mobile musings from a fellow developer

The Loss of One of Our Greatest Visionaries

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 22:27:00 -0700

I am so incredibly sad to hear about Steve Jobs’ death. Even though I did not know him personally, it almost feels as though a close family member has died. My life and career have been greatly enriched by his immense vision and inspiration. In fact, his contributions to the world have directly impacted my life in more ways than any music, book, or film has, which is probably why this loss means more to me than the passing of other legendary figures.

I grew up just a few miles away from Cupertino at a time when Apple was first emerging onto the scene. My first computer was an Apple IIe. My introductions to programming and digital design were on that Apple IIe. Since then, Apple products have always been my primary computers. Over the years, I’ve purchased countless desktop Macs, MacBook Pros, iPods, and iOS mobile devices.

As a loyal Apple consumer and an iOS app developer, my personal and professional worlds have been forever changed by the Mac, iPhone, and iPad. If the influence of Steve Jobs and Apple never existed, would I have become a software developer? Maybe not. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who can say that. It’s quite an accomplishment when you can change one person’s life for the better. It’s nothing short of revolutionary when you can change the lives of millions around the world. And that’s the legacy of Steve Jobs.

President Obama summed it up perfectly when he said: “There may be no greater tribute to Steve’s success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented.”

I’m glad that I was able to see him speak at the past two WWDC keynotes before his passing. I’m sure everyone at Apple and his family are devastated by the loss (and my heart goes out to them), but I believe that Steve’s vision will live on to not only inspire the Apple team, but may it also continue to inspire the dreamer in all of us for years to come.

Thank you, Steve! Rest in peace…

October 1st NovelRank.com Maintenance

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:13:10 -0700

For all of you who use our NovelRank iPhone app, please be aware that NovelRank.com will be down for bimonthly maintenance starting at 2:00pm GMT (7:00am Pacific, 10:00am Eastern) on Saturday, October 1, 2011 for approximately 8 hours.

Since the NovelRank iPhone app retrieves data from the NovelRank.com servers, this means that the NovelRank iPhone app will not be able to fetch your book data during that October 1st maintenance window.

As soon as the NovelRank.com October 1st maintenance is completed, both NovelRank.com and the NovelRank iPhone app should be fully operational again.

Thanks for using NovelRank!

November is for Novels...

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:48:08 -0700

After spending the last few years writing iOS developer books for Apress, it was time for me to dedicate more time to actual app development in 2011. I released NovelRank for the iPhone earlier this year (now available as a free download in the App Store), and I’m currently hard at work on my next iOS app, which I hope to have finished before December (details to follow soon).

And while I’ve truly enjoyed being immersed in UI design work and Objective-C code the last several months, I’m starting to feel that old writing itch bubbling to the surface again. Not to write non-fiction developer books again, but a return to my roots writing fiction.

Most of you only know me as a developer, but yes, once upon a time, when I wasn’t busy programming, my free time was spent working on a novel. After two long years of sporatically working on it in-between client projects, I finally finished it. That was back in 1999. Hard to believe it was that long ago. I was much younger then, and it showed in my writing. Since then, I co-founded and sold an ebook publishing company with my good friend Dave Mark, as well as written and published a few professional books through Apress. Along the way, I’ve learned quite a bit about copywriting, editing, and the publishing process.

So why was my novel never published? At the time, I didn’t think it was ready. Now, upon taking the manuscript off the shelf and blowing off 12 years of dust, I cringe at some of that early writing (confirming my initial suspicions). Although some of it actually holds up quite well, much of it is amateurish and in desperate need of rewriting. In fact, I’m not happy with much of the novel’s plot structure. So what do I plan to do? Throw it out and start from scratch.

To some, that may sound crazy. But to me, it feels refreshing. I was never satisfied with the original manuscript and I don’t think any amount of revising is going to fix it. In my opinion, the best solution is to start over at page one with a new outline that can fix all of the first draft’s problems.

