Beth Romanik

Beth Romanik

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Beth Romanik is TechWell's online editor, managing everything you see published on our family of thought-leadership sites. She edits and publishes articles for TechWell Insights, StickyMinds, AgileConnection, CMCrossroads, and Better Software magazine. She has worked for several other newspapers, magazines, and sites of all kinds. Beth is excited about new developments in technology, but she'll always have a soft spot for paper and ink.

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TechWell
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software resources
Job Title
online editor
Industry
Computer Services (Web Hosting, VAR, Integrator)
Country
United States

Beth Romanik is TechWell's online editor, managing everything you see published on our family of thought-leadership sites. She edits and publishes articles for TechWell Insights, StickyMinds, AgileConnection, CMCrossroads, and Better Software magazine. She has worked for several other newspapers, magazines, and sites of all kinds. Beth is excited about new developments in technology, but she'll always have a soft spot for paper and ink.

All Articles by Beth Romanik


All Stories by Beth Romanik

Tariq King Shaking Up Software Testing with AI: A Slack Takeover with Tariq KingThought leaders from the software community are taking over the TechWell Hub to answer questions and engage in conversations. Tariq King, founder and CEO of Selftest IO, hosted this Slack takeover and discussed all things AI, including using it with legacy systems, how it affects test strategy, and boosting your tests.
Computer, cup of coffee, and to-do list 3 Tactics to Stay Productive with an Agile ScheduleThe usual productivity tips apply best to those working in a typical office with typical hours. What if you don’t work within a structured schedule? How can you stay productive when work ebbs and flows or occurs outside the typical nine-to-five? Here are three ways to be productive when your schedule is unpredictable.
Person holding a sparkler with New Year's fireworks in the background Top 10 TechWell Insights Stories of 2019Career development was on many software practitioners' minds in 2019, as some of our top stories were about having a technical lead on a Scrum team and making the switch from quality assurance to quality engineering. Stories about new ideas such as DevOps and continuous testing also ranked high. Check out the roundup.
Arthur Hicken and Aprajita Mathur Testing, Today and Tomorrow: Slack Takeovers with Arthur Hicken and Aprajita MathurThought leaders from the software community are taking over the TechWell Hub to answer questions and engage in conversations. Arthur Hicken and Aprajita Mathur each recently hosted Slack takeovers, and they talked about keeping IoT devices secure, onboarding new test team members, and what skills we should be learning.
Steve Smith Building Maintainable Software: A Slack Takeover with Steve SmithThought leaders from the software community are taking over the TechWell Hub to answer questions and engage in conversations. Software architect and trainer Steve Smith, founder of Ardalis Services, hosted this Slack takeover and discussed producing testable code, writing maintainable tests, and boosting employability.
Larry Maccherone Building Security into DevOps: A Slack Takeover with Larry MaccheroneThought leaders from the software community are taking over the TechWell Hub to answer questions and engage in conversations. Larry Maccherone, senior director at Comcast, hosted this Slack takeover and discussed what DevSecOps means, how to get started with security, and the changing role of security specialists.
Raj Subramanian The Present and Future of AI: A Slack Takeover with Raj SubramanianThought leaders from the software community are taking over the TechWell Hub to answer questions and engage in conversations. Raj Subramanian, who works with self-healing, AI-based test automation, hosted this Slack takeover to discuss all aspects of AI: testing it, its biases, where it is now, and where it's going.
People applauding near a medal saying "2018" Top 10 TechWell Insights Stories of 2018Many teams are embracing new practices, and several of last year's most-read stories reflect that, with topics such as AI, DevOps, and continuous testing. But it looks like lots of teams also want to get back to basics, because guides to tried-and-true agile and testing methods also ranked high. Check out the roundup.
Test.ai logo Test.ai Raises Funding for Bots to Perform App TestingStartup Test.ai is a system for AI-powered user scenario testing for mobile and web apps that uses bots, not humans, to develop and run test scenarios. It just secured investor funding, so Test.ai is on its way toward its goal of testing every app in the world. CEO Jason Arbon talks about the future of testing and AI.
