How to Build Secure Mobile Apps That Keep User Data Safe

VR may have ruled the product side of this year’s SXSW Interactive, but security was the public issue most on the minds of iPhone app developers. The recent Apple vs. FBI court case over encryption very much drew security to center stage, with President Obama commenting that “this notion that somehow our data is different […]
How Healthcare Apps Will Revolutionize the Medical Industry

App developers have solved a lot of problems in the last five years. Transportation? Uber. Travel? AirBnB. Banking? The list is too long to even start. One problem that the tech industry has been slow to tackle, however, is the healthcare industry. Fitness wearables are on the rise, and some on-demand house call services for […]
What Twitter’s #RIPTwitter Fiasco Can Teach Young Startups

If you’re a Twitter user, you’ve probably noticed the #RIPTwitter hashtag floating around your Twitter feed. (Whether that feed appears chronological or dynamic is another discussion.) For iPhone and Android app developers, watching the once-promising unicorn startup drop in value from an initial high of $45 per share to today’s low of under $20 has […]
Obama’s SXSW Speech Underscores Encryption Uncertainties

Technology and politics are two of the most complex sectors in the national economy. Huge portions of the population can’t tell you what an electoral college is, or even name the mayor of their town. Outside the community of iPhone app developers — of which their are not nearly enough to meet demand — the […]
Virtual Reality Is Here. What Does That Mean for Developers?

SXSW Interactive is unpredictable. The eclectic mix of startups, brands, corporations, app developers, and media changes every year, with the only constant being a sense of playful innovation. One other thing that never changes, though, is the tendency for what’s trendy at SXSW to become trendy with the general public within the year. (Think Twitter, […]
SXSW Interactive 2016 Wrap-up: Emerging Tech & Mobile Trends

SXSW Interactive has an uncanny knack for guessing what’s next in tech. Ever since Twitter caught on like wildfire at the 2007 gathering, throngs of iPhone app developers have migrated south each year to get in on the ground floor of the latest tech innovations. (And consume a lot of craft beer and Texas BBQ.) The […]
Why Simplicity Matters for Mobile App Developers

“Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” —Steve Jobs Clean code. Minimal interfaces. Simple services. The mantra of “keep it simple, stupid” is heavily ingrained into […]
What Makes Startups Different From “Normal” Businesses?

First-time entrepreneurs and iPhone app developers often want to know what exactly makes startups different from regular businesses. Especially for those with backgrounds in “traditional” business growth, the differences can be confusing. It may surprise you to hear that the answer isn’t simply that startups are more tech-based than regular businesses. Although most startups do […]
Top 5 SXSW Events for Techies & Iphone App Developers

Some of the crew here at Dogtown Media is headed to SXSW this weekend, and heads up: we aren’t just in it for the bands. (In case you’re unfamiliar, South by Southwest is an annual festival in Austin, Texas featuring music, art, film, and tech events from around the world.) The tech lineup is incredible […]
What Is a Minimum Viable Product in Mobile App Development?

One of the defining characteristics of startups is that they seek to capitalize on new market needs rather than replicate old ones. In other words, the goal is to innovate. If all goes well, your idea disrupts the less-than-perfect solutions that exist for daily problems we all face in banking, health, transportation, entertainment, and every […]