8 Nifty Apps to Identify Anything Using Your Phone’s Camera

8 Nifty Apps to Identify Anything Using Your Phone’s Camera

For many people, your phone’s camera is one of its most important aspects. It has a ton of uses, from superimposing wild creatures into reality with AR apps to taking sharp pictures even at night.

But you might be missing out on another major ability your phone’s camera has: it can work as a visual search engine and identify just about anything you see in the world. Here are the best identification apps for Android and iPhone.

1. Google Lens: For Everything

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Google has brought its search engine chops to your camera. With computer vision, its Lens app is capable of recognizing a ton of items. Google Lens understands a wide range of items including animal breeds, plants, flowers, branded gadgets, and more. The biggest exception is people.

Plus, for compatible objects, Google Lens will also pull up shopping links if you’d like to buy them. There’s not much of a setup process. You simply install the app or launch it from the Google Assistant and point it at an object. Google Lens will let you know if it’s found a match by displaying a little blue icon on top of the item.

Instead of a dedicated app, iPhone users can find Google Lens functionality in the search bar of the main Google app. We’ve looked at some of the interesting uses for Google Lens if you’re curious.

2. Pinterest: For Design and Art

Similarly, Pinterest has a visual search tool where you take a picture and the app fetches links and pages for the objects it identifies. Pinterest’s solution can also match multiple items in a complex image, such as an outfit.

Like Google, it shows you shopping links through which you can directly purchase the product.

Pinterest’s visual search is primarily designed for what the social network is known for, like designs, outfits, and other similar categories. For purposes such as exploring nature, you’ll have a better time with Google Lens.

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3. Snapchat: Amazon-Powered Visual Search

Snapchat comes with a nifty visual search engine too. It’s powered by and integrated with Amazon’s vast database of products. The concept is identical to the above.

You take a picture of an object you’re interested in. If successfully identified, Snapchat will bring up an Amazon card so you can visit the listing. You can also scan barcodes instead of tapping the item, for a quicker response.

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Top Platforms for Building Mobile Apps

If you've ever wanted to build an app for your business, blog, product or service, but the heavy investment of both time and money put you off, you're not alone.

The good news is that entering the mobile market no longer necessarily requires thousands of dollars and months of work. There are many mobile platforms available to help you build an app on a budget — quickly, and with no coding knowledge required.

This article as it appeared on Mashable.  Edited based on the Authours opinion

Appery.io  https://appery.io/

Appery is a cloud-based mobile app builder that you can use to create apps for Android, iOS and Windows Phone, and includes Apache Cordova (Phone Gap) with access to its built-in components.

Since the builder runs in the cloud, there's nothing to install or download, and it's easy to get started quickly. It includes a visual editor using drag and drop components to build the UI. You can connect to any REST API and use it in your app, and instantly add a cloud database and backend to your app if you need to store data.

You can add powerful functionality with the Appery plugin catalog, or create your own custom private plugins to use in your apps. Collaboration is simple, allowing you to share your mobile project with development teams, business users and customers in real time.

Price: Plans start at Free and go up to $180 per month for Premium

Mobile Roadie  http://mobileroadie.com/

Mobile Roadie is an app creator that allows anyone to create and manage their own iOS or Android app. The platform supports all media types, with automatic importing of RSS, Twitter or Google News keywords, and an auto-refreshing fan wall through which users can chat with each other in real time.

You can use the free Mobile Roadie Connect app to preview your app accurately, just as your users would on their devices. The app also guides you through the submission process, with Mobile Roadie checking the quality and appropriateness of your content.

You can push content straight to your app and pull content from it to your own site or blog. The API is language agnostic, so you can pull data in a variety of formats, including XML, JSON, PHP, CSV and HTML. You can easily craft a custom look and feel for your app and apply that to all platforms, and use the suite of marketing tools once your app is launched.

Price: Plans start at $125 per month (Core) and go up to $667 per month (Pro).

 TheAppBuilder  http://www.theappbuilder.com/

TheAppBuilder provides a suite of apps to suit employees, clients, events and brochures, with two different approaches available. You can build the app using the online toolkit, and either the training provided or TheAppBuilder itself will work with you to define and build the structure of the app and populate it with initial content.