Robot manager standing over a person Automated Executives: Software Moves into People ManagementSome tech companies have created their own automated managers—software that can handle administrative and workflow processes typically presided over by humans, but in a fraction of the time. With so many typical management tasks able to be automated, are bosses going to land on the endangered species list? Not so fast.
A man's face in facial recognition software Microsoft Calls for Federal Regulation of Facial RecognitionMicrosoft has called for federal regulation of facial-recognition software, arguing that such artificial intelligence abilities are too significant and potentially dangerous for its purveyors to police themselves. The move comes amid public criticism of several tech giants over their use—and misuse—of the technology.
Street art of a worried woman with shattered face, photo by Chris Barbalis 4 Tips for Conquering Your Impostor SyndromeImpostor syndrome is the belief that you're inadequate and incompetent, despite evidence otherwise. It’s more than just insecurity; it’s persistent self-doubt about your accomplishments, and the feeling that any success must have been undeserved. Don’t sell yourself short. Here are four ways to beat impostor syndrome.
Email icon showing 99 unread messages How to Slim Down Your Bloated Email InboxIf you're spending too much time checking and answering your email—and frankly, who doesn't feel that way—you may just need to revamp your email routine. Here are some techniques for getting a handle on your messages, including better prioritization and categorization. You may even get to the coveted inbox zero.
Toyota's Human Support Robot Coming Soon: Personal In-Home RobotsToyota is developing personal helper robots, and it recently got one step closer to making them commercially available by conducting the first in-home trial in North America. This robot can fetch, carry, open doors, and pick things up off the floor, helping people with limited mobility be more independent.
Watson helping with taxes at H&R Block IBM’s Watson Will Help You File Your Taxes at H&R BlockCustomers at H&R Block will be able to get tax advice from IBM’s famous supercomputer, Watson. Watson has been fed all 74,000 pages of the US tax code and will use its natural language processing to interact with clients in order to answer questions, uncover deductions and credits, and help calculate refunds.
Testers Donate Their Skills to Save Lives with Humanitarian ToolboxWhen natural disasters strike, technology can streamline relief efforts. The charity Humanitarian Toolbox creates apps and maintains a “toolbox” of software and solutions for disaster aid organizations all over the world. Testers at STARWEST will donate their time and talents to the cause.
Apple’s New ResearchKit Turns iPhones into Tools for Medical StudiesApple unveiled a new biomedical platform called ResearchKit, an iOS framework that will let people opt in to join medical research studies. Volunteers can use their Apple devices to participate in various tests, and the information will be shared with medical research institutions to find cures.
Report: Connected Cars Have Weaker Security Than We ThoughtToday's connected cars offer many technological conveniences. But with those features come some risks. The Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular connections in these cars can fall prey to hacking attacks, which can jeopardize people’s physical safety and private information—and the security is pretty lax.
US Military’s Social Media Accounts HackedThe US military command’s Twitter and YouTube accounts were hacked recently. Though the episode essentially amounted to little more than an annoyance, it should lead to an investigation into whether there are any more vulnerabilities in the administration's online accounts and profiles.
Paco Hope Presents Security Testing for Muggles at STARWEST 2014Paco Hope, principal consultant for Cigital, presented the last keynote of STARWEST 2014: “Softwarts: Security Testing for Muggles.” He exposed some testing fallacies, gave four principles for security testing, and detailed some charms every good testing wizard should have in his spell book.
Theresa Lanowitz Talks Extreme Test Automation at STAREAST 2014In her STAREAST 2014 keynote—Extreme Automation: Software Quality for the Next Generation Enterprise—Theresa Lanowitz covered the global trends in testing, emerging technologies, and (of course) extreme automation. Read on for more insights on modern testing from Theresa's talk.
How the Weather Company Is Using Big Data to Stay ahead of the StormThe Weather Company is moving to a NoSQL-powered big-data platform, which can gather some twenty terabytes of weather data a day. The NoSQL environment’s ability to scale to extremely large sizes helps with the intake of this additional data, and faster queries mean quicker, more accurate forecasts.
