Software Development Trends for the Coming Year

As the year 2018 is about to come to an end, the predictions for software development trends in the coming year are beginning to emerge. Every year, experts in the field give enthusiasts and fellow coders their list of software trends that they feel will dominate in the coming year. These lists often consist of technology innovations that are deemed to be the ones most companies will want to have developed for their businesses.

Software developers predicted that there would be a rise in the development of software that focused on AI.  Will also focused on cryptocurrency or blockchain technology, and smart software. Sure enough, these predictions came true and lots of software developers focused their energies on these 2018 trends. In 2019, which of these will continue to become the focus of programmers worldwide and are there new trends that you should look out for?

 

 

2018 Software Development Trends That Will Continue in the Coming Year     

Of the many software development trends of 2018, there are about 4 or more that are seen to carry over in the coming year. These are those trends that are deemed to be still worth exploring in the coming year and are also seen as necessary by many programmers as well as software companies. These include:

Artificial Intelligence 

Automation will be a necessity by many corporations.  Primarily because it speeds up processes which help increase revenues. With automation comes the need for AI that can easily perform tasks that don’t require too much thinking. These include email responses, answering commonly asked basic queries, setting schedules, and solving basic problems.

Blockchain Technology 

This is another trend that is seen to stretch into 2019 by software experts and enthusiasts alike. Whoever said cryptocurrency is on a downward slide is wrong.  More and more people seem to be getting on this bandwagon.  They have the belief that it is the money of the future. Aside from cryptocurrency, blockchain can also be used to record anything of value. This means it can be used to do just about anything, with companies like IBM and Oracle.  Amazon is also among those seen to utilize this.

Cybersecurity

With all the hacking and breaches going on, it is no wonder that cybersecurity will continue to take center stage in the software development arena in the coming year.  So this means that there will be more effort into creating a more secure online environment for your information. This is because those who aim to get a hold of your info are not resting on their laurels. Continuous attacks on various institutions online guarantees improvement of cybersecurity software will be focused on.

Progressive Web Apps 

The continued development of sites that act like applications on your browser will continue in 2019. Those who want their sites to translate well on browsers often look to this trend. This is because these allow them to give their users the same usability and ease-of-use that they can get from a custom app, even when what they are accessing is a website on a browser.

These are just a few of the software development trends that became popular in 2018.  We are expecting this to continue on this wave of popularity in 2019.  Also, there will be a few new trends in software development that will make their appearance in the New Year.  These ones from the previous year won’t fade away that easily. 

If you want to have customized software developed for your company or want to know more about custom software that you might be able to use for your enterprise, there is also a company in Chicago that can help you with this. CS Preston is also a software development company that specializes in a variety of services, with custom software development being its primary offering.

We are CS Preston and we can help you figure out what your company needs in terms of custom software, website development, and custom web design.  So don’t hesitate to contact us today at 919 689 6022. You can also contact us via our email dev@cspreston.com.

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Why Your Company Will Benefit From Using Custom Software

Not all companies consider using custom software for their business. Some simply rely on off-the-shelf software for their company’s needs, without realizing that there are better alternatives. While ready-made software can work for you and your business, it does not guarantee that it will effectively do what you need.

Some of the software that you buy may do one or two tasks that you want it to do. This cannot accomplish all the things that you need to have done. This means you will need to buy more than one type of software to get all the tasks you want to get done accomplished. This means you will need to spend more than you expected.

Aside from that, more software means more tools for your people to learn how to use. This also means that work will take longer to finish since each process will require a shift from one tool to another. While these reasons should be enough to encourage you to use custom software, there are actually more reasons why customized software should be considered for your business.

What is custom software?

Before tackling more reasons why customized software should be considered, let us first understand what it is. In a nutshell, custom software is specifically for a business, with functionality that covers any process that a company needs to have covered. Also called bespoke software, these help a business go through processes without the need to shift from one program to another.

