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Google is further blurring the line between local apps and web apps in Android, rolling out the ability to add Progressive Web Apps to the homescreen but with the speed of a regular app. A feature of Chrome, the new functionality is currently only available in Chrome Canary – the most cutting-edge of versions for developers – but will be rolling out to Chrome 57 beta over the next few weeks, Google says. The upshot for users, so the promise goes, is apps that have the visibility of locally-installed software but the flexibility of online services.
Currently, while you're able to pin web services to the homescreen, they're effectively bookmarks. Progressive Web Apps go significantly further, mimicking the experience of a local app by caching a version on the device for offline use: even if you don't have an internet connection, you'll still be able to use the web app. Meanwhile, they're also integrated with things like Android's notification management.
In order for their web apps to qualify, however, developers will need to tick a few boxes. They'll need to be provided by a secure, HTTPS server, for instance, and use a responsive design that works on both phone and tablet displays. There are speed requirements too, around how fast the initial interface must load: Google says that, even on a 3G connection, the first visit to the app must take less than ten seconds. Google has a tool, Lighthouse, which makes testing these criteria and others more straightforward.
Web apps that support the new feature will get an option in Chrome to "Add to Home screen"; from that point, the web app's icon will show up in the launcher and any other app management system the device uses. It will be able to live alongside, rather than replace, any native app version. Permissions like notifications and access to hardware such as the device's camera will be assigned on an as-used basis, and other apps will be able to launch Progressive Web Apps directly. Still in the pipeline is support for associating a web app installed locally in this way with a certain file type.
To be clear, this is different from another web app system Google is experimenting with, Instant Apps. In a sense, they approach the concept from the opposite direction: rather than installing an app from the Google Play Store, the software is delivered piecemeal from the web. Google began public testing of Instant Apps last month.
Progressive Web Apps will support any version of Android back to Jelly Bean (v4.3).
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Embedded Computing Design's Annual Top Embedded Innovators and Innovative Product Awards highlight the most influential people and products from the Embedded and Internet of Things industries over the past year.
2017 Top Embedded Innovators (People)
Embedded Computing Design invites members of the embedded and Internet of Things communities to nominate exceptional individuals for their contributions to technology, industry/market evangelism, philanthropic contribution, and business acumen. Nominees are judged by Embedded Computing Designs esteemed Advisory Board, as well as its experienced content team comprised of Rich Nass, Curt Schwaderer, Brandon Lewis, and Jamie Leland. Judging is based on a 14-point rubric, outlined below.
Criterion
• Technology What are this candidate's top contributions to embedded/IoT technology?
• Evangelism How has this candidate or his/her accomplishments influenced or driven the embedded/IoT market?
• Philanthropy In what ways has this candidate given back to the industry/community?
• Business What financial milestones this person accomplished for their company(ies) during their career?
Three entrants will be chosen as 2017's Top Embedded Innovators based on the judges cumulative scores, with the winners receiving a plaque denoting their achievement and the opportunity to participate in an in-person video interview with members of the Embedded Computing Design content team.
Nomination Deadline: 3/31
Submission Form: opsy.st/2017InnovativePeople
2017 Most Innovative Products
The Most Innovative Products section allows vendors from the embedded and Internet of Things industries to submit their market-leading technology solutions released between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017 for consideration as one of the past year's Most Innovative Products. Product submissions are graded by the Embedded Computing Design Content Team consisting of Rich Nass, Curt Schwaderer, Brandon Lewis, and Jamie Leland based on a 16-point rubric, detailed below.
Note: A nominal fee is associated with Innovative Product submissions to support printing and production costs.
Criterion
• Design Excellence How does the proficiency of the products design and/or architectural elements enable embedded/IoT engineers in new ways?
• Relative Performance How does the performance of the product compare to alternatives, relative to the context in which it is typically used?
• Market Impact/Disruption What impact has this product had on the embedded/IoT design engineering market (does it enable new innovations, disrupt existing technologies, provide new methods for solving engineering challenges, etc.)?
All submissions are highlighted on the Embedded Commuting Design website and in the June 2017 Innovation Issue. Three finalists will be selected in each of the categories of Silicon, Software, and Systems based on the judges' cumulative scores. All nine finalists will be featured on the cover of the ensuing 2017 Embedded Computing Design Resource Guide, with the company of the most highly graded product (1) from each category also receiving a plaque commemorating the accomplishment, as well as the opportunity to participate in a video interview with Embedded Computing Design's content team.
Submission Deadline: 4/14
Submission Form: opsy.st/2017InnovativeProducts
For questions and further details, please contact OpenSystems Media Publisher Patrick Hopper (phopper@opensystemsmedia.com) or Embedded Computing Design Brand Director Rich Nass (rnass@opensystemsmedia.com).
About Embedded Computing Design and OpenSystems Media
OpenSystems Media has been a leading publisher of electronics magazines, e-mail newsletters, websites, and product resource guides for more than 30 years. OpenSystems Media is also the leader in driving leads and awareness through social media, and is the largest producer of lead-generation tools such as webcasts (E-casts), whitepapers, product directories, digital E-mags, and Techcasts. OpenSystems Media offers E-casts, Techcasts, and Embedded University online training for engineers and provides interactive tools that allow participants to communicate directly with presenters and top industry editors. Current publications include: Embedded Computing Design; Military Embedded Systems; IoT Design; Industrial Embedded Systems; PICMG Systems and Technology; PC/104 and Small Form Factors; VITA Technologies ; and Signal Processing Design.
