In recent years, the fast-paced development of web technologies has dramatically powered development activities past its traditional boundary. Web technology has not only been entrenched in modern browsers, it has also contributed to enterprise-level Web applications, mobile application development, and server-side services, as well as some emerging platforms like the Internet of Things.

Here are several highlights of how advances in web technologies have changed the development process:

• HTML5 brings many new features (like built-in video/audio playback, local cache, etc.) to benefit modern browsing (cross-browser compatibility, mobile optimization, etc).
• Working with HTML5, CSS3 ensures easier and but still powerful building of web pages.
• The development of the JavaScript ecosystem contributes a lot of frameworks (like AngulaJS, Backbone.js, Ember.js, React.js, etc.) that unquestionably facilitate the development of web technologies.
• Node.js, a JavaScript (Google V8) powered cross-platform runtime environment opens the gate of server-side development by just using web technologies.
• On June 17, 2015, The General Assembly of Ecma International has announced the approval of the next version of JavaScript (with the codename ECMAScript 6 or ES6, now called ECMAScript 2015 officially). The new version brings foundational changes to JavaScript which enables the development of larger, more complex web applications.

Web technologies also play a very important role as they enter the mobile application development arena. They benefit mobile developers through its simplicity and fast-paced development, as well as its �?strong>cross-platform�?nature – “Write Once, Run Anywhere�?

The majority of development work nowadays still uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build web pages, then these web pages are run in an internal browser (called WebView), which is embedded in a native application (called Native Shell). If needed, the Native Shell can also expose native APIs (like camera, location service, etc.) to JavaScript. The applications built in this way are called Hybrid Applications. Some frameworks (like Apache Cordova (PhoneGap), Ionic, etc.) can facilitate this development.

In general, the benefits of Hybrid Applications fit well with our needs in terms of development process as well as our marketing strategy:

• Its �?strong>cross-platform�?nature can help reduce development time and cost dramatically.
• We can easily design for various situations, like different platforms, device sizes, etc.
• We can provide rapid prototyping and easy distribution to each platform (web browsing or app store).

However, this approach still has several “pain points�?that prevent developers from choosing hybrid applications over native applications, such as:

• Poor performance. Although the internal browser (WKWeb​View in iOS and Chrome WebView in Android) has been improved to provide faster web page reddening speed, the overall performance is still not comparable to what a native application brings.
• Poor Native API support. With the help of frameworks, the application can access to the native features of underlying platforms by leveraging external “plugins�? However, using such “plugins�?actually brings uncertainty as well as complexity in managing the development as well as a required level of maintenance.

Then, is it possible to bring web technologies to “native�?mobile application development?

The answer is YES.

With the help of JavaScript engine (also called JavaScript Runtime), developers can still write the application by using web technologies, but also allow the application to run directly on platforms (like iOS, Android) supported by JavaScript Runtime as a native application.

Because of this, developers can utilize the fast and convenient web technologies for development as well as the counterpart performance and user experience that a native application provides.

The framework Appcelerator Titanium is the earliest pioneer in this area and it does a great job in creating mobile applications on different platforms from just one JavaScript codebase. In March 2015, the release of React Native by Facebook brings this approach to the next level.

Compared to Appcelerator Titanium, React Native uses a batched asynchronous messaging protocol for establishing communication between native main thread and a background thread where a JavaScript engine runs to process JavaScript code. Without blocking the native main thread, the application can be more responsive and bring a more native-like user experience. Beyond that, React Native also ships with React.js – the emerging powerful framework that helps build applications easily by using its novel technologies (like Virtual DOM, One-way Binding, etc.).

Currently React Native is used in two of Facebook’s apps: Facebook Groups and Facebook Ads Manager. Without mentioning it, it is hard to tell they are not built upon native SDK and instead are built on React Native.

The “core�?need for using web technologies in native mobile application development is to build applications with a powerful performance and native-feeling UI. And the most promising part of React Native just lies on it – perhaps it can help lead us to this new stage of mobile application development.

