iPadDevCamp: The Future of iPad Apps

It’s Saturday morning at the eBay/PayPal headquarters, and developers are busy preparing for the second day of iPad development at the first official iPadDevCamp (brought to us by the same people who previously organized three iPhoneDevCamp events). The coffee is brewed and the bagels are served. Teams were formed last night but there’s still a few people walking around comparing skill sets and looking for a team to join. Of course there are iPads everywhere being held up by business card holders and other random homemade contraptions.

Developers have flown in from Argentina, China, Germany, Sweden, England and Canada. The goal is to meet new people on Friday night and by Sunday, have an awesome app. A hackathon. The best apps receive various prizes, from iPads to keyboards to cases.

In addition to being heads down for several days, focused on this exciting new platform, there are talks about marketing your apps, integrating PayPal, placing advertisements, Objective-C lessons and other presentations from well-known players in Silicon Valley.

Developers and Their Apps

I sat down with Dan Grover, the creator of ShoveBox, to discuss his latest project: Etude. It’s a sheet music app that looks beautiful on the iPad (although it’s only available for the iPhone right now). Imagine propping up your iPad on your piano and playing along with famous compositions. Below is an example piece of music.

I also discussed Audiotorium with Michael Emmons, a former Symbian developer who recently left that platform for iPhone OS. Audiotorium is both a recording and note-taking app that is perfect for college students and working professionals. Instead of carrying around a laptop that’s arguably overkill for lectures and meetings, you use an iPad to make sure you capture everything.

Music Creation

Now this is cool. Rana Sobhany uses two iPads as a DJ setup. Her blog about the experience and its progress is called Destroy the Silence.

The Results

Here’s a list of many of the apps presented Sunday afternoon after a rough two nights. Somehow these magicians were able to produce functioning apps that appear to be ready for App Store submission. However, many are still in the development phase on Github, or are now open source for anyone to download and try.

Relay — This app will be truly amazing when completed. The demo received a huge applause. Users can drag web sites, text, and music to and from the iPad and computer. Music seamlessly stops playing on one device and continues on the other. Web sites you’re currently reading instantly load on the other device. This app won the “Most Useful” award.

PAD — Personal Armour Defense — A mobile security system. Users set up wireless sensors (smoke, motion, etc.) in a hotel room, campsite,- or home to ensure protection. The system can be armed or disarmed using RFID. PAD received the “Most Alarming” award.

iPad Slot Machine — Another huge applause generator. One person throws an iPhone as the slot machine’s lever, and three iPads show the spinning objects. iPad Slot Machine received the “Coolest App” award and is pictured below.

iuiPad — Extending the iUI web development framework to support the iPad. This won the “Best Web App” award.

Shopkeep — Mine your email to find online purchases and track packages.

Melena21 — Finally an app looking towards helping people with special needs. Children can touch large images to indicate what they need or want. This app won the “Accessibility App” award.

Airhawk — Air Hockey on the iPad. This app won the “Most Monetizable” award because of its in-app purchases and use of ads.

iPad Boombox — A full screen MP3 player that looks and behaves like an old-school boombox. This won the “Retro” award.

Tank or Die — Use iPhones to control tanks on an iPad. This won the “Best Game” award.

iConessionStand — Users can order food and drinks at a sporting event right from their seats. This won the “Best Use of PayPal API” award.

 

http://theappleblog.com/2010/04/19/ipaddevcamp-the-future-of-ipad-apps/

The iPhone 4 Is Real: Anyone Buying the “Drunk Engineer” Story?

By now, many of you will probably already know that Gizmodo actually got their hands on that iPhone prototype they’ve been reporting so heavily on, by paying $5,000 to someone who found the phone at a bar near Apple headquarters.

You may also know that Apple has asked for its return, which Gizmodo (and many others, myself included) are taking as evidence confirming that it is indeed the next iPhone. The story of how it was lost reads like something out of a movie in the Gizmodo account, even though many of us drunkenly lose our phones everyday and it obviously isn’t that dramatic of an experience.

Then again, we aren’t losing the prototype of a highly coveted device built by an incredibly secretive company. Which brings me to my next point. Is anyone buying that this guy (Gary Powell, an iPhone engineer working on the Baseband technology) actually just got drunk and forgot the thing on his bar stool?

