Posted by:


From Amazon

Dear Mobile App Developer,

We recently launched Amazon Appstore Developer Select, a program designed to help your apps get discovered and give you more opportunities to boost your sales and revenue. As a developer with one or more qualifying apps live in the Amazon Appstore, you will receive the following benefits:

• Discover: Your qualifying apps will receive enhanced merchandizing in the Amazon Appstore, including 500,000 free mobile ad impressions across the Amazon Mobile Ad Network.

• Convert: Customers will receive Amazon Coins for purchasing your qualifying paid apps and in-app items.

• Operate: You will also earn 25% credit back on qualifying purchases of Amazon Web Services (AWS) products, based on your annual expenditure, up to a maximum of $500 per calendar year.

With the holidays comes a surge in app purchasing by new and existing customers alike.  Ensure your apps qualify and take advantage of the season with Developer Select merchandising benefits!

It’s easy to create qualifying mobile apps and games. They must render in high-definition (HD), be available for both Amazon and non-Amazon Android devices in the Amazon Appstore, and when relevant use Amazon APIs for in-app purchasing, mobile advertisements, and games.

For additional details on the ADS program, please review the program details here (https://developer.amazon.com/sdk/devselect.html?cide=ADS1) and FAQ (https://developer.amazon.com/sdk/devselect.html#faqs).  To check the status of any current apps in the store, please visit the Appstore Developer Portal and select ‘Apps and Services.’

Best regards,

Amazon Mobile App Distribution Team

Posted by:


Have you created the Next Big Thing in the app world – and now you’re wondering what to do to get people to use it? Whether you’re about to take the Apple App Store or the Android Market by storm, these tips should help get you started.

One note before we start: Overall, you want to focus your efforts as much as possible and try to stir up the most interest immediately prior to the release of your app – people tend to like trying out the new and novel, and you’ll get to the top of the app store rankings by racking up as many downloads as possible in a short period of time.

Understand your customer

This is really a basic strategy that should start when you begin designing and architecting your app – who’s it for? Housewives? Teenagers? Bodybuilders? Think about your target customer – or customers – and make sure you design something they can actually use. The best way to sell apps is to make a great app. Let your intended audience guide choices during the design process, such as color choices, styling and imagery – it might be a hard sell to convince middle-aged male runners to use a tracking app that looks like it came from an Easter egg decorating contest, even if that look might be wildly appealing to preteen girls.

Seek out third-party endorsements

Getting your app reviewed by people known as “influencers” – bloggers, tech writers and other go-to experts with a voice in the area you’ve chosen – is a great way to sell your product. Treat it like a traditional PR campaign – craft a polite email to your influencers of choice letting them know why you thought they might be interested, attach general information (a press release or fact sheet will do the trick) to help them with their write-up, and give them free access to use the product at their leisure. Be sure to use your best manners – this is a critical part of your marketing campaign, and you want to make a good impression. Don’t try too hard to be “salesy” – really emphasize why you thought they might find your app interesting.

Pay attention to reviews

If there are negative comments in your app’s reviews, address them promptly. Nobody wants an app that doesn’t work or that will cause problems with their device. Post back in the comments (only possible for Google Play apps) to let users know the problems have been corrected. Thank them for letting you know about the problem, as well.

Create a digital presence

An app works a lot like any other business – so set yourself up with a promotional website and standard social media channels. Use your Facebook page, Twitter feed and Google Plus pages to engage followers and stir up conversation – you’ll have a hard time making your app a viral sensation without extensive use of social media. Make sure there are instructions for how and where to download your app on all your pages – you want to make it as easy as possible for people to find it once they’ve heard about it. Use your social media channels to engage the influencers we just discussed, as a follow-up. And consider creating a YouTube video tutorial for you app – a quick how-to demo can be influential. Make sure to post the video on your site.

Buy mobile display ads.

Your biggest audience is, obviously, mobile device users – so be sure to reach out to them where they are. This is where understanding your customer can, again, be useful – where do your customers hang out? Buy an ad, and consider a special introductory promotion – a time-limited coupon or discount is a great way to drive sales.

Zane Schwarzlose is an SEO at Fahrenheit Marketing, an Austin SEO agency. Zane thinks that mobile app marketing is really different from other forms of Internet advertising.

