LongRange, a tool that enables IBM i programmers to build native Apple iOS and Android mobile apps with their existing RPG/COBOL skills extended its mobile offering by adding support across the entire Windows 10 and 8.1 platforms. Now available, LongRange’s ability to create Windows apps that run on tablets and desktop/laptop computers is a first for the IBM i community.
“With this latest release of LongRange, the full spectrum of the most popular mobile platforms is now covered - Android, Apple and Windows,” said Steve Gapp, president LANSA Americas. “Adding support for Windows desktop and laptop computers is a great benefit to our customers because IT departments can easily deploy and manage their mobile and desktop apps from a single set of source code – all from RPG, COBOL or LANSA”
"We can't believe a third deployment option has been added to LongRange, all without having to write an additional line of code,” said Gonzalo Zeballos Ferrel, IT Manager at BBVA Previsión AFP.
BBVA Previsión AFP, Bolivia’s leading pension fund manager, is part of BBVA, a multinational financial services group headquartered in Spain recently built BBVA AFP Movil with LongRange. The new mobile app, available for Android and Apple, enables employers, employees and beneficiaries the ability to view personal information, update Enterprise data, obtain copies of account statements, check contributions and more.
“After modernizing our core funds administration system with Visual LANSA and developing Sucursal Virtual, our secure, self-serve Web portal, we were positioned well to extend member access to account information through a mobile app,” said Zeballos Ferrel. “We were eager to learn LongRange now supports the Windows 10 platform, enabling BBVA AFP Movil to soon be made available to Windows users.”
Zeballos Ferrel continued, “In combination with our innovative Web and mobile solutions, BBVA Previsión AFP has improved service quality, reduced congestion in regional branches and increased the speed for users to access pertinent information – from anytime, anywhere – on phones, laptops and desktop/PCs.”
The latest release of LongRange enters into a new space where it’s no longer confined to mobile devices. Customers can now provide internal users with the ability to experience the exact same app installed on their Windows desktop/laptop as remote users have installed on their mobile devices.
Building on the foundation of LongRange, IBM i programmers don't need to acquire additional skills like HTML5, CSS3, PHP, JavaScript, C#, Java, Swift or Objective-C to build native mobile apps for Apple, Android and Windows devices. Having the ability to deploy the same application across all three major mobile platforms makes developers productive immediately.
Key Features of applications built with LongRange
LongRange consists of server software, LongRange Studio and the LongRange app, downloadable free-of-charge from the appropriate App Store. Programmers use LongRange Studio with RPG, COBOL, LANSA, or CL to build and maintain business-focused mobile apps for the IBM i.
LongRange applications can call programs on IBM i servers, interact with data queues, access DB2 data, etc. From a programmer's perspective, it’s just like coding any other IBM i program. LongRange developed applications are easy to maintain and programmers can change or add programs without disturbing the whole application.
Multiple deployment options - Build your apps once and then deploy them, unchanged, to any iOS/Android/Windows device including Windows desktops and laptops.
Mobile device features - Applications can use the camera to take pictures and scan bar codes, interact with Bluetooth connected devices, leverage location services to get GPS co-ordinates and capture information from sensors including the gyro, accelerometer, proximity and ambient light.
Operate without a server connection - Users can continue to operate while offline. Applications can use a SQL database on the device to store data for online and/or offline use, and read and write data to the device’s local file system. Run connected, stand-alone, or both.
Platform specific user interface - Since LongRange builds native mobile apps, they inherit the specific aesthetics and behavior on each platform.
Send and retrieve files - Applications can send files (including documents, photos, and spreadsheets), to a server and retrieve files from a server’s file system.
Automated deployment - When a device connects to the server, LongRange deploys changes to the applications automatically.
Security - LongRange supports reverse proxy, SSL and Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols, IBM i security and authentication mechanisms (up to security level 50), encrypted user credentials and log-in from specific IP addresses.
Choice of Servers - RPG, COBOL and CL-based LongRange applications can be deployed to IBM i servers. LANSA-based LongRange applications can be deployed to IBM i or Windows servers.
To learn more about LongRange, visit www.longrangemobile.com.
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