I’ve read that Arthur Golden rewrote Memoirs of a Geisha from scratch three times before he was happy with it. Hopefully, I’ll only have to rewrite mine twice (not counting the dozens of revisions that will surely follow). I welcome the challenge and I’ve already completed a new outline and notes.

To help expedite the writing, I’m determined to participate in NaNoWriMo (http://www.nanowrimo.org/) this year! Every November, I plan to do it, yet my busy work schedule always gets in the way. I’m sure my schedule will be just as hectic this November with app development projects, but I’m not getting any younger, so I’m planning ahead to hopefully carve out a little writing time each day (even if it means writing at night). Keep your fingers crossed and wish me luck!

For all you Star Trek fans & toy collectors I don’t...

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:27:03 -0700

For all you Star Trek fans & toy collectors

I don’t usually blog about this kind of stuff, but since many of us app developers are also sci-fi fans, I thought you’d get a kick out of this little trip through memory lane…

Check out this vintage Star Trek-style tracer gun that shoots colorful plastic discs. If you’re thirty or forty-something, then I’m sure you’ll remember either owning one or seeing kids play with them. These vintage tracer guns were eventually discontinued due to safety concerns by parents, so this toy is highly collectable and hard to find. I believe this specific tracer gun model was made by Rayline.

I found this in an old box of my childhood toys in our closet. I’ve had this toy since I was a kid, but it was used only a few times (and later safely stored in a box). It is still in amazing condition (as you can see in the photo) and is still fully working with 200 refill discs, so I decided to list it on eBay.

NovelRank 1.0 Now Available on the iOS App Store

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:11:16 -0700

If you follow this blog with any regularity, then you’ve undoubtedly seen my recent mentions of NovelRank, the iPhone app I’ve been working on the past few months. Now with it finished and approved, the app is finally available on the iOS App Store as a free download! If you’re an author, publisher, or book marketer, then you’ll definitely want to check out this free app!

App Store URL: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/novelrank-amazon-sales-rank/id423938573?mt=8

More app info is also available at: http://www.ebutterfly.com/novelrank/

As the official iPhone app for NovelRank.com users, this app enables authors and marketers to track and compare the Amazon sales rank statistics for printed books and Kindle Edition ebooks across several Amazon country sites.

As a huge fan of NovelRank.com, I’ve long wanted a NovelRank-powered iPhone app. Working closely with NovelRank.com, I designed and developed this native app from the ground-up, providing NovelRank.com’s core features in a convenient, mobile solution optimized for iOS devices. I really enjoyed working with NovelRank.com’s creator, Mario Lurig, on this project and look forward to future development on the app as we continue to bring new features and enhancements to NovelRank app users.

If you find the app useful, please do us a favor and help spread the word about the app by telling all of your friends and posting a positive App Store review. As always, your support is much appreciated! Thanks!

NovelRank 1.0 Available July 6 in the iOS App Store

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 17:27:37 -0700

After receiving word that my NovelRank app has been approved by Apple, the release date is now set for the app to debut in the iOS App Store on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 as a FREE download!

As an app I personally wanted for my own needs and now use on a daily basis, it has been a labor of love to develop. I’m very excited to finally get the chance to share this app with all of you.

As many of you may know, it’s the official iPhone app for NovelRank.com users. Like the popular web site, the NovelRank app enables authors and marketers to track and compare the Amazon sales rank statistics for printed books and Kindle Edition ebooks across several Amazon country sites.

For more app info, check out: http://www.ebutterfly.com/novelrank/

I'll be at WWDC 2011, so be sure to say hello!

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 09:46:40 -0700

To all my fellow iOS devs and book readers: I’ll be at WWDC (Apple’s annual developer conference in San Francisco) all next week, so if you plan on attending and want to meet up to say hello and chat, send me a tweet during the conference. I’ll be reachable via Twitter at @ebutterfly.

Submitted NovelRank 1.0 to the iOS App Store!

