Blink App Shells and Appification
- Ray Pearce (Unlicensed)
In most cases answerSpaces managed under the BlinkMobile Platform are delivered to devices as web apps, often with associated data being packaged and shipped to the device as “Data Suitcases”.
However, there are certain reasons why the standard web app and downloadable Data Suitcases may not provide all of the functionality required for a solution due to the need to access certain system level features of the device that cannot be accessed through a browser.
Examples of these system level features may include access to camera, photo gallery, file system, and location/GPS of the device, although advances in Browser technology means that most of these are still available without resorting to creating an App.
Other device specific capabilities not readily available through a browser based environment, include:
- Arbitrary precision decimal arithmetic for actuarial and financial calculations
- Additional hand held devices connected to the SmartPhone/Tablet such as Near Field Scanners, SmartCard Credit Card readers, environmental monitoring device, etc.
In these circumstances BlinkMobile offers a simple process of ‘appification’ or building of an app shell around the mobile service to allow the service to be distributed direct to employees or more broadly via the device specific app stores.
The app produced from the appification process becomes your responsibility as an organisation to distribute as described in the paragraph below.
If you intend to release your answerSpace as an app on any device you, as the distributing organisation, must become familiar with the processes and responsibilities involved. Vendors, particularly Apple, maintain strict rules around the distribution of apps to minimise the potential for fraud or other illegal or nuisance activity.
BlinkMobile or its partners are not responsible for the app that you distribute.