AppsBusiness

Reuters: Chinese Giants Challenge Play Store

Fri, 07 Feb 2020 14:03:19 +0000

According to Reuters, Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo and Vivo are working on a platform allowing non-Chinese developers to simultaneously upload apps onto all their app stores, a move analysts describe as a challenge to the Google Play store.

Dubbed the Global Developer Service Alliance (GDSA), the platform makes it easier for game, music, movie and other app developers to market their apps in overseas markets. "People with knowledge of the matter" say the GDSA was meant for a March launch, although the recent coronavirus outbreak might affect the situation. Meanwhile a prototype website says the platform will initially cover nine regions, including India, Indonesia and Russia.

BlackBerry Licenses Security Tech

Fri, 09 Mar 2018 14:28:40 +0000

BlackBerry might have stopped making hardware, but it remains a presence in mobile device software as it licenses its security technology to 3rd party hardware makers, most recently to Swiss CE maker Punkt Tronics.

The first such deal involving BlackBerry security technology was signed back in September 2017 with Chinese company NDT. The licensing program is known as BlackBerry Secure, and allows companies to leverage BlackBerry security credentials without hiding own branding. As a result, Punkt can now make a Punkt-branded devices that simply says "BlackBerry Secure" during startup.

Cisco Rolls Out Security Connector iOS App

Fri, 15 Dec 2017 16:34:52 +0000

Cisco releases another result of its partnership with Apple-- Security Connector, an iOS app the company describes as a "first of its kind enterprise security solution" for iDevices.

Security Connector monitors network traffic generated by users and applications. Designed for company-owned iDevice running in supervise mode, it makes things easier for admins, since they only need to provision a single app even as it supports two extensions, Umbrella and Clarity.

Slack Integrates With EMM

Fri, 18 Aug 2017 15:03:05 +0000

In a move to add further security and policy management to the cloud-based messaging application Slack announces integration with 21 enterprise mobility management (EMM) platforms.

Such integration comes through collaboration with the open standards group AppConfig, as well as EMM providers VMware Airwatch, MobileIron and Blackberry Good. As a result, admins get the capability to ensure only approved devices (as in those complying with internal policies) can sign in to organisation Slack accounts.

"As more work moves to mobile, admins need a way to provide people in their company with the tools and devices they want to use-- without compromising security or policy requirements," the company says. "This is especially important at large enterprises where admins may have to manage how thousands of employees-- and their devices-- access sensitive data.”

KorbytGO: Mobile Hub for Enterprise Communications

Fri, 18 Aug 2017 15:03:05 +0000

Today’s employee consumes information in so many different ways (text, video, voice, data) in so many different formats (mobile more than desktop) and on so many different devices (tablets, smartphones, desktops, Chromebox etc).

In response, RMG Networks created KorbytGO, a mobile employee engagement app that takes a new approach to internal communications.

Designed as a single hub through which all necessary employee communications can run (from news and updates to training, performance management, resourcing and social updates) and in video as much as text (to match current trends).

Based upon RMG Networks own experience dealing with their Fortune 500 clients, KorbytGO is a one-stop solution to unify staff communications across all the various departments of an enterprise (any business of any size) through any preferred device.

KorbytGO can be customized by the client, giving integrators a great way to add value to internal communications.

KorbytGO is the mobile and desktop extension of Korbyt, RMG’s next-generation visual enterprise communications platform. So the mobile app is backed by Korbyt’s rich data and analytics capabilities that let organisations track and visualise employee engagement and performance. In real-time, it can pull info from various data sources and present it in a visual format for easy understanding—and to highlight action items.

“… Our goal is to deliver businesses with the means to truly engage with their employees from one powerful platform and create communications strategies that genuinely add value to an employee’s workplace experience. Whether that’s with tailored content that helps them meet a goal, a company acknowledgement of outstanding work or peer to peer social fun. KorbytGO is a valuable communications tool that is able to speak to an employee on an individual basis whilst also galvanise a workforce and create a sense of unity — we’re excited to see the impact it will have on our customers’ businesses,” comments Martyn Barnett, managing director of RMG in Eurasia.

Key features of KorbytGO:

Delivers segmented and personalised messaging
Ability to customise and deliver company branded versions
Ability to use any form of multi-media content
Built-in measurability offering detailed engagement information
User-friendly CMS delivering impressive results
Highly transferable content sharing to multiple varied end points
Contemporary and appealing news and content feeds

Go KorbytGO

Ubuntu Gives Up on Convergence

Fri, 14 Apr 2017 12:00:43 +0000

A blog post by Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth dashes the dream of PCs and smartphones running on the same version of Linux-- the company is going to stop working on Ubuntu for phones and tablets.

Instead, the next version of Ubuntu (18.04 LTS) will shift back to the GNOME desktop environment.

“We will continue to produce the most usable open source desktop in the world, to maintain the existing LTS releases, to work with our commercial partners to distribute that desktop, to support our corporate customers who rely on it, and to delight the millions of IoT and cloud developers who innovate on top of it,” Shuttleworth writes. "The choice, ultimately, is to invest in the areas which are contributing to the growth of the company."

Opera Finds Chinese Buyer

Fri, 19 Feb 2016 13:43:34 +0000

Opera announces it received a buyout offer worth $1.2 billion from a consortium of Chinese investors, one including billionaire Zhou Hongyi (owner of security and search company Qihoo 360) and ISP Beijing Kunlun Tech.

The company has been looking for a buyer since an August 2015 strategic review. Opera is of course best known for the web browsers of the same name, but it also offers the SurfEasy VPN service and owns a range of IP covering mobile and slimline web browsers for smart devices.

Apple and Cisco Partner in iOS Fast Lane

Fri, 04 Sep 2015 12:35:16 +0000

Apple forms a partnership with Cisco in the creation of a "fast lane for iOS business users"-- essentially the optimising of Cisco networks for iDevices and apps.

The partnership involves the integration of iPhones within Cisco enterprise voice and video environments, as well as "unique" collaboration via iOS-optimised versions of Cisco mobile, cloud and premises-based tools such as Spark, Telepresence and WebEx.

Apple, IBM Add More MobileFirst Apps

Fri, 24 Jul 2015 13:00:41 +0000

Apple and IBM launch 10 more MobileFirst enterprise iOS apps, raising the total to 32-- with additions covering more business segments including business travel, shift management and field operations.

Announced back in 2014, the Apple-IBM MobileFirst partnership involves the creation of made-for-business iDevice apps bolstered with IBM cloud-powered big data and analytics capabilities. It has the aim of creating over 100 apps covering all industry segments.

The latest app additions include Shift Track (a means for managers to handle staff schedules, time-off requests, shift exceptions and employee hours), Shift Sync (an iPhone and Apple Watch hours for employees wanting to track schedules), Travel Plan (scans Calendar apps, recognises frequent destinations and automatically suggests travel accommodation) and Travel Track (integrates all travel tracking in a single app).

iPhone Control Via Misfit Link

Mon, 20 Jul 2015 13:14:18 +0000

Misfit Flash devices get further capabilities through Misfit Link, an app turning the activity trackers into a hardware remote for a connected iDevice camera, music player and even control slides in a presentation.

The app allows users to snap selfless with the iPhone camera app and control Spotify, Pandora, Soundcloud, iTunes and Apple Music. The company says more features will be added in the future, including integration with Logitech Harmony devices and the IFTTT (If This Than That) home automation services.