Wed, 25 May 2011 18:28:41 -0700

After months of development and testing, I finally finished NovelRank 1.0 and like any proud programmer, lovingly pushed it out the door to hopefully prosper out there in the big world of iPhone apps. As of this blog post, the app submission is “Waiting For Review” but my fingers are crossed that the app review process goes quickly and smoothly…

What is it, you ask? It is the official iPhone app for NovelRank.com users! Like the popular web site, the NovelRank app enables authors and marketers to track and compare the Amazon sales rank statistics for printed books and Kindle Edition ebooks across several Amazon country sites.

For more app info, check out: http://www.ebutterfly.com/novelrank/

The best part is that the NovelRank app will be offered as a FREE download once it becomes available in the App Store!

This free app is ad-supported, and as soon as Apple resolves the Lodsys patent issue over “upgrade” buttons, the plan is to eventually roll out a future app update with a Pro upgrade option via In-App Purchase that unlocks additional features and removes the ads.

Stay tuned… As soon as NovelRank’s available in the App Store, you know I’ll be blogging and tweeting about it!

When Mondays Go WellTypically, Mondays are crazy busy days for...

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:18:42 -0700

When Mondays Go Well

Typically, Mondays are crazy busy days for me, packed with client calls, responding to countless emails, and racing to finish client projects. Never bad, just exhausting.

Today, on the other hand, ended up being a very good Monday for a change!

First, Apple announced the June 6-10 date for WWDC 2011 and I immediately purchased my ticket and secured a hotel reservation this morning. WWDC is by far my favorite conference of the year. In my opinion, it’s a must-attend event for professional Mac and iOS app developers. So excited to see friends and drink from Apple’s firehose of knowledge!

Then, I discovered that my new updated & expanded second edition of The Business of iPhone and iPad App Development: Making and Marketing Apps that Succeed (Apress) is finally in stock at Amazon.com! And the Kindle Edition and PDF eBook version are also available as well.

To top off the day, I then received a box of author copies in the mail of my new book, which is always an exciting moment for any writer!

Hope all of you are having a great Monday too! Cheers!

New Updated & Expanded 2nd Edition of My iOS App Marketing Book Now Available

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:33:26 -0700

My updated and expanded second edition of The Business of iPhone and iPad App Development: Making and Marketing Apps that Succeed (Apress, 2011) is now available.

First and foremost, I’d like to thank everyone who picked up a copy of the first edition, making it the best-selling business and app marketing book in publication for iOS developers. I truly appreciate all of the wonderful comments and feedback that we’ve received from app designers, programmers, and project managers who found the book beneficial. But even if you’ve already read the first edition, you’ll quickly discover the wealth of new material within the pages of this second edition.

It has been only one year since the publication of the first edition, and yet there have been so many exciting new developments in the mobile arena that the book definitely warranted this well-deserved update. Within that short time, Apple changed the iPhone OS name to iOS for targeting app development on multiple platforms, released the instantly popular iPad tablet and iPhone 4, launched its own iAd in-app advertising network, unveiled the impressive new Xcode 4, rolled out Game Center, continued to evolve and improve iTunes Connect and the App Store, and the list goes on…

Some newcomers have the unrealistic belief that if you build a good app, people will buy it, so they feel an entire book on app marketing may be overkill. That couldn’t be further from the truth! As any experienced developer currently selling apps in the App Store would attest, you should be doing anything and everything possible to help increase exposure and sales for your app. With more than 300,000 apps available in the already overcrowded App Store (and that number continues to grow exponentially every year), it’s now more important than ever to learn how to successfully promote your app to stand out from the vast sea of competitors.

This newly revised and expanded second edition is packed with winning marketing solutions and effective business strategies on the very latest opportunities in the iOS world, including extensive new coverage of iPhone and iPad app marketing, universal applications, iAd, In-App Purchase updates, recent App Store submission policy changes, in-app cross-promotion, social media and sharing, and much more!

