ESG issues have become particularly important for businesses, leading many publicly traded firms to release more information about their related efforts.

Unfortunately, the lack of standardisation in terms of goals, policies and progress monitoring has led to a proliferation of ESG disclosure standards and metrics. While investors are prioritizing ESG, general partners and portfolio companies struggle to identify, collect, and report relevant data.

This article aims at a better overview of operations: from data sourcing to data analytics to data transformation, esg metrics are different, but approaches, methodologies are similar. 

Which data?

There’s currently a mix of standards and best practices, the process starts with collection, which in itself is a massive undertaking. Even relatively small companies could be drawing on wildly diverse data sets in multiple formats, covering everything from water use to carbon footprint of a key supplier or exit interviews from employees who left the company. 

For most organizations, datasets about exploitation of resources are spread across 100s of operational systems, data warehouses, data hostings and vendors. Finding, organising, and making certain all of this data is of good quality is in practical terms impossible without data cleansing and preparation. Once the data set is assembled, it has to be analysed by  Data Analysts, potentially loaded by Data Engineers and potentially modelled by Data Scientists . 

Advanced data analytics and dashboarding allow organizations to know if they are meeting ESG goals and make necessary corrections if they aren’t. Data analytics on this scale calls for the ESG data can be centralized in modern, cloud-based storage infrastructure and data pipelines to ensure reliability and data integrity.

A modern cloud data architecture that can deal with structured, semi-structured and unstructured data coming in both batch and real-time is a foundational component. Analysis of this sort also requires that data scientists collaborate effectively and efficiently across business lines. 

NLP can help verification

That being said, ESG metrics are meaningless without verification. AI can add a new dimension to verification by using techniques from NLP natural language processing (programmatically extracting information from text) to graph analytics (learning how different entities influence each other’s ESG) to modeling (e.g. Pytorch). While AI provides an opportunity to programmatically improve ESG, organizations now face the challenge of adopting and managing the broad set of machine learning tools available today to make this promise a reality. 

All of this can be accomplished with a Unified Data Analytics Platform that allows organizations to easily and quickly gather data from disparate sources. They store it for accurate analysis in a highly reliable and high performing data lake that accelerates the rate at which teams can turn data into insights using machine learning and AI at scale. Big data and AI can augment the ESG rating data that many companies buy today or drive completely novel insights.

ESG metrics starts by aggregating and processing large collections of diverse data from vendors, IOT, news, geospatial, and emissions data sources. For many organizations, this requires a large infrastructure to build out. 

Key To ESG enablers are reported below:

• DATA PLATFORMS Azure Synapse Analytics, for data pipelines and data platforms. 
• DATA INGEST Pull data across all your different data sources, data storage and data types, including batch and streaming. Leverage a library of connectors, integrations and APIs for all your needs. 
• DATA LAKES Build reliable data lakes at scale. Improve data quality, optimize storage performance and manage stored data, all while maintaining data lake compliance and security. 
• DATA PIPELINES Run scalable and reliable data pipelines. Use Scala, Python, R or SQL to run processing jobs quickly on distributed Spark runtimes, without having to worry about the underlying computing. 
• DATA CONSUMERS Use your data for building BI dashboards, production models and everything in-between.

When organizations obtain an assessment of the data universe that constitute a view of ESG, they can analyze it, individualize trends, predict issues in advance, make corrections and create the foundation for a virtuous cycle of resilience.

To conclude a unified input of Data Professionals (Data Engineers, Data Analyst and Data Scientists), is the key driver to realizing the world-changing promise of ESG.

 

The story
DomFin is a company from Italy that provides lending solutions for borrowers (enterprises and individuals).
Our client’s product helps end customers meet the financial needs by offering financial services including credit scores, wide lines of credit, merchant cash advance, equipment borrowing, and business loans.
DomFin employed a SaaS lending platform that handles everything – from borrower evaluation to actual money transactions – without special personal guarantees or notarized documents.

The challenge
The client needed to increase productivity through a web application to analyze the loan solutions and fraud detection.
Atecha’s team was asked to establish a mechanism to enable the client to manage and analyze unstructured Big Data for improving the performance and ensuring financial products for all its end customers.

Artecha had worked on advanced data services platforms before offering Big Data processing and reporting customised models to other clients.
Due to the complexity of the project the team was made of senior :

– project managers for keeping track of each deliverable;
– cloud architects, cloud software engineers to build, design and develop a powerful dashboard
– Data analysts to identify patterns and trends in data sets, working alongside the team to establish client’s business needs.

The solution

Artecha has implemented a credit rating and intelligent anti-fraud systems to analyze card transactions, purchasing patterns and customer financial data. In addition, the data mining solution allows banks to learn more about online preferences or habits to optimise the return on their marketing campaigns, to study the performance of sales channels and manage regulatory compliance obligations.

Our data specialists followed a rigorous management methodology to ensure that best practices about data mining were followed; to optimize customer satisfaction, to minimize risk and ensure the highest standards of quality.

To support the fast growth of the customer base we have developed several innovative solutions that help our client efficiently deal with the flux of data from different sources and provide customers with actionable business insights.

1.Data collection and validation for building a dashboard
We collected data feeds from different sources: Saas platform products, customer CMSs (user data) and payment operators. Built on the Apache Kafka distributed streaming platform, the message broker is fast, horizontally scalable and fault tolerant thanks to data replication.

2. Data processing
A set of free open-source solutions handled the integration of source data, merging it into a cluster of PostgreSQL servers. We used Apache Airflow for batch processing, Apache NiFi for streaming processing, and Confluent KSQL for Kafka streams.By choosing these services, we removed cost constraints and made the system more scalable.

3. Data rendering
Our custom visualization solution is available to client’s customers in the form of reports, dashboards, graphics, and widgets. Widgets can be integrated directly into display context-aware data to customers.

4. Cloud computing
We achieved fast query dispatching and data collection from multiple machines, resulting in fast calculation speeds. SAP Cloud Platform allows us to tap into powerful computing capabilities to ensure fast processing and analysis of massive datasets. Large volumes of data were split into small chunks stored in SAP Cloud and could be easily processed within seconds.

5. Streaming platform
Streaming platform allowed our data professionals to analyze incoming messages with a delay of just several milliseconds and respond appropriately. If an event is classified under one of the rules configured in the system, it’s forwarded to the customer at their request.

Data specialists also verified if the user meets the requirements of the risk assessment machine learning model. We used Apache Kafka, Kafka Connectors, and Apache NiFi for the events hub and ingest processing.

The Outcomes
Our team developed an effective load management approach to increase capacity and handle high loads during peak traffic spikes. Our horizontally scalable solution allocates users to different servers.

We built a machine learning recommendation system that includes a mechanism for data-based comparison of similar users (based on gender, age, place of birth, behavior, etc.) and their buying preferences for products and loan solutions. Let’s look at the main features of our poweful dashboard.

Main Features
Artecha’s engineers developed  a powerful dashboard with an interactive recommendation model which suggests new lending solutions to users based on statistics.

Additionally, we built a fraud detection system, a model for predicting when users will leave the website, and an A/B testing system for calculating metrics.

An always-on architecture and a single-source data warehouse
The ability to scale tenfold, enabling our client to handle millions or even billions of transactions without increasing the response time for generating reports and performing real-time calculations
Improved report runtime performance data pre-aggregation

Technologies: Apache Airflow / Apache Kafka / Apache NiFi I Data Warehouse Solutions /Java / Kafka Connectors / Linux / Node.JS / PostgreSQL
Framework: Big Data, Cloud Computing, Data mining, CMSs
Team: project managers, cloud architects, cloud software engineers, data analysts

Businesses around the world have moved from self-hosted infrastructure to public cloud configurations. While most businesses will always need on-premise technology, they are developing their applications directly in the cloud. This allows development teams to focus on the product, rather than having to work on the infrastructure to support the application. By moving to the cloud, companies have an existing physical infrastructure that is continuously maintained and updated. This gives them more resources and time to devote to the mobile app development project at hand.

Currently, there are three major cloud platform providers that occupy most of the market share. They are Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). While Azure and GCP are growing steadily, AWS remains the clear leader in market share. Each platform has its own features and pricing which may match the development requirements of your mobile applications. Read on how each platform compares to each other. Ice providers offer high-quality services, with high reliability, high security, good performance, and with good customer support. So the market is dominated by the three main providers: Amazon Web Services, Heroku, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure.

Each CSP provides a number of products that cover everything you may need for your online operations. The three providers differ, not only in pricing but also in the way each provider group their services. Below, I show you the most common elements: infrastructure, auto-scaling, security, monitoring, and much more. The goal is to help you identify by crossing the different services provided by each CSP so that you can easily identify the ideal services for your business.

Amazon Web Services

 

The Amazon cloud platform offers nearly all the capabilities of the cloud computing industry. Their cloud services provide easy access to the processing power, data storage, or other functionality needed by app developers. AWS has many products that fall into many categories. In addition to the features mentioned above, they offer development tools, management tools, mobile services, and application services. As you can imagine, application services combined with IT and database infrastructure are critical components for a successful enterprise mobile app development team.

In addition to a wide range of services, the AWS cloud has been adopting cloud computing pricing since its inception in 2006. Their pricing is very competitive with all other cloud providers. Prices for their cloud services have continued to decline due to competition and pricing structures. AWS offers free service levels for startups and individuals. It is an easy way to try before your purchase. Additionally, development teams can purchase servers by the second rather than by the hour. Depending on the services your team uses, you can definitely find a reasonable AWS pricing structure that is lower than the cost of all the infrastructure investment.

Microsoft Azure

Similar to AWS cloud services, Azure offers a full range of solutions for the needs of app developers. The platform gives you the ability to deploy and manage virtual machines at scale. You can process and calculate at any capacity you need in minutes. Plus, if your custom software needs to do large-scale parallel batch processing, it can handle it too. This is actually a unique feature of AWS and Azure via Google’s cloud platform. Comprehensive Azure capabilities integrate into existing systems and processes, delivering more power and capacity for business development.

When considering Azure pricing, you need to keep in mind that costs will depend on the types of products required by the development team. The hourly cost of the server can range from $ 0.099 per hour to $ 0.149 per hour. Of course, if you measure costs by instance only, the prices may not seem consistent. However, the prices are quite comparable to AWS when you factor in the price per GB of RAM. As leading enterprise cloud service providers compete for your business, pricing remains competitive across the board.

Google Cloud Platform

Once again, Google Cloud Platform has a plethora of developer services. As an enterprise mobile app development team, you may be interested in the App Engine product. This allows an app developer to build applications without taking care of the server. It is a fully managed solution for agile application development. Plus, you can perform high-level calculations, storage, networking, and databases with GCP. These are all great products to use depending on the type of app development you’re working on. Although Google has some cheaper services than the competition, you can find all the requirements for mobile application development projects.

 

Where GCP can lag behind in additional features, it makes up for cost efficiency. The platform also has to pay by price, billing the “per second” of use. By separating GCP, it offers discounts for long-term use starting after the first month. This is great if you are starting a new mobile app development project and want to keep costs down. Conversely, it may take more than a year to get long-term discounts on other cloud service providers. Clearly, Google is putting pressure on competing cloud providers to keep market prices lower.

 

Computing

Amazon with its EC2 proposal (Elastic Cloud Compute) allows you to select the computational capacity, the memory, the number of cloud servers, and the operating system, choosing from a whole series of ready-to-use AMI images. Amazon also provides the ELB service of load-balancing between the different VMs and allows the self-scaling of computational capacity and DNS failover.

Google is not that far from the same type of offering, but unlike Amazon, Mountain View’s computing proposals were released starting in 2013. In the same year, in May, Microsoft’s cloud computing proposal arrived. , first with the name of Windows Azure and then simply renamed Azure. Amazon AMIs are the VHDs that represent the images with which to create the different cloud servers.

Storage

AWS offers a temporary storage service that is allocated when an instance is launched and can be attached to the instance itself or kept apart. The object storage service takes the form of the well-known S3 proposal, while long-term archiving takes place with Glacier.

Google offers both persistent and temporary cloud storage through the Cloud Storage service, while Glacier’s antagonist for long-term archiving, called Nearline, has been launched in beta these days.

Azure, for its part, offers temporary D drive storage and Page Blobs block storage, while object storage is provided through the Block Blobs and Files serve services.

