewer.
This platform also allows you to scan a website for key content that could transfer over into an app for iOS or Android.
Test your app as you build it and check its progress on your computer, mobile, or tablet. Once your app is fully tested and ready to go, you can publish and promote the app, and analyze the user data. AppMachine takes care of everything you need to get your app into Apple's App Store and Google Play.
Price: Plans start at $49/month per app on the Plus plan, but go up to $69/month per app.
7. GameSalad
Mobile app building platform: GameSalad
IMAGE: GAMESALAD
GameSalad allows you to create and publish games for a variety of platforms, including iOS, Android, HTML5, and macOS. Its drag-and-drop interface allows you to get started quickly, without the need for any programming knowledge. It also aims to let you learn computer science through the building process.
The gaming app creator features a scene and actor editor, where you spend most of your game creation time, setting up actors in a scene and creating attributes, images, sounds, and navigating between actors. The active community forum is a huge plus, with access to help and advice from fellow independent game designers.
GameSalad offers two plans, one geared for educators and another for developers. But both of these app builders allows you to create a game without writing a line of code.
Price: Pricing available upon request for developers and educators.
8. BiznessApps
Mobile app building platform: BiznessApps
IMAGE: BIZNESSAPPS
BiznessApps provides a platform to help create mobile apps for a small business with a very simple process. It provides a wealth of features, including ordering, a shopping cart, reviews, messages, dynamic content, third party integrations, push notifications, comprehensive analytics, and more.
The easy-to-use content management system allows you to create an app in minutes, and customize everything using pre-built designs or your own. There are also real-time previews to check your progress as you design and develop your app.
You can instantly update your app online, and modify everything inside, without having to send your app for a lengthy update with Apple or Google. BiznessApps also provides an easy way to create promotional materials. There are weekly webinars on how to build beautiful mobile apps using the BiznessApps platform, along with access to hundreds of tutorials and articles to help make the process even easier.
Price: Plans start at $99/month for a Single App or $250/month for the Reseller Partner Program
9. AppMakr
Mobile app building platform: AppMakr
IMAGE: APPMAKR
AppMakr is a DIY app-creation platform that lets anyone craft iOS, Android, and HTML5 apps, with no coding knowledge required. It was founded in 2009, and recently acquired by Infinite Monkeys, to now form one of the largest DIY app publishing platforms worldwide. They state that they are the "original way to make an app."
You can make as many apps as you want, with unlimited updates, and utilize a number of features, including push notifications, high-resolution photo galleries, live updates, music and video streaming, chat rooms, Google Maps integration, shared events calendars, in-app shopping, and much more.
You keep track of all your apps through the Dashboard, easily customize your app's looks and functionality, add content with tabs, preview your app in real time, and publish it to the markets with a single click. A big feature set is the face that all of there plans feature no ads, even the mobile website builder.
Price: Plans start at Free for the mobile website builder and go up to a $99/month for the App Pro plan.
10. ShoutEm
Mobile app building platform: ShoutEm
IMAGE: SHOUTEM
ShoutEm offers an app builder with complete content management, powerful user engagement tools, and monetization options, coupled with a seamless publishing process. All of this comes together to provide a robust solution for almost any app building scenario.
The interface builder offers many customization options, and each app can be tightly integrated with existing content sources such as WordPress, Foursquare, Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud, and more. The multiple monetization options mean you can quickly create a revenue stream from your app, providing an e-commerce experience, in-app subscriptions, deals, and coupons, with support for all major ad networks included.
You can publish your apps under your developer account to both iTunes and Google Play, and update your app or content in real time. ShoutEm also offers regular auto-updates, to ensure your app is always ahead of new iOS and Android updates.
Price: Plans start at $59/month for Android, $99/month for iOS and Android, and $179/month for extra social and loyalty add-ons.
With contributions by Grace Smith
what is Android operating system?
Android is an operating system based on the Linux kernel, and designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers. Initially developed by Android, Inc., which Google backed financially and later bought in 2005,Android was unveiled in 2007 along with the founding of the Open Handset Alliance: a consortium of hardware, software, and telecommunication companies devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices.The first publicly available smartphone running Android, the HTC Dream, was released on October 22, 2008.The user interface of Android is based on direct manipulation, using touch inputs that loosely correspond to real-world actions, like swiping, tapping, pinching and reverse pinching to manipulate on-screen objects. Internal hardware such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and proximity sensors are used by some applications to respond to additional user actions, for example adjusting the screen from portrait to landscape depending on how the device is oriented. Android allows users to customize their home screens with shortcuts to applications and widgets, which allow users to display live content, such as emails and weather information, directly on the home screen. Applications can further send notifications to the user to inform them of relevant information, such as new emails and text messages.
