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For the 6th year in a row, Mobomo Appears on the Inc. 5000 after continued growth. 

Mobomo is a premier mobile-first web and mobile application development company that has extensive experience working with federal agencies and commercial enterprises. Inc. magazine has just revealed that Mobomo is No. 2989 on its 37th annual Inc. 5000, the most respected ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. This is the sixth time Mobomo has been recognized on the Inc. list and we are honored to be among such innovative companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Microsoft, Dell, Domino’s Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

"We are thrilled to be recognized on the Inc 5000 list for the sixth year in a row," said Mobomo CEO Brian Lacey. "All of the credit goes to our growing team, who are driven by delivering outstanding product quality and customer service. Their efforts and talents are what fuel our continual growth."

Mobomo has a history of delivering exceptional products for its customers, launching over 50 this year alone. We are proud to continue on our mission of developing high-performance applications and websites that are carefully designed and engineered to fit the needs of our clients.

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The highly anticipated announcement of iOS 12 came at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. A free beta is available for those interested in a sneak peak of the platform's functionality, with the final iOS 12 software expected in the fall.

There are a number of new features being tested for the new platform, but we're most excited about these:

1. Broad Platform Updates for Increase Speed

Responding to user feedback about the slowness of older iPhones and iPads, the new iOS platform promises significant speed increases for older devices.

2. Group Facetime

This feature allows you to call up to 32 participants and transfer directly from a group chat to a group facetime.

3. Camera and Photo Upgrades

In addition to improving portrait mode and allowing third-party apps to edit photos, the Photos app is expanding its search tool to compete with Google Photos.

4. Siri Updates

The improved virtual assistant has a number of new features, including the ability to translate into over 40 languages.  Those of us who are absent-minded will especially appreciate the new password-hunting ability, allowing you to search any saved passwords. (Note: We highly recommend locking your phone if you intend to use this feature.)

5. ARKit 2 Creates Potential for Multiplayer Experiences

Solidifying Apple as a leader in the AR space, iOS 12's ARKit 2 will allow multiple users to see and interact with the same AR scene using different devices.

 

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The U.S. Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government dedicated to gathering, mapping, and monitoring information about natural resources conditions. USGS has partnered with Mobomo on a variety of projects, from their Drupal website to the most cutting-edge technology. The USGS Did You Feel It (DYFI) application is a long-running system for rapidly collecting and mapping macroseismic intensity data from users' shaking and damage reports, and is now shifting from a purely web-based experience to incorporating voice-enabled IoT devices, powered by Alexa today, and possibly Google, Siri, and others in the future.  We cannot wait to present together at the VOICE Summit on our, not yet released, Alexa skill. Be sure to see our session on Thursday, July 26, at 2 pm.

What better way to keep USGS at the forefront of technology than to utilize Alexa for earthquake reporting. This information, originally gathered via snail mail and then the internet, enables citizens to report what they experienced during or after an event. Now, if you feel an earthquake, you can duck for cover and report it all at once!

While reporting an earthquake to Alexa after it occurs may not be the first thought to cross your mind, expanding use of voice technology will enable this to become second nature.  Having accurate information based on one's location is important to the success of the USGS earthquake research.  The next time you feel an earthquake, be sure to use this Alexa Skill to report your experience.

Did You Feel It?

"Did you Feel It" is a voice Skill for the Amazon Alexa family of devices that provides a voice interface for citizens to provide detailed earthquake reports to the US Geological Survey.  Considerable effort went into the development of the Conservation User Interface (CUI) to allow for more natural conversations, and feedback from test users was integrated into the current Alexa skill set.  With proper care in skill development, voice-enabled IoT devices may allow people to interact and respond more naturally to real-world events that the USGS monitors and studies.  From anywhere within range of an Alexa device, citizens can engage in a natural dialogue about earthquakes in their areas, such as:

"Alexa, was there just an earthquake?"

"Yes. An earthquake of magnitude 2.7 was reported 2 minutes ago, 20 miles north of your location. Did you feel it?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to answer some questions that will help USGS scientists better understand earthquake effects?"

"Yes."

The app then asks the citizens a series of questions about the effects of the earthquake shaking, the results of which are parsed, collated and sent to the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program for further study.