Leo Shi is the Mobile Tech Lead at Logic Solutions. He participates in the entire development process of iOS and Android mobile applications, and web-based mobile apps.

The post Bringing Web Technologies to “Native�?Mobile Application Development appeared first on 雷技信息科技（上海）有限公司.

Source: Apple

At its “Spring Forward�?event on March 9, Apple showed off the much-anticipated Apple Watch and unveiled three exciting new products – Apple’s ResearchKit, the new MacBook, and HBO Now on Apple TV. Here is a rundown of the big announcements.

Apple Watch

Source: Apple

Apple has been hard at work improving and refining the Apple Watch since its initial announcement in September and the announcement of its software development kit.

Functionally, the Watch doesn’t seem to have changed much since it was first introduced. Users can make and take calls, read and send messages, make payments with Apple Pay, control their music, track workouts and activity levels, and even unlock their hotel rooms. At the event, Apple emphasized the watch’s notification feature, which alerts users of breaking news, social media updates, scheduled events, etc. It includes the new “Taptic Engine�?to provide haptic feedback when an alert or notification is received. Haptic feedback technology uses forces or vibrations to convey information to the user (e.g. when a game controller shudders when your character dies). For the Watch, the Taptic Engine vibrates the watch when notifications are received, and creates a tiny noise to go with the vibration to make the illusion of a mechanical watch even more realistic. Siri has also been integrated into the Watch.

The Watch has been designed to work with the iPhone (and most likely only the iPhone…sorry, Android users). Any messages or calls made with the Watch will sync with your phone. Its battery lasts up to 18 hours.

Apple Watch Sport, with a lightweight band and an aluminum case, will start at $349. The standard Apple Watch with a stainless steel case starts at $549 and can run up to $1099 depending on the band selection. The Apple Watch Edition, with an 18-karat gold band and case in either yellow or rose gold, will start at $10,000.

Apple will take pre-orders starting April 10, and the Watch will be available on April 24.

Apple ResearchKit

Source: Apple

Finding and recruiting volunteers is one of the biggest obstacles to scientific research. Small sample sizes are more vulnerable to inaccuracy, and samples that lack diversity make it difficult to generalize the world population.

Apple’s new ResearchKit is an iOS software framework designed to benefit medical research by making it easy for people to volunteer to join research studies. Researchers can design and build medical testing apps, sign up volunteers that are far from their physical lab, and record data more quickly and efficiently than before.

Source: Apple

Tests designed with ResearchKit use the iPhone’s sensors to record data. Volunteers can sign consent forms on the device’s touch screen, which can now also sense people’s tapping rhythm and detect inconsistencies that may be an indication of a disease, such as Parkinson’s.

The device’s microphone can track fluctuations in a person’s voice and the phone’s accelerometer can compare a person’s walk, gait, and balance against a healthy person’s baseline. There is no doubt that when Apple Watch becomes available to the public, researchers will be able to create tests that use the device to measure heart rate and heart rhythm, and track physical activity.

And don’t worry, users can decide how the data is shared and Apple won’t see it.

So far researchers have used   ResearchKit to create tests for  Parkinson’s, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and breast cancer. You can download these tests from  the App Store. ResearchKit itself is open source and will be available next month.

New MacBook

Source: Apple

It’s the lightest Mac ever. Weighing in at only 2 lbs, the new MacBook has a 12�?Retina display and is only 13.1mm thick, 24% thinner than the 11�?MacBook Air. It has a new keyboard mechanism that allows keys to be 40% thinner with a 17% larger clickable surface area and hopefully offers a “stronger�?type of click. LEDs are now under every key so that the keyboard produces a uniform glow.

The new pressure-sensitive Force Touch trackpad can detect how much pressure a user applies to the surface. It can tell the difference between a light tap and a deep press, which opens up a world of possibility and function. For example, pressing down deeply on the trackpad after clicking can bring up new shortcuts to everyday apps, such as a Wikipedia entry of a highlighted word, or it can fast-forward through a Quicktime movie.

