Macadamian Blog
Building Cross-Platform Mobile Apps - When to Build a Native App
Companies developing applications for the smartphone market often ask us whether it’s better to create a native application using platform-specific tools, or a web application using modern web technologies. In our experience, the answer depends on the platform, availability and distribution requirements of the app in question.
In this, the second of five articles in our Mobile Cross-Platform Series, we’ll examine the advantages that native platform brings to the cross-platform dilemma. To do this, we’ll look at WebMD and examine why, in our opinion, WebMD made the right choice in building a native application for its WebMD portal.
Building Cross-Platform Mobile Apps - When to use HTML5
Companies developing applications for the smartphone market often ask us whether it’s better to create a native application using platform-specific tools, or a web application using modern web technologies. In our experience, the answer depends on the platform, availability and distribution requirements of the app in question.
In this, the first of five articles in our Mobile Cross-Platform Series, we’ll examine the advantages that web clients bring to the cross-platform dilemma. To do this, we’ll look at Gmail and examine why, in our opinion, Google made the right choice in choosing a web-based platform for its popular mail client.
How to Work with Someone 12 Hours Away
The Macadamian office spans two continents, four countries and four time zones. In fact, two of our offices are 12 hours apart. Our teams are made up of people from different offices so as a developer in Ottawa, my day-to-day activities usually involve work with colleagues in Romania, Armenia, and California.
Making long-distance teams work as well as local teams isn't easy to do (at all!) but it's crucial here at Macadamian, so we've built up a number of processes and tools that help make this possible. Here are my top four tips:
Key Themes in Health Software for 2011
Our healthcare team just returned from HIMSS 11. In the conference talks, and in walking the floor and talking to vendors, I came across a number of common topics and themes that I think will be driving factors in 2011.
Even Genius Strikes Out. Why Even the Best Designers need User Research.
Clients often ask me "can't you design something great and innovative without user feedback?" The short answer is "we might be able to, but there may be some high risk involved". Occasionally they'll push back, implying that this is the fault of my designer’s skill level. This brings to mind a cautionary tale from another field about relying on genius alone to deliver "the answer".