The PDF eBook is now available for purchase from Apress at:
http://www.apress.com/book/view/9781430233008

The Printed book will be available through Amazon.com and all major bookstores by March 30, so place your pre-order today:
http://www.amazon.com/Business-iPhone-iPad-App-Development/dp/1430233001/

Code examples from the book can be downloaded from my book site at: http://iphonebusinessbook.com/

If you prefer learning in classes and workshops, there are still a few seats left for my upcoming March 22 online course based on my book. Enroll now at: http://www.scps.nyu.edu/course-detail/X52.9706/20111/the-business-side-of-iphone-and-ipad-app-development

For those of you who have already purchased or pre-ordered the new second edition, THANK YOU!!! Your support and readership is much appreciated! Enjoy! And may your app become the next big seller in the App Store.

Best Regards,
Dave Wooldridge

Still a Few Seats Available for My March 22 Online Course on iOS App Marketing

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 12:56:05 -0800

As some of you may know, I’m teaching an online course for NYU School of Continuing and Professional Studies, called The Business Side of iPhone and iPad App Development.

Based on my Apress book, The Business of iPhone and iPad App Development, I’ll be showing attendees how to incorporate marketing and business savvy into every aspect of the design, development, and release stages, giving their apps the best possible chance of succeeding in the App Store.

The live online classroom includes 8 weekly sessions on Tuesdays at 6:00pm - 8:30pm EST. The course begins March 22 and runs until May 10.

Anyone can enroll in this online course. Space is limited, but there are a few spots left, so ENROLL NOW!

A Busy Year End Schedule - Happy New Year, Everyone!

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 12:34:53 -0800

Well, they say there’s no rest for the weary, and I’m starting to believe it. After an unbelievably busy year full of writing books and iOS app projects, 2010 comes to an official close today with yet more developments on the horizon.

I’m currently racing the clock to finish writing the expanded and updated second edition of The Business of iPhone and iPad App Development: Making and Marketing Apps that Succeed, which is slated for publication by Apress in early March 2011. This second edition will be packed with tons of new information on iAd, Game Center, the very latest marketing strategies for iPhone, iPod touch, and the iPad, new time-saving code examples, and much much more! For those interested, Amazon.com is taking pre-orders at: http://amzn.to/dWrpgC

I’m also excited to announce a special online course that I’ll be teaching for NYU, based on my book. The NYU course is called The Business Side of iPhone and iPad App Development with the new second edition of my Apress book serving as the official textbook. I’m deeply honored to have been approached by NYU and look forward to teaching the weekly course, which runs from March 22 to May 10. The class size is limited, so if you’re interested, sign up for the course soon! Detailed information and online enrollment can be found at: http://bit.ly/hvzxSX

I also have a couple iOS apps in the works that will hopefully see the light of day sometime in early 2011. I’ll reveal more on that in the coming months.

After the tough economic climate of the last couple years, I’m sure we could all use some positive changes in 2011, so be sure to make that list of New Year’s Resolutions! I’d like to wish everyone a very prosperous, safe, and HAPPY NEW YEAR! Cheers!

Battling Software Piracy by Courting Consumers

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:47:33 -0700

With piracy rates so high for both desktop and mobile apps, developers often question how much time they should spend on trying to bullet-proof their apps. While it’s always a good idea to do what you can to prevent ordinary consumers from cracking your app, don’t spend too much valuable time on it. No matter how much blood, sweat, and tears you put into your anti-piracy measures, the unfortunate truth is that if hackers want to crack your app, they’ll find a way to do it. It’s the challenge they thrive on.

My friend (and ever-so-wise developer guru) Jeff LaMarche posted on Twitter today:
“You can’t win by fighting the pirates. The more complex the scheme, the greater the satisfaction they get from cracking it. You win by courting the consumer. If any potential customer can’t easily buy the product, you’ve failed. It’s the pirate-to-consumer link in the chain that’s vulnerable. Make it easier for the ordinary person to buy than to pirate.”

Even though Jeff was referring to the recent news that the new Android app licensing scheme has already been cracked by hackers, his tweeted words of wisdom actually apply to any software app platform.

Some iPhone and iPad developers also complain of dismal app piracy rates, but that’s not all money lost. A large percentage of those people using a cracked version would never have paid for that app anyway. But if your industrial-strength anti-piracy measures make it more difficult for ordinary consumers to purchase your app, then you’re doing it wrong! Your time and energy is best invested in keeping your paying customers happy, and making it as easy as possible for consumers to buy your app and not wander toward the cracked sites out there.