Networking

Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and Azure Virtual Network (VNET) both allow you to manage isolated networks in the cloud, choosing the network topology, the presence of subnets, and much more. Google also offers more or less the same services, so in the networking field, it can be said that the real difference between the three big providers is the DNS Route 53 service offered exclusively by Amazon AWS.

A plugin is a program that does not act autonomously but supports other programs with the aim of improving and expanding their functions. They are pieces of code or programs that interact with other programs. For example, the most used and known plugin is the one, usually inserted at the end of web pages, which allows users to leave comments, but many others can be listed and for any type of category. Furthermore, they can be both free and paid.

Depending on the programs and software platforms, plugins are called with different synonyms:

1. add-in
2. add-on
3. extensions (e.g. the extension architecture for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox web browsers).

The ability of software to support plugins is generally a great feature because it makes it possible for third parties to extend and customize its functions relatively quickly and easily. This favors, on the one hand, the lesser obsolescence of the software and on the other the greater diffusion, the more numerous and functional are the plugins written for a specific program or according to a specific standard: an example is the commercial success of the audio production software of Steinberg, linked to the widespread use of VST standard music plugins. To facilitate the task for third-party developers who intend to create plugins, the software company or creator of the standard distributes – often free of charge – systems called Software Development Kits (SDKs), which contain features, examples, and developer documentation.

In the web environment, if we hear about plugins, it is very likely that it is a WordPress plugin, some other CMS (Content Management System), or a plugin for Javascript or PHP languages.

We can find plugins for the management of photo galleries, for the creation and operation of contact forms, for SEO optimization, for the creation of sliders or galleries, and for another infinity of functions.

Plugins save developers tons of time by giving them the ability to use code already written and tested by other developers.

Even plugins can have their disadvantages:

• they must be kept constantly updated (or you can risk malfunctions or, worse still, breaches in the security of the site) are
• not always free and in some cases, there is such a wide choice that it can be difficult an evaluation
• in some cases, you can create conflicts between plugins

Disadvantages, however, manageable with a little forethought and marginal compared to the benefits that can be obtained.

Internet Explorer 5 in 1999 offered its users the possibility to install additional toolbars and other small utilities, Firefox was the first browser to exploit the potential of extensions.

The ability to customize the browser through extensions, offered to Firefox users since 2004, was one of the factors that led Firefox to become one of the most popular browsers in the world.

To date, Firefox offers almost 3 thousand extensions including AdBlock Plus (to block video ads on web pages), Video DownloadHelper (to download videos to your computer from websites), Firebug (useful for those who develop and want to check the code in pages), each used by millions of people.

Chrome also has a considerable park of extensions, numerically equal (if not superior) to that of Firefox.

Here are the 10 WordPress plugins that make life easier, improve the time it becomes more productive. They carry out their work in a silent and automated way.

There are so many WordPress extensions that many features are developed by multiple plugins at the same time, but they are not duplicates, only extensions that can improve some aspects rather than others.

You can find free or paid plugins, but there are also those defined as freemium and that is free ones with additional advanced features and available only for a fee.

Best WordPress Plugins

The best WP plugins you need to have cover different topics as mentioned above. In particular, these categories are SEO, security, site speed, and marketing. Installing the WordPress plugins referring to these categories ensures you a safe, fast, SEO friendly site and basically suitable for any need.

1 – JETPACK

The name suggests the potential of this extension. Jetpack automates many functions such as security, site performance, facilitates traffic growth, optimizes images, an aspect that is becoming increasingly important, and more.

With Jetpack you are immediately in contact with the main search engines in order to maximize indexing and ranking in the rankings. Automatically generate a sitemap.

The security it offers against brute force attacks is also important. Always pay attention to this specific point, since especially at the beginning you tend not to take it into consideration. Over time your site will become more visible, not only to good intentions, we understand each other!

2 – AKISMET

This extension comes with all WordPress packages, even the basic ones. It is an anti-spam, it checks all comments and filters them automatically.

If you have entered the comments function of your blog, then Akismet will help you to learn more about those who leave, or rather, would like to leave a post. The moderator of the site has the possibility to have an overview about who comments and what they write, and then approve it or not. Not infrequently comments are used to insert a URL for advertising purposes, Akismet identifies and blocks them. This plugin is free, but for commercial sites, a subscription is required, as it activates advanced security features.

3 – YOAST SEO

One of the absolutely necessary WordPress plugins if you want your posts to have the winning features to climb the rankings. SEO has become increasingly important and knowing how to optimize a post is the key to reaching the top. It is one of the reasons why WordPress has taken up so much space.

It is a companion that helps you write in an SEO friendly way, suggests where you need to improve and how users will read your post.

With Yoast, you choose a keyword to focus the post on. On it is based the understanding by search engines about the topic you are dealing with. It allows you to enter a summary which will then be displayed in the preview. It gives you a score for readability. Warn about alt tags to be given to the images you insert. Finally, it allows you to give an orderly structure to the post by choosing the appropriate titles and subtitles.

4 – USER REGISTRATION 

User Profile, Membership and More by WPEverest

The title is a bit long, I preferred to insert it all since there are several with similar names.

On WordPress, you can activate the user registration function. What does it mean? each user can join your site simply through a registration form that you make available. This feature can be activated from the WordPress control panel. Click on Settings, in the drop-down menu that follows, press General. Now you can put the checkmark on: “Anyone can join”.

This method of joining via email and username is not exactly the best in management. And here comes the suggested plugin. It makes this feature user friendly and simple for users who want to sign up.

5 – GOOGLE XML SITEMAPS

This too we can define a WordPress plugin specific for SEO. With this extension, you are sure that the main search engines are able to index your site.

After downloading and activating it, an automatic XML sitemap is generated. The entire structure of the site will therefore be easily retrievable by the various search engines. It is interesting the automatic notification function that acts every time you publish something, without the need to do it personally.

Unfortunately, if you already have Yoast there may be some conflict.

What are the main trends in ad tech and the best marketing strategies to guarantee exclusive shopping experiences, retain existing customers, and reach potential ones through multiple digital channels?

Tactics that work

Marketers face three main challenges in conversion campaigns: being able to unify fragmented data, due to the variety of channels and devices used, overcoming the difficulty of measuring return on investment and other metrics, and developing a greater ability to connect online and offline consumer data.

The best strategies for ensuring the success of a campaign are optimizing ads on high-quality sites and promoting special and unique offers for consumers.

The secrets of re-engagement

The sales success rate for an existing customer is between 60-70%, while for a new customer it is between 5 and 20%. Returning loyal customers can generate up to two-thirds of the brand’s revenue.

Existing customers spend more on average than new shoppers, and shopping app users have high retention trends. Irresistible discounts, personalization, and innovative ad formats with attractive designs are three of the most effective tactics for successful re-engagement campaigns.

The GDPR emphasizes the link between trust and privacy

With the European GDPR law and the ongoing scandals on Facebook, privacy will be the biggest challenge for GAFA (Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple). Consumers want to be able to shop anytime, anywhere, but they don’t trust platforms at all: “How will they use my data?” This question involves all consumers because there are still so many aspects of this law that are still unknown. Information has great value and companies know it well. This is why transparency and privacy are at the heart of the debate. According to GlobalData, data privacy will be the first challenge for GAFA, who will face the emergence of new regulations in the coming years, while user privacy will remain the key element.

Beyond the GAFA, privacy is a global issue that affects all players. This is where user trust is at stake: we will finally find a balance between privacy and the need to track customer behavior.

Walled Gardens Will Undergo Stricter Controls

Following a series of data breach cases, the tech giants (walled gardens) have undergone more thorough checks on how they share and protect user data. In 2019, Facebook, Google, and Amazon are expected to introduce new data sharing and user privacy policies. This will allow for even stricter controls on user data and the information they share with advertisers.

Investments in video ads will grow, including on apps

Marketers will invest more in video advertising, improving the display of ads on high-quality sites through programmatic advertising channels, and will use Private Marketplaces (PMPs) to access higher-quality inventory. On smartphones, video content is mostly displayed via apps.

The power of data

More and more companies are using data in their digital marketing: the potential of data is essential to know what every consumer wants. However, a question remains: how are companies moving to face this new challenge? In addition to acquiring new tools, more and more brands are starting to collaborate with adtech-savvy vendors to regain control of their digital marketing. Years ago, we spoke of data as the “black gold” of our age. Everyone knows the importance of Big Data in the era of e-commerce. Now it is no longer just a question of collecting data, but also of understanding them in-depth to reduce operating costs, produce innovation, and improve the relationship with users through data-driven marketing.

The Growth of Social Media

Snapchat had no idea how much its ephemeral content could appeal to consumers and other social networks as well. The trend created by the application to upload images has been followed by other social networks such as Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and even LinkedIn, the most professional of the networks is thinking of betting on the format. And it works. There is no doubt that Instagram offers interesting opportunities for marketing and sales: the “buy now” button takes us to an online store with a single click. And for the business sector, WhatsApp has finally found a new channel for B2B (as the old solutions on the market were not considered legal). Businesses have to think about how they want to communicate with their customers because the differences between an “intrusive advertisement” and a “useful advertisement” are subtle and subjective. In this context, it is worth highlighting the role of private messaging and its active function in the growth of the business which will mark another new trend for social media.

Artificial Intelligence Towards Maturity

When asked “What is the main trend in the industry today?”, Surely the answer is still artificial intelligence [AI]. Artificial intelligence is transforming e-commerce processes, improving user experience, and generating more revenue. Applying AI to e-commerce could give a big boost to online store sales.

Will artificial intelligence improve digital advertising? Brands and agencies see this technology as a great opportunity for the sector. It is a lever to face new challenges and a powerful anti-web fraud tool that allows you to safeguard the web reputation of brands in their online campaigns.

Artificial Intelligence still has a long way to go. Another point worth noting is that the AI ​​debates this year felt much more realistic than in previous years. That the topic is entering a new phase of maturity?

Not everything we saw during this edition was completely new: what we noticed, however, is an evolution of the themes.

The use of voice and visual technology 

The use of visual and voice technology in digital marketing will become more evident in 2021. With voice search, engagement becomes even more convenient and meaningful for both marketers and consumers at every stage of the purchase path.

According to Gartner, brands that redesign their websites to support visual and voice search and provide more interactive and engaging experiences will see eCommerce revenue increase by 30% by 2021. Brands and retailers who will optimize their websites with voice and visual search will be able to get in touch with buyers looking for instant information even on the move. Furthermore, they will generate more effective interactions with consumers.

Cash is currently the most common form of payment, but with technological evolution and new approaches in the banking world, the growth of digital systems is accelerating. Forecasts speak of an increase in global volumes of 10.9% by 2020, the year in which 726 billion transactions will be reached.

Home automation, always-on mobile connections, Fintech service channels for users are substitutes for the classic ATM or credit card, for example, Google Wallet. The sum of all these factors facilitates the adoption of digital systems for purchases by people. The digitization of B2B payments also has a positive impact on the supply chain, thanks to electronic invoicing and digital signatures, that allows us to speed up, monitor, and safeguard the entire business chain.

The amount of data generated by the transaction processes can be classified as Big Data. Volumes of data that can be used in the business intelligence and analytics of companies that will allow those who own them to design new models of interaction between banks, financial services, and customers.

In addition to digital transactions, other factors fuel Big Data volumes: such as the growing adoption of artificial intelligence and machine learning systems.

Artificial intelligence is starting to become a tangible and applicable reality in the creation of new models of interaction with users and customers, especially towards younger ones. Within the banking institutions, an awareness of the value of data management increases, which pushes the search for figures capable of interpreting Big Data.

The large digital platforms have for some time been looking with interest at some services until now reserved almost exclusively to branches. Alibaba is already a major financial player. Amazon has a lending service, aimed at businesses that will then sell their products online. And Facebook got a license that would allow Mark Zuckerberg to make loans. Bankers’ protests, however, have grown stronger in recent weeks after the European PSD2 directive came into force on January 13, which – among other things – requires banks to make customer data available to third parties. There are two main effects: payment services will be able to manage transactions without going through the “green light” of the institutions. And, above all, that these “third parties” will have an enormous amount of data at their disposal, to be exploited to offer and suggest customized services to users.

