GiveBlood – Android App Review

Earlier this year a friend of mine invited me to try out donating blood with her. It’s something I’d been meaning to do for years, but always put off because I didn’t know anything about the process, and needles are never a comfortable experience. A simple phone call makes getting your first donation appointment setup

Shoppers Drug Mart App Review

I recently downloaded the Shoppers Drug Mart app, and it’s pretty great! It certainly serves as an advertising platform, but it does it in such a way that I didn’t find myself immediately uninstalling the app. So they’re off to a good start! The app always has coupons and the latest flyer, as well as

The Software Development Triangle

I have always been a fan of this triangle describing software development: There are three overarching choices when developing a software project. Fast A fixed release date may be important. Some projects need to be released at the same time as a big marketing push, or to coincide with the release of a certain product, or with real

App rejections and their effect on the development process

Earlier this week, one of our iOS apps was rejected from the app store. The reason it was rejected by Apple was because there was no moderation of user-generated content. This means we need to add a feature that allows users to flag content as offensive or objectionable, and within 24-hours a moderation entity needs

What are all those Android permissions for anyway?

Most Android apps require at least one permission to run on your phone – usually Internet –  while some require a LOT of permissions. As it stands now, you must accept all the permissions of an app in order to install it on your phone. But with the announcement of Android M, future versions of Android will allow

What is The Cloud, and what can it do for your mobile app?

The term “The Cloud” has been floating around for a few years now, and it’s a nebulous term that can be confusing. When we’re told to store our data “in the cloud” for easier access, it sounds like that data is floating around just above our heads, waiting for us to reach up and grab

What is WhatsApp?

WhatsApp is a popular app that I’m sure many of you have heard of, but what is it really for? It’s an application that effectively replaces a lot of the communication your phone is already capable of. WhatsApp allows you to send text messages, pictures, videos, and your location and contact info, easier, cheaper, and