Solved – Unable to retrieve audio/video file recorded and saved in Ionic 2 App

AgilizTech works on exciting web and mobile app projects for customers around the globe. We develop both native and hybrid apps for our customers.

Recently, while building a hybrid app on the Ionic 2 Framework, our developers encountered an issue in coding an audio/video file record and retrieval. The initial functionality seemed simple, but that’s where Cordova threw spanner in the works. We had researched extensively online and weren’t able to find any solution. So, when our developers toiled for a few hours, and successfully solved it, we decided to share the solution and let others benefit from it.

For this project, our team had used the Cordova plugin – cordova-plugin-media-capture. This plugin provides access to the device’s audio, image, and video capture capabilities.

It is super easy to use. So, to record a video, we used the code:


navigator.device.capture.captureVideo(
	(result) => {
		console.log(result);
		console.log(“Video captured Successfully”);
		// Your code goes here.
	} ,
	(error) => {
		console.log(error);
		console.log(“Video captured failed”);
	}
);

Everything looked pretty simple. The video was getting recorded using the device’s recording application. On Android, the code worked like a charm. However, the team ran into issues in the iOS device, as the saved file was not getting played.

While debugging the issue, we observed the Media Capture object in captureSuccess.
In Android, the file was getting stored in a persistent location, so the code worked fine when we tried to retrieve the saved file.

But in iOS device, the file got stored in a temporary location!
Result, we were unable to play the saved file in the application.

Solution?

Once we figured out the issue, the solution was simple. We just had to copy the file from this temporary location to a persistent location.

We chose a persistent location that covered both Android and iOS. The File plugin provided such an alias: cordova.file.dataDirectory

navigator.device.capture.captureVideo(
	(result) => {
	  console.log(“Video captured Successfully”);
	  var fileName = result[0].name;
	  var dir = result[0].localURL.split(“/”);
	  dir.pop();
	  var fromDirectory = dir.join(“/”);
	  var toDirectory = cordova.file.dataDirectory;
	  File.copyFile (fromDirectory , fileName , toDirectory , fileName).then( res =>{
			console.log(“File successfully copied”);
			// Your code goes here.
		});
     	  } ,
	(error) => {
		console.log(error);
		console.log(“Video captured failed”);
	}
);

Everything fell into place after that.

Summarising, to make the recording and retrieval possible, just save the file in a persistent location that’s common to both Android and iOS.

Have you faced a similar issue while building an app in Ionic 2? Do let us know in the comments!

AgilizTech is working on some pretty cool Hybrid Apps powered by Ionic 2. Would you like to know more?

Contact Us

Guess who turned two? Inside AgilizTech’s Second Anniversary Bash

Birthdays are always special, right? There’s cake, party hats, streamers and an endless stream of friendly banter. Age is just a number, and all that matters are the precious memories created and shared with the ones you love. On Saturday, Jun 10, 2017, AgilizTech turned two. Since we are a bunch of early birds (and had weekend plans we couldn’t sneak out of), we decided to celebrate it on Friday, at the office premises.

While the event started on a formal note, with a brief introduction from Ganesh, CEO AgilizTech, it steadily took on a celebratory mood. We had an employee-made 7-minute short film, a rather creative way of showcasing AgilizTech’s journey from its infancy till now. The video effectively depicted how a start-up of two transformed into today’s 30+ strong team. The air was filled with nostalgia and cheers as the video rolled to an end.

AgilizTech's Second Anniversary Bash

Ganesh then took us through the present status of AgilizTech in terms of new logo wins, ongoing projects and successfully completed ones, providing everyone a platform to give feedback and learn more about the inner workings of the organization. Also, he presented the next set of goals AgilizTech will undertake to sustain its growth momentum, while in our third year of operation. The goals were three-fold.

  • Increase employee and customer experience

Promoting an employee-first approach to ensure that employees, who are the business’ prime ambassadors, have an enriched work atmosphere, thereby contributing to higher levels of customer satisfaction.

  • Focus on New Customer Acquisitions

Helping more businesses in newer markets and different industries to deliver superior customer experiences, by developing top-notch digital solutions.

  • Strive to be Agile and Lean in Delivery

Ensure faster delivery of high-quality solutions that are adaptive to customer’s changing expectations.

AgilizTech’s fun committee then took over the proceedings to distribute the personalized motivation cards. These cards consisted of the individual achievements and goals for each employee, with quirky and customized designs. Each team lead was asked to hand over the cards to the members, with a few words on how their work contributes to AgilizTech’s work environment and the company goals. Yes, the CEO got one too!