The practical translations of Tecnofinanza are numerous, for example in Italy 25% of the population between the age of majority and 74 has used a FinTech service at least once: probably one of the most common such as platforms dedicated to mobile payment (PayPal, Satispay or Apple Pay), applications dedicated to the management of prepaid cards (such as PostePay or Hype) or by interfacing with the online portal or through real digital branches to your bank.

Moving from the single user to group users, the services dedicated to Crowdfunding have proved to be particularly effective where entrepreneurs, inventors, artists, and designers take advantage of the possibility of publishing and advertising their project, receiving in exchange funds from various entities from individuals who want to see the project carried out or by companies that are interested in participating or sponsoring the idea.

Obviously, a sector in such rapid growth and still relatively little explored is destined to attract several Start-ups that represent the perfect corporate form both to explore the potential of this market and to welcome its benefits.

With regard to already established and more branched companies, FinTech represents the possibility of reaching new customers or increasing the number of purchases by loyal customers through dedicated apps or new methods of purchase and e-commerce.

In this segment, new banking institutions stand out without physical branches and prepaid cards which, through direct control from a dedicated mobile or desktop App, have attracted many new users.

But Apps and e-commerce are only the “public” side of FinTech which, thanks to more refined software, is starting to use increasingly complex algorithms capable of unpacking and analyzing in detail impressive quantities of Big Data as well as using increasingly sophisticated forms of artificial intelligence such as, for example, robo-advisors, or rather complex automated mathematical systems capable of managing small financial portfolios and providing advice on investments.

The Blockchain

The blockchain is a shared and immutable data structure. It is defined as a digital register whose entries are grouped into blocks, concatenated in chronological order, and whose integrity is guaranteed by the use of cryptography. Although its size is destined to grow over time, it is immutable since, as a rule, its content once written is no longer modifiable or eliminable, unless the entire structure is invalidated.

These technologies are included in the broader family of Distributed Ledgers, ie systems that are based on a distributed ledger, which can be read and modified by multiple nodes on a network. The nodes involved are not required to know each other’s identity or trust each other. In fact, to ensure consistency between the various copies, the addition of a new block is globally governed by a shared protocol. Once the addition of the new block has been authorized, each node updates its own private copy: the very nature of the data structure guarantees the absence of its future manipulation. The characteristics that the systems developed with Blockchain and Distributed Ledger technologies have in common are data digitization, decentralization, disintermediation, traceability of transfers, transparency/verifiability, immutability of the register, and programmability of transfers.

Thanks to these characteristics, the blockchain is therefore considered an alternative in terms of security, reliability, transparency, and costs to databases and registers managed centrally by recognized and regulated authorities.

Blockchain technology has great potential to transform business operating models in the long run. Blockchain is more of an underlyned technology, with the potential to create new technologies and new foundations for the global economy and social systems, rather than a destructive technology that attacks the traditional business model.

The use of blockchain promises to bring significant improvements to global supply chains, financial transactions, accounting assets, and distributed social networks. This new technology can be integrated into different areas and its protocols make it easier for companies to use new methods to process and manage digital transactions.

Examples include payment systems and digital currencies that facilitate crowd sales, implementation of the prediction market, and generic governance tools.

The blockchain can be used as a tool to certify the certain date of a document and it’s not having undergone any changes. This application of the blockchain, obtained by inserting the hash of the documents to be certified, is called notarization. An example of this use is the notarization of the movements of trucks transporting the land of a construction site to ensure compliance with environmental restrictions and standards.

It can meet the need for a trust service provider, ensure less litigation capital occurs and has the potential to reduce systematic risk and financial fraud.

Automate various processes that previously took a long time to perform manually, such as enterprise integration.

Most blockchain applications include cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Blackcoin, Dash, and Nxt and blockchain platforms such as Factom as a distributed ledger, Gems for decentralized messaging, MaidSafe for decentralized applications, Storj and Sia for distributed cloud storage, and Tezos for decentralized voting.

The new distribution method is also usable and available in the insurance field such as peer-to-peer insurance, parametric insurance, and microinsurance.

Banks are also interested in this new technology due to the fact that they speed up the back office settlement systems.

Other fields such as the collaborative economy and IoT can benefit from blockchain technology as they involve many peers in collaborating online voting applications as well.

It can also be used to develop information systems for doctors, increasing their interoperability and safety.

Several blockchains have also been developed for storing data, publishing texts, and identifying the origins of digital art.

Banks such as UBS have opened research centers dedicated to blockchain to explore the various implications that this new technology can have in financial services and to increase its efficiency and reduce costs.

A further application has been suggested to ensure spectrum sharing for wireless networks.

Revolut and Monzo

Revolut and Monzo are digital banks This new service has revolutionized the bank-customer relationship, giving many more advantages to the latter, it is the ideal service for those moving abroad, as it clearly simplifies the process necessary for obtaining a current account abroad. 

The advantages of both are:

1. Ease and speed in opening a current account
2. Control of your budget and access to the list of individual expenses
3. Piggybank function, which allows you to round up the expense every time
4. Ease and speed of closing the account

Among the differences there are: 

1. If you want to send money overseas, Revolut is the cheapest option. Monzo offers the Mastercard rate.
2. If you want to make a profit, Monzo offers interest with its current account.
3. For ATM withdrawals, with Monzo, you can withdraw money for free from all ATMs in the UK. With Revolut you can only withdraw £ 200 per month for free

. Your choice must be based on your needs.  

The experts of Libraesva, a leading Italian company in the development and supply of advanced email security solutions, had identified the first attack on a large scale. A phishing email campaign with a link inside that boasted insights into the Coronavirus but led to a phishing page. It was then the turn of Check Point Research, which through the Global Threat Index of January 2020 warned that the coronavirus already became a vehicle for the spread of malware, and in particular the dreaded Emotet. SophosLabs highlighted a massive spam attack last week, spreading Trickbot malware, which steals sensitive data and passwords.

The Ministry of the Interior also raised the alarm on an email with a compressed Excel file attached that downloaded the RAT malware called “Pallax” to the computer of the unfortunate. It allowed hackers to take control of the device.

The precautions to be taken in order not to fall into the trap are the same in all cases.

If the subject of the message touches on a problem that is of great interest or that worries the public, the alert must be maximum. Cybercriminals know that the emotional component increases the success of a criminal operation.

Sender: Never assume that the sender is truthful. Any name can be entered arbitrarily in the “from” field of the emails.

Mistakes: Spam emails are often littered with grammatical or spelling errors. It is a detail to look for carefully and it is an unequivocal sign of a scam. The same goes for logos that are out of focus or with some minimal difference from the original.

Links: You should not click on links contained in emails. If the topic in question really interests, better conduct research independently, without clicking anything from the email. Look-are often used alike URLs– web addresses that resemble the original, except for one more or one less letter.

Personal data: Never enter personal data, especially passwords, on a site. In general, this is not a move to make, unless you are linked to a well-known login page.

Who has realized that you have entered your credentials on an insecure site, hurry to change your password promptly, before scammers can use it

Fake news

The above is even more valid when information arrives via social media. Concurrent with the COVID-19 epidemic, there has been a proliferation of fake news via WhatsApp. Thanks to the fact that news shared from group to group become viral in a few hours, the social network has become a vehicle for digital infection. In addition to completely unreliable news, false messages at best generate completely unwarranted fear and panic at a time when keeping calm is imperative. 

The only reliable information is published on institutional websites. When your contact or a group disseminates information, it is, therefore, a good idea to check it before taking it as true. If it is not, or if it is not possible to verify it, it is good to appeal to your civic sense and avoid “making it run”.

Smart Working

Another potential source of income for cybercriminals is Smart Working. COVID-19 has made many Italian companies discover that employees can work from home. Those that already applied smart working policies have extended them to the entire working week until a date to be decided. It is an opportunity, but it is also a risk.

Without the right tools, cybersecurity problems can arise. Here’s what companies should do to lower the risk of cyberattacks.

• VPN: Provide employees working from home with a VPN that allows them to securely connect to the corporate network. This should lower the risk threshold for computers that have always been connected only to the corporate network, and are now connected to home networks.

• Security Software: Equip all PCs with appropriate security software. In addition to protection, they must give the possibility to delete sensitive data in case of theft or loss of the mobile device.
• Updates and Access: Operating systems and software must be updated to the latest version. Updates often close security holes that can make you vulnerable.

Restrict the access rights of people who connect to the corporate network. In the absence of a pre-existing configuration, this requires a lot of extra work from the IT staff. However, by implementing these techniques, the damages in case of violation are limited.

• Spam: Make all personnel aware of the risks of replying to unsolicited messages. The reference is to targeted spam and phishing, therefore to emails with malicious attachments or links.

Ransomware Phishing Campaigns

RiskIQ security experts highlight ransomware campaigns targeting companies based in areas affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Cybercriminals would be implementing a well-known technique: phishing campaigns that exploit COVID-19 to infect victims. In this case, the malware used is AZORult.

The attacks mainly affect large companies, which work in markets or with supply chains in areas affected by the coronavirus. AZORult could be used to distribute ransomware. Cybercriminals target people who are tired or overworked, who can click on links in an absent-minded manner. The invitation to prudence and mistrust is therefore renewed.

Spear Phishing and Disinformation Campaigns

FireEye security experts have detected COVID-19-themed spear-phishing attacks globally. They are aimed both at carrying out espionage operations conducted by China, Russia, and North Korea against a series of targets and at carrying out disinformation campaigns. FireEye believes there will continue to be a use of Coronavirus-themed lures by opportunistic and financially motivated attackers due to the global relevance of the issue.

Instead, FireEye detected campaigns that use sending email attachments promising health information about the coronavirus. Too bad the files hide malware like Sogu and Cobalt Strike.

Proofpoint instead reports phishing emails spreading the AgentTesla keylogger and the NanoCore RAT. Both can steal personal information, including financial information.

Fortinet finally indicates “a significant increase in both legitimate and harmful activity based on the Coronavirus”. The malicious activity includes emails that appear to give Coronavirus updates from trusted sources, including governments, news agencies, and more.

the Android ransomware riding the coronavirus

The COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity that cybercriminals are using to target Android users as well. Thanks to the constant and frantic search for information on the pandemic, and the fact that many consult the news via smartphones. What you need to watch out for is the Covid 19 Tracker app, which promises continuous updates on the spread of the virus in the area where you are. Instead of informing, it installs CovidLock ransomware, a known threat that triggers a screen-lock attack, on your smartphone. The result is that the smartphone is locked and a ransom payment of $ 100 in Bitcoin is required in order to access it again.

Researchers advise to be wary of coronavirus-themed apps, and as a precaution to set a screen lock password. They also remember to rely only on official information sources for news about the pandemic.

“CoronaVirus” ransomware “CoronaVirus”

malware is a new type of ransomware discovered by CyberArk researchers. It spreads through the malicious website WiseCleaner. Best, which automatically downloads the WSHSetup.exe downloader. It is programmed to download and launch other malicious files, including Kpot and CoronaVirus ransomware. The latter encrypts the victim’s data and demands a ransom of 0.008 Bitcoin, about $ 45. This is unusually low for ransomware.

The general tips to prevent bad situations are: 

• Do not click on links that you are not sure of the origin
• Do not enter your data on sites you are not sure of
• Change your password often

In any case, the only official information comes from institutional sites, be wary of everyone else. 

Teamwork plays a fundamental role on a professional level. The more employees work together on a project, the more important it is to achieve good coordination and communication. Only when all the tasks are optimally distributed and the exchange between the various collaborators works effectively, will it then be possible to achieve the best possible result.

Equally decisive is the fact that all interested parties have the necessary means and information and that they are promptly informed of significant changes. To optimize the process, more and more companies are using project management tools that often allow them to work more productively, particularly facilitating remote work.

What are project management tools?

A project management tool or software offers several functions for project management. The aim is the optimization of the work process, whereby the individual tools are suitable for fields such as planning, organization or analysis. For example, a tool of this type can be distinguished by the following characteristics:

Mind mapping: many tools help teams when it comes to finding ideas and therefore engaging in creative work. Mind mapping tools, as well as other brainstorming functions, invite project members and collaborators to share their ideas and actively shape the project. In this way you can also easily involve the client in the creative process, as long as you want to and have been given the right access to the tool.

File sharing: One of the most important basic thoughts of project management software is that users can share their tables, documents and other data with others. Many tools offer a main storage platform and the ability to define custom access permissions. This way all important files are always available wherever you are. Project managers or project administrators thus decide who has access to specific data.

