Gartner Says Mobile Web Will Be Leading Part of B2Cs in 2012
Even though native mobile applications have more usability than the mobile websites at this time, this is what Gartner believes to happen in 2012:
In mature markets, the mobile Web, along with associated Web adaptation tools, will be a leading technology for B2C mobile applications through 2012, and should be part of every organization’s B2C technology portfolio. (Gartner, 2010)
If you are interested in further reading, here is the direct link to their press release.
Four Qualities to Look for When Hiring
Here is a great lecture by William Sahlman, a professor at Harvard Business School, about what entrepreneurs should look for when hiring: Integrity, references, attitude and adaptability!
My Last Day at Verizon Wireless
Wow! I can’t believe it has been 9 years at Verizon. I have had a wonderful time here, and fortunately learned so much from the ambitious and smart people that I worked with. But I have recently decided it is time for me to try out something new – so my last day at Verizon Wireless will be Friday, March 18th. When I started in 2002, it was MCI WorldCom. Verizon Communications acquired us in 2005, and the name became Verizon Business. In 2007, I transitioned to a new team at the “wireless” part of the company, Verizon Wireless. I have worked at four different locations during my time.
There is, of course, never an appropriate time to leave. I feel a great sense of accomplishment building several successful intranet, extranet and mobile products. The projects and platforms that I have been closely involved with have found amazingly good homes within the company. What I loved most about my tenure is the opportunity to collaborate with some of the smartest and most passionate engineers in the industry to develop some great products that our customers love.
Before starting my next endeavor, I will be taking a few days off to enjoy the nice spring weather in Atlanta.
I’d love to stay in touch via LinkedIn.
Update (April 3rd) - Here is a news about me in a Turkish newspaper today. Very cool!
Agility – Doing More Work With Fewer People?
Here is why we should consider employing agile software development (in other words, agility) in order to ensure better ROIs for our customers:
Traditional practices did not stress the need for innovation, but business now runs very differently than it did in the past. Boundaries no longer exist, and we play on a global field, where unforeseen changes in the marketplace and the competitive climate can arise at any time. (Hoque, 2010)
It is not only because we enjoy the flexibility and the heightened responsiveness that agility provides, but also because agile practices empower the innovation with the customer-centric approach.
‘No Time To Read’ Is No Excuse
A recently published research paper that I read last week which was written by Dr. Gail Matthews of Dominican University demonstrates that writing your goals and making a public commitment about them significantly increase your accomplishment about those goals. So here I am, and I am writing and making a commitment to complete reading the following books by the end of next year, 2011:
- The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
- The Five Temptations of a CEO: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni
- Death by Meeting: Solving the Most Painful Problem in Business by Patrick Lencioni
- Founders at Work: Stories of Startups’ Early Days by Jessica Livingston
- Programming Pearls by Jon Bentley
I actually started reading the last two before and made both of them to almost halfway, so it will be about one book every three months. We’ll see how it goes.
Getting Syntax Error in ASP.NET Routing Due to WebResource.axd
If you implement routing in an ASP.NET 4.0 web application and use the validation controls in it, it is good to keep in mind that you need to add an exception for the .axd files in your Global.asax file. Otherwise, you will keep getting a syntax error because the routing picks up the .axd files and not properly loads the JavaScript files needed for the validation controls.
If same issue occurs in an ASP.NET 3.5 SP1 application, you can use the StopRoutingHandler class which implements the IRouteHandler interface.
Check to See If Android Device is Connected to Internet by Using isReachable Method
If you need to check to see if the Android device is connected to the internet, an alternative (and simple but limited) way to using the ConnectivityManager class can be calling the isReachable method. Here is a sample function:
I Don’t Own Any Facebook Account
I have been receiving emails about some Facebook accounts under my name. None of them belongs to me as it is possible that people having the same name might have created these accounts.
Update - I don’t have any Myspace account either.
Update - I am not against any social networking, it is just my personal preference at this time.
Design Considerations for Mobile Development
Decide if you will build a rich client, a thin Web client, or rich Internet application (RIA)
If your application requires local processing and must work in an occasionally connected scenario, consider designing a rich client. A rich client application will be more complex to install and maintain. If your application can depend on server processing and will always be fully connected, consider designing a thin client. If your application requires a rich user interface (UI), only limited access to local resources, and must be portable to other platforms, design an RIA client.
Determine the device types you will support
When choosing which device types to support, consider screen size, resolution (DPI), CPU performance characteristics, memory and storage space, and development tool environment availability. In addition, factor in user requirements and organizational constraints. You may require specific hardware such as a global positioning system (GPS) or a camera, which may impact not only your application type, but also your device choice.
Design considering occasionally connected, limited-bandwidth scenarios when required
If your mobile device is a stand-alone device, you will not need to account for connection issues. When network connectivity is required, mobile applications should handle cases when a network connection is intermittent or not available. It is vital in this case to design your caching, state management, and data-access mechanisms with intermittent network connectivity in mind. Batch communications for times of connectivity. Choose hardware and software protocols based on speed, power consumption and chattiness, and not just on ease of programming.
Design a UI appropriate for mobile devices, taking into account platform constraints
Mobile devices require a simpler architecture, simpler UI, and other specific design decisions in order to work within the constraints imposed by the device hardware. Keep these constraints in mind and design specifically for the device instead of trying to reuse the architecture or UI from a desktop or Web application. The main constraints are memory, battery life, ability to adapt to difference screen sizes and orientations, security, and network bandwidth.
Design a layered architecture appropriate for mobile devices that improves reuse and maintainability
Depending on the application type, multiple layers may be located on the device itself. Use the concept of layers to maximize separation of concerns, and to improve reuse and maintainability for your mobile application. However, aim to achieve the smallest footprint on the device by simplifying your design compared to a desktop or Web application.
Design considering device resource constraints such as battery life, memory size, and processor speed
Every design decision should take into account the limited CPU, memory, storage capacity, and battery life of mobile devices. Battery life is usually the most limiting factor in mobile devices. Backlighting, reading and writing to memory, wireless connections, specialized hardware, and processor speed all have an impact on the overall power usage.
Reference: Codeplex (Microsoft Patterns and Practices)