Have you ever noticed a "Live Chat" button while visiting any website? Or maybe a small box suddenly popped out from the bottom corner to letting you know that an agent from that site is available live to help you with any of your queries? Although you may not feel to use these live chat sessions often, but this will surely grab your attention all time. Also, in general cases, this makes you confident about the website and their service.
Several previous studies show us that the live chat option helps to increase the conversion rate of any website enormously. We should give it a try for a while to check actually it is working on our site or not. Are you wondering how to implement a live chat option on your website? Are you wondering how difficult it would be to implement? If so, I should tell you, the answer is quite simple. There are several good live chat tools currently available in the market. You just need to opt for any of those tools. Each tool comes with a very easy to implement options that anyone can follow to make it live on your website. Today I am sharing 7 such live chat tools which you can use on your site. Let's know about them in detail.
Disclosure: Some of our articles may contain affiliate links; this means each time you make a purchase, we get a small commission. However, the input we produce is reliable; we always handpick and review all information before publishing it on our website. We can ensure you will always get genuine as well as valuable knowledge and resources.
A website is a necessity for businesses of all sizes and anyone who sells products or services. It doesn't matter what marketing methods you adopt, enabling potential buyers to find you via an online search is key to acquiring new customers.
It is obvious that your business needs a website; it helps you sell services or products and serves as an extension of your business card, providing information about your businesses and what you offer. It should also give readers details about your experience and any other credentials that give you credibility and make your potential customers feel confident in their decision to work with you.
It isn't as hard as it may seem to create a small business website. You can take on the task yourself to make it budget-friendly or hire a Web developer to build it for you. From the beginning stages when you decide the purpose of your website to the finishing touches when you perform Internet explorer testing to check for browser bugs and functionality issues, utilize these five steps to make the process of creating a successful small business easier.
Decide the reason for your websiteYour first step is to decide what you want your website to accomplish. You want to figure out how to reach busy consumers. So will the purpose of your website be to give potential customers more information about your services online? Or to provide articles and information you're written to help your potential clients? There are many reasons why every business needs a blog, so you might decide to start one to engage your customers. You may sell products and services directly online.
Know the plan behind your website because this will guide you on how to develop it. Remember that it's okay if you start your website without online sales or a blog. These are things that can be added later, but consider how you will eventually use your website as you design it.
Choose your web content management softwareBased on what you plan to do with your website, you have a variety of options in software. Many are free with minimal charges for add-ons. You probably have no idea how many of the websites you visit that use one of these solutions.
If the main purpose of your website is e-commerce, select software specifically designed for e-commerce. If e-commerce is a small part of your website's purpose, you can get free or inexpensive add-ons that work with the most popular free content management software such as Joomla! and WordPress.
Joomla! Is a free content management software that gives users flexibility, but the structure of your website will be limited. The templates available are extensive and there are countless add-ons which give you a good amount of functionality for your website with little effort. Many are free and paid versions can cost anywhere from around $20 to $200.
The idea of Joomla is to avoid needing to code a website from scratch. It enables easy changes and updates — something the average small business owner could typically handle on their own. It is time-consuming to install and set up Joomla, but a Web developer with Joomla experience could easily speed the process along.
WordPress is like Joomla — it's a user-friendly content management system that uses templates to give it different looks and add-ons for additional functionality. One difference with WordPress is that its core design is a blog. You can use it like Joomla with regular WebPages, but its homepage can be set up as a simple-to-use blog with the features of many blogs you read. As with Joomla, you might want to hire a Web developer to do the initial setup for you.
Choose a web hostOnce you make a decision about which software to use, you need to choose a Web host. This is the location where your website and software will be held and made available to visitors. Make your decision based on the software you choose and also the speed and number of visits you expect to receive. Some small businesses initially go with less expensive and less powerful shared hosting services and upgrade to faster and more powerful dedicated hosting if necessary.
Also consider whether your host provides automatic installation of your chosen content management software. Many popular hosting services enable you to do this with a simple click of a button.
Choose a template and plug-in for your websiteAfter you have selected your software and chosen a host, you need to think about other features. You can pick from hundreds of templates that give your website the look and feel that you would like. Some templates are pretty simple while others are themed to a type of product or services or have built-in features that may make it more aesthetically appealing to you.
Free templates are readily available, but you may want to spend a small amount of money for a premium template to get what you really want.
Organize your websiteThink about what you want your website to look like and how you will use it. Consider your logo, the menu selections you want to have available to users and the information you want on each of those pages. Start with your menu and think carefully how you want to organize the information on your website to give you the most flexibility. If you have only three main menu selections initially, consider what you may add down the road so your original design can accommodate it.
Your website also needs content. It must welcome visitors and convey the right kind of message so your visitors read it and don't leave your site for a different one.
You also should to include images. Since your website likely has a template with background images or visual elements, other graphics and images are typically used as a supplement to the text or to replace it. It's essential to make pages look professional. You want to make a visual impact so avoid using clipart and considering hiring help.
Maintain your websiteRegular website maintenance will keep your site running smoothly. You want to make sure things on the site are all in working order and none of the links are broken. Many visitors look at the site to see what is new. It's simple to add content and blog entries to give your visitors new and exciting information.
A successful business website isn't built in a day. Think of your business website as smart investment, one that's well worth your time and energy. Design it to meet your business needs and it will become a moneymaker that keeps your visitors engaged, clicking and bringing in revenue.
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