Discovering Startup Talent at the Knapp Venture Competition
A mobile app that brings employee engagement to the cloud. Revolutionary medical devices for spinal cord injuries. Year after year, UCLA Anderson students participating in the annual Knapp Venture Competition create positive-impact startups that have a huge effect on the community. We’re honored to be on the panel judging this year’s startup pitches, and Dogtown […]
How to Turn Your Beta Users into Brand Evangelists
It helps to have user data when developing a high-quality mobile app, and one of the best ways to get that data is by launching a beta version to a small, understanding group of initial users. Whether the beta users are friends, associates, or simply interested consumers, beta launches provide iPhone app developers the perfect […]
Stop Calling Them Bots: The Micro-app Revolution Is Coming
“Bots. UI-free apps. SMS services.” Technologists are calling them something new every week. Here’s the bottom line for mobile app developers: the revolution will not be televised — but it might send you a timely, helpful chat message. This isn’t a bad thing for Chicago iPhone app developers. It will, however, require development companies to […]
Why Experience Is the Least Important Trait for Tech Teams
Building a team is no easy feat, especially for a scrappy startup with short industry traction and limited funding. Even at big companies like Facebook, hiring takes up an enormous part of leadership’s time. The reason for this is simple: startups are an emotional rollercoaster for early team members, so it’s critical that they are […]
Dogtown Campaigns for Tech Policy Progress at AppCon16
Dogtown Media CEO Marc Fischer had the honor of joining over 50 mobile industry leaders and app developers from around the US at AppCon16 on Capital Hill, organized by ACT | The App Association. During the three-day conference last April, Fischer met with senators and policymakers to build bridges between tech and government. The event […]
What Developers Need to Know about the Email Privacy Act
Did you know that emails older than 180 days are available to federal officials without a search warrant? This is a surprising fact to most of us, particularly given the very public debate over mobile encryption taking place thanks to the Apple vs. FBI case. While the general public tends to view their email inboxes […]
Why Tech Companies Care about Maternity and Paternity Leave
If you follow tech, chances are you’ve seen at least a handful of think pieces about maternity/paternity leave policies (or the lack thereof) in the US. While it’s true that the US is one of the only western countries with a zero-paid-leave policy, the question remains: why do tech companies care so much? Is the […]
It’s Not Just the Millenials: Voters Demand Digital Security
A recent study from Purple Insights on behalf of The App Association (ACT) shows that an overwhelming majority of voters support encryption and privacy — to the tune of a staggering 93%. Thanks in large part to NSA whistleblowing and the recent Apple vs. FBI case, consumers outside of tech have become more concerned than […]
Material Design Levels the Field for Android App Developers
When most mobile app developers think of cutting-edge design, we think of one brand: Apple. For years, the company’s iconic flat UI has been the touchstone for great interface design. Thanks to Google’s heavy involvement with the Android operating system, however, that association may see a challenge over the next few years. Android Lollipop has […]
When It Comes to Freemium, the User Isn’t Always Right
That first wave of media attention when you launch a startup is always a gratifying feeling for first-time iPhone and Android app developers. Even if it’s a struggle to keep up with on the software side, the tidal wave of data from a spike in downloads can offer enormous value. As with every part of […]