I’m not an engineer working for Apple, and my phone is just a widely available 3GS and not the yet-to-be-released iPhone 4 or whatever it’ll be called, but that phone is also the last thing I’m likely to misplace. I’d sooner lose my wallet or my keys, in fact. But if it’s a plant, why go to such lengths to engineer a simple leak?

I think it may be as simple as the ante-upping nature of Apple’s hype machine. After the year or more lead up to the iPad’s unveiling, including photographic and video leaks, first-hand accounts from all kinds of sources, and the will-they or won’t-they ballet that went on for months and months, building a good head of buzz up around the next iPhone in the time remaining would be rather challenging using Apple’s conventional tactics. Many eyes are stuck firmly on the iPad and what’s next for it, and won’t be distracted by the usual grainy photographs.

More on iPhone

• iPhone Dev Sessions: Making a Splash Screen Mac Love
• iPhone OS: Where the Delete Key Belongs Mac Love
• iPhone 4G Rumor Mill Heats Up With Photos, Corroboration Mac Love
• Opera Mini on the iPhone: Nice Toy, Could it Ever Be More? Mac Love

A hands-on exclusive that conveniently makes its way to one of the most prominent and widely-read tech blogs operating on the web today is definitely one way to wrest the spotlight away from the iPad and back onto the iPhone, where Apple needs consumer attention to be come June. It may seem elaborate, but when you consider the cost of such a plan versus a widespread marketing campaign, and that Apple’s secretive-chocolate-factory reputation remains intact, it starts to seem very reasonable indeed.

Whatever the case, it looks like we know what the next iPhone will have in store. Here’s a quick rundown of the highlights in case you missed them:

• Front-facing camera (almost certainly for video chat)
• Separate volume buttons
• Micro-SIM (like the iPad)
• Better back camera and camera flash
• Aluminum border with metallic buttons
• Optical glass or ceramic back for improved signal reception
• Slightly smaller, higher resolution screen
• Secondary mic for noise cancellation
• 16 percent larger battery

Gizmodo tore the phone down, too, and found out that the internals are all Apple production parts, which makes it incredibly unlikely that this isn’t the real thing. It remains to be seen whether or not the final production units that ship this summer will look exactly like this, but I think it’s safe to say we’ll see something pretty darn close.

The best part of the new design in my opinion? Not the industrial styling that brings it more in line with the current iMac and MacBook offerings, though that’s pretty awesome. No, it’s all the phone-oriented improvements Apple seems to be making. I’d never trade my iPhone in for anything, but I have to say that it hasn’t been the greatest cell phone I’ve ever had, in terms of strict telecommunications functions.

The new back for improved signal transmission, the second, noise-canceling mic, the larger battery and the front facing camera all point to this being the best iPhone yet for actual real-time communication, which is definitely something worth getting excited about.

 

http://theappleblog.com/2010/04/20/the-iphone-4-is-real-anyone-buying-the-drunk-engineer-story/

Apple Q2 2010: Another Quarter, Another Record

Only Apple could make success seem banal, reporting the best ever earnings for a second fiscal quarter today.

Apple reported revenue of $13.50 billion and a net quarterly profit of $3.07 billion, or $3.33 EPS, once again beating the Wall Street consensus, and comparing quite favorably to $9.08 billion and a net quarterly profit of $1.62 billion, or $1.79 EPS, a year ago. It was indeed another boringly great quarter, but if Steve Jobs is yawning with success, he didn’t show it in the press release.

“We’re thrilled to report our best non-holiday quarter ever, with revenues up 49 percent and profits up 90 percent,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve launched our revolutionary new iPad and users are loving it, and we have several more extraordinary products in the pipeline for this year.”

For those with less interest in profit and more in the magical product pipeline, Macs were solid, iPods flat, and iPhone sales bucked the cyclical decline.

Apple sold 2.943 million Macs, up 33 percent from 2.216 for the same quarter last year. While laptop sales were up 28 percent from a year ago, desktop sales jumped 40 percent. That doesn’t alter the 60/40 split between laptops and desktops, but it was still a good quarter for the iMac.

It was a good quarter for iPod sales, too, despite them being flat, at 10.89 million sold versus 11.01 million last year. While that’s technically a one percent decline in units sales, revenue was up 12 percent, likely fueled by the increasing success of the iPod touch. That’s very good news.

