While the mobile app industry may be relatively new, it has grown at such an exponential rate that it is now one of the most expansive markets in the world. It is expected to reach a peak of $77 billion by the end of 2017, with everything from games to productivity apps available through the freemium business model that profits through option, in-app purchases.

This model is driven by volume rather than the profitability of individual apps, meaning that the market has grown thanks to minimal barriers to entry and the ability of developers to create thousands of diverse apps across Android and iOS. Interestingly, the relatively low-cost of app development and the ease with which tools can be conceived has encouraged numerous brands to create commercial apps, and there is evidence to suggest that this may offer businesses an advantage over their competitors.

So, why exactly should you look to develop a mobile app and use this as a direct marketing tool for your brand?

1. App Store Optimisation drives as ROI on your investment

If you have never heard of App Store Optimisation (ASO), this is a new process that enables businesses to use specific techniques which enhance the ranking of their branded application. Borrowing heavily from the concept of SEO, you can market your app based on a number of relevant and organic phrases, competing with rivals in order to thrive across multiple app stores. There are even a number of tools which can help to underpin your ASO campaign, which in turn helps you to measure and determine an accurate ROI.

2. Target new customers with a mobile app-install

If you ocassionally play online casino games you will note that the vast majority have a prominent mobile app which sits alongside their primary website. While the two offer a largely seamless experience and feature consistent branding, they can be considered as separate entities for the purpose of targeting specific demographics and players.

This makes perfect sense, especially as CRM software makes it easier than ever to understand demographics and target defined customer profiles. If you know which type of consumers are using your mobile app, it is easy to tailor your marketing efforts and optimise the impact of your efforts.

3. Create an additional revenue stream

Obviously, the nature of your app will depend on your brand and the products or services that it delivers, but regardless of this it can also have an impact beyond marketing. While it is always wise to make marketing applications available for free, you can incorporate in-app purchase options and tiers which have the potential to generate incremental income from loyal customers.

This is an opportunity that should never be ignored, as the combination of creating additional marketing reach while also boosting revenue delivers a diverse ROI that impacts on various aspects of your business.

"Apple -  Watch Sport" (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Yasunobu Ikeda

Wearable technology makes an ideal gift regardless of the occasion. Whether the recipient is a sports fan, tech buff, or fashionista, there are smartwatches and fitness trackers for most budgets. Finding the right balance of style, price, and features can be a chore so here are a few suggestions for the different people in your life:

The Sports Fan

Tech giant Apple, recently announced the latest addition to its wearable range, the Apple Watch Series 2. Built with fitness at its core, the latest watchOS is faster and smoother, and allows the device to operate more like a timepiece instead of a stunted smartphone. It's also waterproof. At £369 though, it's pricey.

If you insist on making the Apple Watch your gym buddy, buy the Nike+ version; it's lighter than the Series 2, better ventilated, and comes in a range of bright, sporty colours.

Alternatively, try the FitBit Blaze. At £144.99, the Blaze was the most popular wearable device in a poll conducted by Voucherbox where value for money was concerned. It's oddly shaped and did nothing to revolutionise the FitBit range but it comes feature-packed with a heart-rate monitor, GPS, and built-in workouts.

For smaller budgets, there's also the FitBit Charge 2 at £118.40. The popular Garmin Forerunner 325 is more expensive than both FitBits (£232) but runners may appreciate the emphasis on their favourite activity.

"Individual in a Suit" (CC BY-SA 2.0) by flazingo_photos

The Fashionista

The Garmin Vivomove (£146) and the Huawei Watch (£239) are perhaps the closest you're going to get to classic design in an affordable smartwatch. However, if price is no object, the Tag Heuer Connected can be yours for £1,100. It's nothing too special - the transflective LCD screen is quite poor in comparison to the display on Huawei and Apple models - but it's a definite icebreaker at parties.

The Samsung Gear S2 is another option at £252. Visually, there's nothing particularly exciting about the Samsung (it has a more ‘sporty' feel than the Garmin and the Huawei) and something like the Motorola Moto 360 (£192 on Amazon.co.uk) is probably a safer option for a formal event, depending on the finish you choose.

"3297" (CC BY 2.0) by hardloperhans

The Budget Buyer

The less expensive wearables tend to be fitness trackers almost exclusively, and lack features such as GPS and informative screens. However, with prices on previously premium models falling, there's no reason why a budget wearable should feel like a consolation prize. The caveat is that you may need to choose between features, price or looks on some models.