Source: Apple

The MacBook is fanless to provide silent(er?) operation. And, thanks to a new contoured design, the MacBook battery packs itself into a smaller space and will last up to nine hours. The USB-C port allows the laptop to compact 5 ports into one – power, USB data transfer, Display Port, HDMI, and VGA.

The new MacBook starts at $1299 and starts shipping April 10.

HBO Now on Apple TV

Source: Apple

Starting in April, Apple will offer an HBO video streaming service on Apple TV, iPhones, and iPads called HBO Now. This deal is available exclusively only in the U.S. and you don’t need a cable subscription, simply an online subscription.

Source: Apple

To sign up, viewers register through the new app on a compatible Apple device. However, once registered customers can access HBO programming on both Apple devices and PCs.

Apple has an exclusive three-month right to sell access to HBO Now, after which HBO will presumably open up the service to other companies.

The HBO Now online subscription costs $14.99/month, with a free month for new subscribers. To sweeten the deal, Apple has cut the price of the Apple TV from $99 to $69.

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Jennifer Pan is a marketing coordinator at Logic Solutions. If you want to get her attention, try talking to her about d20s, (board) games, sci-fi and geeky references, or cute animal videos…or all of them at once. Just don’t bring up her uncanny ability to roll natural 1s.

The post Apple Watch, MacBook, ResearchKit, and HBO Now Are Coming in April appeared first on 雷技信息科技（上海）有限公司.

Of these four technologies, there are five broad categories of mobile payment systems:

• Mobile at the point of sale
• Mobile as the point of sale
• Mobile payment platform
• Direct mobile billing
• Closed loop mobile payments

Here is a closer examination of what each of these five categories are and their pros and cons.

Mobile At The Point Of Sale

Source: Mobile Marketing Magazine

Also known as the “mobile wallet�? this system allows customers to pay for things at a store with a mobile device using NFC technology, or the “Tap and Go�?method, via WAP. Examples include Google Wallet, Isis, MasterCard, Visa, and Apple Pay.

• Pros:
  • Most smartphones are now NFC-equipped
  • Quick, easy, contactless payment method
  • More secure than just swiping a credit card through a reader
• Cons:
  • Privacy concerns: because these mobile wallets often store credit card information in their systems, there has been questions of exactly how easy (or difficult) it is to hack the security. Additionally, there are questions of whether or not the company of the mobile wallet system are able to read the credit card information.
  • Mobile wallets are also slow to gain traction because 1) there are so many different kinds of systems, 2) there is no universal reader yet that will be able to read every app, and 3) they rely on cooperation between credit card companies, banks, mobile manufacturers, and mobile networks. Apple Pay has encountered some resistance by merchants looking to align themselves with CurrentC as their primary mobile payment option.

Mobile As The Point Of Sale

Source: Square

In this instance, the smartphone is used as a cash register, and does not require the consumer to be responsible for having a mobile payment system. The merchant uses a mobile device to process credit card payments. Popular examples include Square and VeriFone.

• Pros:
  • As a cheap and easy alternative to the cash register, these mobile payment systems are credit card-based, thereby avoiding the mobile wallet war.
  • It is convenient for small businesses that can’t afford cash registers and credit card processors.
  • Square, the most popular example, bundles all credit card feeds (bank, the card company, and the processor) into one single fee. This way, merchants don’t have to worry about paying three separate fees to three separate companies.
• Cons:
  • Processing fees might not be more competitive to traditional processors. Square takes a 2.75% off all transactions (and in some cases 3.50%), which is higher than most credit card companies.
  • It is not ideal for all businesses, especially those that are larger and bring in larger revenue.
  • Businesses that have abnormal processing behaviors or revenues that come in waves may trigger a red flag with Square’s fraud detection system, which could delay payments from reaching the merchant’s bank account.
  • Additionally, since it is still credit card-based, this does not provide a solution to the problem of credit card and identity theft.

Mobile Payment Platform

Source: Silicon Angle

This is a catch-all category for mobile payment systems that do not resemble the mobile wallet or using the smartphone as a cash register. Merchants can use WAP technology on mobile devices or consumers can send money to each over via a peer-to-peer WAP system. This catch-all category usually uses WAP payments to either charge the phone bill, the credit card, or through an online wallet. Examples include PayPal, Dwolla, and Serve.