Can a celebration ever be complete without a cake being cut? Of course not! And so, we got to devour on White Forest deliciousness.

AgilizTechs Second Anniversary Bash

AgilizTech may have just turned two, but we have covered hundreds of miles in our journey towards business excellence and exceptional customer experience. And there are a thousand more miles, with each step taking us forward on the path to success. On this occasion, our many thanks to all our well-wishers who have made our journey a memorable one with their constant support.

Here’s to newer summits and exciting opportunities that the future beholds.

 

AgilizTech Turns Two

AgilizTech Turns Two!

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

On June 10, 2017, AgilizTech’s journey reached an important milestone, as we completed two years and stepped into our third. What started as an idea has now attained fruition as a successful, upcoming IT services company that delivers top-notch digital solutions and helps businesses provides superior customer experiences.

The year that was…

Over the past year we have had much to cheer for – be it our forays into new markets, new logo wins, awards and recognitions from various industry quarters. Here’s a brief snapshot of our key achievements in 2016:

  • Became a NASSCOM Member
  • Opened office in US to facilitate market expansion
  • Listed among the Top 25 Agile Service Providers in APAC region
  • Named among the Top 10 Most Valuable IT Service Providers
  • Received the Future of India Award for Business Excellence in Technology
  • Adjudged Best SME – Technology

What’s next for AgilizTech?

We have had a successful run so far and in order to sustain this growth momentum, we’ve identified the following as the key focus areas:

  • Increase Employee & Customer Experience
  • Focus on New Customer Acquisitions
  • Strive to be Agile & Lean in Delivery

We have newer summits to conquer and higher altitudes to reach. And we are sure that with the continued support of all our friends and well-wishers, we will cross many more milestones successfully.

Solved: Click Handler Reaction Delay in Ionic 2

I am happy to announce the solution for the click handler reaction delay in Ionic 2. As an Ionic developer, you would be familiar with the infamous 300 ms delay that occurs, when a user attempts to tap and register a click on the hybrid mobile app you painstakingly built with Ionic 2.

Cue in some dramatic visualization…
Click Handler Reaction Delay in Ionic 2

Moving on…

The delay in registering the tap is the time lag taken by the click handler in reacting. And this delay is specific to ion-col and ion-items.

In their blog and the official documentation, the Ionic team has discussed about the issue in detail. The reason for this delay is said to be the Ionic click blocker, that blocks any interaction until a transition is completely done. This is to recognize if the user wants a click event or double click event on touch devices.

How does this affect the user?

This makes the application slow, thus affecting user experience. The issue is more prominent on iOS devices.

Solved: Click Handler Reaction Delay in Ionic 2

The solution to this issue is quite simple. All you need to do is this:

Add the ‘tappable‘ directive to your element.

For example:

<ion-item tappable (click)=“myClickHandler()”>
    // Your code goes here
</ion-item>
Note: We recommend you add the ‘tappable‘ directive to the click handlers of elements which are not normally clickable.

Hope this post helped you overcome this rather frustrating issue in Ionic 2.

Happy Coding!!

 

AgilizTech is working on some pretty cool Hybrid Apps powered by Ionic 2.

Would you like to know more?

Contact Us

Features of Android Nougat

Test driving the latest from the Android stable – Android Nougat

To say that Android has been a smashing success is an understatement. Emerging as the winner among stiff competition, from the likes of Symbian Anna, Windows OS, and Blackberry, Android has been giving iOS a run for its money since it first launched in Sep 2008. So much so that, as of Nov 2016, Android has hit a market share record, with 9 in every 10 smartphones using it. Android’s dream run is supported by cheap smartphones and wide developers’ base that populate Google’s Play Store with multiple apps.  And 2017 is expected to further raise the market share, with Android Nougat being rolled out to select devices.

Android Nougat Highlights

Android Nougat comes packed with exciting new features. And we at AgilizTech, decided to take it for a little test-drive after its April debut on Samsung S7 device.

Split-screen mode

The split-screen mode is a great option for the multi-taskers, as it allows you to open two apps side-by-side. How far it helps to boost productivity is yet to be discovered, but it sure is better than continuously toggling two app windows.

Android Nougat - Split screen

App quick switch

This is another cool feature from Nougat, where you can quickly switch between more than two apps by double tapping the Recents key. This is even more helpful as certain apps do not support the Split-screen feature.