Real-time communication: Project management tools often include several functions for real-time interaction between all users. Commenting functions allow you to quickly and easily discuss unclear tasks and other related issues. Many applications implemented are also based on established forms of communication, such as video telephony, instant messaging and e-mails, or have interfaces to classic programs, such as Outlook or Skype. In addition, most vendors rely on storing tables or text documents in the cloud, so that multiple users have access to them at the same time.

Calendar: it doesn’t matter if you have a team meeting scheduled, important business calls await you or you have a deadline to meet: emails, phone calls or chat messages are a good way to inform attendees about all those upcoming events that are often quickly forgotten. The more dates there are, the harder it will be to stay in control. For this reason, the project management tools provide calendar functions through which all important shared appointments can be viewed at any time.

Work management functions: Good project management software is characterized by the fact that the team leader or project manager can optimally plan and keep the different work processes under control. In this way, the components are made available through which resources can be optimally organized and divided. In addition, many tools offer solutions for documenting and evaluating work processes and progress. So if these applications are used throughout the company, they also facilitate communication between individual departments.

Which project manager tool to choose?

Jira is a suite of proprietary bug tracking software developed by Atlassian that enables bug tracking and agile project management. The product name is a truncation of Gojira, a Japanese transliteration of Godzilla.

According to Atlassian, Jira is used for problem monitoring and project management by more than 75,000 customers in 122 countries.

Jira is divided into four packages:

Jira Core is designed as generic project management;

Jira Software includes core software, including agile project management capabilities (formerly a separate product: Jira Agile);

Jira Service Desk is intended for use by IT or corporate services desks;

Jira Align is a team-wide data aggregator for real-time work sharing.

Jira is written in Java and uses the Pico control inversion container, the Apache OFBiz entity engine, and the WebWork 1 technology stack. For remote procedure calls (RPC), Jira supports REST, SOAP, and XML-RPC. Jira integrates with version control programs such as Clearcase, Concurrent Versions System (CVS), Git, Mercurial, Perforce, Subversion, and Team Foundation Server. It comes in various languages ​​including English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish.

Jira supports the Networked Help Desk API for sharing customer service tickets with other problem tracking systems.

Asana: is a work management software usable on the web or on mobile devices created in 2008 by Dustin Moskovitz, co-founder of Facebook, and Justin Rosenstein, programmer and former engineer on behalf of Google and Facebook.

The creators worked in the first place to improve the productivity of Facebook employees: only in 2012 they thought of launching Asana commercially, proposing it as a simple system to help teams manage everything with a single tool.

With Asana teams of dozens of people can create projects, assign tasks, specify deadlines and communicate new activities.

Asana allows you to create digital workspaces, or workspaces, within which you can create projects and gives the possibility to have a complete overview of all the activities concerning the project that will be carried out.

Asana allows you to create Tasks, or tasks that team members can carry out and monitor together or individually. To make the workspace even more functional, Asana allows you to integrate other productivity tools.

Trello: It’s a tool for digital workers but it’s actually so much more. When we approach these new services to improve the workflow we think they can only be suitable for those who have a digital project. Trello has garnered so much success because companies and brands around the world, both online and offline, have started using this safe and simple platform. To tell the truth, there are more and more testimonials from those who also use it as an organizer of their private life or a holiday.

Monday: is a web and mobile application for team management. The product is a cloud-based web platform and mobile application, designed to manage activities, tasks, customers, track projects, deadlines, and optimize the collaboration of work teams. The product is customizable and meets various needs and business operations, including research and development, human resources, marketing, sales, product and customer management.

Case Studies

Hack Reactor: Read here how using Asana wall-to-wall has been crucial in helping Hack Reactor scale. 

Kickstarting Creativity: How Trello Powers Communication At Kickstarter: This case study explain how using Trello improve communication inside Kickstarter

How a $1 Billion Company Used monday.com to Create a Killer Company Culture: This is the story of how Avishai Abrahami, the CEO of Wix, overcame the company’s growing pains by creating a culture of transparency.

Each software has different features that can be adapted to the needs of the company. To make the right choice, you need to carefully evaluate what the needs of the company are.

Technology and fashion, two sectors that seem to have nothing in common, instead technology has had a great impact on fashion and making fashion.

Here are some technologies that have changed fashion.

• CAD programs: Hallowed to reduce the spaces used in the fashion industry. To make a pattern, you needed large boards, rulers, and squares. Now with programs such as Inkscape,Seamly you just need a PC. Inkscape is an open-source CAD program, open to users who can help improve its performance, the same applies to Seamly. Pro2CAD instead is paid and designed only for Windows.

• Applications Even the design of fashion sketches have gone from manual to digital with applications such as Prêt à Template with which you can draw on ready-made sketches and pass the design via email to the model maker.

POLYVORE: An application that I recommend for “fashion beginners”, available for both Android and iOS because it creates outfits by mixing the items sold by the main online stores, perfect because it combines the love for fashion and online shopping, outfits created are basic, but always perfect, for those who are always in a hurry and do not want to make a mistake with outfits for a special occasion.

STYLEBOOK: Invented by a former Vogue intern, it will help you dress up according to the season and the event you have to attend, just upload photos of your wardrobe, to make a database available to the application to consult and organize according to needs. Very useful because it becomes a sort of catalog of your wardrobe, sorted by color and fabric, to always carry with you and view when you go shopping, so it will never happen again to forget those lovely trousers at the bottom of the wardrobe to discover, at home, to have bought an identical one.

• 3D Printer The use of 3D printers has given a strong impetus to the fashion industry since it enables the realization of shapes and patterns are impossible to create with traditional manufacturing techniques, due to the 3D printing head is processed with software and sent to the machine which makes it real immediately, eliminating multiple steps, from cutting to packaging.

• The use of the Internet of Things (IoT): used to make the single item of clothing a means of communication between retailer and consumer, as well as helping the latter to understand how the product itself is made and can be customized.

• Big data and Artificial Intelligence: true marketing revolution of the second millennium, Big data analysis, and artificial intelligence systems, especially when combined, can improve both customer service and provide them with an experience that is always innovative and as close as possible to specific needs. of the customer, even noting the urgency in customer requests based on the tone of voice, the language used, and the emotion expressed during customer service calls, both bring a distinct advantage to the brand. Not only that: on the customer’s side: they can also allow him to subject his body or face to analysis to obtain precise answers on clothes, make-up, accessories, or other, more suited to his physiognomy; on the brand side, they can be very useful allies in the elaboration and programming of market strategies, production processes and analysis of results, ensuring a much shorter response time to critical situations than traditional methods.

• Augmented reality (so-called Augmented Reality, or AR): the advent of AR has, in fact, made it possible to create real digital dressing rooms, which allow, by means of a simple camera, to view the product ( on a mannequin or on oneself), helping the customer who is too busy or too shy to choose the most suitable solution for him in the comfort of his home and / or office and obtaining, in return, greater loyalty and satisfaction of the same, which feels fully guided and involved in the product selection process. The customer will have fewer problems in trying on a garment, especially when it comes to t-shirts or shirts (of which often the size does not vary from garment to garment unlike trousers) just use the application or the virtual mirror present in the store or in the store application.

These are brand extension or co-branding marketing strategies, which exploit today’s technologies, starting from the Internet of Things to get to augmented reality, to modify the traditional interaction with the customer, and make the experience with the brand unique and differentiated. starting from the message that the company wants to spread (by means of multiple communication channels, especially social media, a true bulwark of fashion 4.0, and of subjects, belonging to them, specifically chosen to represent the ideal image of the customer of a certain brand), phase in which the user assumes a pre-eminently passive position, up to the personalization of the real shopping experience, which instead places the user in a position of active dominance with real use of technology at the consumer service, and not vice versa.

So that users feel included, understood, and fully satisfied, being able to interact with the brand, experiencing custom-made experiences based on their needs, feeling they can in some way also influence the choices of the brand they are most affiliated with. The satisfaction deriving from such an experience determines in turn, in a customer-customer and no longer brand-customer chain, the voluntary advertising of the product, and the true global success of the brand, with enormous benefits for sales.

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What is Javascript? 

JavaScript is best known as a scripting language for web pages, it is also used in many non-browser environments such as node.js or Apache CouchDB. It is a prototype-based multi-paradigm scripting language that is dynamic and supports object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles.

Pro 

• Usable in both frontend and backend
• Lots of frameworks
• Fast and light

Cons

• Too unpredictable
• There is no way to control memory usage 
• No output in case of error

Uses of Java 

Applications 

Let’s start by emphasizing that the Android operating system is strictly based on Java and that Android phones consistently garner more than 85% market share. Add to this the fact that most mobile app developers call Java their official programming language. Java is compatible with app design software such as Kotlin and Android Studio. Java Platform, Micro Edition (alternatively called Java ME or J2ME) works as a cross-platform framework for building applications that run on all devices that support Java.

GUI Applications

stands for Graphic User Interface and Java allows GUI development via resources such as Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT), JavaFX, and Swing. AWT has several predefined components such as buttons, lists, menus, and several third party components.

Java web servers and application servers

The robust Java ecosystem has given rise to numerous web servers and Java applications. The web server space hosts servlets such as Apache Tomcat, Project Jigsaw, and Rimfaxe Web Server (RWS). Meanwhile, servlets like WebLogic, WebSphere, and JBoss EAP have a solid foundation in the commercial application server space.

 

What is Kotlin

Kotlin is a static programming language for JVM, Android, and browser, 100% interoperable with Java

Pro 

• Interoperable with Java
• Official Android support
• Concise

Cons

• Frequent use of keys {}
• There is no standard code
• The community is not very friendly

Uses of Kotlin

Kotlin for Android 

Kotlin is supported as a first-class language on Android. There are hundreds of applications that already use Kotlin for Android, such as Basecamp, Pinterest, and others.

Kotlin for server development

Kotlin is 100% compatible with JVM and as such, you can use any existing framework such as Spring Boot, vert.x, or JSF. Also, there are specific frameworks written in Kotlin such as Ktor.

Kotlin for web development

In addition to using for web backend, you can also use Kotlin / JS for the client-side. Kotlin can use DefinitelyTyped definitions to achieve static typing for common JavaScript libraries and is compatible with existing module systems such as AMD and CommonJS.

 

What is PHP

Fast, flexible, and pragmatic, PHP powers everything from your blog to the most popular websites in the world.

Pro

• Very large community
• Easy to use
• Fantastic frameworks

Cons

• inconsistent API
• Not very secure
• Community too fragmented

Uses of PHP

 

Server-side scripting

This is the most traditional and main field for PHP. It takes three things to make it work: the PHP parser (CGI or server module), a web server, and a web browser. You need to run the webserver, with a PHP installation attached. You can access the PHP program output with a web browser by viewing the PHP page via the server.

Command Line Scripting

This type of use is ideal for scripts that are run regularly using cron (on * nix or Linux) or Task Scheduler (on Windows). These scripts can also be used for simple word processing tasks. 

Writing desktop applications

PHP probably is not the best language for creating a desktop application with a graphical user interface, but if you are very familiar with PHP and want to use some advanced PHP features in client-side applications, you can also use PHP-GTK to write such programs. You also have the option of writing cross-platform applications this way.

Graphic design is a profession in which professionals create visual content to communicate messages. In today’s article, we will talk about the main tools

Software 

Here are some of the most used software

1. Procreate

This app made exclusively for the iPad is a brilliant tool because it simplifies the steps of a graph. It’s super intuitive and has a great selection of brushes.

Procreate allows designers to use the Apple Pencil to draw directly on the screen, you can save your work as a .psd or .pdf which fully integrates with Adobe.

finally, it allows you to draw on different levels making it easier to modify the work later.

1. Pixlr

If you are able to use Photoshop, then “Pixlr Editor” will be a simple alternative. It can open .PSD files and keeps all layers creative, making it a beautiful alternative to Photoshop. Pixlr is a great one to use for those who want to make easy edits [cropping, resizing, etc.] you can also have the functionality you need without worrying about a software license.

1. Adobe Photoshop

It is one of the most popular photo editing software tools on the market in a package that offers excellent graphic design skills.

Here are some of the key features: 

Design Tools: Offers many design tools for both mobile and web apps

Creative Cloud: Its synchronization with Adobe Creative Cloud offers many unique features.

