Mobile Industry

Siri Shortcuts Offer Benefits to Consumers and Businesses

2 years ago

Siri Shortcuts, available with the release of iOS 12, are Apple’s next advance in the quest to create a more robust product assistant across all of their product line. Most of us are familiar with Siri, Apple’s voice assistant that utilizes voice queries and a natural-language user interface to answer questions and perform any variety of actions. Siri is built into every device they sell, and with iOS 12 she’s about to get a lot more capable, thanks to Siri Shortcuts. In a nutshell, Siri Shortcuts are designed to help consumers streamline the things they do often. They will transform how many people utilize their smart devices, and businesses that are prepared can also reap benefits from this feature. For example, if someone loves your pizza, they can create a shortcut to do a series of actions like launch your app, order a large Veggie Delight, pay for it, and alert them when the delivery driver is 5 minutes away. The shortcut can even be designed to be activated by a custom voice command (e.g. “Hey Siri, order me a pizza”) — and then started by using Siri on their iPhone, their Watch, their kitchen Homepod, their Apple TV remote while sitting on the couch, or by talking to their CarPlay dash while driving home! With iOS 12, there will be two types of Siri Shortcuts: automatically generated “suggestions” and custom shortcuts. Suggestions will be based on actual app usage, and the custom shortcuts the user creates themselves via a new Shortcuts app from Apple, or more simply, via buttons the developer builds within the app. Siri Shortcuts: Suggestions When someone performs a task with an app in a consistent pattern, and that app has been developed to inform Siri of those actions, Siri will take note of the pattern and generate a suggestion. If the activity occurs at the same time every day, say for example, starting a yoga routine, or searching a recipes app, a shortcut will appear on the home screen at that time with the activity ready to go. iPhone users will be delighted that their favorite apps are so thoughtful, or in the case of a newly installed app, it may quickly become their favorite. Siri suggestions are a wide open new beachhead upon which a business can differentiate itself from the rest. Custom Siri Shortcuts: Simple Apps can also be built or updated to display an “Add to Siri” button that will add the action just taken to a user’s custom Siri Shortcuts list. From there they can assign a voice command to repeat that action. Imagine two workout apps: one that is not Add-to-Siri enabled, and one that is. Contrast how these apps will be used every day: In the first app, the person must find that app on their home screen and launch it. Then they have to navigate to the screen that starts the workout, possibly first navigating through the types of workouts the app offers. Finally they can tap the Start button. In the second app (once the person agrees to the shortcut), the person says into their iPhone or even AirPods, “Hey Siri, start my workout.” That’s it. The app launches and the shortcut starts the pre-defined workout. Which of these two apps is likely to be more successful? Assuming comparable features, the one that makes it easier for a consumer to get right into their workout. Such ease is valued by users in professional as well as personal settings, so it’s a win-win if you develop your app in a way that makes it simple for users to create a Siri shortcut. Custom Siri Shortcuts: Advanced While a shortcut to access features of one app is exciting, Apple also intends to make it possible for people to automate tasks within and between apps, allowing for extended multi-app workflows, launched with one voice command. Consumers will be able to create these more advanced automations via a new app from Apple, called Shortcuts, that will be available from the app store when iOS 12 is released. Here’s how such a shortcut might work. Let’s say your company offers an app that adds fun effects to your customer’s pictures and allows them to order full size posters of them. The app has a “Glam” mode that identifies a face in the image and adds glitter, a backlight, and a tiara to the snapped photo. Let’s say a user (“Sally”) has your app and is out having fun with her friends. Then boom, there’s a perfect scene to glam up. So she quickly takes a picture with the camera app, fully intending to create a poster to give her friend for her room. But adding the effects and creating the poster would take time away from the fun, so she saves it for later, and then forgets. Now if the app had been created in a way that enabled her to create a workflow shortcut, she could have created one (we’ll call it “Glam time!”), to automate a whole series of actions. When she tells Siri “Hey Siri, Glam time!”, the following could then happen: Camera app opens Sally snaps her friend in the perfect pose The newly saved photo is sent to your app Your app applies the glam effects and shows Sally the preview Sally loves it, and taps the “Create Poster” option Your app creates and sends the order Done — with just a quick voice command and two taps As creating a custom workflow will require a certain amount of savvyness, we anticipate Apple’s Shortcuts app will have a gallery of pre-built workflows. Developers and business owners will want to work together to ensure their apps are well represented in this gallery to enable greater usage of their apps/tools. We’re excited to think about the opportunities that Siri Shortcuts can offer to businesses. Apps that take advantage of this new functionality will have the chance to become the default choice for users in any of a variety of business and personal arenas. Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss how to add this functionality to your app.