Also very good were iPhone sales, which tend to be cyclical, peaking with model launches and declining until the next launch. For last quarter, Apple sold 8.752 million Phones, compared to 3.793 during the same period last year, a 131 percent increase. However, Apple actually increased the number of iPhones sold from the first quarter of 2010, which saw 8.737 million sold. That’s big news as we approach the next iPhone launch, expected this summer.

While nothing was mentioned about the iPad, expect that to come up in the conference call, which will duly be reported on TheAppleBlog.

 

http://theappleblog.com/2010/04/20/apple-q2-2010-another-quarter-another-record/

10 Must-Have Board Games for the iPad

With the increased screen real estate of the iPad, it’s the perfect device for playing board games. If you haven’t had a chance to browse some of the great titles available on the App Store, here’s some of our favorite board games to get you started.

Scrabble

Such a classic, Scrabble [iTunes] is awesome on the iPad platform. Enjoy playing against friends (or a computer) on a gorgeous large game board. If you have an iPhone, download the free Scrabble Tile Rack [iTunes] and arrange your letters on your own device. When it’s your turn, simply flick them towards the game board and they’ll appear, ready for you to place and score big. Similar to the iPhone version, you can play against your friends locally or over a local network. Scrabble [iTunes] is $9.99.

Words with Friends

If there’s one app at the moment that’s popular across social networks and mobile devices, it’s Words with Friends [iTunes]. Similar to Scrabble, this game allows you to play, turn based, against friends who are playing on their iPads, iPhones or Facebook accounts. The app supports push notifications to let you know when it’s your turn, and you can chat in-game with your friends. At $2.99, this is definitely a fun board game for those who enjoy playing against friends and don’t want to take the leap to Scrabble.

Game Table

One of the first game apps on the iPad, Game Table [iTunes] provides a virtual game board for a variety of games, like checkers, chess, poker and other card games. It’s not a traditional game in the sense that you’ll have scoring or rules and stuff. Instead, it’s simply all the pieces to play games without all the fuss so you can play them any way you want. For 99 cents this app is a great value and the developers have promised that additional game pieces for Backgammon, Go and Reversi will be added soon.

UNO HD

While UNO technically is more of a card game than a board game, I decided to include it because it’s a very fun experience on the iPad. It features all of the traditional UNO rules and actions, like Draw 2, Reverse and Wild cards. It also supports multiplayer (sharing one device or multiple on a Wi-Fi network) and features challenges allowing users to unlock additional themes to give the game a fresher look. UNO HD [iTunes] is $4.99.

Strategery

Strategery [iTunes] is an engaging game originally designed for the iPhone that has been optimized for the iPad as well. This game of world domination features you as leader of a “country” (think Civilization style) and you battle against your neighbors to gain/lose territory. It supports pass-and-play style multiplayer (with up to five players) or online battles with push notifications. The iPad version allows for much larger maps and a much more engaging experience if played like a traditional board game (a group of players gathering around the iPad). At $1.99, this app is a definite must-have.

Theme Checkers

Of all board games, Checkers (or Chess) was probably the most expected to debut on the iPad. There are a variety of both available now, but my favorite is Theme Checkers HD [iTunes]. Just like a real game, the movement is very fluid and natural. This game supports one and two player modes and regularly updated themes for unique checkers experience. Users can even create and install their own custom themes as well. Theme Checkers HD [iTunes] is 99 cents, so give it a spin and see what you think.

Board Box

If you’re looking for a little more than just checkers or chess, you should check out Board Box. Similar to some of the others I’ve mentioned, it includes checkers and chess, but this app goes further by including Reversi, Tic Tac Toe, Go, Draughts and more. Not only does it include the regular version of these games, but it also includes some variants. This app doesn’t support an automated second player, so you’ll either need to suffer from having a split personality or have a friend to play against. If there’s nobody local, you can play against friends through email. The developers of Board Box have promised that there will be no in-app purchases for this app so as they continue to update and add additional game boards and variants, the updates will be free. At $3.99, Board Box [iTunes] is a great investment.