• Pros:
  • Credit card and/or bank information is usually security-encoded and doesn’t require consumers to physically have the credit card on hand.
  • It is an increasingly popular alternative to SMS payments.
• Cons:
  • Like all mobile payment systems, it can be a target of possible cyber warfare.
  • Credit card or bank fees still apply

Direct Mobile Billing

Source: Angry Birds

Colloquially known as “put it on my phone bill�? charges are placed on the cell phone bill via in-app billing or through text messages via SMS. Examples include ringtones or games like Angry Birds.

• Pros:
  • SMS is a technology available in older cell phone models, so consumers do not need a smartphone to be able to purchase products
  • It is quick and easy to use.
  • There are no passwords, usernames, or log in needed like the other mobile payment systems. Credit card numbers and bank information are also not needed, which helps to alleviate security concerns as personal information is never transferred or given to a third-party.
  • Billing is handled entirely by the mobile service provider, so consumers don’t need to worry about additional bills to watch for every month.
• Cons:
  • “Put it on my phone bill�?is mostly used for purchasing digital content. It is very uncommon to see in-app billing or SMS payments used in traditional brick-and-mortar stores for non-digital products.
  • SMS often incurs a high and costly fee, and has been known to be slow in speed and unreliable.

Closed Loop Mobile Payments

Starbucks’ Christmas Bokeh by Piero Fissore

Okay, so this really isn’t anything like the traditional mobile wallet. Instead, closed loop mobile payments are more like a mobile version of the store credit card. The store company itself builds their own digital wallet and mobile payment platform system. A very successful example of this is Starbucks. Like a debit-card, consumers load up the app with money and use it toward their future purchases. These digital store credit cards can also save store coupons, track gift cards, and handle loyalty-rewards programs, thereby potentially saving the consumer lots of space in their physical wallet.

• Pros:
  • You save a lot of space in your wallet, which is especially attractive for people who can’t keep track of weekly store coupons.
  • It has the convenience of being a mobile payment system
  • All personal credit card or bank information that is used to load the store credit card can be done in the safety of your own home. This sensitive information is not transferred to the merchant at the point of purchase.
• Cons:
  • Although Starbucks has seen great success with their store credit card, it is a success that isn’t guaranteed to be replicable in other business models.
  • Adding money to the card requires an “extra step�?that could be too much of a hassle for some consumers.
  • Because it is “just another app�? store credit cards face competition from other mobile payment types.

Customized eCommerce Solutions

Logic Solutions can help you with your eCommerce and mCommerce strategy, development, implementation, and support. Find out how you can have a beautiful, functional frontend and a powerful backend to support your business needs.

Let us help you

Jennifer Pan is a marketing coordinator at Logic Solutions. If you want to get her attention, try talking to her about d20s, (board) games, sci-fi and geeky references, or cute animal videos…or all of them at once. Just don’t bring up her uncanny ability to roll natural 1s.

The post Comparison of Mobile Payment Types appeared first on 雷技信息科技（上海）有限公司.

Editor’s Note: Logic Solutions is proud to have helped build the digiCOACH app. digiCOACH has been downloaded in 39 countries around the world, and played an integral part in a California school district’s recent success. 

February 19, 2015 – Oxnard, CA – During the 2013-2014 school year, Oxnard Union High School District (OUHSD) saw a district-wide attendance increase of 0.9%, resulting in ~$1 million in additional school funding for the large, urban high school district. Additionally, Oxnard High School’s suspension rate dropped 42%, and expulsion rates dropped 37%. The High School District also saw an increase in performance on the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) and doubled proficiency rates in both the math and English-Language Arts (ELA) portions of the exam.

The significant improvements resulted from a large-scale strategy to improve student engagement in the classroom, professional development on new intervention strategies that encourage students to change negative classroom behavior, and increased instructional walk-throughs by administrators.