User Interface: Adobe works continuously to provide a more customizable user interface. 

Open source GIMP software: If you don’t want to spend it, you can install this software for free. Consider installing it on a powerful machine to avoid lags and other performance issues.

1. Adobe InDesign

Adobe InDesign is an indispensable software tool if you work in the publishing industry. It offers excellent capabilities for designing magazines, information sheets and brochures by easily exporting them to PDF or HTML.

Easy to use: Unlike PhotShop, InDesign requires a low learning curve. This means that new users can quickly learn how to use it.

Adjust Layout: The “Adjust Layout” feature allows the designer to change only the template text and the design is automatically adjusted

Sensei Technology: Adobe’s AI-based Sensei technology ensures the automatic resizing and arrangement of images.

Adobe InCopy: Designers can leverage InCopy to work with other team members by sharing text, colors, and graphics.

1. Myfonts.com

Myfont.com can:

• Provide the archive with a very large collection of fonts (many are free, some can be purchased)
• Track the origin of a particular font by uploading it to the WhatTheFont tool Many

features can be found on myfonts.com or you can download the free WhatTheFont app on your smartphone. Many of the fonts are free, alternatively, you can subscribe.

1. Adobe Illustrator

From drawings to logos to photos, Illustrator generates all kinds of images. Digital artists love the ease with which they adjust levels and boards in this vector graphics editing program.

Adobe Illustrator can create:

• Graphics
• Logos
• Cartoons
• Fonts

Hardware

In addition to software, the hardware is also important, here are some of the most used. 

1. MacBook Pro 

One of the best tools for a graphic designer is the MacBook Pro, even better if it is with a touch bar and touch ID. 

MacBook Pro 15 “features:

• 3.9 GHz processor
• 512 GB of storage space
• Minimal environmental damage

1. Datacolor Spyder5ELITE

A properly calibrated monitor is essential to ensure that the screen displays colors as accurately as possible. Windows and macOS include both. own calibration tools, but for the best results, you can’t beat a hardware calibrator like the superb Datacolor Spyder5ELITE.

This calibrator is a particularly good choice if you need to calibrate multiple displays on a single target configuration, be it a laptop, desktop monitor, or a mix. 

1. Nikon D5300

the Nikon D5300 is a DSLR ideal if you are looking for something that works well and provides many years of reliable service. Along with a versatile lens, kit will help you get great shots without spending too much.

This is definitely a DSLR entry-level and cannot record videos in 4K, but it’s still images are super sharp (in part and due to the absence of an anti-aliasing filter) and the new EXPEED 4 processing engine means that noise is well controlled, even in dark images.

Today we will talk about the main differences between standard CRM and bespoke. 

Pros and Cons of Bespoke

CRMs A bespoke CRM system allows business owners to automate certain business processes that were previously manual.

Pros

• You can build a system based on exact specifications. If there are any extras you need, just pin them. There is a need for a team of skilled web developers and software architects who can convert the needs into a live system that does what it takes.
• Some industries handle sensitive information, such as financial services. If you need to manage information of this type, a custom crm can help a lot.
• Many companies often want to integrate all their software to ensure communication and collaboration between staff. Many third-party software companies allow just enough integration. If you have other custom software and are looking to integrate them all together, it is an advantage to create a custom CRM.

Cons

• You really have to start from scratch. Without a basic structure to get started, you build everything from scratch and it’s a time-consuming process. 
• The cost of designing and developing custom CRM software is almost always greater than the subscription costs and this is one of the major drawbacks.
• Subscribing to a CRM service takes away any maintenance burden, however, if you create a custom CRM, you will need to maintain the software throughout its life cycle. This leads to post-development costs and other technical requirements.

As you can see there are pros and cons to using custom CRM, it is recommended to create one if you need a functionality that is not offered by third parties if you need to protect confidential customer information, or want to integrate CRM software customized with other business tools.

Standard CRM

Standard CRMs, unlike customized ones, are ready-made software. Here are some pros and cons.

Pros

• Most CRM vendors provide training for their software as the programs can be difficult to use if you are a beginner. 
• Prices are more competitive, especially the initial registration fee.
• Software companies will offer you time to familiarize yourself with the software. This usually comes in the form of a free trial.

Cons

• Customer support is relatively poor 
• As you develop your knowledge or your business expands, you will experience limits with your CRM, the problem is that it cannot be customized
• . You will find yourself not using a lot of the tools that the CRM, and this brings us back to not being able to customize the software.

Microsoft Dynamic 365: 

With Microsoft Dynamics 365, you can analyze the performance of a company to develop an effective marketing strategy and create a personalized customer-business relationship. Additionally, this software can be used to:

• Generate and send messages containing automatic replies based on customer actions.
• Customize workflows based on the company’s requests and needs;
• Target customers before setting up an email campaign.

This software offers a wide range of features including marketing, customer service, field services, project management automation, and more.

Oracle CRM 

Oracle CRM offers email functionality. Marketers can use this software to develop and execute marketing campaigns, set up workflows, and perform comprehensive and accurate analytics to get a clear view of marketing actions.

Sales teams can use Oracle CRM’s advanced contact management capabilities to:

• automate sales processes,
• improve interactions with customers and prospects,
• predict sales more accurately.

Salesforce Sales Cloud

With Salesforce Sales Cloud, you can create personalized and targeted emails based on customer profiles to help the company connect with customers and potential customers. 

Here are some of the Salesforce features

• Create custom workflows to tailor responses based on customer actions,
• Intelligent Customer Service, to respond faster and more accurately to user requests,
• Reports and analytics presented in the form of custom charts to track trend of the campaigns.

The database is updated automatically, it is entrusted with the management of contacts. This database allows you to:

• Access customer and prospect data in lists segmented according to selected criteria,
• Remove potential duplicates with an account and the contact merger function,
• Monitor customer and prospect data to have a clear view of opportunities and of the actions to be taken,
• Access a detailed history of exchanges between customers and the company.

So what to choose? 

A pre-made software has the advantage of having everything ready, the cost is low and can be used even without specialized knowledge. The only problem could arise with the growth of the company, which could lead to needs that a ready-made software would not be able to fulfill. 

Customized software has high costs right away and you need to have very in-depth knowledge, but it brings the advantage of having everything you need. 

What are E-commerce Bots

Recently, more and more companies are turning to bots to transform the traditional consumer experience into a rewarding and personalized interaction. Engaging consumers has always been the priority in companies’ marketing plans, and now the use of digital channels is becoming the norm for faster and easier purchases.

Currently, one of the dominant trends in e-commerce is the fusion of online shopping and messaging applications. This model is called “Conversational Commerce” and is literally changing the way people shop online.

Chatting with a virtual store assistant adds personalization to traditional online shopping. Customers appreciate it for the new experience it creates.

Benefits of Using Chatbots

• No other apps download: This is one of the main benefits, as today’s users are tired of having an application for every little thing. Most chatbots are built on existing messaging platforms, so if you have a Facebook Messenger installed, for example, you’ll have all Facebook-based chatbots within the same app.
• No registration: Linked to the previous point, many chatbots are connected to messaging platforms to which you are already registered, so there is no need for yet another registration
• Information in one app: All the information you need is in the chatbot, just ask
• Increase in sales:  Many brands have noticed an increase in sales since they use a chatbot that guides customers to buy.

A brief history of chatbots 

How did chatbots come about? 

ELIZA is considered the first chatbot in the history of computing developed by Joseph Weizenbaum at MIT. It was in 1994 that the term “Chatterbot” was coined. ELIZA operated by recognizing keywords or phrases and then producing a response using those keywords from pre-programmed responses.

In 1995was born ALICE developed by Richard Wallace. Unlike Eliza, ALICE’s chatbot was able to use natural language processing, which allowed for more sophisticated conversations.

These bots were the basis for everything that came after, below we leave you some examples of how chatbots are used now.

Business examples 

A chatbot is a computer program that simulates the conversation with users to complete a service.

Chatbots for e-commerce are typically designed to:

• Complete shoppers’ purchases
• Offer customers product recommendations
• Provide support

Here are some examples of how chatbots can help e-commerce:

Sephora

Sephora’s chatbot on the Kik bot platform offers users makeup tips and provides product recommendations based on their quiz answers. It also redirects users to the Sephora app or site to complete purchases.

H&MH&M

The clothing brand has created a Kik chatbot that asks users questions about their style and offers photo options for users to select. With this information, the bot creates a profile of each user to make suggestions and direct the user to purchase.

Technologies for chabots

Technology is developing rapidly, below is a list of tools with which you can create a chatbot:

CHATFUEL

With Chatfuel you can have a complete chatbot in 10 minutes without programming.

Companies like Adidas, MTV, TechCrunch, BuzzFeed, British Airways, and ABC News have all used Chatfuel to create their chatbots. Currently, the platform has 17 million users around the world who have created 360,000 chatbots.

TELEGRAM BOT

Telegram is an instant messaging service created by the Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov which, in addition to using the cloud, is free. This platform has always been at the forefront of technological innovation and wouldn’t be outdone with chatbots. Telegram bots are like ordinary accounts, with the difference that they work through computer programs. Thanks to Telegram’s comprehensive HTTP bot development interface, creating a chatbot is very simple. 

CHATSCRIPT

The name of what is often referred to as the best tool for chatbots is ChatsScript. It was born in 2009 when Bruce and Sue Wilcox started working on a project to create interactive game characters.

Since then, ChatScript has evolved to include many advanced features. Thanks to this tool, Bruce Wilcox has won the Loebner Award for Artificial Intelligence three times. This project is open-source, written in C and C ++, and publicly accessible on GitHub for anyone to study and use. It is especially perfect for chatbots designed to have natural conversations with the user.

Analitycs

For advanced metrics, consider using a third-party analytics service to integrate with the bot. These vendors focus solely on analytics, so they can track a lot of insights into the bot. 

Here are some analytics services:

Chatbase: Google’s chatbot analytics platform, Chatbase shows basic metrics, such as active users and conversations, as well as advanced metrics, such as a Funnel report to indicate conversions. 

Dashbot: This analytics provider supports chatbots on Facebook Messenger, Kik, Slack, and Twitter, as well as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice assistants. Dashbot offers a free plan with a report covering engagement, user demographics, retention, and more. It also offers bot transcripts to analyze individual conversations.
Botanalytics: This analytics service supports 13 platforms and assistants, including Facebook Messenger, Kik, and Twitter. It takes a deep dive into basic metrics by identifying the best re-engagement times for users and the most commonly used conversation phrases.

In today’s article, we will talk about one of the fundamental things for a developer, the framework

What is a framework

For a developer, it is essential to know the frameworks because within them there are lines of code already made and ready to be used, in order to speed up the work of the developers.

The work of developers can be very repetitive, which is why frameworks were born.

But what exactly are they? 

The frameworks are a kind of frame, a distributed system of folders, and in the form of some pre-established code portions.

How to choose a framework

The first questions to ask when choosing a framework concern the programmer’s knowledge and the availability of the infrastructure. 

The programmer’s previous knowledge is fundamental in choosing the frame to use, as the choice is very wide, even if only considering the most used languages ​​(PHP, Java or Python)

Technologies used 

1. Ruby on Rails: Usually called RoR, Ruby on Rails has emerged as a firm favorite among developers. Since its launch in 2005, RoR is still completely free, is open source and runs on Linux. It’s fun and fast to work with. Some of the biggest websites that have been built using RoR include Hulu, Airbnb, Basecamp among others.
2. Symfony: This is one of the more stable frameworks and is ideal to use for more complex projects. Using this framework, developers gain the ability to create websites that can change as business requirements evolve. It includes a set of PHP components, a community, and an application framework that can work very well to help websites achieve their goals.
3. Angular JS: One of the most popular and well-known frameworks – Angular.js comes from the digital giant of the time, Google. It is essentially an open-source JavaScript framework that can help you build applications on a single web page using a Model-Controller-View (MVC) architectural model. 
4. React JS: React.js is an open-source JavaScript library managed by Facebook while being supported by a massive developer community. Although it is an ecommerce website development tool, React.js is particularly useful in UI development for website applications.
5. Cake PHP: CakePHP is a PHP framework probably best suited for website development e-commerce and is a favorite of most developers when it comes to choosing one of the best tools in the PHP format. CakePHP is built on the Model-Controller-View (MCV) model. What makes CakePHP particularly interesting is that the code for all of your old projects can be reused across it.
6. Asp.net: This is probably the most popular framework built by Microsoft and has managed to earn the respect of developers all over the world. Founded in 2002, Asp.net is particularly popular due to its ability to build rich and dynamic websites, web pages, and even web portals. In fact, a large number of companies around the world prefer Asp.net and consider it the best technology for website development.