Posted by:


The tradition of marriage is a long and storied affair that pre-dates many religions and cultures. In the past, much of the fanfare went into gifts and exchanges rather than the pomp and circumstance that we have become accustomed to in recent history. Nevertheless, weddings are an important part of most people’s lives and ensuring that each detail is perfect is paramount for many who want to remember such a beautiful occasion forever. Finding the perfect pair of wedding shoes is not only necessarily for the bride, but also for bridesmaids and other attendees. Especially helpful if you need to coordinate a certain style, there are various apps now available to help you select the perfect style for any type of wedding. Below, we will outline three of these apps and detail their benefits for proper wedding shoe selection.

Wedding Shoes

The perfect pair of shoes can really bring out the entire wedding ensemble, so it is important that you choose carefully and have as large of a selection to consider as possible. Thankfully, several mobile apps now offer enough creative power for you to do this. The Wedding Shoes app for Android devices is a great solution that provides hundreds of popular wedding shoe ideas in the form of high definition images. Users can peruse various designs, save them to their memory cards or even share them with their wedding planner or family. Available on Google Play for free, the Wedding Shoes app is a powerful yet simple tool that will help you make the best decision possible. Even if you one day regret your marriage, you won’t regret the shoes you wore that day!

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.andromo.dev182190.app187619

Wedding Shoes Design

Another great way to explore all of your options, the Wedding Shoes Design app is a portable and Android-based solution for wedding shoe shopping and brainstorming. Available via Google Play for free, this app comes packed with dozens of different wedding shoe images that can be used to help you coordinate with wedding planners and designers in order to achieve the optimal pair of shoes for the occasion. When you find several images that you’d like to consider, you can then save them to your phone or email them to friends and family. Perfect for those who want to customize every facet of their special day, you will not regret the simple and free help provided by the Wedding Shoes Design app.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appmk.magazine.AOUICCFQOABPBQEL

Women Shoes

Last but not least, the Women Shoes app may be yet another excellent app to consider for your wedding day. Available from Google Play for free, this application can be used to browse a variety of different categories of shoes – some of which are perfect for your wedding, while others may be better for other occasions. Any desired styles can be downloaded and shared with your friends, family and wedding planners in order to ensure that you’ve made the best decision. If you are stuck without an idea for the best wedding footwear, then download the Women Shoes app and give it a whirl!

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ilija.women.shoes

Featured images:
  •  License: Creative Commons image source
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned

Nathan Skinner, the author of this post, works at Walk’N Comfort, a provider of custom made shoes in Toronto. He likes to keep up with the latest smartphone apps and suggests the good ones through his blog posts.

Posted by:


For both iOS and Android developers today, getting your app discovered is often a bigger challenge than creating the application. With so much competition in the app stores and very limited time to make an impression on potential downloaders, doing everything possible to standout on the app store “shelves” is a perquisite for success.  Given that the text descriptions are limited, and user attention span is short, well executed screenshots may hold the key to the success of your app. Below we’ve outlined 3 steps to better screenshot marketing.

1. Your screenshot can be more than just a screenshot

One of the most overlooked opportunities by developers is to include marketing messages in your screenshots.  We recommend using words to capture and communicate the key benefit or differentiator for your app.  A brief marketing message set against a stunning backdrop is more likely to catch the eye of the millions of casual browsers in the app stores than those without. Don’t overdo it as the stores don’t want their consumers screens to be overwhelmed with ads when they’re expecting screenshots.

appgratis screenshot

The appgratis screenshots captures stand out visually, making room for marketing messages, and capture a lot of the essence in one shot. Remember most app stores only show 1-2 of the images on the device without scrolling.

2. Go beyond the basics

Another thing we often see is that developers ignore the opportunity to supply non-required images (near 90% of our developers stick to required images). This is like getting free signage in a retail store and refusing to use it. Google Play for instance only requires 2 screenshots but you can load up to 8. Using this added real estate effectively allows you to tell your story better to interested consumers and highlight key aspects of your app that can’t be covered in just the main screenshot.

3. Test and iterate

Finally, testing your screenshots to see which ones work best is highly recommended and can be done relatively cheaply.  While you cannot do simultaneous A/B testing in the app stores, you can test screenshot sequentially to evaluate their effectiveness.  In an excellent article in Pocketgamer, CodeNgo advisor Stefan Bielau discusses simple ways of testing the effectiveness of your screenshots using mobile ads and interstitial ads.

