Archive for 2011

The Going Ons

Oct 20, 2011

Let me briefly summarize what’s going on in my iOS life at the moment and where you come in (if you like).

My business revolves around several pillars which I established over the course of the past 2 years. My main income comes from 2 big contracts, one for developing for ELO Digital Office in Germany, one from a development partnership with International Color Services in Arizona. The former is about developing iPhone and iPad clients for their digital document archive. The latter is iCatalog.

Now I am quite lucky to have won over my brother-in-law who happens to be an excellent developer with a background in Java and Android to work exclusively on these contracts. Right now he focusses on the iPad version of ELO.

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iPhone 4S on 1-2 Weeks Expedition

Oct 14, 2011

Hearing how all these people report on queueing up for buying their iPhone 4S I got a urgent itch myself to scratch. So I asked if somebody could also get me one and lo and behold Cyril from France heard the calling.

Cyril Godefroy, maker of 321Run had only ordered one for himself so he graciously ordered mine as his second iPhone 4S. Ah, the French, how nice people they can be …

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Establish Podcasts as Payable Content

Oct 13, 2011

Ben Lang commented in a blog post “Hey Apple, iOS 5 Needs Newsstand for Podcasts!”

The usual method to get Apple to do something is to file a Radar. So I did. I filed this feature request with number 10277643 to suggest a new business opportunity to Apple iTunes. It aims to establish a new model that would allow professional podcasters to offer podcasts under a for-pay subscription model to eliminate the need for advertising.

You are welcome to dupe the request or add your comments below.

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Moving from Individual to Company

Oct 12, 2011

Most iPhone developers start up next to a full time employment by getting signed up for the Individual iOS Developer Program. For my recent workshop I researched the various kinds of programs that Apple offers and what the differences are.

I omitted the column that was titled “Registered Developer” since it did not have any benefits besides being able to download the current stable Xcode version.

Here is an overview of the subtle differences and how I got my Individual account changed to a Company account.

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Audible Bows to App Submission Rules

Oct 10, 2011

Just wanted to briefly share with you that Audible.com is now also giving into Apple’s much criticized app review guideline that forbids linking to a web-based shop from within your app:

11.13 Apps that link to external mechanisms for purchases or subscriptions to be used in the app, such as a “buy” button that goes to a web site to purchase a digital book, will be rejected

Audible just e-mailed their customers explaining their workaround. I am posting this because it is an example of how you can work around this annoying restriction.

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It’s the 5th Generation, Dummy!

Oct 10, 2011

There’s been much brouhaha – especially by the German media – about how disappointed everybody is about the iPhone 4S. No new look. Only better camera and better CPU. Ah and there’s this voice recognition which Android’s been having for years.

I beg to differ, massively. I am stoked, ecstatic about the iPhone 4S. Let me share my thoughts on why this move by Apple makes perfect sense and why not just iPhone newbies and 3GS owners will buy it.

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Keynotes Like a Boss

Oct 07, 2011

When the Carinthian branch of WKO – a public office supporting the local economy – contacted me to hold a workshop at a tech fair I jumped at the chance. Not just because I like the limelight, but also because it was my first opportunity to make extensive use of Keynote.

I had only played a bit around with Keynote so far, but did not have any reason yet to put together a full slide deck, animations and all. It took me a day or so to figure out all the features of Keynote I needed to make my presentation worthy of one representing Apple. To top it off I was wearing a black T-Shirt with a white Apple on my chest.

Due to bad weather we had less than half of signed up people actually attend the workshop, so I was able to include several of the attendees and their personal reasons for looking into app development. Funny, how I feared that I could never fill 4 hours with interesting material. Only to find out that I did and I ended perfectly on time.

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Steve Jobs’ Final Launch

Oct 06, 2011

Steve Jobs was never one to leave anything to chance. He even timed his own ascension to a higher plane to fall on the day after the 5th generation iPhone was publicly unveiled.

Mr. Jobs will be missed. The kind of biological problems that shortened his life span are no way to go for a tech god. If only medicine had developed at the same pace that he furthered the digital lifestyle, then I am sure we would have lived longer. But alas the working of miracles is still only the domain of iOS devices and Macs.

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May the 4S be With You

Oct 05, 2011

Apple CEO Tim Cook gathered a handful of select journalists into the so-called “Townhall” room at the Apple HQ in Cupertino. Interest in this event had reached a fever pitch with most of the world expecting a new iPhone to be launched, “iPhone 5”.

It so turns out that there WILL be a new iPhone, but as if to mock the pundits it is not called number 5, but 4s. But first – while everybody started getting nervous – Cook and team told us how well Apple is doing.

Let’s review the important announcements.