If you're looking for something stylish with a low profile, the Jawbone Up2 at around £30 is a good-looking option. The Jawbone UpMOVE at £25 is a little heavy on the plastic but includes all the features of its bigger brother, with the exception of calorie tracking.

The UK-only Archon at £29.99 is arguably one of the more sophisticated budget wearables out there. It's similar to the Jawbone Up2 feature-wise but works as a smartphone companion too, letting you know when you've got an incoming call. The Razer Nabu X (£49.99) can also receive smartphone notifications but it lacks a screen.

Fran Shammo, the CFO of Verizon has declared in an investor conference yesterday, that "At the end of the day, people don't need unlimited plans." At a time when T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint are offering unlimited data plans to their customers through various packages, this particular statement by the high-ranking official clearly shows that Verizon thinks that their competition are misguided! He defended his opinion/decision/statement by pointing out that Verizon's "customer friendly" plans might have data caps but they are simpler, offer high speed data tethering and unthrottled video streaming.

As if the above statement was not embarrassingly clear enough, Shammo also added, "You cannot make money on an unlimited video world." Now with this statement, one can say that Verizon is bordering on or has already crossed the line marked "corporate money grab." He even called users of unlimited plans "abusive" as they tend to use a lot more data and impact the quality of the network for everyone around them. There is no doubt that Verizon is the leading carrier in the country and it seems that it does not think that this decision or these comments will affect their business in any way. Do you agree with Fran Shammo, or will you be moving to a more "abusive" data plan from another carrier?

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

Most Android smartphones support external storage via a microSD card nowadays, with the exception of a few of course. Apart from leaving more space for apps on your phone's internal storage by storing all your media, microSD cards can also be adopted as the internal storage of your smartphone, provided that the phone is running on Android 6.0+ and your device supports the feature. The choices are plenty when it comes to choosing a memory card, but if you want the best for your brand new high-end smartphone, here are a few of the best that are available right now.

SanDisk Extreme Plus

Max read speed: 95MB/second
Max write speed: 90MB/second
UHS-I/U3
Warranty: Lifetime (limited)

Lexar Professional 633x

Max read speed: 95MB/second
Max write speed: Around 30 - 33MB/second (not mentioned)
UHS-I/U3
Warranty: Lifetime (limited)

Samsung Evo Plus

Max read speed: 80MB/second
Max write speed: 20MB/second
UHS-I/U3/Class 10
Warranty: 10 years (limited)

Transcend Ultimate 633x

Max read speed: 95MB/second
Max write speed: 85MB/second
USH-I/U3/Class 10
Warranty: Lifetime (limited)

Keep in mind that there might be a few faster cards available, but when it comes to microSD cards for smartphones, these provide the best performance hands down.

Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)

 

If you have not heard already, a new age or epoch has begun, named as Anthropocene or the "Age of Humans." In this age, technology has reached heights considered impossible just a few years earlier and for those of us who love online gaming, there was never a better time than this. To be able to play casino games online and win real money on secure online casinos like M88 Asia is actually possible today, thanks to technology. We will now take a look at the most impactful tech trends that have changed and will continue to change online gaming for the better.

The Most Important Aspect: Security

What had kept a lot of online gamblers away from the e-casinos earlier was the insecurity of online transactions. However, the online transactions have now become way safer due to the combined efforts of the multi-billion-dollar gaming industry, banks and other financial operators worldwide.

The next step towards an even better form of security while gaming online is the use of tokens or "tokenization" which will leave zero vulnerability in the process of a financial transaction on the internet for a hacker to exploit. In other words, you won't need to enter the details of your credit or debit card to play online casino games very soon, but just a unique one-time PIN number.

Convenience

It is no longer necessary to sit in front of a desktop while playing online games, because technology has now made them accessible from laptops, tablets and even right from your smartphones. You can just lie on your bed or relax on your sofa while winning real money from the app you just installed on your phone or tablet. They are available across multiple platforms like the iOS, Android and of course, Windows. Things will become even more convenient as HTML5 becomes publicly accessible and more utilized in the near future.

The Jackpot or the Winnings

There would be little incentive to play online gambling games if the prizes were not big enough. As it turns out, the jackpots are getting bigger every day as more and more people begin to join in. The potential amount that the player can win will only increase with time.