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Keep the Tone of Your Emails in Check

August 4th, 2010 by Erin Posted in Business, Small Business, Software Development | No Comments »

It’s happened to the best of us. You fire off an email to a friend or colleague, only to have a snide reply sent back. Your email was misconstrued and now a potential business deal (or dinner date) has fallen by the wayside.

You ask yourself, what just happened?

It was the tone of your email, my friend. The recipient opened it, read it, and thought, “Who does this S.O.B. think he is?”

One wrong salutation, phrase or punctuation can – believe it or not – spark World War III via email. BUT, it can be avoided with a handy new tool I just discovered. It’s called ToneCheck by Lymbix.

With ToneCheck, a simple thought will no longer be interpreted as hostile, threatening or something far different than you intended. ToneCheck actually checks your outgoing email for any false “tones.”

Simply specify your “tone tolerance” and the program will flag any phrases or sentences that look angry – then, offers a substitute. And, get this, ToneCheck also flags lines that appear too “contented” or overly cheerful when you are actually trying to strike a tougher tone.

The program’s sensitivity can also be adjusted and it offers eight different ‘emotional ratings’  - like affection and amusement- to help you get the tone of your email just right. Anger, fear, and humiliation are generally the emotions users will try and avoid.

Lymbix has also developed a program which monitors your updates on Twitter for any unintentional deviation in tone. Brilliant!

You can download ToneCheck and use the service free for 30 days.

I’ve been using it for several days now and while I have ignored a few of ToneCheck’s warnings, the program has indeed stopped me from sending the wrong message on one occasion.

As the saying goes, impressions count – even when you’re trying to make one by email.

 Tags: business deal, download tonecheck, email program, email tone, misconstrued emails, tone of your email, tonecheck

What to Consider Before Developing a Mobile App

July 14th, 2010 by Erin Posted in Business, Small Business, Software Development | No Comments »

If your small business doesn’t have a mobile app yet… it’s time to start thinking about developing one.

In fact, some say the mobile app today is what the website was ten years ago –  one of those tools that’s almost a necessity for all businesses.

Of course, unlike a website, developing and designing an app is easier said than done. There are factors to consider. What kind of platform is involved? How will it be used? Who will use it? Is geo-location necessary?

These are all questions you – as a business owner – must take into account.

Thanks to Christina Warren’s article on designing mobile apps here are 5 things to consider before you begin the design process.

1. Mobile app or mobile Website?

Do you need a mobile application, a mobile website, or both? Before even starting the design process, you need to figure out what format or formats are best suited for your goals. Sometimes this can be really easy. For example, if you want to build a utility or game, you may be better served building a native application rather than worrying about how different mobile browsers will interpret your content.

Other times, the distinction isn’t as clear. For instance, at Mashable, we have both a mobile optimized website and applications for the iPhone and iPad. The mobile optimized site is available on a variety of devices, while the iPhone and iPad apps are designed to provide a more full experience to our users on those platforms. Because Mashable has a tech savvy readership, it makes sense for us to have our own standalone mobile app. However, depending on the app idea or business at hand, a mobile app may not be fitting.

Here are some questions to think about when deciding between an application and a mobile-optimized website:
Do you already have a full-featured website? If the answer is yes, how many of those features are you looking to integrate into the app? If your app is going to be largely a re-creation of your website, you may want to focus on creating a mobile site first.
Is this an app that can be used without an Internet connection? Some examples include note-taking or calculator apps. If so, a mobile application makes more sense.
Are you going to be integrating with other parts of the mobile operating system, like the dialer, the GPS and the mail client? If this is the case, consider building a native app.

2. Consider where the app will be used.

Once you’ve decided to make a native mobile app, you’ll want to consider where your application is most likely going to be used. This is important because where and how an application is used can directly impact how it can be designed.

For instance, if you have an application that is going to be used while walking around  a geo-location app or an app that takes advantage of a device’s GPS  making sure that core app functions are easy to see and access is very important.

Likewise, if your app is used to sell products or services, make sure that the price and the “buy” or “add to cart” buttons are large enough so that they can be easily accessed.

If you have designed an app that may be used while sitting on a train or in a stationary spot, make sure that text is readable and legible and that it is easy to move through content.