Case study

Towards adaptive Web sites: Conceptual framework and case study:  From the abstract: “Today’s Web sites are intricate but not intelligent; while Web navigation is dynamic and idiosyncratic, all too often Web sites are fossils cast in HTML. In response, this paper investigates adaptive Web sites: sites that automatically improve their organization and presentation by learning from visitor access patterns. Adaptive Web sites mine the data buried in Web server logs to produce more easily navigable Web sites. To demonstrate the feasibility of adaptive Web sites, the paper considers the problem of index page synthesis and sketches a solution that relies on novel clustering and conceptual clustering techniques. Our preliminary experiments show that high-quality candidate index pages can be generated automatically and that our techniques outperform existing methods (including the Apriori algorithm, K-means clustering, hierarchical agglomerative clustering, and COBWEB) in this domain. “

React in a business prospective:  The report for C-level executives implementing or planning to implement React or React Native in their organizations.

This is obviously only a shortlist of the many frameworks available, the choice is wide and there is a suitable framework for every situation. 

Today we will talk about augmented reality. It is a technology that uses the displays of various devices to add information to what we see.

What is it?

This system acquires a scenario through a video camera and, through algorithms, shows more information about it on the screen. For example, you can frame a television with your smartphone, and information such as price, where to buy the television and technical characteristics can appear on the display. 

Augmented reality is also used for some games such as Pokemon go, in some cases special helmets and glasses are used.

Examples of Augmented Reality

Disney

In 2015, Disney developed technology that made characters in a coloring book come to life as they were colored. This is one of the examples of how augmented reality can be integrated into a fun activity. 

Here is the video 

L’Oreal

L’Oreal, in partnership with Perfect Crop, have integrated the makeup with the YouCam Makeup app. The aim is to meet the needs of consumers, allowing them to try on makeup by looking in an app. 

In fact, thanks to these apps you can often try and buy products directly. 

IKEA

IKEA, thanks to its IKEA place app, allows you to choose any piece of furniture from the catalog and see it as it would look in your home. 

Pokemon Go

You could not fail to mention Pokemon Go. This app has been a big hit for a long time and allows you to catch pokemon while walking. Pokemon appear on the screen as you walk. 

How AR can be useful in business

Try before you buy: Augmented reality can help the consumer to try a product before buying it, without leaving home. You can use apps that allow customers to try on a dress without leaving home, or place tablets in the store to allow customers to “try on” what they want. The same concept applies to many areas, for example, when building a house, augmented reality can be used to show customers what the house will look like.

Increase the interaction with the brand: Thanks to augmented reality, customers will feel closer to the brand and will have much more desire to interact and to return to buy.

Explanation of complicated concepts: Sometimes it is difficult to explain certain concepts to clients, for example when building a house it can be difficult to explain to the client how it will come in the end. Augmented reality helps a lot in this, as it allows the customer to see the final result with his own eyes.

Training: Bringing AR technology into a classroom can make education more engaging, interactive, and make even the most boring subject fun. By downloading and accessing the apps on their phones, students can get more detailed information and instructions and, most importantly, a better understanding of the topic.

Augmented reality is a big step forward in technology and, when leveraged, can lead a business to take a step forward. 

Some time ago we talked about Native-app and Cross-Platform apps, React Native and Flutter are used to build cross-platform apps.

There are many companies that need their app, and many companies prefer to make cross-platform apps because, in terms of costs, they are less demanding. 

In this article, we will talk about these two platforms.

What is react native 

React Native is a framework designed by Facebook and made open source since 2015. It is used to make cross-platform apps.

React Native uses Javascript, which is a very popular language at the moment and can be used without problems with a little training. Also, almost anything can be done with Javascript.

So React Native is effective for: 

• Cross-platform app development Building
• apps using the JavaScript language
• Application development for both Android and iOS using a single code base
• Using the same design as React

Pros and Cons

Pros: 

• Fast updates: Whenever you change something in the app you can enter the code directly on the working app, this allows the developer to see the changes immediately, without having to rebuild the app from scratch.
• Being a cross-platform app framework, it allows you to use code to build apps suitable for both IOS and Android
• Stability: This framework has been around since 2015, so Facebook developers have had plenty of time to stabilize the API

Cons: 

• Not è Native: Obviously the experience of a cross-platform app is not the same as a Native one, so developing an app with React Native, the experience will be similar to a Native app, but not identical. 
• Freedom of choice: It can be an advantage, but also a disadvantage as it can take a long time to decide which shades to give to the app.
• Applications Larger Than Native: Applications written in React Native must be able to execute Javascript (JavaScript Virtual Machine) code. Android does not have this feature by default, which means that applications must include a library that supports JavaScript code, so the apps will be larger than their native counterparts.

What is flutter

Flutter is a project born in 2017 by Google and is an easy way to develop apps for mobile, web and desktop. 

Flutter is free as well as open-source. Furthermore, it is based on DART, a programming language developed by Google, it is relatively new and easy to learn, especially for those who already know Java and C #

Pros and Cons

Pros: 

• Fast: From the point of view of developers, Flutter is fast and very dynamic. Also, you can make changes in the app and see them right away. 
• One code: Even with flutter you can develop cross-platform apps, this means that with a single code you can make apps for both IOS and Android.
• 50% fewer tests: The process to test the quality of the app is much faster and up to 50% fewer tests can be performed. 

Cons

• Community: Flutter is very recent so the community is not very large, also Dart is not a very used programming language. 
• Support: There isn’t much support for CI platforms like Travis or Jenkins for now.
• App size: Apps developed with Flutter are very large compared to Native apps.

Case Study 

Flutter vs React Native vs Native: Deep Performance Comparison: We compare the performance of FPS, CPU, memory, and GPU of the most popular development tools for mobile devices. 

Cross-platform Mobile Development: Flutter Vs React Native Development Comparison and Performance Checks: What’s behind these two frameworks? Why are they popular? Which is more effective? How can Flutter be better than one of the already established technologies like React Native?

Flutter vs React Native: What to choose to build your mobile app in 2020? (developer insights): What is the best framework from a developer’s point of view? 

Which one to use of the two? 

React Native and Flutter are very similar to each other, in general, the advice is to understand what your needs are and make a decision. React Native has the advantage that it is more mature, Flutter has the advantage of ease and speed.

In any case, for the development of cross-platform apps, these two frameworks are really valid. 

In this article, we will make a comparison between two CMS: WordPress and React. 

Let’s start by understanding what a CMS is.

CMS

CMS is the abbreviation of Content Management System, that is, a system that allows you to manage the contents of a website without having to have specific technical skills. In other words, a CMS allows us to create a website from scratch without having to know how to program.

A CMS consists of two parts: 

• CMA (Content Management Application): the part that allows you to add content on the
• CDA (Content Delivery Application) site: The backend process that allows content to be visible to visitors

WordPress

WordPress is an open-source content management system licensed with GPLv2, anyone can use or edit WordPress software for free.

Years ago WordPress was used only to build blogs, but now it is used to build sites of all kinds, blogs, e-commerce, and business portals. 

What are the advantages of using WordPress? 

1. Easy to install to start building a website
2. You learn to use it easily if you want to build a site with basic functions, WordPress is very suitable. 
3. Plug-ins and themes that allow you to customize the site very easily. 
4. SEO: WordPress SEO plugins are among the best. 

React 

React is a Javascript library for creating user interfaces. It can be used for creating applications or websites.

What are the advantages of using React? 

1. Speed: Websites made with React are very fast, users really like speed
2. Native apps: Once you learn how to use React, you can start using React Native to create an app. 
3. Free libraries and support: Almost all the libraries are free and there is a very united community ready to give all the advice you need.

Case Studies

RollingStone.com – A WordPress Migration and Redesign Case Study                               Rolling Stone is a brand exceptionally loved by millions of readers. When Penske Media Corporation (PMC) made a strategic investment in the property, he partnered with XWP in 2018 to migrate the site to WordPress, while updating the brand’s website design.

Case study of SSR with React in a large e-commerce app, In this case, study it is presented how the Server-Side Rendering (SSR) with React was implemented in an e-commerce application for one of Norway’s largest telco brands, Telia.

Which one to use of the two? 

Before launching a web development project, it must be remembered that React and WordPress are different solutions, therefore it all depends on the type of site and the knowledge available.

In general, in the absence of specific coding knowledge, it is better to turn to WordPress. In any case, nothing prevents you from using React to build the theme to be used for the site and to use WordPress to manage all the data. 

What is Python 

Python is a programming language. Its high-level integrated data structures, combined with dynamic typing and dynamic association, make it very attractive for rapid application development. It is easy to learn, versatile, and very stable and is used for a wide range of problems. It is also suitable for most applications. 

Some areas where Python can be used are: 

• Web and software development: Python is very easy to read and allows you to use little code compared to other languages
• Game development: Despite being a little known thing, python can also be used for the development of the games. For example, a game developed with python is Battlefield 2. 
• Machine Learning: Python has a huge library on machine learning, like Pandas which is constantly updated and everything is very easy to learn.

Why use Python

Here are some reasons why you should use Python.

• Python is readable and sustainable: Thanks to Python you can develop customized applications without adding code, the readability of this code allows you to maintain and update the software without too much effort
• Compatible with the major platforms: At the moment Python is supported by the major operating systems, and you can use the same code on multiple platforms without having to change anything. 
• Large Library: The Python library allows you to choose from a vast amount of modules according to your specific need. 
• Open Source Tools: Being an open-source programming language, Python allows you to significantly cut software development costs. Using the available open-source resources it is possible to shorten the development time without increasing the time. It
• simplifies the development of complex software: Being a programming language for generic use, it can be used both for the development of desktop and web applications.

Python frameworks

A Web framework is a collection of packages or modules that allows developers to write Web applications or services without having to manage low-level details such as protocols, sockets, or process/thread management. Given the ease of reading and writing, Python is present almost everywhere, it also offers many frameworks. 

Here are some:

• Django: Django is the most used and easy to use, it is perfect if the app you want to do is simple, because it allows you to skip some initial steps that are required with other frameworks instead.
• Flask: Unlike Django, Flask does not carry on the philosophy of a complete package, it is more a glue among the various libraries. It is light and easy to use. 
• Bottle: This framework is also very light and depends only on Python, it is perfect for prototyping or as a tool to learn how to use Python.
• Pyramid: Pyramid is a framework that is best used for complex and more particular projects, unlike previous frameworks which are perfect for more standard projects.

Who uses Python

As mentioned above, python used by many companies. Here are some examples of 

• Google: Google has supported Python from the beginning. Google’s founders initially decided to use Python where possible and C ++ where Python could not be used. This meant that C ++ was used where memory control was indispensable and low latency was desired. In other facets, Python allowed ease of maintenance and relatively fast delivery.
• Facebook: On Facebook, Python is the third most popular language for the social media giant (right behind C ++ and their proprietary PHP dialect, Hack). On average, there are over 5,000 commitments for utilities and services on Facebook, infrastructure management, binary distribution, hardware imaging, and operational automation.

The ease of use of Python libraries means that production engineers don’t have to write or store multiple codes, allowing them to focus on real-time improvement. It also ensures that Facebook’s infrastructure is able to scale efficiently.

• Spotify: The streaming giant is a big fan of Python, which uses language primarily for data analysis and back-end services. On the back end, there are many services that all communicate on 0MQ or ZeroMQ, an open-source network library, and a framework written in Python and C ++ (among other languages).

The reasons that made Python the most used programming language in the tech world are therefore evident and with its vast library, it is possible to develop both simple and complex Apps.

In today’s article, we will talk about the UX (User Experience) and why it is so important for an application.

What is the UX 

The user experience, also known as UX, is what the user experiences using the app. Therefore, when it comes to designing mobile applications, UX always has a very high priority.

The user experience includes every aspect of user interaction with the app. The idea of ​​the UX is to gain users’ trust by developing an app that is simple to use but also leaves the user satisfied.  

Why is it important? 

