That’s right.

According to a report released by the Yahoo-owned mobile analytics firm, Flurry, overall app usage (meaning actual engagement) grew by 76 percent in 2014. Can you believe that Flurry recorded more than two trillion — TRILLION! — app sessions during the year.

As if it wasn’t already, it’s clear:

The mobile app is where it’s at.

There was no single app store category that didn’t see growth in 2014, but a few saw more growth than others. To the tune of triple-digit growth, more and more mobile users are using applications to shop ‘til their scrolling fingers drop; apps in the Shopping category grew 174 percent. (Android sessions were up by as much as 220 percent, even!) Said Flurry, “if 2013 was the year messaging apps took off, 2014 was the year retail came to mobile in a big way.”

While some of this explosion of growth can be attributed to the launch of several e-commerce startups, as much is owed to an increasing level of consumer comfort. Mobile users are ever more comfortable buying from big box retailers on their smartphones; using barcode scanners for comparison shopping; clipping electronic coupons; bargain hunting; and reselling secondhand clothing — all from their smartphones.

The Utilities & Productivity category also saw triple-digit mobile application growth in 2014.

This can again be credited to more new apps on more new screens, and to consumer comfort. The year 2014 saw the development and release of mobile applications for word processing, scheduling, and even work-focused mobile emailing. More so than ever before, our smartphones are an extension of our functional lives.

We work from them. We shop with them. We play on them.

Sometimes, we even still talk to each other on them.

But…

What does this mean for the future of mobile app development?

If you’re us — northern Virginia’s preeminent web & mobile application developer — it means one thing: Opportunity. And tons of it.

Successful mobile application development involves just the right combination of design, usability, and technical implementation for handheld mobile devices. With over a hundred applications successfully developed, Innolance has a demonstrated knowledge in the functional and technical aspects of next generation mobile application development, and is eager to work with and for your company to create the next, newest, most exceptional mobile application.

It’s not clear when the State Department will have to begin releasing the emails. However, the decision that emails be slowly released over time may actually be more favorable to Clinton’s presidential campaign than the State Department’s original proposal, which was to release all of them just two weeks before the primary election season gets into full swing.

Judge Contreras also ordered that the State Department propose a deadline for producing Clinton’s 300 emails relating to the 2012 Benghazi terror attack that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.

Those emails had originally been requested by Chairman of the House Select Committee on Benghazi, Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., who has been leading the latest investigation on the Benghazi attack for over a year and plans to call Clinton to testify in front of his committee.

Gowdy and the Select Committee already received those 300 emails from the State Department but has chosen not to release them. Gowdy said he wants access to all Benghazi emails from 10 other senior State Department officials emails before he can be sure he has all the information he needs.

But officials who have seen the emails tell ABC News that there is no incrimination evidence within them. For the most part, officials say, they are briefly worded emails with little substance. Many of them just read, for example, “please print.”

State Department officials told ABC News that 300 emails relating to the Benghazi terror attack could be made public as soon as this week.

The overwhelming interesting in Clinton’s emails began early this year when it was revealed she had been using her own private email server to conduct government business during her tenure as Secretary of State. She later took to social media to tell the public she wanted everyone to see her emails. Now the 2016 front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, Clinton said she’d asked the State Department to review them and make them public as soon as possible.

What is it, and why has the Washington, DC area-based Innolance chosen the Agile development process methodology for rapid delivery of high quality software?

Innolance is all about Agile development.

The Agile development methodology is, in a word, iterative.Overall risk is minimized, while frequent inspection, and constant adaptation are encouraged. Through teamwork, self-organization, and accountability above all else, engineering best practices and rapid delivery align to fulfill the needs of the end user and the Washington DC-area software developer alike.

Agile development is all about communication.

Effective communication. When communication between team members, and between developers and end users is effective, written documents become less so.

On each and every Agile software development team is a customer representative. He is the champion of communication, and works to document all of the project requirements before development begins. He communicates this information to his team, and priorities are set; features are assigned to releases, which are tied to iterations, and development begins.

The software itself is the figurative measuring stick for progress. During Agile development, specific features of the project are developed and tested; it is this that truly sets the Agile methodology apart.

When Innolance uses the Agile methodology for software development in Washington DC, the emphasis is placed on obtaining the smallest workable piece of functionality to deliver business value early, so that we might continuously improve it and add further functionality throughout the life of the project.