Heartbleed Bug Bypasses Web Encryption, Exposing Personal DataA significant security vulnerability called Heartbleed could allow hackers to gain access to private keys and other highly sensitive information on many widely visited websites. The problem is in the most popular software used to encrypt web communications—and the flaw has existed since 2011.
Five Emerging Trends in Testing and QACustomer expectations are higher than ever, so testing has become more important than ever. Quality assurance must evolve to keep up with changing software development requirements—and that involves adopting new approaches. Here are five emerging trends in testing and quality assurance for 2014.
Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight Leads to Crowdsourcing Search PartySatellite imaging company DigitalGlobe is posting photos of the sea where Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is likely to have gone down and asking for the public’s help to comb through them. Its pictures map thousands of square miles, prompting a crowdsourcing effort to scour the open water for evidence.
More Businesses Buying Cyber Insurance against Security RisksCyber hacking, which gained more attention when Target experienced a massive data breach, has become such a security risk that businesses are rushing to cover themselves against customers’ information being compromised in the same way they get coverage for more traditional risks—buying insurance.
Mind the Gender Gap: Getting Women into Computer Science CareersToday, just a quarter of all Americans in computer-related occupations are women. Why is this field with such a promising outlook attracting so few female candidates? This story takes a look at what's deterring women and why it's important for everyone that they be represented in the tech workforce.
Facebook to Buy Messaging Startup Service WhatsApp for $19 BillionIn an apparent move to reign over messaging on phones and online, Facebook is purchasing WhatsApp for $19 billion. The sum may seem astronomical, but analysts think the deal is a smart strategy on the social network's part to maintain its place as a mobile leader. So, what's up with WhatsApp?
Stop Working More Than Forty Hours a WeekIt's no secret that many businesses are demanding or encouraging employees to work more hours. But some people see overtime as a point of pride and brag about working eighty hours a week. This "cult of overwork" is detrimental not only to employees but also for the workplace. Read on to learn why.
Nervous about Your Big Presentation? Don’t Try to Relax—Get ExcitedFor years, people who experienced anxiety before being in the spotlight were advised to try to just keep themselves calm. But new research from the American Psychological Association suggests that getting excited before a presentation is more effective for decreasing anxiety than trying to relax.
Google Introduces Smart Contact Lens That Reads Glucose LevelsGoogle announced that it is in the process of developing a smart contact lens that can measure glucose levels through tears. This innovation has the potential to help more than just diabetics. These lenses could one day measure other biometric data, and they could even become the next Google Glass.
The Pros and Cons of In-House Web Developers and Design AgenciesShould you go with an in-house web developer or an outside agency? The employees you have at your disposal, how much money you’re willing to spend, and the type of work you’re hoping to get out of the partnership all influence this decision. There are pros and cons to both. Read on for advice.
Why Curiosity Makes for an Excellent Software TesterWhat makes for an excellent software tester? Even more important than what a tester knows is how a tester thinks. A consistent quality of the best software testers is a curious, inquisitive mind. Even if you think you've outgrown curiosity, there are ways you can get it back in your testing.
Why the Best Programmers Are Lazy and Act DumbIt seems to defy all logic, but the best programmers have two usually undesirable traits: They’re lazy and dumb. That’s the point of a classic post by web developer and blogger Philipp Lenssen, and his ideas don’t stay controversial for long. Here's why those programmers actually do the best work.
Target Investigating Security Breach of 40 Million Card AccountsTarget is investigating a security breach where credit card and debit card information was stolen from millions of customers starting on Black Friday. The information was apparently stolen when customers swiped their cards at machines during checkout in stores. 40 million cards were compromised.
Five Future Mobile Strategies for Small BusinessesWith so much web traffic being generated from mobile devices, it’s essential for a business to have a mobile site that’s functional and user-friendly. But that can be difficult even for the big brands, so how can small businesses do it? Here are the mobile strategies they should be thinking about.