Using the dedicated AppLibrary, you can provide your users with a window into multiple apps and even customize it with your own branding. You can protect both public and private apps with usernames and passwords, and distribute them via the app store, making use of TheAppBuilder's Active Directory integration to enable login with existing credentials and user groups.

Updating the structure and content of your apps is easy, even after you go live, because you can make unlimited updates and publish on multiple mobile platforms in one click. The platform supports native iPhone, iPad and Android, with updates going live within 60 seconds of submitting a change.

 Good BarberPrice  http://www.goodbarber.com/

Good Barber provides a platform to build iPhone and Android apps, allowing you to take control of every detail of your app without producing a single line of code. Nine colorful, highly customizable design templates are available to get started, with 350 beautiful icons and access to over 600 Google Fonts.
Along with native iPhone and Android apps, you have a free web mobile version, which users access from their phones' browsers. You can also link this to your domain name, if you want it to become the official mobile version of your website.
You receive immediate visual feedback every time you adjust any parameters in your app. Send unique, actionable push notifications and convert your readers into contributors by letting them submit articles, photos and videos. You can also organize your app and add sections ranging from videos, photos, sounds, live events and more.

Price: Plans start at $16 per month and go up to $32 per month for the Full Plan

 Appy Pie  http://www.appypie.com/

Appy Pie is a cloud-based DIY mobile app creation tool that allows users without programming skills to create an app for Windows, Android and iOS, and publish it to Google Play or iTunes. There's nothing to install or download -- just drag and drop pages to create your own mobile app online. Once it's complete, you receive an HTML5-based hybrid app that works with all platforms, including Blackberry.

All revisions are in real time, with the ability to send push notifications, monetize with ads, see live analytics, and track location with GPS. You can also integrate social media feeds, blogs, websites, audio, radio and more.

The appointment scheduler is especially useful for businesses such as Doctors, Salons or Spas with contact features such as one touch call, QR codes included. Using the code page you can embed custom code and embed iframes.

Price: Plans start at Free and go up to $33 per month for Platinum

 AppMachine http://www.appmachine.com/

AppMachine is an easy-to-use platform to build and design professional native apps for both iOS and Android. Using the drag-and-drop interface, you can combine different building blocks that offer a variety of features, such as information, photos and video.

The building blocks also let you link your app to Facebook, Twitter, or online stores. You can design the app in your own unique style and choose your navigation paths, colors, fonts and icons, taking complete control of layout and watching your progress using the Previewer.

Test your app as you build it and check its progress on your computer, mobile or tablet. Once your app is fully tested and ready to go, you can publish and promote your app, and analyze the user data. AppMachine takes care of everything you need to get your app into Apple's App Store and Google Play.

Price: Plans are one-time fee only, and start at $499 (Gorgeous) and go up to $899 (Designer). A $1299 option (Developer) will be available soon.

 BiznessApp https://www.biznessapps.com/

BiznessApps provides a platform to help create mobile apps for businesses a very simple process. It provides a wealth of features, including food ordering, shopping cart, loyalty programs, dynamic content, third party integrations, push notifications, comprehensive analytics and more.

The easy-to-use content management system allows you to create an app in minutes, and customize everything using pre-built designs or your own. There are also real-time previews to check your progress as you design and develop your app.

You can instantly update your app online, and modify everything inside, without having to send your app for a lengthy update with Apple or Google. There are weekly webinars on how to build beautiful mobile apps using the BiznessApps platform, along with access to hundreds of tutorial articles, to help make the process even easier.

Price: Plans start at $29 per month for mobile website and go up to $59 per month for mobile app

 AppMakr https://www.appmakr.com/

AppMakr is a DIY app creation platform that lets anyone craft iOS, Android and HTML5 apps, with no coding knowledge required. It was founded in 2009, and recently acquired by Infinite Monkeys, to now form one of the largest DIY app publishing platforms worldwide.

You can make as many apps as you want, with unlimited updates, and utilize a number of features, including push notifications, high resolution photo galleries, live updates, music and video streaming, chat rooms, Google Maps integration, shared events calendars, in-app shopping, and much more.

You keep track of all your apps through the Dashboard, easily customize your app's looks and functionality, add content with tabs, preview your app in real time and publish it to the markets with a single click.