3. Be mindful of screen sizes.

Even on the same mobile platform, screen sizes and resolutions can vary based on device type. For instance, the screen size and resolution on the HTC Incredible is different than that on the HTC EVO 4G. Consequently, for an application to have a consistent look and feel across both devices and across a variety of other devices, user interface elements and graphics need to be scalable.

Likewise, the iPhone 4 sports a higher resolution screen than the displays on the iPhone, iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. However, because the big difference is in pixel density, the same amount of screen real estate is used. Basically, two pixels on the old iPhone displays equals one point on the new retina display. Josh Clark, author of the fantastic new book Tapworthy: Designing Great iPhone Apps, has written a must-read post about designing for the iPhone 4’s retina display.

The Android Developers site has a great guide for supporting multiple screens on Android and a look at how to best achieve screen independence so that your apps will run and display properly on a number of different display types.

The Android Developers site also has tips for how to test your app in different resolutions with an emulator.

4. Don’t stray from existing user interface conventions.

On desktop computers, there are certain user interface elements that make a Windows app a Windows app or a Mac OS X app a Mac app. There are user interface conventions tailored for mobile apps as well. While you don’t have to follow these guidelines 100% of the time, sticking with consistent methods of displaying data and interacting with content will make your app easier to pick up by end-users. Following these conventions will also ensure that your app is consistent with the other applications already on a mobile device.

Each major mobile platform has documented user interface guidelines. Apple, for example, has a very extensive overview of iPhone Human Interface Guidelines, detailing and offering examples of standard UI conventions that should be considered when building an iPhone app.

While not nearly as complete, the Android UI team has its own User Interface Guidelines, complete with overviews of icon, widget, menu, and activity and task design guidelines.

Likewise, RIM has a complete section on its site for UI Guidelines for BlackBerry devices, including sections on touch screen BlackBerry devices, the different theming systems available for BlackBerry, and how to handle the trackball or touchpad.

5. Design for touch.

In almost all cases, mobile apps are going to be used while in someone’s hand. Therefore, designing your mobile app around touch and ergonomics is very important.

Think about how you hold your phone in your hand. Now, think about where you thumb sits. That’s why many applications have main menus and selectors at the bottom of the screen and content near the top of the screen. Apps with that type of layout are designed for touch, and yours should be too.

Beyond button layout, think about how you want to indicate touch feedback  physically or visually. While the BlackBerry Storm tried the whole clickable screen thing, the truth is, haptic feedback (such as vibrations), while great for games or for alerts, doesn’t usually work very well for touch-based devices like mobile phones.

Instead, use visual cues to show that an item is either touchable or has been touched. For instance, think about how the various keys on the iPhone keyboard grow in size when you touch them. That increase in size is feedback.

Lastly, designing your apps so that they take advantage of gestures, like swiping forward and back, pinching to zoom and pulling-down to refresh, can add a lot of usability to your applications without taking up tons of space for a designated button.

Sure, when it comes to developing mobile applications – anything goes.

But with a little careful planning and ingenuity your next app won’t only be “new”…. it’ll be killer!

 Tags: designing an app, designing mobile apps, developing a mobile app, mobile application

LogMeIn Gives the iPad an Edge

May 5th, 2010 by Erin Posted in Software Development | No Comments »

Hey iPad users, want to know how to access your desktop computer from your brand new iPad?

There’s a remote for that.

You can actually sit down, power up, and access your desktop computer files and programs, even create documents – all from your iPad!

It’s the brainchild of Massachusetts-based LogMeIn Inc. which offers the remote control software for iPads AND iPhones.

Two big requirements of LogMeIn Ignition:

- You must leave the remote computer switched on to gain access to it.

- The remote computer needs a copy of the LogMeIn software.

You can download a FREE trial version for either PCs or Macs from LogMeIn or you can invest in a fancier version ($39.95/yr) that will give  you a lot more remote control, like the ability to download files from the remote machine to your iPad.

Whichever edition you choose, you will have the ability to run your main desktop computer remotely – as if you were siting right in front of it.

Considering all of the MAJOR LIMITATIONS the iPad packs, LogMeIn Ignition is sure to be a lifesaver for many folks. For instance, the remote actually simulates the PC experience on an iPad. It also liberates users from having to only run those programs available through Apple’s online App Store.

