Signature Digital

The team at Signature are pleased to announce the recent launch of our new iphone app for The Wine Society.

Established in 1874, The Wine Society is prides itself on offering members the best of the world’s vineyards at a fair price.

The website had recently been revamped and with this The Society looked to other avenues to allow the easy purchase of their wines online.

Signature designed and built from the ground up an iPhone app for The Society. The design cues were taken from their website, but sympathetic to the Apple’s user interface and smaller screen.

Signature created the app to integrate seamlessly with the online store; so all current wines, prices and stock levels could be matched and kept up to date instantly.

Secure online checkout within the app means members can order their wines wherever they are.

The iPhone app so far has been a great success in the month since its launch - 20,000 downloads and counting for the app and a place on Apple’s iTunes Featured list.

Heres what The Wine Society said…

“We selected Signature Digital to develop our iPhone app because they were willing to understand our business and our needs and work with us closely – different to the normal ‘big London agency’ approach.  The app looks lovely and is now launched to great success – it has already exceeded our expectations in terms of downloads and orders through the app. Even though it was harder work than we’d expected – mainly due to the interface between the app and our web servers for the transactional part – Signature Digital were committed right to the end. Since launch, we’ve only had to make one minor update which shows the quality of the work is very good. Now looking forward to more developments and maybe an Android app”

Apple have worked very hard since their last iOS update coming up with over 200 new added features for the latest iOS5. There is a handful of features that will really make for a better experience to existent and future apple device users.

Most of us have a computer at home that we can sync our iPhones, iPad or iPod touches with but that’s not to say we like doing it. Connecting to a PC or Mac is time consuming – especially when you have a lot of content such as music and apps. Apple have come up with a way in which the use of a PC or Mac isn’t needed and it’s so easy you don’t have to do anything whatsoever.

Usually when you buy an iOS device you get it out the box and you see ‘connect to iTunes’ when all you want to do is start using your new device. Now you can activate your device from the device itself making it so much easier and faster to get your iPhone or any other device up and running.

Obviously if you’ve got CDs that you have ripped onto iTunes then you will have to connect and sync to a PC or Mac to put them on your device, but that is the only reason that you will have to connect to it.

Let’s say your asleep at night and you pop your phone on charge, your phone will then wirelessly connect to iTunes and sync any updates automatically, not only will it do that- which is amazing in itself- it will also back your phone up. It will back any iOS device up daily with no effort from you whatsoever.

You can now update to the latest software over the air! The updates are now Delta so it will no longer take forever to update the whole software on your device and it will only update the bits that have changed – which saves a lot of time and is very convenient. Adding and deleting calendars and mail boxes is just another little perk of the update.

One reason why you must always back your phone up regularly by connecting to a PC or Mac is photos – not anymore! Now you can take photos, edit them, add more detail and create folders for them all within your device, getting rid of the need to connect!

If you have a passcode on your device and something’s happening that you need to take a photo of really quickly, the moment would likely to have passed by the time you’ve typed the code in and selected camera. Apple have solved this problem by adding a lock screen shortcut. By double clicking the home button whilst your phone is locked will reveal a new camera button, click it and you are directed immediately to your camera, even if you have a passcode!  You will not be able to view you photo library or anything else on your phone until you have typed your passcode in.

There is now optional grid lines to help you align photo your and a pinch to zoom feature. Another nice feature is the volume up button can now be used to take a photo!

There’s a brand new feature that comes with the iOS5 update and that’s iMessage which allows all apple iOS5 devices – iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – to text among each other via 3G and Wi-Fi. You can send texts, photos, videos, contacts and do group messages. You can have optional delivery receipts and read receipts and also typing indication so you know when someone is typing and replying and that you’re about to get a text.

These are sent not only to one of you iOS5 devices but the information is sent to all of them! So if you’re using you’re iPad at home and text a friend and nip to the shop with your iPhone, you can check if they replied using that and reply straight away.

When you do get a text message, email, missed call etc. you will be notified by apples new notification centre. Notifications no longer interrupt you if you’re in the middle of playing a game or reading a book, instead what appears is a small tab at the top of your screen letting you know you have a text or an email etc. you can leave it and it will disappear or you can tap it and it will direct you to that notification.

At any point if you wish to see your notifications you just drag your finger from the top of the screen downwards and the notification centre slides down, from here you can tap any notification and it will take you to it. It’s that simple!

They’ve also made changes within the mail app by letting you – amongst other things – do rich text formatting like setting things as bold, italic or underline things.

These are just a small handful of improvements that apple have worked so hard to achieve and hopefully they’ll have succeeded in correcting many of the things that annoy us about the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

We can all decide what we think of iOS5 for ourselves this Autumn when it is expected to be released, but from what we’ve seen so far from the new update, ‘it just works’.