Superintendent Dr. Gabe Soumakian states, “Increased instructional walk-throughs directly correlate to a reduction in suspension and expulsions due to the higher visibility of administrators in the classroom. We are able to give quality instructional feedback at the site level, which benefits our educators tremendously. Students, especially those who typically form strong bonds with principals, also recognize and appreciate the increased administrator visibility in classrooms.�?/p>

Part of the overall OUHSD strategy was implementing the digiCOACH mobile app system, which streamlines the walk-through, feedback, and reporting process.

digiCOACH tackles common struggles with walk-throughs including lack of content-area expertise or common observation criteria. The system makes it easy for administrators to identify strengths of each teacher and build upon needs or areas that require extra support. Administrators can also give positive, meaningful lesson feedback and hold reflective discussions with educators. All reports are saved in the digiCOACH cloud reporting system to help inform professional development decisions.

digiCOACH coaches administrators and educators using research-based strategies in order to help schools focus on teacher-and-student relationships, and boost student engagement to increase the likelihood of students attending regularly.

digiCOACH CEO Doug Whittaker considers Dr. Soumakian a critical part of digiCOACH 3.0’s design process. “We are blown away by the commitment to excellence OUHSD has made to students and educators, and the results this dedication has achieved. Dr. Soumakian was generous with his time and feedback, letting us know specific improvements that would perfect digiCOACH’s usability and value to schools. Our mission is to provide impactful technology that makes conducting the integral responsibility of classroom walk-throughs more efficient and easier. It’s gratifying to see that come to fruition.�?/p>

OUHSD used digiCOACH to assist with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) certification recommendations. Almost 70 administrators conducted more than 7,000 walk-throughs in nine high schools with digiCOACH during the 2013-2014 school year.

“The digiCOACH team is committed to working closely with our administration to customize a walk-through platform to ensure areas of focus and feedback options reflect our district overarching goals, making our walk-through process more meaningful for administrative teams and teachers alike. digiCOACH has helped us reexamine our strategies for increasing student engagement,�?said Executive Director of 21st Century Learning and Innovation, Consuelo H. Williams.

digiCOACH 3.0 is available on the App Store. For more information, visit digiCOACH.com.

About digiCOACH
Based in Redlands, CA, digiCOACH specializes in bringing the latest technology to K-12 education. digiCOACH provides school administrators and instructional leaders with a digital coaching tool that streamlines the process of providing feedback to teachers in their classrooms. To learn more visit digiCOACH.com.

The post Oxnard Union High School District and digiCOACH iPad System Instrumental in Increasing Student Engagement, Leading to Increased Attendance appeared first on 雷技信息科技（上海）有限公司.

Source: Silicon Angle

Forget cash and credit cards. Mobile payments are here to help keep your wallets slim and (hopefully) secure.

Consumers, particularly those in parts of Europe and Asia, have made purchases with cellphones for the past decade. However, these mobile payments are only starting to go  mainstream, and are set to redefine the way traditional and online business is conducted all over the world.

But first, what is a mobile payment system? This phrase can apply to a number of different technologies but the basis is still the same: it is a system for initiating and accepting transactions using a mobile device. This applies to how consumers pay for goods as well as how merchants process transactions.

Of course, one of the primary concerns with mobile payments is security. Recent security hacks and the increase in instances of identify theft have made consumers more cautious about their personal information. Large tech companies like Apple have emphasized over and over the security features of their products and measures taken to keep users�?privacy from leaking out into the world. And every product that manages to make a headline touts itself to be the ultimate solution to all of our cash-and-credit-card-heavy wallet woes.

There are generally four different technologies upon which mobile payments build their platforms. These are important to know when examining functionality and security.

• Near Field Communication (NFC): Contactless, almost instantaneous transfer of data between devices. NFC is often used in “Tap and Go�?payment methods, such as tapping the smartphone to a device reader.
• Wireless Application Protocol (WAP): With WAP, the smartphone connects to the internet, then pays via an online payment system (such as Paypal or Google Wallet) or by entering credit card info through the merchant’s website. Alternatively, WAP can also defer the charge to the phone pill.
• Short Messaging Service (SMS) Payments: Considered a bit more “old-school�? SMS allows users to pay for goods and services via a text message sent from the phone. The cost of the item is then added to the user’s monthly phone bill.
• In-App Billing or Direct Mobile Billing: Most commonly used when purchasing an app from an online store or a game, this system charges the cost of the product to the monthly phone bill.