Siri Shortcuts Offer Benefits to Consumers and Businesses Image

Siri Shortcuts, available with the release of iOS 12, are Apple’s next advance in the quest to create a more robust product assistant across all of their product line.

Most of us are familiar with Siri, Apple’s voice assistant that utilizes voice queries and a natural-language user interface to answer questions and perform any variety of actions. Siri is built into every device they sell, and with iOS 12 she’s about to get a lot more capable, thanks to Siri Shortcuts.

In a nutshell, Siri Shortcuts are designed to help consumers streamline the things they do often. They will transform how many people utilize their smart devices, and businesses that are prepared can also reap benefits from this feature.

For example, if someone loves your pizza, they can create a shortcut to do a series of actions like launch your app, order a large Veggie Delight, pay for it, and alert them when the delivery driver is 5 minutes away. The shortcut can even be designed to be activated by a custom voice command (e.g. “Hey Siri, order me a pizza”) — and then started by using Siri on their iPhone, their Watch, their kitchen Homepod, their Apple TV remote while sitting on the couch, or by talking to their CarPlay dash while driving home!

With iOS 12, there will be two types of Siri Shortcuts: automatically generated “suggestions” and custom shortcuts. Suggestions will be based on actual app usage, and the custom shortcuts the user creates themselves via a new Shortcuts app from Apple, or more simply, via buttons the developer builds within the app.

Siri Shortcuts: Suggestions

When someone performs a task with an app in a consistent pattern, and that app has been developed to inform Siri of those actions, Siri will take note of the pattern and generate a suggestion. If the activity occurs at the same time every day, say for example, starting a yoga routine, or searching a recipes app, a shortcut will appear on the home screen at that time with the activity ready to go. iPhone users will be delighted that their favorite apps are so thoughtful, or in the case of a newly installed app, it may quickly become their favorite. Siri suggestions are a wide open new beachhead upon which a business can differentiate itself from the rest.

Custom Siri Shortcuts: Simple

Apps can also be built or updated to display an “Add to Siri” button that will add the action just taken to a user’s custom Siri Shortcuts list. From there they can assign a voice command to repeat that action.
Imagine two workout apps: one that is not Add-to-Siri enabled, and one that is. Contrast how these apps will be used every day: In the first app, the person must find that app on their home screen and launch it. Then they have to navigate to the screen that starts the workout, possibly first navigating through the types of workouts the app offers. Finally they can tap the Start button.

In the second app (once the person agrees to the shortcut), the person says into their iPhone or even AirPods, “Hey Siri, start my workout.” That’s it. The app launches and the shortcut starts the pre-defined workout.

Which of these two apps is likely to be more successful? Assuming comparable features, the one that makes it easier for a consumer to get right into their workout. Such ease is valued by users in professional as well as personal settings, so it’s a win-win if you develop your app in a way that makes it simple for users to create a Siri shortcut.

Custom Siri Shortcuts: Advanced

While a shortcut to access features of one app is exciting, Apple also intends to make it possible for people to automate tasks within and between apps, allowing for extended multi-app workflows, launched with one voice command. Consumers will be able to create these more advanced automations via a new app from Apple, called Shortcuts, that will be available from the app store when iOS 12 is released.

Here’s how such a shortcut might work. Let’s say your company offers an app that adds fun effects to your customer’s pictures and allows them to order full size posters of them. The app has a “Glam” mode that identifies a face in the image and adds glitter, a backlight, and a tiara to the snapped photo.