Android Nougat - Quick App Switch

Notification redesign

Now alerts and notifications from apps can be responded to straight from the home-screen. For example, you can now respond to WhatsApp messages without being redirected to the WhatsApp screen.

Android Nougat - Notification redesign

 

Multi-language support

By enabling multiple languages, you can toggle between languages while using keyboards. This means, you can type in English UK and Español while sending a message.

Android Nougat - Multi language support

Doze on the go

Doze was introduced with Marshmallow and has now evolved into an even better feature in Nougat, allowing users to squeeze till the last drop of battery power. Using the Battery Optimization feature in Settings, Doze can control the battery usage of each app and modify them to suit your battery saving strategy.

Android Nougat - Doze on the go

Data saver

Some apps consume tons of data by running in the background, thus burning a hole in your pocket. With Data Saver’s granular controls, you can permit/restrict individual apps from accessing data while running in the background.

Android Nougat - Data saver

Improved security

Aren’t we all suspicious of those pesky apps that require permissions to umpteen folders in which they have no business? Nougat has been armoured for such apps, with the scoped folder access feature, that permits apps to use only select folders. Facial recognition too has arrived in Android, with the Trusted Face screen unlock feature made available in select devices.

Android Nougat - App Permissions

Improved graphics

This one is for the gamers, as your in-game graphics get a solid boost, with Nougat supporting the Vulkan API. Be ready for high-performance 3D graphics right on your phone.

Android Nougat - Graphics

Nougat Reception

Nougat has been receiving increasingly positive reviews from industry observers. Engadget and PCAdvisor have lauded Nougat, calling it an efficient OS that’s pro-multi-tasking. Market adoption too seems to be decent – Nougat’s adoption is on a hike with 7.6% of devices that access Google Play running Nougat as of May 2017.

Android Nougat - Market Share

Source: App Brain

In the last 30 days, a 37% surge has been seen in Nougat adoption, but we might have to wait for a few more months for the roll-out to complete, before seeing massive traction in adoption rates.

What’s on the cards, Google?

With the Nougat roll-out initiated in April-May, Google has moved on to Android O (suspected to be Oreo) and is working towards its announcement in the impending Google I/O 2017 summit in the US. Also, rumours have surfaced on the Magenta-microkernel based real-time operating system,

Despite these developments, it is safe to say that Nougat is going to stick around for a while given its rich features. As more new phone models come out in 2017, enabling the VR and Daydream features of Nougat, it is poised to be the most-preferred Android OS version ever.

 

Transform your mobile app with AgilizTech!

Contact us

 

Security in IoT - The flip side of the next big thing in technology

Security in IoT – The flip side of the next big thing in technology

Touted as the revolution that would change the world as we know it, the Internet of Things is a phenomenon that’s been gaining steady mileage over the years. In fact, GE predicts investment in Industrial Internet of Things to top $60 trillion during the next 15 years.

Every business wants to leverage IoT – from manufacturing to utilities, from healthcare to customer electronics. Think predictive maintenance of plant-floor machinery, automatic information transfer from electricity meters to service providers, auto-purchase of supplies such as shampoo by a carwash machine, and many such use cases that would enable businesses to improve user experience.

So much so, that even banks are exploiting IoT. Case in point is Capital One exploring Amazon Alexa, and adding another avenue in its omni-channel strategy. Capital One customers can now just talk to a device connected with Amazon Alexa, and easily learn their account and transaction status. Check out the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxLhhM8RU-o

Source: YouTube

It is easy to predict the question running in your minds now. “My bank account details are with a device, out in the open for hacking and misuse?” Well, sometimes convenience doesn’t come without risks. And while IoT makes our lives easier, it can easily turn them into nightmares.

Weaponization of IoT?

Security in IoT

How secure is the data that these ‘things’ or devices pass among each other?

The truth is, not so safe.

As per a 2014 report by HP, 7 out of 10 IoT devices have security flaws – with an average of 25 vulnerabilities per device.

Today, any attacker worth their salt can hack into an IoT device and manipulate it to act on their orders. Bank account numbers and credentials can be accessed and used to cause fund diversion. Smart electricity meters can be rigged to cause power outages.

And though it may seem far-fetched, pacemaker transmitters can be ‘doctored’ to deliver deadly shocks to patients connected with pacemakers.