Price: Plans start at Free and go up to a $99 one-time fee for Self-Publish

 ShoutEm  http://www.shoutem.com/

ShoutEm offers an app builder with complete content management, powerful user engagement tools and monetization options, coupled with a seamless publishing process, to provide a robust solution for most requirements. T

The interface builder offers many customization options, and each app can be tightly integrated with existing content sources such as WordPress, Foursquare, Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud and more. The multiple monetization options means you can quickly create a revenue stream from your app, providing an e-commerce experience, in-app subscriptions, deals and coupons, with support for all major ad networks included.

You can publish your apps under your developer account to both iTunes and Google Play, and update your app or content in real-time. ShoutEm also offers regular auto-updates, to ensure your app is always ahead of new iOS and Android updates.

Price: Plans start at $19.90 per month and go up to $119.90 per month for Unlimited

This article as it appeared on Mashable.  Edited based on the Authours opinion

FOR DEVELOPERS

U Ifyou are a hard core developer and would like to dive into code without using the tools mentioned above then here are some recommendations
for mobile application development. Google tjem

• iOS SDK
• IBM Worklight
• Android Air
• Java ME
• Appcelerator
• Blackberry
• Android
• Visual Studio
• Apple
• MoSync
• RhoMobile
• WidgetPad
• Buzztouch
• Verivo Akula
• Mocana MAP

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Productive Android Apps

Android has crept into businesses and boardrooms in a big way, easily competing with Apple and gaining popularity as time goes on. But which apps will make you more productive and efficient in the workplace? With so many apps to choose from, it can be difficult to find the best tools to make your life easier.

We’ve assembled a list of the most popular and useful Android apps so that you don’t have to waste your time searching the store, and added some alternatives if our suggestions aren’t cutting it.

Inbox by Google

Google’s newest email client has organizational features that up the ante from Gmail’s more cluttered design. Highlights help you find the most important information without even having to open a message and similar emails are bundled together for focused content. With a snooze option and reminders, you’ll never forget to get back to a message or task.

If you find important messages lost in the masses or have ever forgotten to reply to a message after reading it, Inbox provides useful tools to keep you on task.

Invoice2go Pro

Create and send professional invoices using a variety of templates from your Android device. Save receipts, sign documents, generate statements, keep a calendar, enter location information, and scan information to help keep your business organized. Real-time charts provide a visual representation of how your business is performing as well. Create three invoices for free with Invoice2go with an option to upgrade to Invoice2go Pro.

If you have trouble keeping information organized and need a more comprehensive and professional way to track money owed, money paid, and money received, this is the app for you.

Tiny Scanner Pro

Scan anything you need to, including documents, photos and receipts, and save it as a PDF file to store and share however you like. This way, important files and documents are backed-up and easily shareable with co-workers and clients. The app allows you to store PDFs in various cloud services such as Dropbox and Evernote, send over email and more, with password protection and various customisation options.

Tiny Scanner Pro is perfect for high quality scans of anything, from anywhere, using just your smartphone. As well as scanning documents to send electronically, a good portable scanner allows you to backup and store important information to access at your convenience.

Cabinet BETA

For business users, a good file manager is an essential way of keeping things organised and tidy on your device, and this free app allows you to keep things from getting messy. Easily view your files in list or grid display options, search files, and view content according to media type.

A user-friendly, minimalist file manager that requires very little configuration to help  you get on with what needs done.

LastPass Password Manager

Keep all of your passwords in one place with the “vault” where you can view, edit, organize, and delete data as necessary. Once you’ve created your account, LastPass prompts you to save new information and will auto-fill logins in the future so you never have to worry about forgetting information again. Automatic syncing keeps your information up to date and at your fingertips. You can even create credit card profiles to make online shopping a breeze while keeping everything secure.

Unclouded – Cloud Manager

Find out what’s eating up your cloud space—whether it’s Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, or MEGA—with this tool to analyse, manage, and declutter your storage. Identify which files or folders are taking up the most space and what type of file is most common, get rid of duplicate files, and see when files were last changed with Unclouded.

If your storage is feeling a bit cluttered, this app  will help you sort through the mess.

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