Let’s say a user (“Sally”) has your app and is out having fun with her friends. Then boom, there’s a perfect scene to glam up. So she quickly takes a picture with the camera app, fully intending to create a poster to give her friend for her room. But adding the effects and creating the poster would take time away from the fun, so she saves it for later, and then forgets.

Now if the app had been created in a way that enabled her to create a workflow shortcut, she could have created one (we’ll call it “Glam time!”), to automate a whole series of actions. When she tells Siri “Hey Siri, Glam time!”, the following could then happen:

Camera app opens
Sally snaps her friend in the perfect pose
The newly saved photo is sent to your app
Your app applies the glam effects and shows Sally the preview
Sally loves it, and taps the “Create Poster” option
Your app creates and sends the order
Done — with just a quick voice command and two taps

As creating a custom workflow will require a certain amount of savvyness, we anticipate Apple’s Shortcuts app will have a gallery of pre-built workflows. Developers and business owners will want to work together to ensure their apps are well represented in this gallery to enable greater usage of their apps/tools.

We’re excited to think about the opportunities that Siri Shortcuts can offer to businesses. Apps that take advantage of this new functionality will have the chance to become the default choice for users in any of a variety of business and personal arenas. Please get in touch if you’d like to discuss how to add this functionality to your app.

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Apps for Environmental Change

1. Take-a-Hike App

Being intentional about how you interact with the environment can make all the difference in your local community.

Take-a-Hike app is an audio-guided hiking app that guides you through nature trails in Boulder, Colorado. Not only does Take-a-Hike guide you through tumultuous hiking terrain, but this mobile app also gives you guidance on preserving and supporting the wetlands, forests, and mountains while enjoying the beauty of Colorado’s outdoors.

InspiringApps is honored to partner with the Boulder Watershed Collective and aid in their vital cause of watershed restoration.

You can download Take-a-Hike on the App Store and on Google Play.

2. Eco-Cycle App

Technology that fosters sustainability makes for a cleaner, healthier planet.

Boulder County has released an app to help educate the community about which materials can be recycled. The app helps identify whether an item is recyclable, compostable, or reusable and where to deposit the item.

5 Colorado Nonprofits Using Mobile Apps To Further Causes: Eco-Cycle

You can download the Eco-Cycle app on the App Store and on Google Play.

Apps for First Responders & Front-Line Workers

3. ThoughtFarmer

Access to knowledge and resources empowers and unites employees.

Frontline workers are the backbone of modern civilization, and yet, they often lack educational resources and remain uninformed about important company news. According to Tribe, 83% of frontline workers don’t have an email address.

Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA), a public transit agency in Roaring Fork Valley, Colorado, found an innovative solution to equip and empower their workers: ThoughtFarmer. ThoughtFarmer is an app that provides RFTA with an intranet to engage employees and equip them with invaluable resources for their job.

5 Colorado Nonprofits Using Mobile Apps To Further Causes: Thought Farmer

You can download ThoughtFarmer on the App Store and on Google Play.

4. Smart911

Plan ahead so that the police and first responders can get to you quickly in an emergency.

Smart911 helps you do just that—plan smart. You can create a free safety profile for your household to give the police important information you want 911 and first responders to have in the case of an emergency.

Boulder County created this initiative to provide emergency responders with vital information so that they can help you in the best way possible.

From mental health considerations to an aggressive pet, Smart911 allows you to save time and be proactive about your safety.

5 Colorado Nonprofits Using Mobile Apps To Further Causes: Smart911

You can download the free Smart911 on the App Store and on Google Play.

Apps for Humanitarian Aid

5. FlexRide App

The amount of pain and loss the Colorado fires have inflicted is unparalleled. The FlexRide app brings assistance to those who need it most.

Wildfires have wreaked havoc across Colorado. In 2021, many locals lost their homes to the fires. The Regional Transportation District (RTD) provided rides free of charge to any Marshall Fire victims, which can be accessed through the FlexRide app.

FlexRide is a curb-to-curb service for Broomfield residents and visitors. FlexRide helps transport you throughout the neighborhood or connect you with other RTD transportation services.