Posted by:


Whether it is spring, summer, fall or winter, great fashion deals can be found for every season. As temperatures change and one season gives way to another, you may be in the mood to do a bit of clothes shopping at a local shopping mall or department store. What happens, however, when you find that the price tags on your favourite items are far higher than you ever could imagine? This feeling is not a good one, but fortunately, you can find a variety of great fashion deals at local stores and through the web. Mobile applications have become increasingly popular as they provide users with information and comparisons for a number of things. This is no different when it comes to the world of fashion: below, we will review three Android fashion apps that can give you inspiration and help you find the best deals in your area.

Zoomingo Local Sales & Deals

If you want to find great deals, coupons and new styles from retailers in your area, then you have a few options. You could go online and search for a particular item and see what the cost is at various stores. You could also go to each store in-person and peruse their selections. For those who want a bit more flexibility, there is the Zoomingo Local Sales & Deals app. Available on Google Play for free, this app can be used to find fashion deals for men, women and children at a fraction of what you’d pay from the designer. It uses live information provided by local retailers to give you access to discounted merchandise that you might not otherwise find in your day-to-day shopping. You’ll even be able to use coupons from the app to save even more at checkout.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zoomingo

Clothing

The aptly-named Clothing app can be a great way to compare various types of fashion before you head to the store. Available for free on Google Play, this app will allow users to browse suits, shirts, pants, jackets and other accessories for every season of the year. There are thousands of different fashion items in the app, but this is not a direct shopping tool, unfortunately. Still, users will walk away with a sense of what they wish to find in their local department store or online. For that reason alone, the Clothing app is well worth the download and can be used to browse every single type of clothing imaginable.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.antonio.clothing

Dressapp

If you want to create and customise dozens of different wardrobes before you actually purchase them, then you will want to give Dressapp a try. Available for Android devices via Google Play, Dressapp gives you access to digital catalogues from all of your favourite brands – more than 300 in all! You can browse footwear, tops, bottoms, outerwear and more. The intuitive interface allows you to segment and combine various fashion elements to create a unique look, while the fashion calendar can be used to help you decide which outfits to wear on which days. You can download Dressapp for free and begin the process of true fashion augmentation immediately.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.slashmobility.dressapp

Featured images:
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned

Nick Rodriguez, a technophile, blogs to share his views and ideas on the latest gadgets. He works at Sewing Machine City, retailers of sewing machines for sale.

Posted by:


With tough economic times more of the rule than the exception, millions of people have suddenly found themselves with a variety of different debts. Between credit cards, student loans, IOUs and personal loans, the amount of debt present these days is higher than ever. In the past, debt was less common but also more difficult to track and determine – with interest payments accounting for several percentage points of your overall debt in most cases, these charges can add up over time. As technology has evolved, more and more people have been able to take advantage of tools that can clarify their debt situations and help them keep track of what they owe. If you want to be more financially responsible but need a bit of help, then continue reading to learn more about three Android apps designed to empower your ability to tackle that debt.

IOU – Debt Manager

When in the thralls of debt, we may often need to rely on the financial assistance of friends and family in order to make ends meet. This can be a bit embarrassing even if we are transparent about our situations, but it no longer has to be something that is difficult to monitor. There are many apps that can help users track their loans and IOUs, and the IOU – Debt Manager app is one of these solutions. Available on Google Play for free, IOU – Debt Manager allows users to create individual entries for borrowed money and track the progress of repayment. Users can sync this information to the cloud, export via spreadsheet, configure email reminders to ensure timely repayment and see the overall amount of money currently owed. Perfect for those who have multiple loans and IOUs outstanding, this Android app is a definite and valuable addition to your mobile device.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tubin.debts

Debt Tracker

Another great way to keep tabs on expenses and owed amounts is the Debt Tracker app for Android devices. Available for free, this stylish application provides its users with an easy to use interface that tracks all expenditures and can create reports for later analysis. When you need to find a specific expense or debt, you can quickly search by name or view a list of all added items. Users can also add photos to each item in order to remember more clearly what the expense in question comprised. With options to categorize debts by lender or by type, you can stay on top of all of your expenses via the Debt Tracker app.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.devmob.stillwaitin

Debt Consolidation Pro

If you want to find a solution for all of the current debt you possess but need a bit of assistance, then the Debt Consolidation Pro app may be just the thing for you. Available for free, Android users can download this app from Google Play. The app functions as a step-by-step guide that will request specific information from you and help put you in contact with various debt consolidation agencies that can help work out plans for long-term financial sustainability. If you currently have thousands of dollars in debt and cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel, then the Debt Consolidation Pro app may be a valuable tool to have by your side.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.approz.debtconsolidationpro

Featured images:
  •  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://pixabay.com/en/free-bank-financial-finance-loan-37557/
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned

Ruth Jennings, the author of this article, works for Loansaver Network, leaders in debt consolidation mortgages. She enjoys knitting and swimming.