Android is the Google smartphone operating system which they have open sourced and is now being developed and updated regularly by the open handset alliance which not only includes Google but also T-Mobile, Intel, HTC and many more companies.

The difference between a Smartphone and a normal mobile phone is huge. There are around 400,000 android smartphones registered every day and a total of around 100 million have been sold to date, this is because of the enormous amount of features a smartphone has and the reasonable price tag some of them carry.

Common to many smartphones are the apps.  An app is a simple (or sometimes complex) program that is installed on the smartphone and performs a certain task.  That task could be to keep a record of expenses, it could be a game or it could be an app that lets you update your Facebook status on the go.  Android apps are always the biggest selling point for any android smartphone, the reason being the amount of apps the android market offers has surpassed 100,000 and it’s still expanding.

Signature Digital are one of the leading companies in the UK developing Android Apps for businesses.

Android phones are really useful for businesses because of the instant on-the-go access to email.  You can edit word and excel documents and even remote control your office PC from the phone.

In relation to which is the best android smartphone for business users the contenders for the title are the Samsung Galaxy Fit, Sony Ericsson X10 Mini Pro, HTC Wildfire, Samsung Galaxy S and the HTC Desire HD.

The cheapest is the Samsung Galaxy Fit, it is smart looking, stylish, practical and although for the average business user the lack of internal memory compared to the others might be a turn off, it can carry up to a 32GB memory card as well as coming with 2GB internal memory as standard. The price of the Galaxy Fit comes in at just under £100 which is a small investment for any business.

If you’re looking to spend a bit more for your Android smartphone then why not go for X10 Mini Pro or the HTC Wildfire, the Wildfire being the more expensive of the two, although still fairly cheap at around £130. The Mini Pro is the smaller of the two with the screen only around 2.5 inches whereas the Wildfire has a 3.2 inch screen. Surprisingly though the bigger of the two phones, the Wildfire, is also the lightest. The wildfire is easier to handle due to the tiny size of the mini pro. The wildfire has a touch screen to use as the interface whereas the mini pro not only has a touch screen but also slides and reveals a qwerty keypad underneath, so for those who struggle with touch screens then the x10 mini pro is the one for you and vice versa.

For those that only want the very best, then the most expensive and best of the android phones are Samsung Galaxy S and the HTC Desire HD which both cost around £400. They’re both big phones with a screen size of around 4 inches. In our opinion the Galaxy S outshines the Desire on everything apart from screen size.  If you are spending this much on a phone you’ll want to compare the full specs n more details, but take our word that apart from the screen we think you’ll like the Galaxy more.

If you’ve not used a smartphone before then you’ll love getting an Android Phone (alternatively you could consider an iPhone). There are so many apps to download and play with that you’ll always find apps that are helpful and apps that are so much fun they’ll eat up hours of your time – try Angry Birds!

Signature Digital are Android App developers.  We strive to achieve added value for our business partners, delivering a proactive first class and personable service through attention to detail.

Mcommerce – or Mobile Commerce is a new phrase that has entered usage over the last few years.

It all used to be about ecommerce, the selling of good and services online via your website. An ecommerce website was a luxury at first for many stores, then in time it became something that was common place and now an ecommerce site is a necessity for many if not most businesses. But as technology is progressing ecommerce is now evolving, but that’s not to say it’s redundant as an ecommerce site will continue to be a necessary and profitable platform for most businesses.

As more and more people buy smart phones (e.g. iPhone/Android/Blackberry) and mobile tablets (e.g. iPad) therir use in both number and leisure time spent on the device is beginning to catch up with the humble home PC. For instance, in my house I have a home PC, an iPhone and an iPad and the time the family spends on the iPhone and iPad combined probably outweighs the time spent on the PC.

Mcommerce is defined as “Mobile Commerce is any transaction, involving the transfer of ownership or rights to use goods and services, which is initiated and/or completed by using mobile access to computer-mediated networks with the help of an electronic device,”

Mcommerce began back in 1997 when a Coca Cola vending machine in Finland was installed with a mobile phone and payments were accepted by text message. And then a few years later came WAP. For anyone that used WAP it was a boring and very drawn out affair, the sites were bad, it was really just text based content and it still took ages to read anything – never mind check out on an online store!

Since the launch of the iPhone by Apple, mobile commerce has moved away from simple text based systems and into actual applications. SMS has significant security vulnerabilities and congestion problems, even though it is widely available and accessible. In addition, improvements in the capabilities of modern mobile devices make it prudent to place more of the resource burden on the mobile device. Since the introduction of iPhones & iPhone Apps, actually using a mobile device to transact a purchase has become very easy, especially if the iPhone app developer knows what they are doing and produces a great app. Indeed, mcommerce apps on the iPhone can turn over thousands of pounds a day (if not more). And you can also reach out to users and encourage them to use your app by utilising APNS (Apple Push Notification Services). Push notifications are messages sent to a user’s phone that appear on the screen and when clicked they lead the user directly into the app.

