Dogtown Campaigns for Tech Policy Progress at AppCon16
Dogtown Media CEO Marc Fischer had the honor of joining over 50 mobile industry leaders and app developers from around the US at AppCon16 on Capital Hill, organized by ACT | The App Association. During the three-day conference last April, Fischer met with senators and policymakers to build bridges between tech and government. The event […]
What Developers Need to Know about the Email Privacy Act
Did you know that emails older than 180 days are available to federal officials without a search warrant? This is a surprising fact to most of us, particularly given the very public debate over mobile encryption taking place thanks to the Apple vs. FBI case. While the general public tends to view their email inboxes […]
Why Tech Companies Care about Maternity and Paternity Leave
If you follow tech, chances are you’ve seen at least a handful of think pieces about maternity/paternity leave policies (or the lack thereof) in the US. While it’s true that the US is one of the only western countries with a zero-paid-leave policy, the question remains: why do tech companies care so much? Is the […]
It’s Not Just the Millenials: Voters Demand Digital Security
A recent study from Purple Insights on behalf of The App Association (ACT) shows that an overwhelming majority of voters support encryption and privacy — to the tune of a staggering 93%. Thanks in large part to NSA whistleblowing and the recent Apple vs. FBI case, consumers outside of tech have become more concerned than […]
Why STEM Education Matters for the Future of US Tech
Computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education are something we feel very strongly about at Dogtown Media. Many members of our mobile app development team are involved in tech education advocacy — our CEO Marc Fischer even teaches app development at Santa Monica college, and has spoken to student groups on the […]
Material Design Levels the Field for Android App Developers
When most mobile app developers think of cutting-edge design, we think of one brand: Apple. For years, the company’s iconic flat UI has been the touchstone for great interface design. Thanks to Google’s heavy involvement with the Android operating system, however, that association may see a challenge over the next few years. Android Lollipop has […]
Dogtown Media Talks Tech Economy and Open Government at Appcon 2016
To say that 2016 has been an exciting time for mobile app developers would be a dramatic understatement. On the one hand, top-down initiatives like 18F are making incredible strides towards a more digital-savvy government. It’s no surprise that politicians care about mobile tech — the mobile ecosystem is driving the American workforce like no […]
When It Comes to Freemium, the User Isn’t Always Right
That first wave of media attention when you launch a startup is always a gratifying feeling for first-time iPhone and Android app developers. Even if it’s a struggle to keep up with on the software side, the tidal wave of data from a spike in downloads can offer enormous value. As with every part of […]
How the Psychology of First Impressions Defines Startups
Making an app is, in many ways, like preparing a good meal — long hours of preparation for something consumed in the blink of an eye. Mobile app developers and UI designers labor endlessly on the home screens and initial on-boarding experience because the data shows that users judge whether or not to abandon an […]
3 Growth Hacking Tips to Grow Your Mobile App Startup
Growth hacking has quickly become a popular buzzword in the startup community. Unfortunately, it’s not necessarily become popular for all the right reasons. Before we get into our tips, let’s dispel the biggest myth many mobile app developers have about growth hacking: the idea that it’s “easy.” When an iPhone app developer hears the word […]