What are Hybrid Apps?

Traditioanlly, apps that you use on your phone are built to run specifically, and only on the type of phone you have. if you use facebook on your iPhone, you are using an app made by the Facebook Development team speifically for iPhone - they will not work on an Android. These apps are refered to as Native Apps.

Hybrids are apps built to run on mutiple platforms, built once, they can run on iPhones, Androids, Blackberrys, TV sets, computers etc.

Native vs Hybrid.

Your choice of whether to go Hybrid or Native is going to be made based on the requirements of your app; the functions the app needs to do, the way you wish to work with and maintain that app, where your app is going to be used, who is going to use it, the timing for delivery and your budget.

At Toledoh, we focus on building Hybrid Apps they are generally faster to build and less costly to deliver. We find that in most cases we are aiming for greater market penetration and as such the ability for a one-size-fits-all approach is generally the best option.

Our solution

Hybrid Apps can be seen as a mix between "native" apps and web sites. Basically, we build a website then wrap some code around it so it becomes an app. This "wrap" takes advantage of all the cool phone features like cameras, geo-location etc, and are configured for multiple devices at once.

Because the app at its core is very similar to a website, we can then take advantage of our web systems, processes and experience. We build with Nuts'n'Bolts to allow the content of the app to be maintained, so you don't have to keep on paying developers each time you need to make a change, update a page etc. We don't have to reinvent the wheel.

If you already have a website that you maintain with Nuts'n'Bolts, you can push that content and functionality in mobile apps quite easily. A single login to the admin to maintain your website, also allows you to maintain your apps. Any processes and functions utilised by your website (think members access, shopping carts, notifications, 3rd party integrations) can all be accessed via the apps.

Examples

Keg Scanner

A simple "tool" where we added barcodes to kegs, so brewers / deliveries etc can scan them via their phone and track the last known location.
The app collects the data which is stored in the Nuts'n'Bolts admin
This data stored is displayed in table format and searchable by last modified, locations, code etc.
Data is also displayed via google maps API to easily display last known location of kegs.

Conference App:

Maps / schedules / notes on speakers and presentations
Searchable content and linked together for related information. Ie. Presentation information, linked to Key Speaker information, Linked to related speakers, businesses and other presentations.
All content continuously updated up until the last minute, rather than going to print with missing information.
Lanyards were printed with QR Codes. Allowing delgates and stall owners to scan lanyards with the app and all contact details, plus any notes are added to the phone. No more scraps of paper and mis-written email addresses!
Push notification were sent as reminders when key speakers were about to start.
Q&A sessions were facilitated via the app, as were feedback forms etc.

Ski Instructor:

APSI maintain an alpine ski and snowboard instructors manual for their members in Nuts'n'Bolts
Structured by the level of those being instructed, and common problems that instructors may run accross - each problem may have videos and diagrams of the issues, as well as links to excercises that may be used to correct these issues. Again, each excercise may have imagery and video to support the steps.
Instructors can save their favourite videos to their phones for quick access where no WIFI is available
Access to the app is granted to existing members of the APSI, and this has been integrated with a pre-existing, 3rd party database.
The app includes links to key information such as weather, ski run information etc.
Users are able to offer feedback and ask questions via the app interface.