President Asks Every American to Learn to CodeHoping to spark students’ interest in learning more about in-demand computer science and programming skills, nonprofit organization Code.org launched the Hour of Code to get people to learn the basics of computer coding through interactive lessons. Among its celebrity advocates is President Obama.
Supercomputer as a Service? Watson Offered as App Platform in CloudIBM announced that its supercomputer Watson, famous for defeating humans on Jeopardy!, is being offered to third parties as a cloud-based development platform. This is IBM’s latest step to commercialize Watson’s impressive technology as the company tries to boost its revenue with cloud computing.
Mobile Has a Major Presence This Holiday Shopping SeasonOf the many trends this holiday season, when it comes to doing the actual gift shopping, consumers are really embracing one: mobile devices. Mobile is more popular than ever, for people filling up virtual shopping carts from their homes as well as for the die-hards hunting down presents in stores.
A Consolidated Payment Card Sounds Convenient—But Is It Secure?Coin is supposed to be a replacement for all the plastic in your wallet. It can store programmed information for eight credit, debit, or store loyalty cards. Sounds pretty convenient, right? However, experts warn the card might not keep your information secure, and it still has issues to work out.
Snapchat Rejects $3B Offer—What This Says about Tech Startups TodayWhat company would turn down a three-billion-dollar cash acquisition offer from Facebook? Snapchat would, and the reasons why are interesting. Unlike in the past, mobile technology offerings now don’t need a big parent company to become successful. Today's startups want to do it on their own.
The Future of Touch Technology: Feel Textures on a Flat ScreenWhile swiping and tapping icons and displays on screens is remarkable, there is no physical feeling the way there is with buttons and keys. But now that's changing: New developments in the field of tactile, or “haptic,” devices soon will let users feel textures on a flat touchscreen.
New Software Will Save UPS Millions and Deliver Your Packages QuickerUPS has invested heavily in a new software project called ORION—On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation—that helps determine the best course from point A to point B, saving time, money, and fuel. It's already a success, and because it depends on heuristics, suggestions should only get better.
Security Lapse Discovered in Government Health Care SiteIt turns out that long wait times and persistent glitches aren’t the worst problems HealthCare.gov has experienced. A cyber security expert discovered that for the first few weeks the site existed, it was fairly easy for someone to hijack a user’s account. It was as easy as guessing a user name.
Quitters Sometimes Do Win: How to Recognize and Confront Sunk CostsFrom Freakonomics coauthor Stephen Dubner: "A ‘sunk cost’ is just what it sounds like: time or money you've already spent. The sunk-cost fallacy is when you tell yourself that you can't quit because of all that time or money you spent. We shouldn't fall for this fallacy, but we do it all the time."
Developers Get a Civics Lesson with Open Source Government ProjectsIf you’re a civic-minded programmer who would like your government to be more open and more efficient, you now have the option to help make it happen. A recently launched portal called GitHub and Government lets users collaborate on projects to solve problems and make information more available.
Teen Creates Global Online Coding Competition for High Schoolers"I had an idea to create a competition for high school students around the world, like me, who want to create something but don’t have a place to do it.” That was the motivation for Ethan Eirinberg, the sixteen-year-old founder of the CreateHS coding competition, which emphasizes—yes—creativity.
Thousands of Yahoo Mail Users Furious over RedesignYahoo decided to surprise its email users with a total redesign—and it was a disaster. Thousands of Yahoo Mail users are furious over the changes, and they’re being very vocal about it. Some users are upset about the elimination of key functions, but others are reporting serious technical problems.
Why the Government Health Care Site Launch Was Doomed from the StartThe implementation of the Affordable Care Act on October 1, 2013, prompted the launch of a government website—HealthCare.gov—to help people purchase health insurance coverage. Almost immediately after going live, the website crashed. What went wrong isn't as simple as failing to do load testing.
Microsoft Pays Hacking Expert $100,000 for Finding Security Flaw