It's anticipated that voice-enabled IoT devices will significantly augment current collection strategies and improve many users' experience with their contributions to the USGS science and earthquake response. Check out our session at the VOICE Summit to learn more about the process, challenges, and what it took to bring this project to fruition!

 

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CLUTCH ANNOUNCES TOP DC DEVELOPMENT FIRMS

This week Clutch released a new report highlighting the best development companies in the greater DC area, and Mobomo made their list! We were recognized for our ongoing expertise in web and mobile development across a variety of platforms, including iOS, Android, WordPress, and Drupal.

What is the Features module?

The Features module does have a purpose.. But what exactly, do you need it, what is the structure? All valid questions surrounding Drupal's module. The primary purpose of the module is to copy configuration setups from one Drupal site to another. The Features module offers a well-known method of bundling configuration in a new module that can be installed on other sites--a feature. See the full Drupal 8 configuration setup.

The Features module is an important tool to use on any Drupal 7 or prior projects. To put it simply, Features allows for configurations to be packaged as a reusable component from one environment to another. It might seem like a hassle to add yet another module to your development process, but you will find Features very handy and rewarding as your site grows in size.

.row {
  display: grid;
}

2. Define the number of columns in our grid and the size of the gutters (the space between items/columns).

Bootstrap uses 12 columns with 15px gutters.

.row{
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(12, 1fr);
  grid-gap: 15px;
}

Do I need it?

The main advantage of using Features is being able to have configurations in code so it can be tracked under version control. Since everything in Drupal 7 is stored in the database, configurations changes such as Content Types or Views needs to be moved upstream some way. Creating those changes manually is not such a big issue when your site is small and there’s only one developer working on it. However, when there are several developers working at once on a large scaled site, having to manually create config changes on all the environments is extremely inefficient and time consuming not to mention the possibility of human error. Using Features decreases the amount of inconsistencies across the board. By having configurations in files, the deployment process is also simplified.

Features Structural Organization

There are many different ways to organize the components within Features. You can categorize them based on the kind of Drupal entities (Views, Content Types, Blocks, etc). The downside to that is you might end up with a very long list of Features that makes it hard to keep track of, or Features that are not broken down specific enough and resulting in merge conflicts every time changes occur. One approach is to group feature around Content Types and Pages. It’s much easier to identify what Feature to export if you know that a certain Block for staffs will be under the staff profile Content Type. There may also be components that does not necessarily fit into one place. For example, fields that are used in several different Content Types can be moved to a feature for shared components.

Other Tips

Make sure to revert Features once your code has been pushed up. Also, you should go and double check everything is at the state you want. I have encountered times when Features did not import something properly even though all the correct components were selected. It is also wise to name your features with something identifiable to your project as the base name and place them all in a Features folder in modules for easy access.

Drupal 8 comes with content management system in core so there won’t be a need for Features in the future. However, Drupal 7 is here to stay for awhile and it is definitely an essential module for development.

THE CLUTCH REPORT RANKS THE TOP COMPANIES IN THE AREA.

The rankings were based on Clutch’s proprietary research methodology, which is based on references and reviews, clients and experiences, and market presence. Results are also based on how well companies demonstrate their expertise in the competitive D.C. area, and their success rate on completing high-quality projects. The report includes overviews of the winning companies and full profiles and client interviews are published with the research online.

Mobomo is proud to work with some of the best startups, most distinguished enterprises, and prominent federal agencies in the U.S. marketplace. Our notable web and mobile development work includes projects for NASA, the USO, RGS, Pulse, and NOAA Fisheries.