Posted by:


With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can be hard to find a time in the day in which you are not occupied or distracted. With so many mobile gadgets now incorporated into our modus operandi, several issues have arisen that often either put us in conflict with safety or require us to do some pretty difficult multitasking in order to be on top of everything. As mobile devices have evolved, however, their ability to interact with us – as opposed to our extremities – has increased. Voice and hands-free communication has become much more prevalent over the past decade, but standalone solutions were the only option for quite some time. In the following article, we will outline three mobile applications for Android devices that can be a godsend for those who need hands-free communication on a regular basis.

HFT

Texting while driving is not only dangerous to you, those in your vehicle and the world around you, but it is also illegal in many places. This bad habit used to be a bit more justifiable, as those with mobile phones would have to pull over somewhere in order to read and respond to their messages – not practical. Fortunately, that excuse no longer exists due to apps like HFT. This hands free texting app for Android devices is one of the most effective ways to handle your SMS communications. Users can hear the names or numbers of those who have sent texts, hear the texts as they are read aloud, and can respond to them via their own voices.  HFT works with mobile phones alone and with Bluetooth devices, so you can get the most from the program in any situation. You can download HFT from Google Play for $0.99.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.socaldevs.hft

Handsfree

Depending on the type of Android device you have, you may need a hands-free add-on in order to take advantage of modern technology. The Handsfree application is perfect for transmitting voice to and from a wireless or wired device such as a headset while out on the road or while you are otherwise occupied. This will permit you to answer incoming calls and keep your hands free for other activities. You can also toggle certain specifications like the amount of time the app will wait before answering the call and automatic answering while roaming. Available for free via Google Play, the Handsfree application may be the perfect, basic utility you need for hands-free voice communication.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grichenko.android.handsfree

Choice Dialer Plus

If you want to navigate your contacts and make phone calls via your voice alone, then the Choice Dialer Plus app is one of the best free solutions currently available. Users can execute many different commands with the application, some of which include the ability to dial any contact, play your favourite music tracks, send and dictate texts, update social media and more. It also can work with any Bluetooth headset on Android devices upgraded to at least version 2.2, so you will be able to use this app either through speaker phone or wireless accessory.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.resounding.choicedialer.free2

Featured images:
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned

Jenny Wadlow, the author of this article, is a freelance blogger, currently writing for Headsets Online, dealers in cordless headphones. She enjoys listening to music and playing the piano. You can contact Jenny via Twitter @JennyWadlow. 

Posted by:


Managing your business requirements from a remote location used to be a real headache for travelling professionals. The laptop managed to perform a variety of useful tasks but in hindsight, it was fairly laborious on the whole. You needed to find a WiFi hot spot or internet café and fire up the old beast whilst worrying about possible hacking scenarios. So the modern Smartphone has arrived and we are starting to see how easy it is to pass these tasks over for our business purposes. You may be surprised to learn that millions of business users are still a little ignorant to the fact that these tiny devices can do so much to help us. With this in mind, we have selected 3 very useful Android Market Apps that can make your out of office dealings far smoother than you ever imagined – Enjoy!

Box By Box – Free https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.box.android&feature=top-free#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDIwNSwiY29tLmJveC5hbmRyb2lkIl0.

Box for Android is a very clever App that allows the Smartphone user the ability to share various files, videos and documents with co-workers whilst out and about. It is ideal for project managers who are never in the office but are constantly required to touch base. Files can be shared via an email link or by Bluetooth; it is simple but extremely effective. The first 10GB is free and you will be using an extremely secure setup. Box is already being used by more than 150,000 companies and 92% of Fortune 500 companies rely on this App. You can use other Android apps to access Box files and your co-workers will have no problems as long as you grant them the appropriate permissions. It’s a very cool way to share your work in a bespoke manner, we love Box!

Intuit GoPayment Card Reader – Free https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.intuit.intuitgopayment&feature=search_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5pbnR1aXQuaW50dWl0Z29wYXltZW50Il0.