Finally a glimpse of the future, according to ABI Research, mobile is going to get a lot bigger in the ecommerce market. The research firm is predicting that in 2015, £75bn worth of goods and services will be purchased via a mobile phone.

If you wish to pick up some of this revenue for yourself, why don’t you ask about an mcommerce application from Signature Digital? More details are here: http://www.signaturedigital.co.uk/iphone-app-development.php

One thing that clients are always asking us, is how to reduce their iPhone or android mobile app development costs. Whoever is going to develop your iPhone app there are certain things that clients themselves can do to reduce the cost associated with developing your app. Let me list 5 areas that you can influence the cost of your app downwards.

1. Know your corporate identity.

Having a concise corporate identity can really help show that as a company you are professional and can make decisions. This will allow your development team to have confidence that key decisions can be make and therefore the project has a greater chance of completing on time and on budget.

2. Know what you want the app to do.

It sounds quite self-explanatory, however we do receive enquiries from people that require an estimate of development cost but they have no fixed idea of what they require the app to do. Knowing what you require, and also having seen those processes in other apps (if possible) can help to reduce the time and cost of development.

3. Keeping the app to essentials.

Most apps on the app store have a function that they perform as a core service. Whether the app is a game or a business app. Keeping your app to this core function is usually a good idea, for both letting the user know exactly what the app does so that it users can find it easier, and also for keeping the development shorter and more on budget. A well-defined brief is a good start to getting a great app.

4. Don’t use too many custom graphics or processes.

On the whole iPhone apps all look a little bit similar. If you wish to break the mould then be aware that it might take your budget a little higher! There are many reasons why the majority of iphone apps look and navigate in similar ways. Users expect apps to work in certain ways and Apple expects iPhone apps to work in certain ways (Apple review all apps before they are distributed to users). There are also development processes that all developers use to develop apps and it’s quicker to produce apps that follow the tried and trusted well beaten path. It may be that your apps main feature is that it’s different to others… great – a good reason to deviate. But if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

5. Know how you want the app to look.

This doesn’t mean that you have to have designed the app before we start the project. But we can provide some wire framed paper for you to doodle your ideas on. If you have an idea of how you want the app to look, then draw it out. It’ll help you think through ideas and make a more concise brief, this will help greatly.

So this is just a couple of ways that you can influence the cost of the development of your mobile iPhone or android app.

So you have an idea for an iphone application.  Where do you go from here to start your iphone app development?

The best thing you can do is to write down your idea in full.  The benefit for this is that it will help you think about the various sections your app may have.  Try to do at least a paragraph, and try to be precise rather than waffle away for pages and pages.

If you have certain ideas about how you think the app might function, then draw a quick sketch.  The sketch (this is optional) only has to be rough – don’t go to town, pencil and paper is fine.  Don’t try to ‘design’ the app, just do a functional diagram of what you may expect to find on any “home screen”.

If you have an iPhone then search for similar apps and see what features you like and what features you don’t like.  There are probably many ways to present your content in your iphone app; decide which you like and which you don’t.  Buy your competition’s iphone apps if possible (if you have competition) and see what they are like.

If you don’t have an iPhone then try and gain access to one, or use a friends iPhone as much as you can.  You’ll get an idea of the basics of downloading and using apps – this is essential.  If you want to buy one to try them out (recommended) the minimum we’d suggest is to buy an iPod Touch – currently they are £250ish, and so are cheaper long term than an iPhone.

We’ll expand on these points above in a later blog post (with examples).  But these points will really help you as you discuss and develop your iPhone app:

• Write out (at least) a paragraph about the aim of your app
• Draw a picture if you have an idea of how you wish your app to function
• Research the competition
• Know how  iPod touch/iPhone apps work
• Call Signature digital on 0116 282 2181 to discuss your idea!

Good luck with your project!

Choosing the right iphone application developer is not as hard as you might think.

The key to finding the right application developer is to realise that the sum of the time and money you invest into an application is going to determine what kind of application is returned. In other words, if you do not want to put the money into an application, or you find a cheap developer, chances are the application is not going to be the best it can be. 

Find a developer that puts time into the design and build of the app, and also importantly who puts thought into the development of the app, its usability and how the app can develop into possible 2^nd and 3^rd generations of the app in the future.

Before signing a contract to start your iphone app development, look into the company, speak to other clients, and most importantly meet with the developer and know what is expected from both parties - see if they are people you would work well with. Knowing what you are getting into before papers are signed or agreements are made is another key into being happy with the completed iphone application.