Software that is not tailor-made for your business only serves to add to the workload of your personnel. They end up doing a lot of tasks manually, track and analyze data the old fashioned way, and even end up with tons of paperwork that could be avoided. Sometimes, simple tasks become too complex due to the absence of custom software.

Benefits of Custom Software

There is a lot that you can gain when you decide to have custom software made for your business. Here are some of the top reasons most businesses cite:

• Cost-effective 

  When you have custom software made to cover all of the processes your company needs to have covered.  You essentially streamline the works you can complete. This helps reduce your costs considerably due to the fact that people work more efficiently. This does not mean that a custom software is cheap. Rather, it means that the cost of having one specific software for everyone to use to do a multitude of tasks will benefit the company in the long run.

• Secure 

  Off-the-shelf software is easy for hackers to break into. Why? Well, for starters, it is readily available. This means they can easily get a copy, figure out what defenses these have.  Find a way to get through these defenses. When you opt for custom software, security is higher and you end up with a system that is not easy to penetrate. This is because hackers won’t know what vulnerabilities to take advantage of.

• Scalable 

  Custom software is also easier to alter and adjust according to your needs as these change along the way. This is, of course, dependent on the company that you commissioned for the job. When you choose to use ready-made software, you cannot alter and update these according to your growing and changing needs. This can equate to added costs due to the need for new software to cover new processes and additional training. This can eat into your bottom line since it will require people getting off work to train.  Also, purchasing new software every now and then.

• Efficiency 

  Of course, the best reason why you should consider getting custom software for your company is the efficiency it brings to your process. It streamlines everything, giving your workers an easier time to complete things. This equates to them using less time and effort to accomplish business goals, which in turn is a boon for your business since you get to accomplish more things in a short amount of time.

These are just some of the things that you can expect from having custom software for your business. Other reasons some companies cite as to why they are happy that they want custom software.  These include reliability, adaptability, and exclusiveness. Also worth noting is that custom software actually offers better support and maintenance since companies like CS Preston in Chicago make it a point to offer clients after sales support.

When you need custom software to be made for your business, don’t hesitate to contact us at 919 689 6022. You can also get in touch with us via email at dev@cspreston.com. Aside from software development, we also offer website development for those companies that need to create an online presence.

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Part III: Videos and Online Games that Raise Mental Health Awareness

TECHNOLOGY has always worked in parallel with progress and innovation.

The rapid improvement of custom software development has paved the way to creating better programs and systems geared not only for the entertainment of people but more so for the public’s social, environmental and even mental health awareness.

One of the most entertaining tools various mobile add development companies‘ promote is the videos and online games.  

So, who says these videos and games cannot be all entertaining, informative, influential and educational?

Ellie Johnston (2012) from Climate Interactive gave the respective main ideas of these videos and games that raised mental health awareness:

Actual Sunlight

“Contrary to almost every video game, Actual Sunlight tells of a protagonist who doesn’t achieve, who never improves, whose lack of agency, inexplicable to both himself and others around him, has become the defining part of his character. Anyone who’s laid awake at night wondering what they’re doing with their lives.  One who’s noticed their ambitions receding in slow motion. Also, managed only a shrug in response — they are Evan Winter.

“This is not a game about success or the karmic rewards of personal struggle. Created by Will O’Neill, an independent developer also from Toronto.   Actual Sunlight is the story of a career you never wanted, a gym you never joined, the novel you didn’t even start.”

• Smith, 2015

The Cat Lady

“For Susan Ashworth, suicide is meant to be a way out, but it instead becomes a way forward.

“If you seek horror, The Cat Lady may sometimes freak you out, though probably not outright scare you. But that horror is in service of a touching character portrait — a portrait that’s authentically, poignantly askew.”

• GameSpot, 2014

The Town of Light

“Based on real accounts from the 1930s and ’40s, The Town of Light focuses on Renee, a young woman who’s suffered from severe mental illness for the majority of her life.

“Her struggle began with sporadic blackouts as a child and eventually developed into bouts of anxiety and the sounds of strange voices in her head.

