Future iPhones could intelligently modify security settings based on location

Future Apple devices may be able to dynamically modify user interface elements, security levels, and other types of behavior based on location, according to a new patent application published Thursday.

Referred to as “Location-sensitive security levels and setting profiles based on detected location,” Apple’s application describes a setup in which both the hardware and software of your iPhone, iPad, and whatever other mobile devices Apple releases in future can seamlessly work together to automatically adjust various UI and device behavior settings.

While this a broad area, the most interesting element of the application are the potential security settings, which would allow iOS devices to intelligently demand differing levels of security authentication depending on whether users are at home, or out and about — meaning that unlocking your iPhone in the confines of your house could involve a simple four-digit passcode, while unlocking it in a public area may require Touch ID.

Your iPhone could demand different amount of security verification depending on if you’re at home, in the car, or in the office

This could possibly work alongside an Apple patent published back in March, revealing how Cupertino is exploring different types of biometrics — including palm prints, face-recognition, retina scans, and voice signatures — which can be requested in various combinations before users are able to access their data.

Location could be determined by a variety of different means, including cellular tower data, recognition of a home Wi-Fi network, GPS data or even closeness to other smartphones, among others. At least two location aspects would be required for the system to be able to function with the kind of accuracy needed for this to work.

New locations could be automatically measured using a “location context” module, which would apply security settings based on a predefined scale. Public areas — recognized through the presence of mobile Wi-Fi hotspots — could also demand higher authentication requirements for apps containing sensitive information, such as Address Book or Calendar.

How the context-aware security settings may appear on a future iOS device.

Apple’s “Location-sensitive security levels and setting profiles based on detected location” patent application was first filed December 31, 2012.

Source: U.S. Patent & Trademarks Office

Spotify now lets you view play queues, and warns about duplicate songs

Shortly after updating Spotify with the ability to search for downloaded music offline, Spotify’s iOS app has just received a notable new update.

Spotify now lets users view play queues on their iPhone. This can be done by tapping the queue icon on the top right corner of the “Now Playing” screen. The update also features a new dialog box, which appears each time you try to add a song to a playlist which already includes it: a great way of avoiding duplicating songs without you realizing it.

In addition, Spotify now includes new sorting and filtering options in the “Your Music” section.

Having recently received a stunning iOS 7-inspired overhaul, these changes add to what is a better app than ever if you’re a music lover. Spotify Music is available for free from the App Store for all iOS devices, running iOS 6.0 and above.

Source: iTunes

Software Development Outsourcing in India Today

The second republic has arrived in India. The mantra for one of the economic growth for one of the largest republics with its new leash of life is Thinking Out of The Box …………..

Offloading work then, to this promising economy is a wise choice for enterprises with the need for software development outsourcing. It is the practice of obtaining resources to do work outside the Enterprise realm. Software Development Outsourcing encompasses the complete software development life cycle; Requirements Study, Design, Development, Testing, Implementation and Maintenance or the required few. The Offshore Development model for outsourced software development takes the outsourcing jobs to locations away from the enterprise location, whereas the Onshore Development model gets resources from the outsourcing firm to work at the locations of the client. India, located strategically between the Western and the Eastern Time zones is a prudent choice of venue.

Outsourcing reduces the efforts and costs involved in building an IT development team in-house. The efforts involved in building and retaining a competent team and achieving quality software are too big as compared to outsourcing. It becomes much easier for the outsourcer to focus on its core business and use the services of the IT Company when required. This strategy reduces the cost of maintaining a technically sound team offering greater flexibility.

Benefits of Outsourcing Software Development to India

Concerns of the Outsourcing Strategy

Since the outsourced jobs are carried out by other than the enterprise, it gives rise to general concerns from the enterprise’s point of view for

     Maintenance of software quality

     Keeping up of schedules

     Observing confidentiality of work

     Security in communications

     Cost Controls

A competent outsource partner would put to rest these concerns and unravel the benefits of outsourcing for the enterprise.