It is also helpful to know what kind of application you want to develop. Look for someone with the skills and tools to develop the desired application, there is a big difference between games and general business iphone app development.  Talk with the developer before any agreement is made and know where they stand!  Ask the developer for a timescale, ask what work you will have to do and what work they will do.  Think of the project as a partnership, the best iphone app will come from both you and them working closely together.

Looking around, and having a planned agreement before the contract is signed is the best way to choose the best application developer. With a little bit of research and a lot of patience, you can be sure you’ll get the app you want.

We were very excited to pick up our iPad on UK launch day.  Although at around 530 quid it’s quite a purchase for a normal consumer to justify (16GB, 3G model). So, what is the fuss all about? The iPad revolutionises the concept of a tablet computer. Previously, tablet devices addressed a legitimate consumer need (casual, lazy, couch-bound computing), but left most people frustrated with stylus-driven handwriting recognition and operating systems that were really designed to be used on desktop PCs.  But is the iPad different than all the other tablet devices before?

Different… yes, the iPad is different from other tablet devices.  I’ve used the iPad for the weekend and what have I learnt?  I love the iPad, it’s a lovely gadget, smooth to touch and every time I see it I want to pick it up and play with it.  The interface is really the same as the iPhone, easy to use, natural to learn and a joy to watch.  Because it’s iPhone OS based rather than windows based then it’s hard to break, doesn’t need constantly resetting and you don’t have to resort to a mouse pointer and a keyboard to move around.  It’s so much better than all the tablet devices that have gone before (even Apple’s own 1^st try a few years ago)

The battery lasted all weekend without needing a charge, which is good… but what I’ve found though is that I ended up using my iphone over the weekend more than the iPad.  The main reason I found myself using the iPhone rather than the iPad was size.  The iPad is just too big to carry round all the time, even around the house… and I don’t want to drop and break it!  Also I had some issues with the iPad wireless keeping dropping out – very frustrating!

The best thing about the iPad was how it kept the kids entertained. They loved the big screen and whether that was watching the free Toy Story ebook application (which is very good by the way) or watching Cinderella on youtube, the kids loved it and kept asking to watch my “big phone”.

So what do I think to the future?  And specifically how we can use the iPad at Signature Digital?  The iPad will be fantastic for Signature Digital to develop apps for! It’s big screen will make our well designed apps look even better. It’s exciting to think how our current iPhone apps would look being redesigned for the iPad, at the moment they all currently work on the iPad – but with a redesign they will look even better on the full size screen.  So I feel that apps such as Missguided (where you are seeing high quality picture of clothing) will work well.  iPad apps that need a lot of information on the screen at the same time would work well, CRM systems etc. There are many app ideas that would work well on the bigger screen…

If you’ve got an idea than get in touch with Signature Digital to develop your iPhone or iPad application.

Chris.

The iPhone is an amazing device and I wouldn’t be without mine.  It’s by far the best gadget I’ve ever bought – and I’ve bought a lot of gadgets!  As iPhone App developers we receive a lot of calls from people thinking that they have the perfect application.  I just wanted to write a few comments about what shapes our early design and development thoughts when you call us to discuss us working with you on the development of your iPhone app.

Apple has already spent a lot of time thinking about how to present information and build interactive and creative applications on the iPhone. The bundled applications that come with the iPhone are the results of many, many hours of research and work. Look at them in detail (as we have) and try to apply these user interface basics as you think about the design and development of your iphone app.

Mostly all apps for the iPhone are highly visual. This makes a lot of sense as the iPhone is a lovely device, lovely to hold, very touchable, gorgeous to look at – and a pleasure to use. We start by sketching out a framework of how your iphone app might look, feel and work. At first this is done with good old fashioned paper and pen, then once we’ve got that worked out we’ll mock up some visuals using Photoshop.  This allows our clients to know what the app will look and feel like before we’ve written a line of code.  We pass this information about the app to our iphone development and programming team with detailed instructions on:

• The type of layout each app screen should have
• The buttons or options on the screens
• The actions associated with each button or menu item

So if you want to be ahead of the curve then why not jot us down a sketch using pen/pencil & paper and fax it over to us.  The exact shape and format of your screen sketches doesn’t matter. As long as they are legible, it’ll be a big help.  But don’t worry if you don’t think you can – we’ll do this ourselves too when we discuss your iphone app development with you.

From a programming perspective, some things are easier to do in an iPhone app, while other seemingly simple things are very time consuming.  This may make a difference in the design and appearance of your app and we’ll explain this as we guide you through the early stages of your iphone app development project.  This will mean that we complete your app on time and on budget.

You can find details of our iphone app development here.