Have you ever downloaded an app and found that besides being aesthetically ugly, it was also difficult to use? 

That was an app built without considering the UX. 

When developing an app, there are several aspects to consider, one of which is that the app gains user trust. To do this, the app must be simple to use, fast, and running smoothly. 

An app that crashes often or that is too difficult to use will not win user trust, which is why it is very important to rely on very competent developers. 

UI what it is and why it is important to talk about it

You cannot talk about UX without mentioning UI. UI stands for User Interface, and it is the way in which the user interacts with the app, therefore it concerns all the control elements of the app (buttons, blocks etc ..)

UI and UX go hand in hand, without a pleasant and easy to use interface, the user will not have a good user experience.

Tips on how to design an app

But what are the important things to know to draw a nice app? 

1. Uniformity: Maintaining a uniform design throughout the app is very important. The buttons must be the same as the colors for the whole app. 
2. Fast loading: the app loading must be fast, so don’t make a too heavy design. The user wants to save time, so an app that loads slowly will not give a good UX
3. Use familiar elements: Use elements similar to those that are used in most apps, this will help the user quickly understand how to use the ‘app. Your users don’t want to waste time understanding how an app works, so keeping a familiar design is a very important point.
4. Interactivity: An interactive app allows you to create a deeper connection with the user. So it is much better to make it easy to navigate from one window to another.
5. Simple and linear design: The design must remain very simple and linear, it is useless to make an app with too many elements and a particular design because it could dismiss the user who would have a bad User Experience.
6. Search button: it is very useful to insert a search box in your app, in order to allow the user to quickly search for what he needs. 
7. Testing: Before launching the app, test it in order to receive feedback and improve it. 

Useful Tools

1. Sketch: With Sketch, you can make prototypes in no time, it is also equipped with many plugins that integrate without problems. Available for both teams and freelancers.
2. InVision Studio: InVision offers a series of tools that are easy to use and that simplify communication with collaborators. The free version can be downloaded from the site.
3. Axure: With Axure you can create prototypes very easily and has a sliding interface that allows you to document everything gradually. A trial version is available on the site, the paid versions range from $ 29 per month.
4. Wireframe.cc – Thanks to this tool you can draw, share, and add notes to projects.
5. Draw.io – It integrates with various tools such as Google Drive allows exports in different formats, but you can not do usability tests 

The best apps for UX and UI 

1. Paypal: On this app the password is simplicity. Very easy to use and very simple design, which is always useful for an excellent User Experience

1. Eventbrite: This app allows you to easily find events in your area. The design is very simple to use and visibly pleasing. The interface is convenient to use both for those who organize the event and for those looking for.

The UX evolves every day, so it is important to stay updated on the latest news. 

Native apps vs Cross platforms has always been a hotly debated topic. In today’s article, we will see the main differences between the two and the pros and cons of each. 

Before the birth of an app, you have to choose which platform to do it for. Android and iOS are the most used, but there are smaller platforms to consider. In general, you should choose the one where your target audience is.

Let’s start by understanding what is the main difference between Native apps and Cross Platforms app. 

Native apps are applications made exclusively for a platform, therefore, for example, apps that exist only on Android and not on Ios, this allows developers to take advantage of all the features of the platform. Cross-Platform applications are made for all platforms, generally, they are made for the two main platforms, Ios and Android using HTML or CSS.

Native Apps: 

Performance: Certainly the performance for native apps is fantastic, as the app is made for a specific platform, taking advantage of all its peculiarities. The app is therefore faster and with very few errors. 

Features: The developers in this case have the advantage of being able to exploit all the potential of the platform that they will use.

Practicality: In this case, the Native apps are not very practical. They are more expensive to maintain and develop, moreover, often more apps must be created for the different platforms, therefore the costs for updates and maintenance increases. 

Creating a Native app has many advantages, but it can be an expensive choice which is why sometimes the cheapest option is chosen, i.e. the cross platforms app. 

Tool For Native apps

For IOS the tool to use are:

1. XCode: It includes everything you need to build incredible apps 
2. AppCode: AppCode takes care of routine activities and saves you from additional typing

For Android among the options there are:

1. Android Studio: It offers the fastest tools for creating apps on any type of Android device.
2. IntelliJ IDEA: intelligent coding assistance and ergonomic design make development not only productive but also fun.

Cross-platform apps:

Performance: Having been built for all platforms, this type of app may have problems on some devices. 

Features: Despite the convenience of having the app on multiple platforms, you cannot use all the potential of all the platforms, as the apps would risk not working on many devices. 

Practicality: Cross-platform apps are the cheapest to develop and maintain, you have to be careful of the bugs that may arise on some devices.

Cross-Platform Tool:

1. React Native: It is used to develop applications for Android, iOS, Web and UWP allowing developers to use React together with the functionality of the native platform.
2. Xamarin: A platform for developing Android and iOS apps with .NET and C #.

Case studies

• A Case Study of Cross-Platform Web Application Capability: From the abstract: ”This study applies the existing knowledge on native and web applications to a specific case study. We compare the strengths and drawbacks of native applications versus web apps with emphasis on cross-platform functionality. 
• Comparison of Native, Cross-Platform and Hyper Mobile Development Tools Approaches for iOS and Android Mobile Applications: From the abstract: “To take a position in the competitive mobile application market, most of the Information Technology (IT) companies have to develop the same application for various mobile operating systems. To solve this issue, Cybercom provided a thesis topic and a project which decreased development time by sharing the same core functions between Android and iOS applications. 

Which option to choose then?

Choose to develop a native app if: 

1. The application requires access to phone services
2. The application must be fast
3. The application must be updated and must remain valid over time.

Choose a cross-platform app if: 

1. It’s okay if the app is a bit slow
2. The application does not have too complicated features (for example animations)
3. You have little time and budget to develop the app

In any case, the choice must be made in view of the end-user, as each market has its own peculiarities.

With New Digital Payment we mean the set of digital payments made through the use of innovative technologies. These can be further classified based on the purchase situation and on the type of device used.

This category includes payments made via smartphones which are further classified into:

• Mobile Remote Payment: mainly used for online purchases and for P2P exchange via mobile site or mobile app and which require payment by debit card, telephone credit, or e-wallet.

• Mobile Proximity Payment: mainly used for in-store payment which requires a debit on a payment card, e-wallet, or directly on the bank account, thanks to technologies such as contactless credit cards, payment via smartphone or QR code.

In recent years, the use of digital payment methods in Italy and Europe has been growing rapidly, also thanks to the increase in consumer confidence in this type of payment method. 

Below we have compiled a list of the most used payment apps

1.Stripe

Stripe is a perfect platform for all those who want to create a marketplace, accept payments, or just want to create invoices for customers. 

The payment options are designed to reach a global audience, in addition, Stripe is a constantly evolving platform with new technologies also in terms of security.

2. Square 

Square, in addition to accepting online payments, also becomes a POS for payments in person, in fact, you can buy their hardware for in-store payments from the site. The big advantage of Square is that the configuration is very simple, all you need to get started is in your dashboard. 

3. PayPal

Paypal is one of the most popular payment systems, which allows you to store credit card and bank account data on secure servers, so you never have to share this information with anyone else. 

PayPal offers various types of accounts, if you have a marketplace the account you are interested in is the Business. It allows you, among other things, to have multi-user access and to have various tools for merchants.

4. Apple wallet

Apple pay accepts various credit cards depending on the geographical area in which you are located. In order to accept Apple Pay, you must already have a POS enabled for contactless partnerships

. Transactions with Apple Pay are safe as it uses a specific device number and a unique transaction code.

You can integrate this payment system into your apps, website, and business chat.

5. Paymill

Paymill is perhaps the least known on this list, but it is still very good.

Paymill is available worldwide and accepts different types of payment, credit cards, SEPA transfers, SOFORT, and PayPal. 

Additions can be made to accept subscriptions, and payments via mobile or web. Paymill offers three types of subscription, Basic, Professional, and Enterprise. 

The Covid-19 has forced us to change many habits, one of which is to start using paperless and cardless payment methods, therefore payments over the phone. According to an estimate, 85% of transactions are still carried out in cash, lately, things are changing, more and more shops are calling on you to pay by card or by phone. 

Cash payment is likely to end checks, The Nilsen Report talks about a 46% decrease in check usage between the year 2013 and 2018 (the study is from 2014).

Online payments are safe, trackable and much less expensive for consumers, which is why are such a great opportunity for businesses

The largest and most famous e-commerce are Amazon, Shopify, WooCommerce, Ebay, Facebook marketplace.

Amazon is perhaps the most famous e-commerce, created by Jeff Bezos on this store you can find anything. Not only products that are in Amazon warehouses, but it allows stores to have their own showcase and reach a greater audience than a simple e-commerce spread on the web.

The Shopify Inc.is a Canadian company based in Ottawa, Ontario that develops and markets the e-commerce platform of the same name, the Shopify POS point of sale system and marketing tools dedicated to businesses. Shopify’s idea is to allow other entrepreneurs to sell online without programming. Shopify allows the creation of e-commerce stores without the need to know how to program. The platform offers different subscription plans according to various needs. In addition to the basic features including the simplified loading of product data sheets and the ability to accept online payments with cards, there are features that can be expanded with the apps available on the various App Stores. The shop design can be customized by downloading free or paid themes. Shopify also offers free tools and initiatives dedicated to entrepreneurs such as webinars, training courses, and networking events in the main cities of the world, the Shopify Meetups.

WooCommerce is a flexible and open-source eCommerce solution based on WordPress. WooCommerce is designed to allow store managers to manage their eCommerce website independently, without the need for intervention by web developers.

eBay inc. is the most popular online auction site in the world. To sell it is not necessary to be a professional, a private citizen can also do it and can choose between the auction mode or buy it immediately. The rules are simple, just have a PayPal account.

Facebook Marketplace, born in 2016, initially was only a section of the site where you could sell on Facebook privately by publishing lists of items for sale, and friends or group members could interact with the post if they were interested. Now allow users and businesses to sell vehicles, hire service providers, and post real estate listings. It also allows all users within 150km to view posts.

There are many, too many MarketPlace/e-commerce open to all and to be able to sell your product in the best way, it is useful to rely on companies such as Artecha that will integrate the portals and dashboards external to the various marketplaces and help the entrepreneur to choose the most suitable marketplace. How simple they will do: once the suitable marketplace has been identified, the sales performance will be optimized. 

Before relying on a specific marketplace, consider carefully the price and what is offered to you. Some marketplaces ask for a subscription, others instead ask you for a small fee for each advert or for each product sold. The advice is to evaluate what type of product you have and how much you plan to sell, before choosing.

Selling on marketplaces is, therefore, less obvious than it might seem, but the advantages are many, especially if expertly inserted in a wider web marketing strategy that leads us to grow on the web at 360 °, and Artecha can help you with this.

Everyone stays at home! Sars-Cov2, known as Covid19, has forced millions of people around the world not to move and stay in their homes. Avoiding contagion, during what may be called one of the worst pandemic in history, has been a prerogative of all. In less than a month our habits have changed, our way of interacting with the world and living it.

Fortunately, technology is our help. Video calls, messaging apps, games, and streaming services make the days at home less heavy and even the distance with friends and loved ones is at least partially canceled.

There has been a boom in messaging apps, used for both smart-working and distance learning (e-learning), and takeaway food apps have also been used a lot. Now here is a list of the 10 most downloaded apps:

1 Ranked first WHO MyHealth The World Health Organization has created an app to combat the spread of fake news about the coronavirus. The new application, announced by WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on his Twitter account, is called WHO MyHealth. It will provide notifications and information about the Covid-19, communicate to those who use it if it is in a high-risk area or if someone in the area has declared to have contracted the virus. There will also be tools to help people self-diagnose if they have symptoms similar to those of coronavirus. Available in English, French, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic and Russian. And it will support COVID-19 Tracker. Useful and free, it allows the user not only to view the spread of coronavirus in every part of the world in real time, but also to auto-report the symptoms if he is positive for the virus.

2. In second place on the podium is Google Meet and Hangouts . Free of charge, they allow you to chat and write instant messages, exactly as it happens for Whatsapp, and make video calls and VoIP calls. Their advantage is that they can be used from multiple devices and also from a PC, by accessing the Gmail box or the Google Chrome extension. In the smartphone version, the app is made up of contacts and chat.

