April 2018 Summaries

Creating animations in iOS apps using Xcode and Swift involves understanding constraints, which are rules that Auto Layout follows to determine the position or size of a view. To animate constraints, developers must provide a starting point and an ending point over a period of time, often using the UIView.animate method with options such as curveEaseOut to create a smoother animation. The delay parameter can also be used to add timing and pacing to the animation, while the usingSpringWithDamping and initialSpringVelocity parameters can be used to create bounce animations. Additionally, developers can use keyboard notifications to animate views upwards in sync with the keyboard's appearance and disappearance, allowing for more natural interactions between the app and the user interface.

By Kelley Robinson, in 2018, the author created an SMS bot using Scala and Finatra that can respond to incoming text messages with a fictional bank balance. The author provides step-by-step instructions on how to set up the necessary dependencies, including Java JDK 8, SBT, Ngrok, and a Twilio account, as well as how to configure the Finatra application to receive and reply to inbound SMS messages using Twilio's markup language, Twiml. The author demonstrates how to build an interactive bot that can filter responses based on incoming message content, such as requesting a balance or just sending a thank-you message.

A developer created a live video webinar application using AdonisJs and Twilio Video. The application allows hosts to create and manage rooms for guests to join, while also enabling host-to-host video communication. The system uses WebRTC to establish real-time connections between participants. The application includes features such as token-based authentication, room creation, participant connection/disconnection events, and basic video playback. The developer provides a step-by-step guide on how to set up the application using AdonisJs CLI, Twilio Video SDK, and JavaScript. The application can be extended with additional features such as user accounts, Q&A, or chat functionality.

You can choose between two cameras, select one based on its ID, and switch between them. The mediaDevices API allows you to access the camera's video stream and enumerate all available devices for both audio and video input. You can also use the facingMode constraint to select a front-facing or rear-facing camera on mobile devices. To switch between cameras, retain a reference to the current stream and stop it when switching to another one. The mediaDevices API provides a way to influence which camera is selected by using constraints such as facingMode or deviceId.

Twilio Programmable Wireless has become Generally Available, providing cellular connectivity for IoT devices with simple APIs, global reach, and a revised data pricing model. The product offers improved operational visibility through enhanced reporting capabilities in the console, and it is covered by Twilio's standard SLAs, including API availability of 99.95%. The product has undergone rigorous testing to meet stringent quality and reliability requirements, ensuring production readiness.

Programmable Wireless has introduced improved data pricing for its programmable wireless service, with reduced "Pay as you go" data pricing rates in 120+ countries, now starting at 10¢ per MB. To address the challenge of IoT connectivity pricing, Programmable Wireless is introducing Quota-based pricing plans, which optimize global pricing in the best interest of customers by offering different pricing models for higher and lower volume use cases. The new pricing plans aim to provide more flexibility and cost-effectiveness for developers deploying global IoT solutions.

Today we are introducing spiffy new developer preview features to Programmable Wireless, specifically Trust Onboard and Wireless VPNs, designed to simplify authentication and network management for IoT devices. With Trust Onboard, every Programmable Wireless SIM comes pre-provisioned with X.509 certificates, allowing device manufacturers to authenticate against cloud services without the need for custom mechanisms or hardware security modules. This feature is expected to save time and money in manufacturing processes while enhancing security through IPSec encryption. The new Wireless VPNs powered by Interconnect provide end-to-end network traffic management, enabling secure access to devices from any network element and controlling internal and external network services accessible to devices.

To use Twilio's test credentials with Magic Phone Numbers, you need to obtain a valid account SID and auth token from the Console Settings page in your Master account. Replace these credentials with your test account credentials in a cURL command to send an SMS message to a magic phone number, such as +15005550006, which is valid for testing purposes. The Test Credentials documentation page lists available magic phone numbers along with their corresponding error codes and descriptions, allowing you to choose the most suitable one for your application's testing needs, thereby speeding up testing while improving reliability and error reporting.

Twilio is offering a managed package for Salesforce users, providing platform-level integration with tools like Process Builder and Apex library. The package aims to simplify data collection, measurement, and engagement by integrating Twilio's services such as SMS bulk messaging and secure two-way messaging with Contacts and Leads. This preview release is designed to support both nonprofit organizations using Salesforce and for-profit businesses that want to leverage Twilio in their Salesforce environment.