“Pushed over the edge by the horrors of a sexual assault, Renee callously commits to the real-world Ospedale Psichiatrico di Volterra, an understaffed, overcrowded asylum in the Tuscan town of Volterra, Italy.”

• Hester, 2017

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Mobile App Development Trends You Can Make Money From

Videos & Online Games that Raise Environmental Awareness

WITH TODAY’S rapidly growing technology and custom software development (e.g. Chicago Custom Software Development), gaming already has the ability to not only entertain people but influence them as well.

As such, gaming, among other forms of online interactions and activities is a powerful tool which can pivot social and environmental change for the sake of mother earth, and hence, the future in general.

So, who says video and computer games cannot be both entertaining and educational? Clearly, they have not heard of these thrilling and fun-filled yet environmentally-aware games.

Ellie Johnston (2012) from Climate Interactive gave the respective main ideas of these climate change-combatting games:

Climate Challenge

“The player acts as a European leader who must make decisions for their nation to reduce CO2 emissions, but must also keep in mind public and international approval, energy, food, and financial needs.”

 Fate of the World

“A PC game that challenges players to solve the crises facing the Earth from natural disasters and climate change to political uprisings and international relations. It is available on Steam.”

My2050

“An interactive game to determine a scenario for the UK to lower its CO2 emissions 20% below 1990 levels by 2050. The user can select from adjustments in sectors from energy to transit.”

In addendum, Saikat Basu from Make Use Of talks about environmental education through these children’s strategy online games that present ecological problems to the young gamers and let them design the solutions to combat these dilemmas:  

ClimWay

This game aims of combating climate change by providing the hands-on experience to the young minds through an interactive strategy game. In this game, players are given greenhouse gas emissions problems and are tasked to “reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent, decrease the use of energy by 40 percent, and increase the share of renewable energy by 60 percent.”

NOAA Games

NOAA, which stands for the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (who happens to be the brain of these games) focuses on the oceans and the air themes. They provide a site that serves a portal. “Each game addresses the key concerns of our planet and also demonstrates solutions that can work in the real world.”

 

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Top 11 Trends In Mobile Apps Development

Having a mobile app designed for your business is a no-brainer. Mobile users have long-ago surpassed desktop users, as reported by SearchEngineLand. So, if your business has yet to take advantage of the mobile apps then you are missing out on an opportunity.

CSPreston is a custom software company that specializes in mobile apps development.  Certainly, they can help you grow your business and engage your audience.  CSPreston can work with you to develop an app that will bring your business to the next level.

When you are designing your mobile app, consider how some of these hottest mobile app trends may benefit your business.

1.Mobile Apps that Save Time

People are always in a hurry these days, no matter what they are doing.  So make sure that your mobile app is designed to save the user time. Even more, create simplified experiences that don’t require multiple steps and too many inputs. Therefore, creating a more streamlined experience.

2. Mobile Apps that Guide

Offer guidance assistance in your app if applicable. Add an instruction booklet built-in to the app letting the user know what to do next. Certainly, CSPreston can offer great solutions and suggestions.

3. Mobile Apps that Locate

If you are creating an app that requires a delivery address consider adding location services
instead of input fields for the customer to input address information.

4. Mobile Apps that Leverage the Device

Mobile devices have many capabilities these days. Consider utilizing some of these different
technologies for your app capabilities so you can save user-time. This can improve their
experience, like face recognition, fingerprint login, etc.

5. Mobile Apps that consider Design

From colors to typography and photography, all of the elements at use in your mobile app are incredibly important in your mobile design. You must translate your brand from your
business and website through to your mobile app design while creating a great user experience.
Animation in mobile app design is also an important factor as it keeps the user’s attention and provides a great experience.

6. Mobile App Personalization

Providing personalized content for users is growing more challenging as users are inundated with so much content on a daily basis their experience needs to be more tailored than ever. Consider integrating technology into your mobile app that would give the user information about your restaurant specials, as they are in the area, or sending push notifications as they are nearing your location.