3.  Zoom Just like Hangouts, Zoom can be downloaded for free on mobile phones, tablets, and PCs and allows you to make video calls between multiple users – and therefore create real meetings – where you can share your computer screen. Its stock market value during the pandemic period has increased by 300% to surpass General Motors.

4. Teams from Microsoft. The application, functional for those who are in smart working mode these days, is the hub for Office 365 teamwork. Meetings, apps, files, and team conversations: it’s all gathered in a single shared workspace, which you can access anywhere using the mobile device you prefer. Teams facilitate work and relationships between colleagues.

5 Google Classroom. One of the most useful Google apps for distance learning, Classroom helps teachers create and organize assignments quickly, send assessments and comments efficiently, and easily communicate with their classes. Students can use Google Classroom to communicate directly with teachers and classmates and to organize, complete, and deliver their work on Google Drive.

6 Apps for streaming movies and series. Among the most useful apps, there are certainly those that allow you to stream movies and TV series. Two in particular: Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

This app helps to spend long days at home, allowing us to do TV series marathons or preview movies, to watch on smartphones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs. Arrived in Italy on March 24th there is also Disney + which has had an excellent launch and, thanks to the quarantine, people rushed to subscribe

7 HouseParty. Among the most useful free apps in everyday life, there is HouseParty, a social network where you can meet friends online, on video, to party in a virtual house. It works as a group video chat service that allows you to make video calls up to eight people at the same time. It can be considered a “synchronous social network”: communication between users of the same “room” takes place in real-time.

8 Youper. One of the most useful apps to download right now is definitely Youper, which uses artificial intelligence to help people reduce their anxiety levels, manage their mood, and improve their sleep. You can use it by conversing digitally with the app, or to listen to the sounds of sleep, monitor your emotions with the mood tracker, learn more about anxiety and depression and take a personality test to better understand your personality. The application is exclusively in English but it can be an opportunity to keep your knowledge of the language in training.

9 Nike Training Club. Can you stay in shape at home too? Of course yes, thanks to several apps dedicated to fitness. Nike Training Club dedicated to fitness enthusiasts who want to experience intense sessions with many workout options. The application offers 185 free workouts, strength and endurance exercises, yoga, and mobility under the guidance of a renowned Master Trainer. In the coming weeks, in addition, many workouts, nutrition tips, and expert help will arrive on the NTC app, to help you come back stronger than ever.

10 ONE! One of the most downloaded and used apps is the famous card game. You can play Uno but you can also choose to participate in tournaments and events that will offer the opportunity to win prizes and climb the rankings.

This period of quarantine has shown how important and sometimes human interaction and contact are taken for granted; never as in the past in this complex period, technology with its tools has been of help both from a social and working point of view, trying to innovate our ways of communicating and filling gaps whenever possible.

What is a video call? 

A video call (or even video call and video conference)is a call made with programs or apps that provide video as well as audio support. In this period, with Covid-19, their use has literally exploded, today the communication platforms are used by private individuals to communicate with friends and relatives, and by schools to make video conference lessons and by companies to communicate with collaborators who work remotely.

There are many platforms available on the market. The most famous are certainly those of Microsoft such as Skype and Teams followed by those of Google such as Zoom and Hangout and that of Zoom in strong growth. Among young people, the most used, however, is definitely WhatsApp. Those who are members of the Facebook social network have certainly downloaded Facebook Messanger and Live Chatroom. It is interesting to see the positioning and usefulness of the various platforms.

Google Hangouts

The most reliable video conferencing app is definitely that of Google Hangout. The best example of consumer-oriented software, widely used for years in the business sector. Allows full integration with all other Google applications: Gmail, Google Calendar, etc. The only flaw is that it allows a simultaneous connection of only 10 users. In the revised version of Google Meet (now free), however, it is possible to make an audio and video connection simultaneously for up to 250 people.

Advantages: Integrated with Gmail, Google Calendar, it works with Chrome through plugins.

Disadvantages: It does not support two streams simultaneously, some users complain about the quality and reliability of the connection.

Skype

The Microsoft app offers tools for both private users and businesses. Videoconferencing is possible from computers and mobile devices. It is possible to connect, also in this case 10 users at the same time, there is the possibility of accessing a directory of people where it is possible to search for all registered users of the service.

Advantages: familiar user experience, for anyone who uses Skype to connect with family members, additions of additional users that can be connected in the paid versions

Disadvantages: requires downloading an application, it can be considered unprofessional because it is widely used for private conversations, advanced features available upon subscription of premium subscription

Zoom

Zoom offers a reduced service for group video calls quite satisfactory. Allows the choice of different types of plans. With the Basic plan, it allows users to make 40-minute calls with few features like screen sharing, local recording, meeting rooms, and camera filters. in the second quarter, with the increase in the Covid emergency, Zoom reached 200 million meetings per day!

Advantages: simple registration, includes basic registration, supports calls to 100 users simultaneously.

Disadvantages: requires a downloadable application, uses only the English language, all calls are not encrypted, calls have a maximum limit of about 40 minutes, no possibility to check spam or bandwidth

Lifesize

Lifesize is a widely used software for video conferencing. For its use it is necessary to open a free account, you can use a video conferencing service that allows the maximum participation of 25 users, without the need to download or install software.

Benefits: No download or installation required, unlimited conference duration, screen sharing, high video quality, based on a global cloud network, end-to-end enabled security and encryption by default.

Disadvantages: integrations for video conferencing systems in 4K are available but included in a paid subscription.

Webex

Webex is a Cisco Systems platform perfect for large companies, and full of tools.

Advantages: Easy to use interface. Users can easily share the screen, documents and much more. 

Disadvantages: The default browser is internet explorer, so if you use firefox or chrome you have to change the browser setting before clicking on a shared link.

Case Study

Fortune 100 Enterprise Doubles Video Communications While Cutting Costs With Zoom: Deployed 25,000 Zoom accounts with webinar, large meeting, and H.323/SIP connectors

Applying role-playing strategy to enhance learners’ writing and speaking skills in EFL courses using Facebook and Skype as learning tools: a case study in Taiwan: English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction faces many challenges in Asia because of many cultural and environmental factors, such as the lack of interactive speaking environments, emphasis placed on test scores, and foreign language anxiety. The purpose of this research is to conduct an EFL instructional course by integrating Facebook (asynchronous online discussion) and Skype (synchronous online discussion) as platforms through which students perform role-playing based learning activities and to observe the effects of the course on the challenges mentioned above.

The platforms that bring online classes

The platforms for e-learning They don’t stop at large groups. The Italian one that reaches most teachers and students is WeSchool. Founded by Marco De Rossi under the name of Oilproject, it helps teachers to “bring their classes online and make their teaching digital.” They are about 2 millions of students who access the Library section every month, populated by video lessons. 

Moodle is an open source platform used by companies for training, but also by teachers to digitize part of the educational pathways. Edmodo gives the possibility to organize the class work, both on the benches and in the chair. It offers resources for schools, teachers, students and even for parents. 

Redooc, rather than as a digital version of the classes, is an “online alternative to repetitions” and is focused on “mathematics, physics, Italian, financial education and logic games”. The Miur cites Bricks Lab, a Milan based platform that “allows you to create multimedia lessons” and “personalized educational constructions”. Resources can be shared by teachers with students, but also with colleagues, “so as to pool their work and benefit from that of others”.

What’s in the future of conference calls?

In the future, all players will focus on the quality of the service by offering 4K experiences. Making a conference call will be like shooting a movie, web cameras will be more and more efficient and cheaper so you can have many in the room, which could be very convenient for conference calls where a person has to stand up to do a presentation. In this sense, we are also working to integrate artificial intelligence, so that it can automatically frame the person who is going to the blackboard and attend meetings with 3D holograms. 

With the Covid-19 emergency, it has become necessary for many companies to activate the smart working mode. In this article, we explain what it is and how it works

What is Smart Working:

Smart Working is a new managerial philosophy based on giving people back flexibility and autonomy in choosing spaces, times and tools to be used in the face of greater responsibility on the results.

How Smart Working works:

Smart Working is a new way of working that allows a better balance between quality of life and individual productivity. Therefore also the result of wise use of digital innovation to support strategic approaches that focus on integration and collaboration between people, in particular, and between organizations. In all this technology plays a key role, because when we talk about Digital Transformation in the workplace we also think about the application of advanced technologies to connect people, spaces, objects to business processes, with the aim of increasing productivity, innovate, involve people and workgroups.

Pros and Cons of Smart Working:

Pros:

• Autonomy: the worker independently manages schedules and commitments. .
• Don’t get lost in traffic: no traffic or crowded buses/trains
• Avoid quarrels and small envies between colleagues: the privilege of working alone, in your own studio, in your own tranquility.
• Flexibility: with smart working you have your own spaces and timing to carry out a specific task, avoiding to respect the times of the ticket.
• Goodbye extra expenses: petrol, public transport tickets, parking, and the like will no longer be a problem.

Cons:

• Making a career is more difficult: those who work in smart working have fewer career opportunities.
• There is no comparison with colleagues: poor interaction with the work team and they would like to have back those moments when they meet with colleagues, even just for a coffee and chat about the work done.
• Working every day, even on holidays: In smart working, there is complete autonomy of times and days. If you don’t know how to organize, you may find yourself doing nothing on Monday, but being super busy on the weekend to meet deadlines.
• Too many distractions: the working environment is the same as the domestic one. It is difficult to separate the two and above all to carve out moments of true solitude.
• Always be available: not having timetables means that others could call you at any time of the day, or worse than the evening. Saturday and Sunday included.

Collaboration platforms for smart working:

G-Suite: G-Suite is a suite of software tools and productivity and collaboration tools. It includes Gmail (for e-mail), Google Drive (the cloud service for storing content and synchronizing it online), Google Hangouts (the system that offers, thanks to Meet, the possibility of online video conferencing, but also messaging instant and Voice over IP), Google Calendar and Docs (free programs to prepare text files, spreadsheets and so on).

Cisco Webex Meetings: It is the platform that allows you to conduct online meetings and video conferences. Not only that, but this solution also allows interaction between those attending the meeting thanks to the fact that it allows the sharing of various types of content, from texts to audio/video. In other words, the teams have a solution that allows them to have everything they need, having the guarantee of being able to count on enterprise-level data security.

Microsoft Teams: The Redmond house offers a smart working platform for unified communication and collaboration that combines chats, video conferences but also application integration and file storage. In practice, the Office 365 collaboration hub allows you to work by promoting maximum engagement from wherever you are operating.

Slack: the software for business collaboration designed to send messages instantly, uses specifically dedicated channels and can be integrated with productivity tools. Within the platform it is in fact possible to use Google Drive, Trello, GitHub, Google Calendar and many other popular and used applications.

Trello: It is a management software in Kanban style (the Kanban method, aimed at avoiding overlap between the work of the various employees, starts from the assumption that the processes are carried out from downstream to upstream and each activity carried out only when there is really need) and allows each user to create their own data sheet indicating the activities to deal with, exchange it with others, etc.

Working in smart working with a VPN:

VPNs or Virtual private networks, help to circumvent the geographical restrictions imposed but, above all, to keep web browsing private and consequently they are increasingly crucial in a period where hundreds of thousands of workers are forced to access corporate networks remotely, perhaps limited by restrictive firewalls.

One software for this purpose is OpenVPN, an open-source system available for every device and operating system.

Smart Working how to control workers:

Companies can proceed with the control of the performance of smart workers, respecting certain rules and regulations. The legislation states that the employer has the right and duty to monitor the correct work of employees, all in compliance with articles 2, 3 and 4 of the Workers’ Statute.

The employer has the right and also the duty to check the correct work of workers and also of smart workers. However, the Workers’ Statute must be respected, therefore the checks must be targeted and carried out critically:

• They must concern the company assets supplied to the employee, such as the computer and company e-mail, without violating the employee’s privacy;
•  Before any professional relationship, the employer is obliged to inform the worker about the prohibition on using company work tools for personal purposes, as these could be subject to checks;
• For smart working, it must be remembered that in the work agreement stipulated between employer and employee, the control procedures to which the smart worker could be subject must be contained. Furthermore, any disciplinary sanctions are also stipulated in this agreement.

The employer can make checks to verify specific hypotheses of offenses.

The basis for a good job in flexible mode is to have a good organization. If done professionally, it could be a way of working that can also be used in the future.