What Does Betsy DeVos Mean For EdTech and STEM Education?
Betsy DeVos, Trump’s controversial pick for Secretary of Education recently appointed by the skin of her teeth, has a shaky relationship with tech — to put it lightly. After making comments during a committee hearing that suggested guns should be in schools to defend from grizzly bear attacks, the Internet lit up like a Christmas […]
Wireless Charging Enters the Picture for Next iPhone
New York iPhone app developers have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of wireless charging for the iPhone. It finally seems to be on the horizon, fueled by reports that Apple has joined the Wireless Power Consortium. While Apple has been conservative in implementing this features, tech developers believe the technology is “there,” and we could […]
Finally, A “Turk” That Works for Bootstrapped Startups
Algorithms and machine learning are pretty much a given for serious mobile startups these days. Unfortunately, machine learning takes data, and data isn’t always available — at a startup-friendly price point, anyway. A new startup out of India called Playment aims to solve that problem, and their clever solution deserves a spot in any mobile […]
Immigration Ban is a Disaster for the Tech Economy
On January 27, Trump issued an executive order banning immigrants from select Muslim-majority countries. The shock waves are still rolling through the app development community, creating massive political backlash even from actively non-political tech giants. Critics are quick to suggest that tech companies are simply trying to protect H–1B visa programs. Fair point — H-B1 […]
What Happens When App Growth Hacking Backfires
If, like the vast majority of Americans, you have a phone and a few friends, you probably heard of “ChitChat” last week when a “friend” invited you via SMS. You might be thinking the mobile app developers behind the app are celebrating a growth hacking victory. On the contrary, they’re probably in the process of […]
Emoji Library Getting a Lunar Update in 2017
If there’s one thing iPhone app developers can all agree on, it’s that emojis are the best thing to happen to phone keyboards since touch screens. So the tech community is looking forward to some much-needed updates in 2017. Proposals for dinosaurs, holiday themes, and of course more cats have fingers crossed in Silicon Valley. […]
Net Neutrality on the Chopping Block at New FCC
Ajit Pai, Trump’s pick to head the FCC as Tom Wheeler steps down, has made no bones about his attitude toward Net Neutrality. “[It’s] days are numbered,” Pai said in previous press statements, adding that he plans to “take a weed whacker” to regulations that allegedly make life difficult for small business owners. However, in […]
Lyft vs Uber Debate is More Than Business Politics
Personal politics and business deals aren’t the only issues on the line anymore when it comes to the fabled fight between Uber and Lyft, the two biggest ride-sharing apps in the US (among other countries worldwide). Bay Area app developers have been following the conflict for years, but the issue just took a sharp turn […]
App Store Reviews Will Let Developers Respond in iOS 10.3
If you’ve ever combed through reviews in the Apple App Store deciding which app to choose, you’ve probably noticed something weird. Unlike Google Play, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and most other review-based digital ecosystems, Apple doesn’t let developers respond to reviews. This is too bad for iOS app developers, because it leaves them completely at the mercy […]
Will Tech Leaders Jump Into Politics in Next Four Years?
What is the pre-requisite to being president? “Being a billionaire,” some might argue—and many have been, or at least multi-millionaires, before running for the nations highest office. So when rumors started flying that Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook might be planning a presidential bid for 2020, the tech press didn’t bat an eye—in fact, the move […]