Other development methodologies fail because…

• The end user / customer isn’t involved.
• The requirements set are poor, or unattainable.
• The schedule set is unrealistic.
• There is a lack of change management.
• There is a lack of testing.
• The processes are inflexible and bloated.
• They aren’t Agile.

Agile development is successful because…

• The web-based model allows companies to preview, and launch a bare bones version of the product first.
• End users can provide specific feedback.
• Software developers can take the end-user feedback, and incorporate the necessary changes in real time, using the latest technologies.

While no single development method can address every potential software development issue that could arise; and some critics are quick to point out that the Agile methodology may not be appropriate for those with strictly defined timelines, Innolance has this to say:

Agile software development empowers the people, and their roles in the process. The Agile methodology is pragmatic, and realistic, and can be effectively augmented to produce and improve each and every strategic software plan. When it comes to software development in the Washington DC metropolitan area, our methodology is Agile.

Last Thursday, Facebook made a historic decision to change the default sharing setting for new members, overturning a former 5-year decision.

Now, Facebook users will find their posts automatically changed from “public” to “friends”. New users who don’t set an audience for their first posts will, also by default, choose this set option. This change is due in response to concern with oversharing. “We recognize that it is much worse for someone to accidentally share with everyone when they actually meant to share just with friends, compared with the reverse,” a company representative wrote.

Facebook in general seems to be geared towards user trends, feedback, and increased privacy for registered users overall.

Soon there will be a “Privacy Checkup” feature where existing users can check, change, and accept new privacy features. These changes will minimize the risk of overshare, and users unwantedly, and maybe unknowingly exposing content.

“We think oversharing is worse than under sharing”, Privacy Product Manager Mike Nowak stated. However, is the question of oversharing and Facebook’s mission of making the world a “more open and connected” place contradictory?

The 2009 Facebook “recommended” settings were risky, as Novak himself pointed out. “Users who weren’t paying close attention might assume that since Facebook had launched for sharing..and was all about adding friends, that that’s who their posts would be seen by”. This led to controversial posts and images being found by potential employers, distant relatives (like grandma), and even stalkers.

These changes were part of the growing trend of sharing publicly on social media sites. Now, by making privacy options more visible, the controls are more user-friendly and easier to access. Reminders are also a way for Facebook to be proactive in guiding people towards updating their settings.

Giving Facebook users a choice in their privacy will keep users active in creating profiles and ultimately make Facebook more profitable to come. The freedom of choice Facebook now allows is letting people become connected only if they want to be.

What are Business Intelligence Analytics, anyway?

“Business Intelligence Analytics” is an overarching term. It refers to a set of tools and techniques that can process large amounts of raw data. That data can be about anything from customers to products to operations. The goal is to end up with information your business can actually use.

The results of this process can be a gold mine. They can help you identify new opportunities for your company. They can inform how you develop your marketing strategies. They can assist you in making sound business decisions. They can even help you improve the way your business operates.

What about Social Media Analytics?

We’ve all heard stories of companies that were made or ruined by social media. It’s a powerful force in today’s society. It doesn’t matter what size your business is. You need to keep up with the constant stream of online conversations that could impact your company. You also need to use social media to build your brand.

Social Media Analytics focus on putting the power of social media to work for your business. The idea behind the process is similar to Business Intelligence Analytics. Both rely on collecting and processing data. Both then reduce this vast pool of data to useful results.

How can Innolance help?

Did you know that Innolance can handle the gathering and sorting and interpreting for you? That frees you up to focus on running your business. Innolance offers solutions for both Business Intelligence and Social Media Analytics. We can translate the ongoing streams of data about your company into useful information. We can also help you put that information to work for your business.

Here’s how our Business Intelligence Analytics services work. We start by identifying your unique needs. Then we focus on turning the data into relevant information. We pull data from sources like surveys, call transcripts, and more. Finally, we help you develop and act on strategies to put that information into practice.

Are Social Media Analytics services more what you need? We offer those as well. We begin by listening to the relevant social media conversations. That way we know who your audience is and what it’s talking about. We also know who influences it. With that information we build a social media marketing strategy that fits your business. We also provide insight that can help you shape your strategy and manage relations going forward.

Do you want to put the power of Business Intelligence or Social Media Analytics to work for your company? We would love to talk about how we can help you. Contact us today!

How can you protect your WordPress site from attacks? Start by addressing some of these known vulnerabilities. Doing so now can thwart an attack in the future.

