Question:
How do I get started developing an iOS application?
Answer:
Well this took more than a quick google search to uncover, but I needed a reason to actually seek it out. Here is what I found:
A great resource providing a "roadmap" made by Apple is titled "Start Developing iOS apps Today"
The document isn’t a private developer resource so you can visit it for yourself regardless of whether you’re in the program or not. It has sections that guide someone looking to begin making apps from starting, through set-up, tutorials, fundamentals, developing and guiding them to further resources.
After a quick breeze through I think its a pretty good resource, I'm certain there are thousands of resources out there, some free, some that aren't. But for the time being I like the idea of following Apple's roadmap and seeing how it goes. So here we go, for the next few days I'm going to start the journey and see how it goes, I've never developed in my life, so I'm using the Blog to record my experiences, thoughts, and progress on making my first iOS application.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
iHave an iDea... part 1
Question: What is the top selling iOS app of all time?
Answer: As of May 5, 2012 it is... drumroll... Angry Birds.
Angry Birds is the top selling "Paid" app followed by Fruit Ninja, Doodle Jump, and Cut the rope. The fifth spot is also held by Angry Birds: Seasons. The most downloaded apps in the "Free" category are Facebook, Pandora, Words with Friends, Skype, and The Weather Channel.
Increasingly, I have been interested in iOS apps, understand I am not a developer at all. I have worked in the IT industry for years, but sitting in front of a keyboard and crushing code all day sounds like something just shy of torture. That said, I, like the millions of members of the "iUniverse"find something so compelling about the apps (and the devices) that Apple has thrust into our greasy mitts. However, my journey has started on a rather personal note.
My muse for this is my one-year-old daughter, Hartley. She LOVES my iPad. So much so that "eye pah" was if I recall, the fourth word that she ever said, after DaDa & MaMa and NaNa (as in Banana). The fruit doesn't fall far from the proverbial tree.
After Mom and Dad (and Nanna's) the iPad is her favorite thing in the world. She is enamored with the device. For anyone that has ever raised, or been around a 1 year old, capturing their attention for any length of time is nearly impossible. But the iPad is amazing at this. It can easily capture up to an hour of her undivided attention. She loves bouncing between applications, and pressing the home button. I have the apps divided into a folder labeled "kids games" which she can pick out from the home screen with no parental help. The problem is I would EASILY pay $3.00 or maybe even more for an app that could hold her attention for a few minutes at a time, but I haven't found that many. Most apps on the iTunes marketplace are targeted and designed for pre-K, ages 2 and up. Which is great, but she really took to the iPad at 6 months. In my estimation there is an underserved population.
Here are the problems:
1. Most of the apps i've tried are made linear, but one year old's don't adhere to that model, in fact they have no model. They don't need a story, they need an experience, think sandbox.
2. Buttons, popups, or other objects that "block" or stop the experience are killers. The sandbox is an equal opportunity employer. All objects are subject to clicking at any given time. This means back buttons, triggers for in app purchases, objects that trigger app switches or web pages to open, are interest killers and are a true pain in the butt for the parent's who need to "fix" the app.
3. There needs to be a balance between automation, triggered events, and giving the user autonomy. One year old's don't follow "rules" the same way we do, they want "experience"
Here are some of the things that work:
1. Humor, funny noises, over the top actions go a long way. Education needs to be fun.
2. The wackier the better, watch a few hours of kid's programming. Barney, Yo Gabba Gabba, and Pokemon. Kids have a predilection for insane, over the top, goofy stuff.
Answer: As of May 5, 2012 it is... drumroll... Angry Birds.
Angry Birds is the top selling "Paid" app followed by Fruit Ninja, Doodle Jump, and Cut the rope. The fifth spot is also held by Angry Birds: Seasons. The most downloaded apps in the "Free" category are Facebook, Pandora, Words with Friends, Skype, and The Weather Channel.
Increasingly, I have been interested in iOS apps, understand I am not a developer at all. I have worked in the IT industry for years, but sitting in front of a keyboard and crushing code all day sounds like something just shy of torture. That said, I, like the millions of members of the "iUniverse"find something so compelling about the apps (and the devices) that Apple has thrust into our greasy mitts. However, my journey has started on a rather personal note.
My muse for this is my one-year-old daughter, Hartley. She LOVES my iPad. So much so that "eye pah" was if I recall, the fourth word that she ever said, after DaDa & MaMa and NaNa (as in Banana). The fruit doesn't fall far from the proverbial tree.
After Mom and Dad (and Nanna's) the iPad is her favorite thing in the world. She is enamored with the device. For anyone that has ever raised, or been around a 1 year old, capturing their attention for any length of time is nearly impossible. But the iPad is amazing at this. It can easily capture up to an hour of her undivided attention. She loves bouncing between applications, and pressing the home button. I have the apps divided into a folder labeled "kids games" which she can pick out from the home screen with no parental help. The problem is I would EASILY pay $3.00 or maybe even more for an app that could hold her attention for a few minutes at a time, but I haven't found that many. Most apps on the iTunes marketplace are targeted and designed for pre-K, ages 2 and up. Which is great, but she really took to the iPad at 6 months. In my estimation there is an underserved population.
Here are the problems:
1. Most of the apps i've tried are made linear, but one year old's don't adhere to that model, in fact they have no model. They don't need a story, they need an experience, think sandbox.
2. Buttons, popups, or other objects that "block" or stop the experience are killers. The sandbox is an equal opportunity employer. All objects are subject to clicking at any given time. This means back buttons, triggers for in app purchases, objects that trigger app switches or web pages to open, are interest killers and are a true pain in the butt for the parent's who need to "fix" the app.
3. There needs to be a balance between automation, triggered events, and giving the user autonomy. One year old's don't follow "rules" the same way we do, they want "experience"
Here are some of the things that work:
1. Humor, funny noises, over the top actions go a long way. Education needs to be fun.
2. The wackier the better, watch a few hours of kid's programming. Barney, Yo Gabba Gabba, and Pokemon. Kids have a predilection for insane, over the top, goofy stuff.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Post #1 the beginning of something.
This isn't an original idea, but for all intents and purposes, one worth repeating. Or shall we hope. My ambition is to blog 365 posts in 365 days. Furthermore, my intent is to learn something new every day. I will be asking a question that I don't know the answer too, and then find the answer to it. I was originally inspired by this post on Lifehacker.com, based on Chris Strom's blog here.
There you have it, post #1, day #1...
There you have it, post #1, day #1...
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