For finding security flaws in its software, Microsoft paid a hacking expert one hundred thousand dollars this week, one of the largest bounties ever awarded by a major company for white-hat work. Bug bounty programs are becoming more and more common as tech companies realize their cost value.

Post-it Teams Up with Evernote to Take Sticky Notes DigitalGood news for people who still prefer to jot things down: 3M, the company behind the popular Post-it notes, announced a partnership with personal organization app Evernote to create software that will recognize photos of Post-its taken with a smartphone and let users read, store, and sort notes.
Kids in Swaziland to Learn Computer Skills in Raspberry Pi LabThe low cost, versatility, and learning-centered approach of the Raspberry Pi microcomputer makes it an attractive choice for teaching computing skills in developing countries. Thanks to a fundraising campaign, a school in Swaziland is getting a lab full of them to help kids learn computing basics.
How Tech Companies Can Make Gamification Go to Work for ThemGamification isn’t just about leaderboards and having fun at work. This technique has become an increasingly valuable business practice for understanding which behaviors will drive desired outcomes. From increasing sales to getting more feedback from users, gamification is establishing real worth.
This Far-Reaching Wireless Platform May Support the Internet of ThingsAn in-the-works project called Flutter provides an inexpensive, power-efficient alternative to Wi-Fi and covers an area a hundred times larger. Get enough transmitters to communicate, and you could cover whole cities. This is the future of controlling our connected devices in the Internet of Things.
Internet-Enabled Cars Will Change How We Drive

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers predicts that by the year 2025, 60 percent of the vehicles on the road will be Internet-enabled. This increased connectivity will mean more safety and convenience in your commute, but it also means your car could be vulnerable to software hacks.