 Vulnerability #1: A Weak or Outdated Password

Your WordPress password is like a key to your website. If your key is old, easy to guess, or otherwise weak, your site is vulnerable to attacks. Here are some tips for keeping your WordPress password strong and effective:

• Don’t be generic. You’ve probably heard it plenty of times before, but it bears repeating. Passwords like “1234,” “password,” and “zyxwv” are not strong enough to withstand an attack. Pick something unique, long, and hard to guess. It’s best to mix letters, numbers, and even symbols.
• Keep it fresh. The longer you stick with your old password, the more vulnerable your site is. A rule of thumb is to change your password every three months. It’s also a good idea not to reuse passwords.
• Get everyone on board. If your site has multiple users, make sure each one follows the suggestions above. All it takes is one weak password to compromise your site.

Vulnerability #2: The Default “Admin” User

When you install WordPress, it creates a user account named “admin.” Hackers know this and use it to target WordPress sites. Because they have the username, they only have to break the password to access your site.

The fix is to delete this default account. When you do so, an attacker must figure out both the username and the password. If you haven’t already done so, create a new user account with a unique name and the role of Administrator. Then delete the “admin” user account.

Vulnerability #3: Neglected Updates

The WordPress team constantly monitors its platform for vulnerabilities. As it finds them, it releases updates to fix potential security issues. When your WordPress dashboard tells you there’s a new update to install, you should install it right away. Doing so will plug any known holes in the version of WordPress you’re running on your website.

The same is true for plugins. Plugin creators provide updates for several reasons. As WordPress releases updates, plugins must be modified to work with the new versions. Updates also plug possible security holes. It can be a pain to go through and install updates, but it’s vital for the integrity of your website.

WordPress can be a wonderful, secure platform if you take the time to address potential problems. Follow the tips above and you’ll be on your way to protecting your WordPress website.

Make users feel welcome:

One method that some organizations have leaned towards is a tutorial upon initial opening of a particular application.  Having a tutorial allows users to learn about all the extended features and functions an application has to offer.  By providing an interactive tutorial that teaches you as you begin to use new features, users gain confidence and respect for an application.  Strengthening a users experience is essential, and leads to a committed audience.

Another strategy to explore would be to keep the app simple in design.  Clutter leads to confusion, confusion is unsuccessful, avoid having numerous moving parts.  Showcase features that users will find most beneficial.  Put your feet in the users shoes and realize that not every user is going to explore your application inside and out to fully grasp the features you are offering.

New experience:

As applications begin to roll over to iOS 7, with the new navigation and color scheme, developers need to keep in mind that the system is new for users and will take time for everyone to get use to.  Hands down, one of the biggest additions being added to applications is the new navigation.  Being able to move from screen to screen with a swipe of a finger increases efficiency no doubt, but taking away a “back button” could obviously lead to mass confusion.

Clean and clear:

Quality code, with minimal bugs and defects is obviously mandatory, but having clear fluid graphics that don’t interfere with, rather enhance the user experience, are a plus.  Having a beta version of your application released to a controlled environment for testing is key.  Quality assurance cleans bugs and allows for congested components of your app to be cleared.

Salesforce is the number one customer relationship management (CRM) software in the world, and with good reason. In recent years it has expanded its offerings to include an impressive array of integrations with other services, as well as its own cloud platform and a wide variety of cloud-based sales, support and marketing applications. Although Salesforce and all its associated services are richly featured, its very complexity and customizability makes implementation a challenge.

Luckily, Innolance can help. Their team of Salesforce-certified consultants and developers will help any organization get the most out of Salesforce. They are able to assist in multiple implementation and adoption projects.

Every organization has its own unique processes and workflow. Innolance will configure the standard Salesforce templates and objects to match the vocabulary and processes of the company and offer improved user management by setting up roles, profiles, sharing settings, and more.

Innolance can also customize extra functionality that Salesforce does not provide. The goal is not to rebuild processes from the ground up, but to take the existing workflows and improve them.

Much of the service Innolance provides revolves around two things. One is an in-depth understanding of the capabilities of the Salesforce suite of products. The other is the effort they take to understand their clients’ needs, no matter how varied or complex. One such client is Rosetta Stone, whose technology-driven language and literacy solutions are used by thousands of schools, businesses, government organizations and millions of individuals around the world.