One helpful method is by maintaining an inviting, direct relationship with consumers via your web site, blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc. Sure, answering emails, tweets, and Facebook messages takes time, but it’s just as valuable as the support you provide to existing customers. If there’s a direct connection, consumers are often more motivated to support the developer’s efforts.

Another method that is proving effective in iOS apps is by attracting new customers through the In-App Purchase of add-on content, which can be securely verified via Apple’s servers.

If you’re new to iOS development and haven’t yet checked out Jeff LaMarche’s amazing blog, do yourself a favor and visit: http://iphonedevelopment.blogspot.com/

Unboxing Our New Apress iPad App Development Book! Friday just...

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:11:00 -0700

Unboxing Our New Apress iPad App Development Book!

Friday just got a whole lot better with the arrival of a box of books from Apress! Hot off the press is our new Beginning iPad Development for iPhone Developers that I co-wrote with Jack Nutting and Dave Mark. A lot of hard work went into the research and writing of this book, but it was a really fun experience for all of us! Big kudos to co-author Jack Nutting who did the heavy lifting with the code-centric chapters!

Packed with tons of useful examples and detailed explanations on all of the new iPad frameworks, it even includes the complete source code for a full-fledged iPad drawing app called Dudel. And since many of the new features in the iPad’s iOS 3.2 are also present in iOS 4, this is one of the first books available in print that extensively covers several of the new APIs that iPhone developers are also eager to learn for creating iOS 4-optimized apps.

If you’re an iPhone developer itching to get into iPad app development, you’ll definitely want to read this book, which is now available as an eBook from Apress.com and in print at Amazon.com and bookstores everywhere! Click here for more book info… Happy Friday, everyone!

Good Book for Novice Game Developers

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 10:55:46 -0700

Developing productivity apps is my comfort zone, but occasionally, I tinker with the idea of creating a game. But game programming requires quite a different set of skills. If you’re an iOS developer interested in making games, Beginning iPhone Games Development (Apress) by Peter Bakhirev, PJ Cabrera, Ian Marsh, Scott Penberthy, Ben Britten Smith, and Eric Wing is a great place to start! This massive 700+ page guide touches upon all the key ingredients you’d want to learn to produce game logic, animation (Quartz 2D, Core Animation, OpenGL ES), music and sounds (Core Audio, AudioAL, AVFoundation), and networking (Bonjour, GameKit). As a fellow Apress author, I’m admittedly biased toward Apress books, but I only recommend the ones that I truly love. I personally learned a lot from this book and feel it’s a very worthy read for any beginning iOS game developer.

Of course, if you’re serious about selling your game in the App Store (insert shameless plug here), you should also check out my book, The Business of iPhone App Development: Making and Marketing Apps that Succeed, which shows you how to incorporate effective marketing and business savvy throughout the design, development, pre-release, and post-launch stages.

MGSplitViewController for iPad Matt Gemmell, known by many...

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:01:13 -0700

MGSplitViewController for iPad

Matt Gemmell, known by many developers as the creator of the popular MGTwitterEngine, has produced yet another amazing solution for iOS developers. MGSplitViewController is an open source replacement for UISplitViewController, and includes several cool features that Matt feels should have been in Apple’s own UISplitViewController. Options such as being able to manually adjust the width of the master column, display the master column on either the left or right side of the detail pane, insert the master column alongside the detail pane in Portrait mode without a popover, and even choose to display the master column above the detail pane instead of the default side-by-side placement.

For a better idea of how MGSplitViewController works, watch Matt’s demo video here (or on YouTube).

You can download the source at:
http://github.com/mattgemmell/MGSplitViewController/

After watching the video or playing with the code, I’m sure you’ll agree that MGSplitViewController is simply awesome! If you find the code useful, then show your appreciation for Matt’s hard work by sending him a PayPal donation.