TOP DEVELOPER:
  • Mobile App Developers
  • Android App Developers
  • iPhone App Developers
  • Web Developers
  • Drupal Developers
  • WordPress Developers
TOP CREATIVE AND DESIGN AGENCY:
  • Digital Design
  • UX

 

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Mobomo is excited to announce that our work on the Baby Trax mobile application with ProgenyHealth has won the Gold Hermes Creative Award! Being a Gold Winner is a tremendous achievement and we are very proud of the Mobomo team members that were involved in this project. The Baby Trax mobile application provides NICU Caregivers with access to the ProgenyHealth team via secure messaging. Baby Trax enables users to:

  • Track feedings, diaper changes, sleep, growth, vaccinations, and pumping
  • Use the phone’s camera to take pictures and add them to albums
  • Stay updated with a personal plan of care, recommended articles, and resource library
  • Export baby’s photos, growth, and vaccination information in a PDF Baby Book
  • Send messages to their Case Manager through secure in-app chat

This application has been at the forefront of caregiving, as the healthcare industry continues to embrace new technology to communicate with their patients. There were about 6,500 entries in the Hermes Creative Awards 2018 competition, hailing from throughout the United States and 21 other countries. Judges of this award are industry experts who were looking for companies and individuals whose talent pushes the high standard of excellence set by the industry. It is an honor to be among such highly-esteemed peers.

Mobomo is proud to work with some of the best clients in D.C. Some of our most recognized and award-winning work has been for NASA, The USO, Pulse, and USGS, and now Baby Trax has joined the ranks! Want to be our next award-winning app?

About the Hermes Creative Awards

“The Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing, and design of traditional and emerging media.” Hermes Creative Awards recognizes outstanding work in the industry while promoting the philanthropic nature of marketing and communication professionals. The name Hermes (Greek messenger) and the idea for the award were chosen to represent our roles as the messengers and creators of marketing and communication materials and programs.

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Clutch

Clutch Announces Top DC Development Firms

This week Clutch released a new report highlighting the best development companies in the greater DC area, and Mobomo made their list! We were recognized for our ongoing expertise in web and mobile development across a variety of platforms, including iOS, Android, WordPress, and Drupal. We were also recognized for our noteworthy web designs and UX. The Clutch report looks at industry data as well as verified and up-to-date client reviews to rank the top companies in the area. We are thrilled to have been recognized as a Top Developer and Top Creative and Design Agency in the following categories:

Top Developer

Top Creative and Design Agency

 

The rankings were based on Clutch’s proprietary research methodology, which is based on references and reviews, clients and experiences, and market presence. Results are also based on how well companies demonstrate their expertise in the competitive D.C. area, and their success rate on completing high-quality projects. The report includes overviews of the winning companies and full profiles and client interviews are published with the research online.

Mobomo is proud to work with some of the best startups, most distinguished enterprises, and prominent federal agencies in the U.S. marketplace. Our notable web and mobile development work includes projects for NASA, the USO, RGS, Pulse, and NOAA Fisheries.

About Clutch

Clutch is a business to business research firm located in Washington, D.C. They are best known for connecting agencies and software solution companies in order to enhance business goals across businesses. Their methodology is unique in the sense that they connect businesses based on consumer reviews, the type of services offered and the quality of work.

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Drupal 6 is officially no longer supported by the Drupal community:

This was announced in 2015 and officially went into effect on February 24, 2016. It has been two years since Drupal 6 was supported and Drupal 7 may not be supported for much longer according to past release timelines.

Responsive layout is built-in.

It is very difficult to retrofit a responsive theme into Drupal 6. Drupal 8 is responsive out of the box and all community contributed themes have responsiveness built-in. On January 10, 2018, it became required by law for all federal sites to be mobile friendly and this is to be completed no later than 18 months after this was put in place (June 10, 2019).

Better performance.

Drupal 6 requires a lot of tweaking or external caching to achieve good performance. Many of these things are either built-in or easy to enable with Drupal 8. The latest version of Drupal has worked hard to improve the load time of pages, management of the content and many other aspects. Drupal 8 now works more efficiently, and hence it saves much time for the user in all circumstances.

Better security.

Drupal 6 no longer receives most security updates and it is not architected to handle modern security threats. Drupal 8 offers security best practices for writing code, generated PHP files, and configuration for site builders. Drupal also has a security team in place. If someone discovers vulnerabilities, patches can be quickly released. Stable modules that have a security review also have a shield icon to differentiate them from the rest.

Better customization: Mobile First

D8 has a much more robust plugin architecture that allows developers to customize almost anything. This even allows D8 to serve purely as a back-end CMS with a completely de-coupled front-end application which could include a mobile app. Drupal in and of itself is an open source content management system. This helps companies get faster with everything they do, execute at scale, and not be burdened by delays in bringing new ideas to market.

