• Developing an app is tough enough, but then comes the real challenge: getting noticed on a major app distribution platform such as Apple's App Store and Google Play. Here's how to spread the word with app marketing

  • Getting developers and IT operations on the same page when it comes to software creation could reduce the number of problems apps encounter on the operations side. But the approach does require a significant cultural overhaul

  • Microsoft is working hard on its next operating software Windows Blue, which according to rumors, is slated for release this summer

  • You can't do anything about the weather, but at least there's a bevy of apps that describe current conditions and offer forecasts

  • With the advent of multicore processors, most programmers are still intimidated by true parallel programming. To help with the transition, we talked to distinguished IBM engineer Paul E. McKenney

  • The number of apps for iOS and Android is only increasing. How many have the time and interest to look beyond the top dozen or so? Such is the app marketing challenge that developers face

  • Integrated development environments (IDEs) aim to boost programmer productivity. Increasingly, those offerings are pushing into mobile development. Here’s an overview of the latest on open-source IDEs

  • Popular web browser Mozilla Firefox is beefing up its technology to increase the speed of its JavaScript with a technology called IonMonkey

  • Outdated Android devices can create challenges for developers and users. With so many of these devices on the market, though, Android app developers need to minimize that risk

  • Want to get your app in the hands of a lot of people really fast? Convince an operator or vendor to preload it onto their device. One developer explains what it takes

  • Google's popular and sleek Internet browser Chrome is quickly gaining steam in Apple's App Store. Chrome has already grabbed 1.5 percent of the browser market on Apple's iOS

  • Although BlackBerry 10 devices won't hit the market until early 2013, developers have been using it for months. Here's what they say about its features, the learning curve and why other developers should consider the OS

  • Ruby on Rails is a favorite Web-development environment. As it expands to support other platforms, can Ruby become the cross-platform Crown Jewel?

  • NoSQL databases are getting loads of attention, but does this technology really meet IT needs?

  • Nearly half of the world's computer user population use illegal software on their techie units. And ironically, hardware theft is more rampant in developing and more sophisticated economies

  • Ubiquitous computing is moving out of the lab and into the mainstream. Bo Begole, head of PARC's Ubiquitous Computing Area, explains what it means for enterprises and consumers

  • Chances are part of your head is already in the clouds: Are you on Facebook? Have you tried out Google Docs? Do you watch movies on Netflix? Then, you've used a cloud-based service; you just didn't realize it.

  • Is your address book getting unwieldy? Here's a quick overview of how the cloud can make it easier to organize -- and make better use of -- your contacts

  • Thanks to the cloud, you can access these services from anywhere via any Web-connected device -- your tablet, smartphone, laptop, game console or PC. Check out these brilliant new applications and services delivered through the cloud

  • Many of today's smartphones feature photo functions, and some are good enough to warrant leaving your old point-and-shoot at home. The iPhone leads the pack in photo apps, with several hundred available for download. Android and BlackBerry offer fewer apps, but their selection is growing. Here are some of the coolest photo apps

  • A recent Apple patent application could flatten the iOS learning curve to the point that even novices can crank out apps. Here, three developers weigh in on how the proposed tool could affect the iOS ecosystem

  • Getting your app into online app stores can be difficult. Fortunately, you can easily clear the hurdles with a few tips and workarounds

  • The hurdles of creating a retail app are unlike many other spaces. Try these tips from SmartHawk and take your retail app beyond brochureware

  • Mobile apps for tuning a variety of musical instruments are readily available, but a recently demonstrated iPad app expands the musician-helper category beyond those basic tools

  • There are 40,000 medical applications and growing available for download. But that growth is in the crosshairs of new regulatory efforts from the FDA

  • Drew Garcia, SugarSync's vice president of product management, recently shared his views on developing in the productivity space

  • Mobile app makers who are eager to showcase new ideas can take advantage of an expanding outlet for their creativity: developer competitions

  • A growing number of companies are skipping or abandoning apps, and the reasons why are something that every developer ought to consider

  • Today, there are at least a dozen up-and-coming languages vying to become the next C++ or Java

  • Not all apps are a waste of time -- some can really improve your life. Here are my favorites

  • Mobile apps have changed shopping forever -- and for the better. With just a few apps on your smart phone, you can save money and time, and get goods in your hands faster. On that note, here are five must-have apps that will make shopping more fun and efficient

  • Technology has finally caught up with your absolute lack of resolve. Here are five resolutions with apps to track them

  • If you're focused on making sure your NFL fantasy team has a shot to finish in the money -- or if you just want the latest info on your real-life NFL hometown team -- stay yards ahead of the next guy with the latest apps that put this season's biggest sport in the palm of your hand

  • Without the cost of film and developing, digicams enable amateurs to shoot as many photos as they want. That's a huge benefit -- but also a huge burden as consumers get overwhelmed with thousands of snapshots buried on PCs. But, new software promises to automatically identify and tag photos with the names of people who appear in each shot

  • Yes, Windows 7 had not even hit the market yet. But that didn't stop a fog of myths from enveloping the newest version of the much loved -- and much hated -- PC operating system from Microsoft. With so much misinformation swirling, we've sorted through seven points that are confusing consumers

  • Building cloud-based apps requires expertise not associated with premise-based ones. Here are some tips for creating apps in the cloud

  • Using a phone app is an easy way to track your health -- and even improve it. But with so many flooding the market, it's tough to figure out which ones are actually useful. So we got busy testing. Here are our top iPhone health app picks for simplicity, convenience and ease of use. Better health is just a download away