THE BIG QUESTION:
With MGSplitViewController offering so many new custom features not found in Apple’s UISplitViewController, will it pass the scrutiny of the App Store review process? There are several iPad apps in the App Store with graphically enhanced split views, but I can’t think of any approved app UI’s that dramatically alter the split view functionality the way MGSplitViewController does. I’m sure Matt and a large following of developers will be anxiously waiting to see the review fate of the first iPad app that gets submitted to the App Store utilizing MGSplitViewController. I know I’ll be curious. If Apple approves iPad apps that use MGSplitViewController, then I predict a lot of iOS developers will be taking advantage of this cool new split view replacement in their future iPad apps!

Big thanks to Matt Gemmell for contributing such great code to the iOS developer community!

iPhone & iPad Resources

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 11:30:02 -0700

iPhone & iPad Resources:

Ari Braginsky has compiled a vast list of links to iPhone and iPad development blogs, books, online resources, etc. There’s some great links there, so it’s definitely worth browsing!

New Developer Sketchbook for iPad Apps

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 08:52:49 -0700

By popular demand, I’ve created The Developer Sketchbook for iPad Apps. You asked for it, so now it’s available at Amazon.com. As the second book in the popular Developer Sketchbook series, it enables iPad developers to quickly mock-up their next iPad app. This time-saving sketchbook is packed with more than 250 pages, which includes:

* 100 pages of 768 x 1024 grids for Portrait user interface design
* 100 pages of 1024 x 768 grids for Landscape user interface design
* 50 pages of enlarged grids for App Icon design

Like most developers, when I have a new idea for an iPad app, I like to first sketch the initial user interface design on paper. This process enables me to jot down my thoughts quickly, experimenting with different UI concepts. Once I’m satisfied with an optimized design, then I’ll launch Xcode and create the actual UI in Interface Builder.

I was tired of constantly calculating the height measurements of commonly used interface components — over and over again — for every screen I drew on grid paper, so I created my own design templates with unique iPad-specific visual markers. Without interfering with my own sketches, these helpful guidelines indicate the accurate size and placement of the:

* Status Bar
* Navigation Controller
* Toolbar
* Tab Bar Controller
* Portrait Keyboard
* Landscape Keyboard
* Split View Column (Landscape)
* Rounded Corners (App Icon)
* Glossy Bevel (App Icon)
* Horizontal and Vertical Center

These templates have saved me countless hours by streamlining my own user interface design efforts, so I decided to make them available to benefit other iPad app developers. Since it’s typically not practical to carry around a book that’s larger than an actual iPad, the Portrait and Landscape templates have been conveniently scaled down to fit within this compact, portable sketchbook.

The Developer Sketchbook for iPad Apps
258 pages, $15.99

For Details and Screenshots:
http://www.developersketchbook.com/

Apple's official list of iPad-ready sites

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:38:21 -0700

Apple's official list of iPad-ready sites:

And the death march on Flash continues as many major web sites — convinced that the iPad will be HUGE — have converted their web sites to use HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript for delivering online news, content, and video playback. Click the link above for Apple’s growing list, which includes CNN, Vimeo, MLB, People, Time, NYT, etc.

Is this an indication that Flash’s demise is imminent? Nah, I’m sure Flash technology will stick around for quite awhile with so many businesses still heavily invested in Flash development. But I do believe the impact of the iPhone, iPod touch, and the iPad will definitely diminish Flash’s importance on the Web. Whatever the future holds, I’m certainly glad I decided to learn Objective-C/Cocoa Touch, instead of Flash/Flex development a few years back.

My Apress book spotted at the Barnes & Noble in Santa Monica...

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 10:58:34 -0700

My Apress book spotted at the Barnes & Noble in Santa Monica (California). My wife and I were at the Santa Monica Promenade yesterday and look what we stumbled upon at the Barnes & Noble there! I know The Business of iPhone App Development has been available at Amazon.com and other online retailers for awhile now, but this is the first time I’ve seen it in a physical bookstore. It was thrilling to see a few copies of it on store shelves!

If you see this book in your local bookstore, be sure to email me a photo from your iPhone and I’ll post it with a link back to your site.