Tech Summer Camps Aim to Interest Kids in Computer ScienceTechnology camps that teach children computer skills—programming, software design, and how to build apps, websites, and video games—are gaining in popularity in the US, which is great news for the computer science industry. Campers get a leg up in learning valuable abilities for in-demand jobs.
Google Announces Helpouts, an Educational Video Chat ServiceGoogle recently launched a site for its new Helpouts feature, a person-to-person service through Google+ Hangouts that will connect people with experts for real-time video tutorials. Once it launches, professionals can make money sharing their knowledge with anyone who has an Internet connection.
Computer Error Shuts Down NASDAQ Stock ExchangeThe NASDAQ stock exchange experienced a halt in trading Thursday, and a computer glitch is to blame. The outage was only the most recent of several very public technical failures in the US stock market system, prompting calls for testing requirements, safeguards, and trading software updates.
Instagram Changes Brand Guidelines to Discourage App CopycatsInstagram updated its brand guidelines this week to forbid other apps that connect to the service not only from featuring its logo or any design that “copies the look and feel” of the brand, but also from using either “Insta” or “Gram” in their names. Smart business move or petty jab at developers?
Security Researcher Proves Facebook Bug by Hacking Zuckerberg’s WallSecurity researcher Khalil Shreateh discovered a Facebook bug that allowed a hacker to post on anyone’s wall—even one with privacy settings. But Shreateh’s reporting method raised some eyebrows: Shreateh exploited the bug to post on Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s wall.
Computer Glitch Blamed for Opening Prison Cell DoorsFlorida corrections officials say a computer glitch may have been the reason all the doors of a prison’s maximum-security wing unexpectedly opened at once—but a more malicious possibility exists. Security researchers say many prison systems have vulnerabilities that can be exploited by hackers.
NSA Automating Systems Administrator Jobs after Security LeakIn the wake of Edward Snowden’s revealing classified information, the National Security Agency has announced it will significantly reduce its workforce to cut down on the number of people with access to confidential data. The agency plans to automate 90 percent of its systems administrator duties.
Autonomous Underwater Robots Track Sharks Like Never BeforeResearchers have created shark-tracking robots that can gather information about the predators and their environments better than humans can. The robot gets close enough to sharks to monitor them but stays far enough away to remain undetected, so the sharks’ typical routine is never interrupted.
Is a Mobile Site Enough for Your Business or Should You Have an App?It’s worth the time and cost to design a mobile site for your customers' convenience. But is it worth it to go one step further—to create an app? Apps require more investment and new marketing channels, but they could bring in new customers or help you manage the ones you have. Let's consider.
Government Seeks Researchers to Develop Superconductor ComputersComputers for US government intelligence agencies have hit such extensive performance requirements that power and cooling demands are becoming unmanageable. The solution? Put out a call for researchers who can help develop a new generation of fast, energy-efficient superconducting computers.
Predictive Software Helps Police Stop Crimes Before They HappenPolice are attempting to beat suspects to the scene of a crime with a computer program that indicates where criminal activity is most likely to happen. It’s called predictive policing, and the software uses past statistics and continually calibrated data to predict when and where crime will strike.
After Security Breach on Developer Site, Apple Creates Status PageApple’s developer site experienced a security breach last week, and it still hasn’t fully recovered. The company created a status page showing which systems are back online. The site is in its eighth day of downtime as the company works to prevent a similar incident from happening in the future.
What Sets a Great UX Apart? The Little Details That Show You CareWith so many advanced apps, programs, and devices on the market these days, it’s no longer enough for something to just function the way it’s supposed to. What makes a successful product is influenced by how nice an experience it provides for the user—and more often, that comes down to the details.
The Analysis Software That Wrecked J.K. Rowling’s AnonymityThe literary world was shocked to find out the nobody author of a new novel was actually super-famous J.K. Rowling. Her secret was uncovered by using software programs and algorithms to analyze her writing—a method that could also reveal hackers and others who might want to be anonymous online.
App Economy Predicted to Double to $151 Billion by 2017A new report predicts that the combined value of paid apps, app-enabled purchases of goods and services, and in-app advertising will double in the US by 2017, with the current market worth of $72 billion increasing to $151 billion. App economy jobs are also exploding, making it a hot industry.
Trend toward Cloud Computing Spells Trouble for Data CentersThe trend toward cloud computing and software as a service has been a boon for small businesses. But the money saved comes at a cost, and usually that’s people’s jobs. Consolidating data centers is becoming more common, and more companies are funneling those resources into cloud computing.
Google Public Alerts Shows Need for Open Data in Disaster ResponseGoogle Public Alerts provides emergency information during natural disasters. But government agencies often store information in closed formats, making it harder to share and analyze data. Google.org is promoting the adoption of international standards of web data to speed up response efforts.
Is Minimalism the New Business Model for the Tech Industry?The tech business model used to be to provide comprehensive products with more features than your average consumer would use. But bigger is no longer better—with more individual and small-business clients, many just want basics. Is scaling back and offering service flexibility the new philosophy?
Bionic Arm Changes Lives and Offers Glimpse of the FutureAfter losing his lower arm to an accident, a man was invited to try out the most advanced prosthetic in the world. The robotic hand uses custom software configurations to let him perform everyday tasks again. This is just the beginning of what can be done in merging technology with the human body.
Fear Not, Google Reader Fans: A Coder Developed an Open-Source CloneOn the news that Google Reader, the aggregator of choice for many people's RSS feeds, was retiring, one coder took matters into his own hands and created a veritable clone. He kept the UI basic, posted his code publicly, and invited anyone who'd like to run it to do so—in true open-source fashion.
Disabled Duck Walking Again with New 3D-Printed FootButtercup the duck was born with a backward foot that eventually had to be amputated. In searching for a replacement foot, his caretaker had the idea to fit the duck with a 3D-printed prosthetic. A printing company cast a 3D mold to make a silicone foot, and today, Buttercup is waddling happily.
Google’s Recruitment Process Will Make You Change the Way You HireGoogle, which Fortune magazine ranked number one on its 100 Best Companies to Work For list for 2012, attracts some of the best people in the tech field. And to be sure the people they're hiring will be a good fit, the data giant is ignoring the data and going with some unorthodox methods.
Oracle Partners with Rivals Microsoft and Safesforce in Cloud DealOracle cast aside feuds with competitors Microsoft and Salesforce to announce partnerships with the companies to integrate their cloud operations. Oracle seeks to expand sales of cloud-computing products aimed at businesses moving their software online. What will the outcome be for the new allies?
How the EdTech Movement Is Changing the Future of Education

From elementary school to beyond the bachelor’s degree, the education system is embracing modern technology for its convenience, its updating ease, and its ability to customize content depending on a student’s needs. The movement is known as EdTech, and it’s changing the way people teach—and learn.