Better SEO

Drupal 6 is not optimized for modern search engines which can cause low page ranking. Drupal 8 is better out of the box and has a lot of community modules that can optimize it further. It’s increased site speed, responsive web design, mobile readiness, CAAS capabilities, etc. has made it better optimized overall.

Usability improvements.

Drupal 8 has significant usability improvements for managing content and users over Drupal 6. Throughout Drupal 8, the focus has been mobile-first and usability. All of Drupal 8’s built-in themes are responsive and built to be used wherever you may need to get work done, whether that be on your phone on the go or stationary on your computer of choice.

Enterprise application architecture.

Both Drupal 6 and Drupal 7 have problems separating configuration and business logic from the actual content. This creates a lot of challenges when trying to deploy a large or complex site. Flexible APIs such as actions and triggers, Database API, caching, roles and permissions, Form API, REST API etc. make Drupal 8 an ideal web framework, while continuing to manage the content.

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Part 3: The Final Installment

This is the final installment of Drupal Taxonomy that we feel is important for one unfamiliar with Drupal to know! At this point, hopefully, you understand some of the key language that is regularly used in the Drupal Community.  For reference, our first two blogs, Part 1 and Part 2, should provide you any background you may not already have.  Mobomo is the team that is behind NASA, the solar eclipse with NASA, the USGS store, and NOAA Fisheries, all of which are Drupal sites.  Similar to these organizations, Drupal is the CMS system for you if your needs are more complex, you are developing an e-commerce portal, or if you have a large amount of content to maintain.  If you have a Drupal project in the works or are about to migrate versions or CMS systems, Mobomo has some of the best and brightest Drupal developers in the DC area.

Key Terms:

  1. Permissions - This is a tool for controlling access to content creation, modification, and site administration at the application level.
  2. Template - This refers to a file to express presentation
  3. Theme Engine - This is a set of scripts that interprets code and makes theming a site easier. These scripts take the dynamically generated content and output it to HTML.
  4. Theme Hook - This is an identifier used by the calls to the theme() function to delegate rendering to a theme function or theme template.  Modules which extend Drupal may declare their own theme hooks to allow editors to control the markup of that module in their theme.
  5. Trigger - These typically result from a characteristic change in an entity maintained by a module.
  6. Triage - A new issue is assigned a priority based on its severity, frequency, risk, and other predetermined factors.
  7. Zebra Striping - This refers to the to the alternating colors between rows of data. It is most common for rows of data to alternate background colors between white and gray.
  8. Testbot - A continuous integration service for testing patches submitted to project issues on Drupal.org.
  9. Roles - A name for a group of users, to whom you can collectively assign permissions. There are two predetermined, locked roles for every new Drupal installation:
  10. Path - This is the final portion of the URL that refers to a specific function or a piece of content.

 

Please reference Drupal.org for more information!

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Swift Community Meetup

Mobomo has had a large team based in Buenos Aires, Argentina for over 6 years and our team based there has grown to be nearly 30 people.  A large majority of our award-winning design and quality assurance teams are made up of Buenos Aires talent.  May 4th was our first Buenos Aires Meetup.  Pablo Villar, iOS developer of the Mobomo Team, lead his first event for the Swift Community. Pablo has over 5 years of experience coding on this platform.  With over 50 attendees at La Maquinta (a coworking space in Palermo Hollywood), the event was a huge success!

These are the 3 Topics That We Presented:

  1. ReSwift by Francisco Reynolds
    • He showed us how to use ReSwift in order to create unidirectional data flows so your code ends up being clearer and more concise.
  2. UITesting + FBSnapshotCase by Frederico Jordan
    • He showcased a practical example of this testing tool to show how useful this could be for your projects.
  3. MVVM + ReactiveCocoa by Mariano Abdala
    • He told us about MVVM architechtural pattern advantages through the use of Reactive programming.

If you would like to see more, check out the full streaming at May 4th - Buenos Aires MeetUp

Special thanks to Alejandra Marquez, our People Operations Manager, who made this possible!

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