Association Methods

A software development outsourcing partner associates in various fashions to implement

1) Technique

     For development of a technology to be used in the project where the client does not possess the skill required

2) Process

     To execute a particular functionality of the process workflow like design or testing 

3) Complete Development

     To execute all the activities required for the software development life 

Deliverable's

The software development outsourcing partner delivers various documents to enable smooth project rollouts and transparency to the outsourcer

     Requirement Specification documents

     The Proposal Analysis document

     The Contract Execution document

     The Software Development Plan

     Quality Assurance Plan

India emerges as a major software development outsourcing hub in the recent years. Collaborations with Software Development firms in India for outsourcing assignments; offshore, onshore or hybrid, have all proven to be rewarding. The new direction and impetus given to its economic growth by a new futuristic, stable government are indications of associations that are certain to be fruitful.

Advantages of Outsourcing Software Development to India

With its geographical location and the historical association with the western world, India has an edge as compared to other countries for being an offshore development center.

SPEC INDIA with 27+ years of experience as an Outsourced software application development partner for clients spread across over 20+ countries using varied technologies provides Customized Solutions in areas of Desktop Application Development, Web Application Development, Mobile Application Development, Enterprise Mobility Solutions, Business Intelligence and Big Data.

SPEC INDIA demonstrates its technical and functional capabilities by maintaining a preferred vendor status with Fortune 100 clients year on year. Our Project Management Practices and consistent Quality Assurance Practices put the software developed by us into a different league altogether.

iOS 7 Features

iOS 7 introduces great new features like Control Center, AirDrop for iOS, and smarter multitasking. It also makes the things you do every day even easier, faster, and more enjoyable. And while many of the apps look different, the way you do things feels perfectly familiar. So from day one, you know how to use the world’s most advanced mobile OS.In its most advanced form.

Control Center gives you quick access to the controls and apps you always seem to need right this second. Just swipe up from any screen — including the Lock screen — to do things like switch to Airplane mode, turn Wi-Fi on or off, or adjust the brightness of your display. You can even shine a light on things with a new flashlight. Never has one swipe given you so much control.

Do what you need to do. Quick.

Turn on or off Airplane mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Do Not Disturb. Lock your screen’s orientation or adjust its brightness. Play, pause, or skip a song. Connect to AirPlay-enabled devices. And quickly access your flashlight, timer, calculator, and camera.

Notification Center lets you know about new mail, missed calls, to-dos that need doing, and more. And anew feature called Today gives you a convenient summary of, well, today. One glance at your iPhone and you’ll know if it’s a certain someone’s birthday, if you’ll need an umbrella, or if traffic will slow down your commute. You’ll even get a heads-up on tomorrow. You can access Notification Center from any screen, including the Lock screen. Just swipe down. And get up to speed.

What’s your day like?

Today view gives you a summary of what you need toknow about for the day. And a peek at tomorrow.

See what you missed. 

The new All and Missed views let you see all your alerts or just those you haven’t addressed in thelast 24 hours.

Multitasking has always been a smart way to switch between apps. Now it’s even smarter. Because iOS 7 learns when you like to use your apps and can updateyour content before you launch them. So if you tend tocheck your favorite social app at 9:00 a.m. every day, your feed will be ready and waiting for you. That’s multitasking in iOS 7. It knows what you want to do before you do.

A smarter way to multitask.

Press the Home button twice to see preview screens of the apps you have open. To quit an app, just swipe it up and out of preview.

Intelligently scheduled updates.

iOS schedules updates during power-efficient times. Like when your device is on and connected to Wi-Fi. So your battery isn’t drained unnecessarily.

Sending a photo or a document to someone via text or email is fine. But if that someone is right next to you, a text or an email suddenly feels like too many steps. Enter AirDrop for iOS. It lets you quickly and easily share photos, videos, contacts — and anything else from any app with a Share button. Just tap Share, then select the person you want to share with. AirDrop does the rest using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. No setup required. And transfers are encrypted, so what you share is highly secure.3

Make yourself available. Or not. 

You’re automatically visible in AirDrop to your contacts running iOS 7. But you can also make yourself visible to anyone nearby using iOS 7 or to no one at all. One tap in Control Center is all it takes.

File received. 

Recipients can choose to save whatever you send. When they do, the content is saved right where it should be — a photo in Photos, a pass in Passbook, acontact in Contacts, and so on.

iTunes Radio features streaming radio stations you’ll love from day one — from the best selection of music. The more you listen, the more personalized it becomes. And it’s available on your iPhone, iPad, iPodtouch, Mac, PC, and Apple TV for free. It’s radio re-imagined