While your device control may be taken over and data be stolen, you may also be subjected to denial of service attacks. On October 2016, widespread Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks were reported in the US, that affected 80 major websites like Amazon, BBC, Twitter, Slack, etc. Thought to be the largest-ever, the attack was caused by a botnet that had injected the Mirai malware, into a number of IoT devices such as printers, IP cameras and even baby monitors. Mirai scanned for IoT devices that had weak factory default setting (hard-coded usernames and passwords), converted them into bots, and then used them to launch DDoS attack.

In another DDoS attack, connected heating devices were hacked, leaving Finnish residents in hazardous sub-zero conditions.

Such events can cause widespread chaos and mayhem among the general public.

Making IoT more secure Security in IoT

Security in IoT  is a key concern that’s hounding the aficionados. The benefits are aplenty, and usher our world into a new era in technology, but at what cost? It is important for businesses and consumers to reflect at the following security aspects of IoT:

  • Device password – The Chinese firm, TP Link had been shipping routers that by default had the last 8 characters of their MAC addresses as the device password, making it easy for attackers to identify MAC address and hack into these devices. A terrible flaw in info security indeed. This vulnerability can be overcome by eliminating such default settings, and regularly updating passwords.
  • Data safety – Businesses are urged to retain data for as short a while as possible and then purge them, akin to shredding information when no longer required.
  • Provide security patches – In a rush to take the product to market, manufacturers often disregard the need for security in devices. Manufacturers should release security upgrades and inform their customers to install these to tighten security.
  • Implement security standards – The international community is coming together to create IoT security standards to adhere to, and to prevent cyber attacks. There are many associations that are working towards this. Manufacturers should consciously adopt a security first approach and uphold these standards.

While making IoT completely infallible is a difficult goal, it is definitely important to aspire for and ensure security in IoT. Vulnerabilities will exist, but at the end of the day, stakeholders need to work together to make IoT more secure in the coming future, where the world will be populated with around 50 million connected devices. And that’s a battle of a totally different magnitude, for which we aren’t currently equipped.

Reimagining customer experience in retail

Re-imagining Customer Experience in Retail

The recently concluded World Retail Congress saw the who’s who of the tech and retail worlds gathering at Dubai, to discuss the changing retail landscape. This year’s theme was reflective of the current mood of the market – Re-imagining the customer experience in retail.

The modern customer has multiple options to choose from and if they don’t like the experience, they don’t mind shifting elsewhere, even if it means paying more. The days of deep discounting are done, and the era of experience has taken over.  In fact, it is predicted that customer experience will overtake price and product as a differentiator by 2020.

Now who really is this modern-day customer?

This segment consists of the Gen Y and Gen Z (those born after 1995) who do an online analysis and peer-group discussion even before entering the retail outlet. These mobile-savvy, social media enthusiasts expect stores to present ‘one voice’ across communication channels – outlets, web stores, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

By 2020, Gen Z will be the largest group of customers worldwide, making up 40% of the US, Europe and BRIC countries, as per Fitch. Gen Z will be big on using technology to achieve their shopping goals, goals that are both tangible (product) and intangible (experience).

We can safely conclude that the modern customer poses an interesting challenge to retailers. And the battle cry to tackle this is – #GoPhygital.

Imagine a world of:

  • Ordering groceries online during lunch from work and picking up the order from a convenient location, while driving home?
  • Or entering a mall, and having all the promo offers information come right into your phone via proximity engagement technology?
  • Or in-store shopping assistance via endless aisle? Order today, get it delivered at home/place of convenience when product is back in stock.

The possibilities are endless. And retailers are transcending channels, riding on the technological capabilities.

Who are the customer experience trendsetters in retail?

Amazon has conceived the futuristic Amazon Go store, where checkout has been eliminated. It’s just walk in, grab stuff and walk out! Watch this.

Source: Amazon

Now’s that some amazing customer experience made possible by digital technology!

Another biggie that is literally turning heads is Alibaba’s ‘pay with a nod‘. Alibaba is building the VR Pay technology for people who use virtual reality devices to shop on virtual reality shopping malls.

Going by these developments, it seems for sure that retail will be encountering marked transformations in days to come.


Reimagine and actualize exceptional customer experience in retail, with AgilizTech’s innovative digital solutions.

 

Does your customer bake cakes to celebrate your win? Ours did!