5 Colorado Nonprofits Using Mobile Apps To Further Causes: Flex Ride

You can download the FlexRide app on the App Store and on Google Play.

Concluding Thoughts

There you have it; those are our top picks for Colorado nonprofit innovation and inspiration. We hope you enjoyed diving into the ever-so-evolving world of nonprofit + technology. Our team constantly evaluates the latest apps and trends to uncover the best ones.

Going mobile takes a nonprofit’s mission and makes it accessible to all. At InspiringApps, we craft inspiring custom software solutions that impact our clients, communities, and businesses.

Mobile Industry

Apps that Support Well-Being Amid COVID-19

The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in tremendous societal change in a relatively short period of time. As the global pandemic continues to impact our lives, our approach to taking care of ourselves and others likely needs to be modified as well. Our team is committed to creating apps that generate novel solutions and enhance daily life. Below are some of our favorite apps that support well-being amid COVID-19. Whether you’re motivated to improve your health, express yourself creatively, or start a new hobby, we hope the diverse collection of apps below will support you in making the most of a new normal. Physical and Emotional Health monkii Not surprisingly, the CDC has designated regular exercise as a step individuals should take to protect their health during the coronavirus outbreak. Yet, barriers such as gym closures, limitations on recreational group activities, and reliance on home workout videos that aren’t always engaging can make it difficult to stick to a workout routine. The fitness tool monkii offers a solution to many present-day obstacles to physical activity. The personal training app is designed to help people improve their strength, balance, and cardiovascular health through use of a set of versatile resistance training products. With hundreds of workouts that can be followed indoors or outside as well as an emphasis on fun, natural movement, the app helps users develop an agility that’s, well, monkii-like. Users can access hundreds of free workouts to get a feel for the app’s ingenuity. Kickstarter backers get access to an additional collection of multi-day programs. Empath As individuals balance observance of quarantine guidelines with the need to stay connected, social media use is on the rise. A recent study of 25,000 consumers across 30 markets found that social media use increased by 61% in light of the pandemic. Yet, because personal profiles tend to be more closely aligned with a highlight reel than authentic representation, social media apps don’t always provide the sense of connectedness users crave. The app Empath is a tool for sharing true feelings and receiving validation of one’s real emotions from others. Individuals can create a post about a specific feeling (such as calm, excited, or scared) as well as thoughts associated with the feeling. The post is then anonymously published. Other users can empathize with a post, at which point the person who authored the original post has the option to disclose their identity and connect with the supportive user in their network. Empath may be particularly helpful at a time when connection has changed because it provides a space for honesty and keeps potentially inaccurate views of existing networks in check. Tap In The many health benefits associated with meditation are becoming increasingly well-recognized. Fortunately technology can support our efforts to develop a regular practice. Unlike most contemplative products on the market, the app Tap In lets users connect to a live, daily meditation session. Users simply “tap in” to an event a few minutes before its scheduled start. The real-time component of the app gives instructors the ability to guide users in reflecting on current issues, such as life in quarantine. The app also supports users’ sense of community by showing how many other meditators are participating in a session. Creativity Artifact Uprising Whether it’s the result of additional free time, boredom, space for self-reflection, or some combination of the three, a surge in creativity can be an unexpected upside to life in quarantine. Fortunately there are many apps designed to help individuals reap the benefits of creative expression even if the inclination doesn’t come naturally. Artifact Uprising is an award-winning platform that allows individuals to create beautiful photographic art in minutes. Have you been meaning to organize mementos from your last vacation? Artifact Uprising lets you capture the story of your experience in a stunning photobook. Would you like to feature sophisticated art in your video conferencing frame during your next Zoom call? The app provides the tools to design the perfect wooden photo ledge. For an additional mental health benefit, create an Artifact Uprising project for others. The app helps users produce custom photo cards that can be sent to healthcare workers or anyone in need of a little more support. Tayasui Sketches If you’re interested in drawing, the sophisticated yet intuitive design of the digital sketchbook app Tayasui Sketches meets the needs of both experienced and beginner artists. The app features a range of drawing tools, layers, and gradients as well as simple iCloud backup. Users can find inspiration and connection by participating in the app’s impressive community of artists. Brainsparker The app Brainsparker helps users to think more creatively in general. Users shuffle a deck of cards containing inspirational prompts (for example, “redefine the boundaries” and “look outside your field”) and images (such as a bumble bee or a peacock) and are encouraged to reflect on the prompt in the context of a personal block. Niche card packs are available for purchase and include the dialogue pack for conversations, the coach’s pack, and even the blogger’s pack. The app can also be used with Zoom to initiate an icebreaker or encourage creative thinking at your next meeting. Hobbies ēdn If you’ve been meaning to make the most of stay-at-home orders by taking up a new hobby, the health-promoting practice of gardening is an ideal place to start. However, those who don’t think they have a green thumb may be too intimidated to get started. ēdn SmallGarden is an Internet of Things (IoT) device that makes indoor gardens easy to cultivate. Users can control light schedules, water levels, and plant food release from an app synced to a smart garden device to facilitate optimal plant growth. An additional quarantine-conscious benefit is that a single garden can be monitored by more than one user, giving individuals the chance to connect over gardening successes. Song Sleuth Birding by ear can be enjoyed while sticking to social distancing rules and the app SongSleuth makes it possible for users to participate in the activity without being particularly knowledgeable about feathered wildlife. The app recognizes over 200 species of birds in North America based on their songs. Intermediate birders can test their knowledge by changing the app’s functionality to only provide hints. Users can save and revisit the amusement of their newfound hobby by building a collection of recordings within the app. Anchor The coronavirus outbreak has impacted many aspects of the entertainment industry and podcasting is no exception. Yet, a unique protection of the medium is its capacity to be easily produced from home. Anchor is a podcasting how-to app with a stated mission to “democratize audio.” New podcasters can record, edit, and publish their work. Features such as simple data analytics and sponsorship matching allow users to take their projects to the next level. These apps could be really beneficial for some people during this lockdown. However, there are always other applications out there and websites that could also be useful. For example, some people might like to keep themselves busy by using an online casino website. That could help some people to have some fun and potentially earn some money. By visiting www.best-casino.net, people can find a safe online casino and can start making their lockdown more enjoyable. Make sure to find some applications and websites to occupy you. Perhaps now more than ever it is important to create digital products that support and delight users on a daily basis. At InspiringApps, we stay motivated during challenging times through our shared quality of being #InspiredWhereWeAre. Reach out to us today to learn more about how our team can help turn your original app idea into a reality.