The world of mobile payment systems is not limited to just these four technologies, though.  Small pockets of communities across the world are experimenting with new ways to transfer money from consumers to merchants. Here are some other examples to look for over the next couple of years:

• QR Code Payments: CurrentC is one company in the U.S. experimenting with using QR codes to purchase items. Although QR codes are not as common in the U.S. it is much more popular in Europe and Asia. It will be interesting to see if QR codes will catch on with American audiences.
• Direct Carrier/Bank Cooperation: No credit card number or bank account information is needed. Instead, the mobile phone and phone carrier become the front-end interface for consumers to purchase goods and transfer money via a mobile phone number. This payment system is in its very early experimental stages.
• Audio Signal-Based Payment: This sounds like something from a sci-fi movie. This payment system uses acoustic feature of phones to support mobile payments and other applications that are not chip-based. The microphone on cell phones can pick up these audio signatures to enable electronic transactions. The advantage to this is that all phones are capable of picking up audio signals, whereas not every phone is NFC-equipped.
• Bitcoin: Bitcoin is an online payment system that was developed in 2009 that utilizes virtual, alternative currency with no transaction fees, with gives it a leg up from traditional credit cards. There are also no middle men (like banks) to take additional transaction fees. Consumers can purchase their merchandise anonymously. Bitcoin has yet to gain a lot of traction in with the mainstream audience, though small percentage of merchants accept it. Some people are purchasing bitcoins as an investment, hoping they will  dramatically increase in value over time.

Customized eCommerce Solutions

Logic Solutions can help you with your eCommerce and mCommerce strategy, development, implementation, and support. Find out how you can have a beautiful, functional frontend and a powerful backend to support your business needs.

Let us help you

Jennifer Pan is a marketing coordinator at Logic Solutions. If you want to get her attention, try talking to her about d20s, (board) games, sci-fi and geeky references, or cute animal videos…or all of them at once. Just don’t bring up her uncanny ability to roll natural 1s.

The post What the heck are mobile payment systems? appeared first on 雷技信息科技（上海）有限公司.

A Note From the President: A Time of Thanks and Reflection

A few weeks ago, as I sat over a heaping plate of Thanksgiving dinner, I realized how fortunate and how thankful I am. I’m thankful for my family, my friends, my health, my company, and my co-workers. After almost eight years at Logic, I still get up every morning excited to work. I absolutely love what we do. I love what we create, I love working with customers with cool ideas and unique needs, and I love working with such a great team.

At this time of year, we start to plan our goals and strategies for next year. Through this process, I tend to reflect on all of the things that happened both personally and professionally throughout the past 12 months. During this time of reflection, I realize that 2014 has been a tremendous year of growth and change for Logic.

This year Logic significantly expanded its eCommerce practice, adding top talent to the team. We secured a number of new eCommerce clients and became Magento certified. We are proud of our newest Magento certified Solution Specialist, Bill Xu. We also expanded our development centers, adding 12 new developers to the Taiwan office alone.

2014 seemed to be the year of the start-up. We worked with so many bright entrepreneurs with awesome ideas. I can’t tell you how much fun it is to help bring such creative ideas to life. In contrast, we also worked with many larger organizations building out development teams to create, enhance and maintain critical applications that that are instrumental to their growth.

President Bruce Richardson and Quantum Compliance’s Amanda Yerke at the Holiday Party.

In our Quantum Compliance environmental health and safety software business, we launched our SDS to GHS conversion service and added five new people to the team. We expanded our marketing and sales department and will more than double our revenue over 2013. We continue to build out our cloud-based EH&S solutions, and expect to double our revenue again next year.

In our Showcase mobile application division, we added several anchor accounts with hundreds of users and continue to build out the solution. Look for an upcoming press release on our web version soon.