Android's source code is released by Google under the Apache License this permissive licensing allows the software to be freely modified and distributed by device manufacturers, wireless carriers and enthusiast developers. Most Android devices ship with a combination of open source and proprietary software.As of July 2013, Android has the largest number of applications available for download in Google Play store which has had over 1 million apps published, and over 50 billion downloads. A developer survey conducted in April–May 2013 found that Android is the most used platform among developers: it is used by 71% of the mobile developers population.
Android is popular with technology companies who require a ready-made, low-cost and customizable operating system for high tech devices. Despite being primarily designed for phones and tablets, it also has been used in televisions, games consoles, digital cameras and other electronics. Android's open nature has encouraged a large community of developers and enthusiasts to use the open-source code as a foundation for community-driven projects, which add new features for advanced users or bring Android to devices which were officially released running other operating systems.
As of May 2012, Android became the most popular mobile OS, having the largest installed base, and is a market leader in most countries including the United States; there it has had the highest installed base of mobile phones for years.In the third quarter of 2013, Android's share of the global smartphone shipment market—led by Samsung products—was 81.3%, the highest ever. In most markets Android-powered phones are the most popular comprising more than half of the overall smartphone sales, including the United States market starting with the September–November 2013 period. The operating system's success has made it a target for patent litigation as part of the so-called "smartphone wars" between technology companies. As of September 2013, one billion Android devices have been activated
History
Android, Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, California in October 2003 by Andy Rubin , Rich Miner, Nick Sears and Chris White to develop, in Rubin's words "smarter mobile devices that are more aware of its owner's location and preferences". The early intentions of the company were to develop an advanced operating system for digital cameras, when it was realised that the market for the devices was not large enough, and diverted their efforts to producing a smartphone operating system to rival those of Symbian and Windows Mobile. Despite the past accomplishments of the founders and early employees, Android Inc. operated secretly, revealing only that it was working on software for mobile phones.That same year, Rubin ran out of money. Steve Perlman, a close friend of Rubin, brought him $10,000 in cash in an envelope and refused a stake in the company.
Google acquired Android Inc. on August 17, 2005; key employees of Android Inc., including Rubin, Miner and White, stayed at the company after the acquisition. Not much was known about Android Inc. at the time, but many assumed that Google was planning to enter the mobile phone market with this move. At Google, the team led by Rubin developed a mobile device platform powered by the Linux kernel. Google marketed the platform to handset makers and carriers on the promise of providing a flexible, upgradable system. Google had lined up a series of hardware component and software partners and signaled to carriers that it was open to various degrees of cooperation on their part.
Speculation about Google's intention to enter the mobile communications market continued to build through December 2006. The unveiling of the iPhone, a touchscreen-based phone by Apple, on January 9, 2007 had a disruptive effect on the development of Android. At the time, a prototype device codenamed "Sooner" had a closer resemblance to a BlackBerry phone, with no touchscreen, and a physical, QWERTY keyboard. Work immediately began on re-engineering the OS and its prototypes to combine traits of their own designs with an overall experience designed to compete with the iPhone. In September 2007, InformationWeek covered an Evalueserve study reporting that Google had filed several patent applications in the area of mobile telephony.
On November 5, 2007, the Open Handset Alliance, a consortium of technology companies including Google, device manufacturers such as HTC, Sony and Samsung, wireless carriers such as Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile, and chipset makers such as Qualcomm and Texas Instruments, unveiled itself, with a goal to develop open standards for mobile devices. That day, Android was unveiled as its first product, a mobile device platform built on the Linux kernel version 2.6. The first commercially available smartphone running Android was the HTC Dream, released on October 22, 2008.
The main hardware platform for Android is the 32-bit ARMv7 architecture. There is support for x86 from the Android-x86 project and Google TV uses a special x86 version of Android. In 2013, Freescale announced Android on its i.MX processor, i.MX5X and i.MX6X series. In 2012 Intel processors began to appear on more mainstream Android platforms, such as phones.
As of November 2013, current versions of Android require at least 512 MB of RAM, and a 32-bit ARMv7, MIPS or x86 architecture processor together with an OpenGL ES 2.0 compatible graphics processing unit (GPU). Android supports OpenGL ES 1.1, 2.0 and 3.0. Some applications explicitly require certain version of the OpenGL ES, thus suitable GPU hardware is required to run such applications.
Android devices incorporate many optional hardware components, including still or video cameras, GPS, hardware orientation sensors, dedicated gaming controls, accelerometers, gyroscopes, barometers, magnetometers, proximity sensors, pressure sensors, thermometers and touchscreens. Some hardware components are not required, but became standard in certain classes of devices, such as smartphones, and additional requirements apply if they are present. Some other hardware was initially required, but those requirements have been relaxed or eliminated altogether. For example, as Android was developed initially as a phone OS, hardware such as microphones were required, while over time the phone function became optional. Android used to require an autofocus camera, which was relaxed to a fixed-focus camera if it is even present at all, since the camera was dropped as a requirement entirely when Android started to be used on set-top boxes.