4 years ago

Physical and Emotional Health

monkii

Not surprisingly, the CDC has designated regular exercise as a step individuals should take to protect their health during the coronavirus outbreak. Yet, barriers such as gym closures, limitations on recreational group activities, and reliance on home workout videos that aren’t always engaging can make it difficult to stick to a workout routine. The fitness tool monkii offers a solution to many present-day obstacles to physical activity. The personal training app is designed to help people improve their strength, balance, and cardiovascular health through use of a set of versatile resistance training products. With hundreds of workouts that can be followed indoors or outside as well as an emphasis on fun, natural movement, the app helps users develop an agility that’s, well, monkii-like. Users can access hundreds of free workouts to get a feel for the app’s ingenuity. Kickstarter backers get access to an additional collection of multi-day programs.

Empath

As individuals balance observance of quarantine guidelines with the need to stay connected, social media use is on the rise. A recent study of 25,000 consumers across 30 markets found that social media use increased by 61% in light of the pandemic. Yet, because personal profiles tend to be more closely aligned with a highlight reel than authentic representation, social media apps don’t always provide the sense of connectedness users crave.

The app Empath is a tool for sharing true feelings and receiving validation of one’s real emotions from others. Individuals can create a post about a specific feeling (such as calm, excited, or scared) as well as thoughts associated with the feeling. The post is then anonymously published. Other users can empathize with a post, at which point the person who authored the original post has the option to disclose their identity and connect with the supportive user in their network. Empath may be particularly helpful at a time when connection has changed because it provides a space for honesty and keeps potentially inaccurate views of existing networks in check.