7. Mobile App Payment Options

Convenience is key, and when it comes to not having to pull your wallet out at a store to have to pay for something and instead, hold your phone up, which already happens to be in your hand, that is pretty great. Consider designing a mobile app that integrates the features of Apple Pay or Android Pay. These are systems that many people have integrated into their phones and are readily using. Remember, people want ease of use and to save time.

8. Mobile App Augmented Reality

Another hot trend in mobile app design is an AR. If you have the kind of business that you think could benefit from incorporating AR into your mobile app then definitely take the leap. E-Commerce businesses and businesses wanting to build a gaming app could benefit from this type of trend in their mobile app design.

9. Mobile Apps for Health and Wellness

There are over 100,000 mobile apps designed to track health, and they are downloaded like crazy. CSPreston has an amazing team that can fully customize your mobile experience for your customers. Consequently making your mobile app a more successful experience in the health in wellness app market.  

10. Mobile Apps on Demand

Apps like the giants UBER and Lyft and other on-demand apps are huge. Even if you aren’t in the kind industry for developing a powerhouse business like Uber or Lyft consider other industries. They could develop an on-demand app like food, haircuts, or other services people look for in a pinch.

11. Mobile Apps that are Cross Platform

With cross-platform mobile app development, means that you can use your mobile app across any device. Designing a cross-platform app for your business means that you increase your user reach. Hence, you can improve your marketing and are being cost-effective.

Mobile application development is important for growing and developing your business. It’s important to push the boundaries of design while creating a great user experience.  CSPreston can help you to achieve a superior mobile app experience for your customer.  Above all, they are dedicated to helping you grow your business.  

Contact CSPreston for all of your Mobile Application and Web Design needs today.

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What to Expect When You Retain SEO Services for Your Site

So you finally decided to have a website made for your company. Good for you! Putting your company on the internet map, so to speak, is something businesses should do to get a leg up on the competition. Without a site, you lose out on potential clients that your competitors will easily snap up if they have an online presence.

You should know however that having a site is only the first step in gaining clients online. In order for people to come to your site and order from you or hire you, you need to be discoverable first. This means that you should do what it takes to help people find you easily, and that takes a bit more effort than putting up a website. For this to happen, you need what is called SEO.

SEO is short for Search Engine Optimization, and this is a task that involves a few methods that are geared towards making your site discoverable on search engines like Google and Bing. If you are planning on optimizing your site, you should find a reliable SEO company to help you. You can try to do this on your own by studying the many nuances of such a task, but why bother? Hiring an expert to do this for you will save you time and effort, and will give you the freedom to concentrate on improving your business while someone else optimizes your site for you.

What Does an SEO Company and Specialist Do?

When you hire someone to optimize your site for you, there are a number of things that they can do to make your site discoverable by the people who need what you have. Here are some of the things you can expect a company that specializes in SEO services to do for you:

• Make your site more appealing to visitors – no, we are not talking about visual appeal. That is in the hands of a web designer. What we are talking about is the structure of your site. An SEO will give you advice regarding the structure of your site, the navigation aspects, and other similar concerns. They can do this by telling you how your visitors behave on your site and use that insight to improve and restructure your navigation and pages to make people find what they need quicker and help you convert.
• Give your content a much needed boost – content is king when it comes to SEO, and this is because content is what Google and Bing base their recommendations on when it comes to the sites that they put on their search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO companies can create amazing content for you which can drive your site to higher ranks on SERPs, or they can simply recommend what kind of content you need for this to happen. They can also help you find pages with poor content on your site and tell you what to do with these.
• Drive targeted traffic to your site – SEO companies and specialists have the knowledge and skills needed to get people to come to your site. They use an arsenal of online tools and techniques to get not just any people to come to your site but people who are looking for what you are offering. They do this with the use of, among other things, social media portals, posting on other sites relevant to your site, posting videos that people will find interesting, and other similar tools.

These are just a few of the things you can expect from an SEO company or specialist when you retain their services. Other things they can do is to give recommendations on what you can do to improve your site’s design, what you should not do to avoid penalties from search engines, and how to maintain your ranks on these search engines.

 

 

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