Intuit GoPayment is all about processing credit card payments whilst on the go, and it also generates receipts and updates business information very quickly indeed. You’ll get a free mobile card reader and will never miss out on a potential sale when out of the office. This App is a must for travelling salespeople who never really close shop, even when they’re out on the town. You’ll also get a very clear view of your transaction history and this App integrates with QuickBooks online, Desktop and Point of Sale. You’ll find it incredibly easy to squeeze this lovely App into your existing business arsenal.

QuickBooks Online By Intuit Inc – Free https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.intuit.quickbooks&feature=apps_topselling_free#?t=W251bGwsMSwxLG51bGwsImNvbS5pbnR1aXQucXVpY2tib29rcyJd

Our final Android business App really allows the mobile businessperson the ability to keep a real clear view on business matters wherever they may be. QuickBooks online lets you manage your customers, sales receipts, payments and invoices with ease. You get a full view of your customer details and the ability to track payments and record sales all in one sweet App. Try the 30 day free version and see what you think. This App will save so much paperwork and you’ll never have to worry about missing a customer appointment in the future.

3 Ways To Business Perfection!

We think that you’ll agree that these 3 Apps will certainly make your life on the road a whole lot easier – Android…You Rock!

Featured images:
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned
  •  License: Image author owned

Kevin Smith, the author of this article, works with VoIP Superstore, leading VoIP service providers in Toronto. He is a great with the violin and enjoys writing music which he plays at local charity events.

Posted by:


We’ve made some changes to the Pay Per Download reports

 

As you already know, we launched a new Pay Per Download tool back in July, where we overhauled the old PPD infrastructure into a better platform, giving us an opportunity to start building out new features to help you easily manage your PPD campaigns on Download.com. For the past couple of months, the PPD performance report was viewable in two places: under the My Reports tab as a Pay-Per-Download Performance report, and within the new PPD tool under Reports. But going forward, the PPD performance report will only be available within the PPD tool. Not to worry, you still have access to all the same data as before, but this will minimize any confusion and organize all of your campaign data into one place.

For those of you, who are not familiar with the PPD program on Download.com, PPD is a monthly performance-based program that allows you to bid for the top five “sponsored” listings within your category. With the minimum bid starting at just $0.15 CPD and $250 Spend Cap, you have full control over how much you want to spend and only pay for Certified Downloads from unique users. Keep in mind that this is a competitive bidding program, so the higher your CPD and Spend Cap, the better chance you will have in winning the top placements. Promotion begins on the first of the month and ends on either the last day of the month, or when the spend cap is reached, whichever comes first.

To get started, log into Upload.com, go to My Products page, and click on PPD under your product name. The bidding window for November is now open and closes at noon PT on October 29, 2013. If you have any questions or need any help, feel free to reach out to us at anytime.

Posted by:


From Samsung:

Dear Seller
Thank you for using Samsung Apps Seller Office; we deeply appreciate your support for our service.The changes detailed below will be introduced as part of our ongoing commitment to service improvement.
1. New payment options added
– PayPal, QIWI, and WebMoney will be available as payment methods for Android in some countries.

 

Payment Method

Supported national

Notes

PayPal

 U.K, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia These options will be displayed when credit card is available as a payment option

Qiwi

 Russia These options will be displayed when payment is available.

WebMoney

 Japan These options will be displayed when credit card is available as a payment option
※ The payment methods are displayed when registering/updating paid applications, and the default payment option is different for each country.
2. IAP Improvement
– Improvements to In-App Purchase have been made for Seller Office.
In the past, applications had to be re-certified whenever the item price for In-App Purchase was changed, but from now on, this re-certification is no longer required Promotional strategies related to applications and items can now be implemented quickly and efficiently, as there is no need for re-certification after changing the item price. If you have an opinion regarding this function, please leave your feedback through the customer support menu in Seller Office.
Also, we hope that you will continue to support and use ‘In-App Purchase 2.0’, which we introduced in June. In-App Purchase 2.0 has the following advantages.
– It offers three types of items for users to choose from during development: consumable, non-consumable, and subscription.
– Non-consumable items that were previously purchased can be recovered after the application is re-installed, provided that the purchase history for the account can be verified.
– Items can be purchased in the USA. With In-App Purchase 2.0, American users can buy items from within applications by using their credit cards.