This Little City Is One of the Most High-Tech in the WorldAt first glance, you wouldn’t think of Tallinn, Estonia's capital, as modern. But this city is a hotbed of technological innovation, giving birth to Skype, housing the headquarters of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence, and providing automated convenience to its citizens.
New Software Can Help You with Your Social SkillsIf you think you’re awkward in social situations, some researchers at MIT may be able to help you. They’ve developed new software called MACH—My Automated Conversation coacH—that uses a digital face on a computer screen to let you practice conversing and gives you feedback about your interaction.
Smartphone Apps Help Monitor Your Pet’s Health and HabitsGood news for tech-savvy animal lovers: Some smartphone apps can make it easier for you to keep your furry, four-legged friend healthy and safe. These apps can monitor your dog's or cat’s activity, tell you exactly where they are if they get lost, even feed them remotely—good for you and for them.
Apple’s New iOS 7 Borrows Heavily from Other Systems and AppsIf imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, several mobile operating systems and third-party apps should’ve been feeling pretty flattered after Apple revealed the forthcoming iOS 7 at its WWDC keynote. Much of iOS 7’s look, features, and user interface is giving people déjà vu.
Apple Unveils iOS 7, New Design, and Mobile Apps at 2013 WWDC KeynoteApple had a lot of news to spill at the keynote for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference—so much, in fact, that we split it into two articles. Here you'll discover announcements about the new look and functions for Apple's mobile devices, along with the features of the much-anticipated iOS 7.
Apple Reveals New Computer Hardware, Software Updates at WWDC KeynoteApple had a lot of news to spill at the keynote for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference—so much, in fact, that we split it into two articles. Here you'll discover announcements about its computers, including new laptop and desktop models, and updates for software and apps.
Google to Launch Free HTML5 Web Development ToolGoogle is preparing to launch an HTML5 development tool called Google Web Designer. The company says the new service will let creative professionals “create cutting-edge advertising as well as engaging web content like sites and applications—for free.” Would you use it for web design?
Microsoft Reveals New Video Demo of Windows 8.1Microsoft is releasing a slew of noteworthy changes to Windows 8 in what amounts to a significant software update, once codenamed Windows Blue and now called Windows 8.1. Today, the company released a four-and-a-half-minute video tour through some of the update’s notable offerings.
Supercomputer Provides Crucial Information for HIV ResearchAfter years of research into the chemical structure of HIV to find a way to eradicate the virus, a supercomputer was able to break down the HIV model into subatomic detail, revealing its building blocks. This critical information will help develop drugs that could disrupt the virus's reproduction.
How to Get Your App Discovered and DownloadedWith iOS and Android each swiftly approaching 1 million apps, getting an app noticed is no easy task. Here are some suggestions for making your app stand out from the crowd and attracting sticky users. Hints: Fresh eyes help, first impressions are important, and social media sites are your friends.
Embrace the Cubicle: Open-Plan Offices Make You Less Productive

Studies suggest that workers in open-plan offices actually tend to be less productive, unhappier, and even unhealthier than people who work confined to their own personal spaces. Even if you hate your cubicle, it turns out it probably gives you fewer distractions, less stress, and reduced sick days.

3D Printed Airway Tube Saves Baby’s Life in Groundbreaking ProcedureA baby was diagnosed with a rare condition that prevented his breathing on his own. University of Michigan researchers were able to use a 3D printer to fashion a splint to open the child's airway, and now he breathes fine. 3D printing could well be the future for life-saving medical procedures.
IBM Supercomputer Watson Now a Customer Service AgentWatson, IBM’s supercomputer that was introduced to the world on Jeopardy!, is trying out a new gig as a customer service agent. The artificial intelligence system will use its capacity to respond to natural language by answering call center customer service requests from everyday people.
Zapier Provides Outage Status Board for Nearly 200 APIsThere are service dashboards that track larger APIs, such as those for Google, Amazon, and Dropbox. But Zapier, a startup that integrates APIs and online services, is sharing its status board for nearly 200 online services, with millions of API requests performed a month—a big help for developers.
Different Approaches to the Future of Cloud ComputingCompanies seem to agree that cloud computing is the way things are going, but they are using different strategies to get there. Amazon is the largest cloud service, with Google's new announcements giving the giant a run for its money. But a SAP model—that may or may not be a cloud—is emerging.
Google Reveals Android Studio Suite, More Features for App DevelopersGoogle revealed a new suite of tools for developers called Android Studio, which includes a live layout across multiple devices. Google's Developer Console also got some new treats, such as app optimization tips and a way to roll out beta tests of an app before its release. Are you excited?
Google+ Provides Mobile Content RecommendationsGoogle has launched a mobile content recommendation service powered by Google+. When a reader is done with one of their stories, publishers, by adding one line of JavaScript, can have a widget pop up that will recommend more content—from articles by the same author to content G+ friends are sharing.
Amazon Web Services Adds Node.js SDK to Developers’ OptionsAmazon Web Services released an SDK for Node.js, providing developers with a JavaScript library to build applications for AWS services. Node.js has been gaining momentum and popularity among programmers, and AWS' addition of the SDK gives developers another choice when building for its cloud.
Android Makes Developers’ Lives Easier