Lastly, we added quite a few young professionals to our Ann Arbor office this year. The addition of this wave of talent has brought a high energy vibe to the office. I’m incredibly impressed with the worth ethic, the level of talent, and the fresh ideas that have permeated our office. We knocked down walls in both our marketing and technical departments creating a more open collaborative space. As a result, I see smiles on the faces of our staff every day as they go above and beyond to deliver great work to and with our clients. And I know that this effort is bearing fruit as we’ve received numerous kudos, thank yous, and “atta boys/girls” from our customers in the past few months. When we receive this kind of feedback, I’m reminded once again why I love what we do.

I can’t wait to get started on 2015!

Bruce Richardson
President, Logic Solutions Inc

The post December 2014 Newsletter appeared first on 雷技信息科技（上海）有限公司.

Bring your own device (BYOD) is a policy where employees are permitted to use personally-owned mobile devices (laptops, tablets, smart phones, etc) to access privileged company information and applications.  BYOD is an increasingly popular business trend with both pros and cons that companies must consider carefully before adopting a formal policy.

A supporting argument for BYOD is increase employee productivity. Surveys have shown that employees are more productive when using personal devices, are more invested in properly maintaining the device on a more frequent basis, and require less training for a device that they are already familiar with.

Additionally, employees are also more likely to take their work home, which allows for work flexibility, and in turn boosts employee morale and convenience, demonstrating a flexible and attractive work environment.

Furthermore, asking employees to provide their own tablet and/or mobile phone saves the company significant costs by eliminating not only hardware but also software, maintenance, and possibly technology upgrade expenses.

However, some companies may be cautious in adopting a BYOD policy despite the significant cuts to tech costs and device management.  Common concerns about BYOD center around security and sensitive company information.  What would happen if there was a data breach?  What if an employee’s smartphone, that had access to the company network, was lost and untrusted parties could retrieve unsecured data on the phone?  Can or should businesses wipe personal devices after employees leave the company?

Employers that allow their employees to use personal mobile devices for work purposes should consider writing a clear, comprehensive BYOD policy that formally addresses such security, privacy, and control concerns.  The following is a non-exhaustive list of some questions a BYOD policy should cover:

• What devices are allowed or included in the policy?

• What level of access will be granted to the employees?  Will different employees have different access levels?

• What kinds of antivirus and protective software are required?

• If the employee owns the device, who owns the apps and data?

• What type of security should a company require and how will these requirements be enforced? Will remote access be available?

• Who is responsible for supporting devices?  What level of support will the company provide?  What costs or expenses for employee owned devices are the employer willing to cover?

• Will there be a virtual partition in the device to separate work data from personal data?

• What do you do if you find illegal information or activities on the device?  Does it make a difference if it is in an “area�?of the device that is not work related?

• Under what circumstances will the employer wipe company data from personal devices?

If you’re looking for some examples of BYOD policies, here are links to resources that you can get ideas from:

• Toolkit to Support Federal Agencies Implementing Bring Your Own Device Programs

• BYOD Policy Template

• Sample Policies for Schools

• 7 Tips for Establishing a Successful BYOD Policy

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Jennifer Pan is a marketing coordinator and The New Recruit at Logic Solutions. If you want to get her attention, try talking to her about d20s, (board) games, sci-fi and geeky references, or cute animal videos…or all of them at once. Just don’t bring up her uncanny ability to roll natural 1s.

The post What is BYOD? Tips On Writing A BYOD Policy appeared first on 雷技信息科技（上海）有限公司.

If you missed the live streaming, don’t worry! Here is a rundown and highlights of the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Apple Pay, and Apple Watch.

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus

Apple’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
Source: Apple

There are two two iPhone models – the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.  Both have a larger screen size (iPhone 6 has a 4.7″ display, iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5″ display) than the iPhone 5S (4″) and are slimmer too.  The iPhone 5S was 7.6mm thick, whereas the iPhone 6 is merely 6.9mm and the iPhone 6 Plus is just a smidge more at 7.1mm.  Both feature HD resolution, with the iPhone 6 having a resolution of 1334 x 750 px and the iPhone 6 Plus with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 px.  Aside from these size differences, these smartphones are essentially the same.