“At Rosetta Stone, we strive to provide the best user and support experience to our learner base. Our partnership with Innolance has been instrumental in achieving this goal. We’ve recently launched user friendly, easy to navigate portals for our Education & Enterprise clientele with positive results and our success is a testament to their sheer hard work and creativeness. They are an invaluable partner to Rosetta Stone,” stated Ahsan Arshad, CRM Systems Manager at Rosetta Stone.

That might sound like a scene from the future or a science-fiction movie. But thanks to smartwatches, it’s no longer just fantasy. These tiny, wearable devices connect to your cell phone wirelessly. Then they let you do everything from making calls and browsing to taking pictures.

Apple, Sony, and Samsung are just some of the companies joining the race to create the next big thing. The lists of rumored, confirmed, and available continue to grow.

What’s the big deal? Whether a smartwatch works in tandem to a smartphone or as an extension of it, these little devices hold a lot of promise. Here are a few of the features that make them so attractive.

Apps

Smartwatch technology is relatively new, but there are already plenty of apps you can download to them. Your smartwatch can keep you in the social media loop, letting you know when you have Facebook messages and Tweets. It can inform you of emails, text messages, and incoming calls. It can give you calendar and weather alerts. Some apps even let you control the music you’re listening to or track your bike ride or run. And the possibilities are only just starting to be explored.

Customization

Smart watches allow for a high level of customization. You can install the apps you want, of course. But most allow for more surface tweaks as well. You can change the band, for instance. The watch face provides another opportunity to make your smart watch your own. And you can decide how to receive your notifications. You can set the device to vibrate, make a sound, or show an indicator.

Convenience

Why keep checking your phone when you can get the information you want right on your wrist? Cell phones are getting bigger and bigger. So a tiny device that keeps you up to date is appealing. Smartwatches replace something many people already wear with a better, more versatile alternative.

Variety

At present, there are smartwatches on the market ranging from $99 to $299. Sony’s SmartWatch is already on the market and ready for a sequel, the SmartWatch 2, to be released. Samsung’s Galaxy Gear was unveiled in September. And rumors of an Apple iWatch abound. And that’s on top of available devices like the Pebble Smartwatch, the Martian Smartwatch, and i’m Watch. As more people pick up the smartwatch trend, even more options are likely to emerge.

Potential

Smartwatches are still fairly new. That means there are still quirks to work out. For instance, not every smartwatch works with every phone or operating system. You may have to choose your smartwatch (or your next phone) based on compatibility.

But you have to admit, the possibilities are intriguing. Technology moves quickly, and the limits of smartwatch technology are already being pushed. Who knows what new apps and uses for these little devices will emerge next?

There are a couple of different kinds of backup drives. Most computer hard drives and larger external backup drives are hard disk drives. They contain a disk that spins when the drive is turned on. There are also flash drives. These have no moving parts but rely on electrical signals to store data. The type of drive you have will determine how long it might last.

Hard Disks

Hard disks fail when their moving parts start to break down. Even normal use causes wear on the device and will eventually lead to disk failure. The average lifespan of a hard drive ranges from 3 to 5 years. How long yours lasts will depend primarily on how often you use it.

Hard disks often make clicks, grinding sounds, or other unusual noises when they are on the verge of failing. If yours starts making sounds you don’t recognize, the best thing to do is shut it down immediately. Turning it off will preserve as much data as possible.

Flash Drives

Unlike hard disk drives, flash drives have no moving parts. That doesn’t mean they’re immune to failure, though. The electricity that moves through these devices when you write or erase data causes them to wear out. This process takes a while, and flash drives may last up to 3 or 4 times as long as their hard disk counterparts.

But flash drives are often less expensive than hard disks. That means they’re more prone to manufacturer defects. In addition, if you leave them alone for years at a time, the electricity that represents your data will slowly fade away. That’s basically the same as losing your data.

Cloud-Based Backups

If you have data you can’t replace, you might want to keep a backup of your backup. You can upload documents, photos, and more to sites like Dropbox or Google Drive. Cloud-based backup services do not require an actual physical backup drive. Many are also low-cost or free.

Updating Your Backups

Whatever backup option you choose, remember that technology is always changing. Your flash drive may still work in 10 years, for example. But the USB port that connects it to your computer today might be a thing of the past. It’s a good idea to move your data to a newer type of storage every few years. Doing so will ensure it stays accessible.