All sorts of prose and literature are available on customer relationship management. But often, what binds and strengthens the relationship between a business and its customer is the experience imparted. A commitment to put the customer’s needs and requirements at the forefront of all efforts. And when the business gets it right, customers consider themselves as partners, a fellow of the inner circle, a member of the family. They share the joys and sorrows and become pillars of strength to the business, in times merry and morose.
And while it feels great to receive accolades from the industry, it feels extra special when our customers applaud our wins!
When we excitedly announced our win at the Small Enterprise Business Awards 2016 event, our customer community reverberated with cheers and congratulations. And our customer, Whitecaps International School of Pastry, made our victory sweeter by toasting us with an assortment of delicious Raspberry Pastries and divine chocolates.
Whitecaps customer

We were exhilarated when we won the awards. And now we stand overjoyed at the fact that, we have won not just awards, but also our customers’ hearts. Our many thanks to Whitecaps International School of Pastry, for their constant support and encouragement in all our endeavors, and of course the delectable desserts! We stand committed to our mission of helping businesses respond with agility and provide superior customer experience. This is just the beginning and these are tiny steps on our march to scale the summits we have marked.

Women in Tech: Celebrating womanhood at AgilizTech

A daughter, a sister, a mother,

A partner, a friend, a co-worker.

A ray of sunshine that dispels gloom,

She’s a thousand myriad emotions in bloom.

 

Her strength and vigor are incomparable,

The jugglery of hearth and work a feat!

She makes the mundane magical,

With charm and wisdom, replete.

It is oft quoted that “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”. At AgilizTech, we put a spin on this popular quote with “Heaven hath no fairy like a woman appreciated”. On 08 Mar 2017, the AgilizTech family celebrated the International Women’s day with great gusto. The team came together to rejoice the spirit of womanhood and acknowledged the contributions of the women employees in the organization.

Guess who?

A small game was organized by the AgilizTech Fun Committee to add the humor element in the event. Insightful gifts were presented to the ladies, after a small game of “Guess who?” The recipient’s name had to be guessed as the Fun Committee members acted out their personality quirks. It was a laughter riot! In the end the women employees expressed their gratitude for hosting the game and the well-thought out gifts.

women

A walk through the past

Mr. Ganesh Babu Vasantha Rajan, CEO of AgilizTech spoke about the contributions of the women employees of AgilizTech. He reminisced the early days of AgilizTech, as to how the team evolved bit-by-bit. He spoke of how AgilizTech grew stronger – in numbers and technical competency, with the addition of the women employees. He rounded off stating that it is apparent by the way the team evolved, that AgilizTech is destined to achieve great heights in the days to come.

The event ended with a brief cake-cutting ceremony in which all the women employees participated. They appreciated the concept of the event and conveyed their thanks.

International Women's Day

 

AgilizTech recognizes the achievements of every woman and wishes all a very happy women’s day!

Small Enterprise Business Awards

AgilizTech Bags Top Honors at the Small Enterprise Business Awards 2016

On a pleasant February evening, around 200 guests were gathered at Vivanta by Taj, Bangalore. The air was rife with excitement and fervor, as entrepreneurs across the nation gathered to commemorate and recognize exceptional performances and celebrate the indomitable entrepreneurial spirit. It was the 2016 edition of the Small Enterprise Business Awards, organized by Aspire Media, on 15 Feb.

And we at AgilizTech are very proud to share that we won not one, but two awards! That’s right, AgilizTech was proclaimed the Winner in the Best SME – Technology and Runner-up in the Best SME – Services categories, at the gala event.

Small Enterprise Business Awards

The AgilizTech team, represented by Sujeeth Shetty, Karan Singh and Shyamraj Sampath, accepting the award

As the knowledge partner of the event, KPMG India shortlisted entries after a rigorous nominations review process. The Small Enterprise Business Awards winners were adjudged based on a selection criteria consisting of Growth Performance, Financial Strength, Innovation, People Capital, International Outlook, Corporate Governance and CSR Initiatives.

Small Enterprise Business Awards

AgilizTech family with the awards

It was indeed a glorious moment for all Agilians, as our business excellence and growth was recognized and commended by an elite jury – an eclectic mix of startup experts, academic researchers and the who’s who of India Inc.

We thank all our customers, vendors and well-wishers who have showered us with support throughout this journey. This is just the beginning and we are sure that with our hard work and perseverance, there will be many more milestones to be celebrated.

NDTV Profit covered the event, so don’t miss out the excitement, to be telecast on Saturday 11th March 9 am, with repeat telecast on Sunday 12th March 3 pm.

As always, stay tuned to our social media handles for more exciting news from AgilizTech!

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