Need access to IBM’s Lotus Notes? Flip on LogMeIn Ignition and run the copy remotely.

As dreamy as all of this sounds, remote access has some drawbacks. The iPad’s lack of mouse and true keyboard make fast-paced personal computing a bit difficult. Plus, the process is slow. Every move you make must travel over the Internet to the remote machine, and you must wait for its response.

Still, LogMeIn Ignition works – and it could make the tablet a little more viable in the business market…

… and, a little less like a glorified iPhone.

 Tags: ipad software, logmein ignition, new ipad, remote control software

Stay Organized in the Cloud

April 28th, 2010 by Erin Posted in Software Development, Stature Projects, Technology | No Comments »

If you’ve ever thought the demand for administrative workers was waning…  you were right.

Springpad, by Boston-based Spring Partners, Inc., is here. And, it’s arrival is making thousands – if not millions – of jobs obsolete.

Springpad is a FREE Web service and iPhone application that does the work of a personal assistant – and more!

Jot down quick notes, snap a photo, scan a bar code, capture a GPS location, send an e-mail, or access Facebook and Twitter –  all with Springpad.

Springpad’s motto is simple, yet brilliant: “Never forget again.”  And you won’t.

Enter a restaurant name, for example, and Springpad will add the address, phone number, links to online reviews, and reservation services. Every entry is instantly surrounded by relevant information.

The goal? A personal database that grows on its own and is easily sorted and searched.

Springpad has a cool social feature as well. It lets users  search the databases of friends who also use the service.

As mind-blowing as this app sounds, there are others like it on the market.

• Evernote
• Cozi
• Microsoft’s OneNote
• OmniFocus

…just to name a few.

It’s scary to think that our personal lives – pictures, notes, e-mails – are constantly being dumped onto the Internet. And, it’s even scarier to think that I may need an app to help me organize that information – and connect with it.

Pen and paper – what?

Personal assistant – who?

There’s no need for any of that anymore. With software like Springpad, staying organized and connected to family, friends, and colleagues is all just a iPhone finger tap away.

Mouse clicks are apparently on their way out too.

 Tags: digital assistant, free web service, iphone application, personal assistant, springpad application

Taming Our Shameful Digital Distractions

February 17th, 2010 by Erin Posted in Software Development, Technology | No Comments »

Think about it.

How much time do you waste surfing the Web?

I’m not going to lie. I fritter a lot of time away on Facebook and Twitter. A lot of time.

I can’t help it.

I sit down at my computer each morning with every intention to get some work done – but my wandering mouse takes over and soon I’m redirected to see what my friends are up to.

I absolutely hate it!

BUT, I have found some help to get me back on the straight and narrow.

Enter RescueTime and LeechBlock.

These applications, also called Internet blocking software, are designed to block various parts of the Internet so that when your mind strays, you’re stopped from giving into your unproductive ways.

First, RescueTime.

RescueTime works by keeping track of everything that happens on your computer, and then reports your habits in a series of charts and graphs.

Tech writer Farhad Manjoo recently gave RescueTime a whirl and says he found the app to be incredibly “illuminating.”

“I learned, for instance, that during a typical month I spend more than 70 hours surfing the web, much of it on news and social networking sites,” writes Manjoo.

By comparison, Manjoo found that he spent half as much time in Microsoft Word.

Now, if you are already aware of your bad online habits and just need some good old-fashion help taming them, then LeechBlock web filtering software may be the best medicine.

LeechBlock is a free add-on for Firefox and functions like a stern nanny. Users tell the program which Web sites to keep away from them at certain times of the day, and at the appointed hour you have chosen, LeechBlock will stop you cold.

LeechBlock is also quite flexible as it lets users block different sites at different times of the day. Or, users can set a maximum daily or hourly limit for certain sites.

Certainly, there is no way to tell whether these “digital nannies” will help you kick your bad online habits once and for all.

The mind is a restless place – even for the most seasoned professional.

But these Internet blocking software applications can be helpful in getting you to at least consider how you waste time on the Internet.

 Tags: blocking software, internet blocking software, web filtering software