Mashery Blog

Photo courtesy of mobihealthnews.com

Healthcare has been a popular topic in the past few years.  A lot of attention has gone into legislation and how we can improve our ailing healthcare system.  While the fights over laws have gone on, innovators in the medical device space have made leaps and bounds, making healthcare more accessible to individuals.

Photo courtesy of Geeky Gadgets 

The Internet is rapidly transforming everyday objects like refrigerators, thermostats and even cars into super-connected machines. As the offline world moves online, this “Internet of Things” (IoT) is starting to revolutionize the way humans and machines interact.

Large companies have been a part of the API game from the start.  Ebay and Amazon have had APIs since the early 2000’s.  And now, more and more enterprises are developing API programs.   Large companies in industries as varied as retail (BestBuy), hardware (Cisco) and distribution (Coca-Cola Enterprises) are all creating successful API programs. 

2013 looks like it’s going to be a good year for APIs. Beyond Google, Facebook and Twitter, companies in the travel industry are beginning to recognize the benefits of conducting business via APIs.

Last week, Room 77, a hotel booking startup, provided yet more proof that API-based collaboration can generate massive and mutually beneficial ROIs.

While many of our New Year’s resolutions center around things like losing weight or finally organizing the garage - think about starting the New Year by cleaning out your digital clutter.

When it comes to social media, we create our own experience to a certain extent. We choose who we want to follow or add to our network and how we connect.  However, after years of adding acquaintances, old co-workers or potential business contacts, we may find our contact lists become bloated.

There are over 8,300 APIs out there today and the number keeps growing.

If you are approaching the final days of 2012 feeling like this holiday shopping season was a complex one - perhaps from a consumer perspective alone – you’re not alone. Holiday shopping reached a peak frenetic state this year, with most major retailers capitalizing on a range of device form factors to vie for your purchase.

After several days of eating your grandmother’s chocolate covered, sugar coated butter cookies, you may decide it’s time to hit the gym. Although… don’t you deserve another cookie just for thinking about getting off the couch?

If your dieting resolve tends to waver around triple-decker fudge bars and marshmallow cream pies, don’t worry. These mobile apps can help you stick by your New Year’s resolution no matter what goal you want to accomplish.

Carrots and Sticks

My first Mashery recruiting assignment came last year. When recruiting for an expansion stage technology startup that provides a product that most people aren't entirely sure of, you need to be tremendously compelling in your first message.  This was challenging because I always found myself first having to explain what an API was and then why an API management solution was so important.

Although Santa doesn’t have his own API (I’m sure he is very saddened by this), he does have a few mashups that focus on him that were made with the help of some awesome APIs.  These range from Santa trackers (there is even some drama surrounding this category) to Christmas light display locators, and they are all very festive and sure to get you into the holiday spirit!

Smartphones and tablets continue to top Christmas lists this year, as the mobile revolution sweeps into 2013. But Santa is increasingly fielding app requests, too, since even smartphones aren’t terribly bright without quality content.

Are you scrambling to finish (or start) your holiday shopping? Don’t worry! These apps can help you select, buy and save money on perfect gifts for your family and friends.

If you’re stumped about what to get your adolescent nephew, for example, El Gifto can make your life easier. The free app suggests presents based on age, gender, interests, and yes, even the recipient’s ego. It lets you set price limits too so you don’t accidentally fall in love with an $800 purse you never knew you needed.

Last week, Mashery Platform Strategy Director, Chuck Freedman, wrote about a few strategies to help your API platform achieve its business goals.  This is part two of that post, covering strategies 4-6 from Chuck’s Business of APIs talk, which he presented earlier this fall. 

4.  Establishing Effective Partner Engagement

Amazon and Facebook recently announced new developer tools.   Amazon now offers free A/B testing capability for Kindle Fire developers and Facebook’s changes made it so their developer documentation automatically generates from its source code.   

Did you know that your digital data isn’t just for those you follow on Twitter or people on your friends list on Facebook?  There is a large, growing and yet unregulated market for your digital information. It’s not uncommon for data about you to be consumed by your doctor’s office, your car or even your refrigerator.