Both iPhones have longer battery lives than their predecessors, a more efficient A8 processor that offers greater CPU and GPU processing speeds, and an 8-megapixel camera with speedier autofocus and image stabilization.  Additionally, the new motion coprocessor, in addition to aiding in image stabilization, aids fitness apps by gathering information from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass.  Plus, the iPhone 6 and iPhone6 Plus’ new barometer detector can sense elevation changes, including when you’re traversing up and down stairs.

The iPhone 6 goes on sale Friday, September 19th starting at $200 (with a two-year contract).  The iPhone 6 Plus starts at $100 more.

Apple Pay

Apple Pay
Source: WIRED

Apple Pay joins Google Wallet, PayPal, and other mobile payment systems as alternatives to carrying around wallets stuffed thick with credit cards, loyalty cards, coupons, and more.   Paying for your purchases will be as easy as holding your iPhone (or even Apple Watch) up to a reader.  It isn’t just a way to pay for stuff at stores like Target, Walgreens, and Macy’s.  Apple Pay can also be used to pay for online services, such as Uber, or in online transactions like Amazon.

Apple Pay aims to solve consumers’ worry about physical and electronic credit card theft by offering this app (already built in to the new iPhones) with security features such as NFC, Touch ID, and a secure chip Apple calls the Secure Element.  You add a card by taking a photo of it and, after getting verification from your bank, you’re ready to go.  During a transaction, a unique device number, rather than the actual credit card information (number, name, etc), is given to the merchant along with a dynamic security code.

For those concerned that the tech giant will be collecting your data, Apple reassures customers that the company won’t collect any information from your transaction – not your credit card information, what you purchased, where you purchased it, or how much you paid for it.  Additionally, if you lose your phone, you can deactivate all payments and payment information remotely without needing to cancel your actual credit card.

Apple Pay will launch in the U.S. in October.

Apple Watch

Apple Watch
Source: Apple

Apple has officially joined the wearables industry.  What makes this smartwatch different from other smartwatches in the industry is its UI – Apple was clear to state that the Watch is not an iPhone interface on a smaller screen.  Instead, users will use the watch’s “digital crown” to scroll, zoom, return to the Home screen, and navigate the watch. When turning the digital crown, the watch translates the movement into digital data.  This is accompanied by onscreen taps and swipes.

Customizable features include three different Watch editions ( Apple Watch, Watch Sport, and Watch Edition ), interchangeable strap designs (from leather to stainless steel to mesh chain loops), two different watch face sizes, and a customizable clock display.

Additionally, the Apple Watch has four sapphire lenses on the back of the device which hold LEDs and photo sensors for detecting heart rate.  This pairs with the Watch’s health and fitness-tracking apps to record your daily activity levels and aids you in taking steps to achieve a healthier lifestyle.  For example, its “Stand” display reminds you to stand for at least a minute every hour for 12 hours.  Every accomplishment you achieve fills a “progress bar” a little more, ultimately motivating the wearer to fill up their daily exercise progress bars.  It does need to be paired with an iPhone to track your distance traveled via GPS or wifi though.

Other apps on the Apple Watch include maps, third-party apps, a drawing tool, a simple messaging system, Apple Pay, and more.

The Apple Watch is expected to go on sale in early 2015, starting at $350.

No matter what your opinions are of these new products, it is clear that the tech giant is, once again, changing the way consumers will interact with their devices, the way competing companies will market their new products, and the how mobile developers will utilize the new functions and toys these new platforms provide.  Developers will now have a completely new device – the smartwatch – and products to write apps for, and it will be interesting to see what kinds of apps will take advantage of Apple Watch’s health and fitness features.

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Jennifer Pan is a marketing coordinator and The New Recruit at Logic Solutions. If you want to get her attention, try talking to her about d20s, (board) games, sci-fi and geeky references, or cute animal videos…or all of them at once. Just don’t bring up her uncanny ability to roll natural 1s.

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