Just last year some developers were doing software quality assurance testing on 400 Android devices for each app they created, but this year it’s down to a quarter of that. The streamlining is mostly due to Samsung’s hardware cornering the market, but Android's software platform has also improved.

Adobe Switching to Subscription-Based Creative CloudAdobe, the manufacturer of choice for many creative professionals, said it will not release new versions of its Creative Suite tools. Instead it will solely support a subscription-only model in its Creative Cloud, allowing for more capabilities and as-released updates. But customers are skeptical.
Chat Apps Overtake SMS Messaging for the First Time WorldwideSome popular chat apps have surpassed traditional SMS in the number of text messages received worldwide. Last year, for the first time more messages were sent with apps—such as WhatsApp and Viber, iMessage and BBM—than with regular texting. But will this be a disaster for mobile carriers?
Apple Announces 45 Billion Apps Downloaded, $9 Billion to DevelopersApple announced in its Q2 earnings call to investors this week that app downloads have passed the 45 billion milestone, only four months after hitting the 40 billion mark in January. To date, the company has paid out to developers more than $9 billion—half of that in the last year alone.
Growth of API Usage Sparks New Management ToolsOpen APIs have become not only available, but prevalent, giving capabilities to photo, video, messaging, mapping, music, and news outlets. ProgrammableWeb's directory of web service APIs now numbers more than 8,000. With increased API usage, the need for help managing APIs also is growing.
Hubbl App's Spacebar Platform Uses Contextual Ads to Promote Apps

Hubbl is an app that helps people discover other apps based on their interests. Through partnerships with content distributors, Hubbl’s B2B platform Spacebar will suggest apps based on the subject matter of the webpage the user is looking at—a sort of contextual advertising. Integration!

Three Tips to Help Form a Highly Productive Agile TeamThe dynamic of working in a team is vastly different from working on your own. But if a team is assembled well, it can accomplish more than the individuals could have separately. These suggestions will help you form a team that will work together well and be greater than the sum of its parts.
JavaScript's Popularity in Mobile Development Continues to RiseContinuing its language domination in the mobile app development world, JavaScript can now be used to update native iOS and Android apps thanks to a new hybrid model on the market. JavaScript remains a top programming language, and it doesn't look like the trend will change any time soon.
ISP Injects Ads into Paying Subscribers’ Web ContentBanner ads were showing up along the bottom of popular websites such as Bing, Apple, eBay and Amazon. It turns out the cable operator was allowing an outside company to inject the ads into the pages. What does it mean if webpage requests are vulnerable to code inserted by a third party?
Communications Provider Twilio Integrates with Google CloudCommunications startup Twilio announced a partnership with Google Cloud Platform, marking the first time a voice and messaging API has been integrated with the Google App Engine. Developers can now include voice and messaging features in their web and mobile apps by writing just a few lines of code.
API Permissions and the Future of Software DevelopersEven after a US District Court case ruled otherwise, Oracle continues the argument that its Java APIs are copyrightable and their use should be restricted. What does this mean for software developers?
Homeland Security Adopts Agile, Cloud to Improve EfficiencyThe US Department of Homeland Security has been charged with changing the way it handles IT operations. The agency is improving quality and cutting costs by implementing agile methods and employing cloud services, platform-as-a-service, and software-as-a-service.