Tap In

The many health benefits associated with meditation are becoming increasingly well-recognized. Fortunately technology can support our efforts to develop a regular practice. Unlike most contemplative products on the market, the app Tap In lets users connect to a live, daily meditation session. Users simply “tap in” to an event a few minutes before its scheduled start. The real-time component of the app gives instructors the ability to guide users in reflecting on current issues, such as life in quarantine. The app also supports users’ sense of community by showing how many other meditators are participating in a session.

Creativity

Artifact Uprising

Whether it’s the result of additional free time, boredom, space for self-reflection, or some combination of the three, a surge in creativity can be an unexpected upside to life in quarantine. Fortunately there are many apps designed to help individuals reap the benefits of creative expression even if the inclination doesn’t come naturally.

Artifact Uprising is an award-winning platform that allows individuals to create beautiful photographic art in minutes. Have you been meaning to organize mementos from your last vacation? Artifact Uprising lets you capture the story of your experience in a stunning photobook. Would you like to feature sophisticated art in your video conferencing frame during your next Zoom call? The app provides the tools to design the perfect wooden photo ledge. For an additional mental health benefit, create an Artifact Uprising project for others. The app helps users produce custom photo cards that can be sent to healthcare workers or anyone in need of a little more support.

Tayasui Sketches

If you’re interested in drawing, the sophisticated yet intuitive design of the digital sketchbook app Tayasui Sketches meets the needs of both experienced and beginner artists. The app features a range of drawing tools, layers, and gradients as well as simple iCloud backup. Users can find inspiration and connection by participating in the app’s impressive community of artists.

Brainsparker

The app Brainsparker helps users to think more creatively in general. Users shuffle a deck of cards containing inspirational prompts (for example, “redefine the boundaries” and “look outside your field”) and images (such as a bumble bee or a peacock) and are encouraged to reflect on the prompt in the context of a personal block. Niche card packs are available for purchase and include the dialogue pack for conversations, the coach’s pack, and even the blogger’s pack. The app can also be used with Zoom to initiate an icebreaker or encourage creative thinking at your next meeting.

Hobbies

ēdn

If you’ve been meaning to make the most of stay-at-home orders by taking up a new hobby, the health-promoting practice of gardening is an ideal place to start. However, those who don’t think they have a green thumb may be too intimidated to get started. ēdn SmallGarden is an Internet of Things (IoT) device that makes indoor gardens easy to cultivate. Users can control light schedules, water levels, and plant food release from an app synced to a smart garden device to facilitate optimal plant growth. An additional quarantine-conscious benefit is that a single garden can be monitored by more than one user, giving individuals the chance to connect over gardening successes.

Song Sleuth

Birding by ear can be enjoyed while sticking to social distancing rules and the app SongSleuth makes it possible for users to participate in the activity without being particularly knowledgeable about feathered wildlife. The app recognizes over 200 species of birds in North America based on their songs. Intermediate birders can test their knowledge by changing the app’s functionality to only provide hints. Users can save and revisit the amusement of their newfound hobby by building a collection of recordings within the app.

Anchor

The coronavirus outbreak has impacted many aspects of the entertainment industry and podcasting is no exception. Yet, a unique protection of the medium is its capacity to be easily produced from home. Anchor is a podcasting how-to app with a stated mission to “democratize audio.” New podcasters can record, edit, and publish their work. Features such as simple data analytics and sponsorship matching allow users to take their projects to the next level.

These apps could be really beneficial for some people during this lockdown. However, there are always other applications out there and websites that could also be useful. For example, some people might like to keep themselves busy by using an online casino website. That could help some people to have some fun and potentially earn some money. By visiting www.best-casino.net, people can find a safe online casino and can start making their lockdown more enjoyable. Make sure to find some applications and websites to occupy you. Perhaps now more than ever it is important to create digital products that support and delight users on a daily basis. At InspiringApps, we stay motivated during challenging times through our shared quality of being #InspiredWhereWeAre. Reach out to us today to learn more about how our team can help turn your original app idea into a reality.

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