Ludo

If you’re a fan of Parcheesi, you should definitely check out Ludo [iTunes] ($3.99). Supporting up to four players (both human or computer), the game plays like real Parcheesi, except with a fresh modern interface and smooth animations and sound effects. Though there are a few other Parcheesi variants on the App Store, this one is definitely the best for the iPad. Additionally, your game state is saved so you can start and stop the game as you please.

Moonlight Mahjong

If you’re one who loves playing mahjong, check out Moonlight Mahjong [iTunes] for 99 cents. Putting a literal spin on the traditional idea of mahjong, this version is 3D, allowing you to use touch gestures to tilt and turn and zoom in and out. There’s over 90 built-in board layouts. When you get bored with those, you can create your own and share them with others. Plus, it offers for support of multiple players (even across Wi-Fi or against an automated opponent). If you’ve never given mahjong a shot, this is an excellent game to reduce stress and relax.

Honey, That’s Mine!

This is a “sweet” board game where players compete against each other to collect the most honey. If playing on the iPhone or iPod touch, the game supports pass-and-play for multiplayer, but if you’re on the iPad, the larger screen makes it easy to just place your iPad on a table and play against your friends. The idea of the game is rather simple, but the options for computer opponents and difficulty variations give this game additional replay value. Honey, That’s Mine [iTunes] is available on the App Store for $1.99.

This is just a small sampling of some of the apps available for the iPad. If you’ve tried these or found others you like, share your thoughts in the comments below. Personally I’m thrilled to find replacements of my favorite board games on the iPad. Just imagine how many little pieces I don’t have to keep up with anymore!

 

http://theappleblog.com/2010/04/21/10-board-games-for-the-ipad/

Top 10 Mobile Trends of 2010, Part 2: Apps, Apps, Apps

In preparation for the upcoming ReadWriteWeb Mobile Summit, we're outlining the 10 leading trends of the Mobile Web in a 3-part series of posts. In Part 1 we explored 3 important design and development issues for the Mobile Web. Now in Part 2, we look at 4 classes of mobile applications that have become popular in 2010: geo-location, Internet of Things, Augmented Reality, and mobile social networking.

We'll explore these and other trends with you at the ReadWriteWeb Mobile Summit, a 1-day event we're running on Friday 7 May, in Mountain View, California. That's the day after Web 2.0 Expo (2-6 May), so we hope you'll extend your trip to the West Coast to help us define the future of mobile! To be certain of getting a ticket, we invite you to register now.

Geo-location Services

In January, RWW Co-Editor Marshall Kirkpatrick wrote that the era of Location-as-Platform has arrived. Using leading location mobile service Foursquare as an example, Marshall wrote that "the mobile location 'check-in' is fast becoming the hot new status message type online." He added that "it was only a matter of time until 'where you are' became a platform to build added value on top of just like 'who you know' has on social networking sites like Facebook."

Other posts in this series:
Top 10 Mobile Trends of 2010, Part 1: Design & Development

The use cases for location data include showing nearby restaurants and ratings, mobile advertising, local news, events, and Wikipedia data about local buildings. That's impressive enough, but imagine the possibilities when you add data from sensors. As I wrote in January, one use case that should become reality soon is receiving a real-time update of traffic conditions via sensors embedded in the road.

What else can we do using location as a platform? We'll discuss this in-depth at the ReadWriteWeb Mobile Summit.

Internet of Things

As well as sensor applications, there are other emerging applications for mobile that intersect with the Internet of Things trend. They include barcode scanning, using your phone as an RFID tag and reader, and using your phone as a proximity sensor.

As we explained in January, as well as your mobile phone reading and acting on sensor data from real world objects, the phone may also be used as a sensor itself. For example the iPhone has a built-in accelerometer, which is basically a motion detector. This is used for game control and also for re-sizing your iPhone display from portrait to landscape. The iPhone also has a microphone (which can be used as a noise sensor), a proximity sensor, and an ambient light sensor.

Barcode scanning and its applications is a fast growing market in the mobile world. The most popular form of 2D barcode is the QR Code (the QR stands for "Quick Response"), which became popular in Japan and is now gaining traction in the U.S. and other markets.

There are many emerging opportunities to utilize sensor and RFID data, which again we will explore at the Mobile Summit on 7 May.

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality has been one of the hottest trends in mobile for about a year now. ReadWriteWeb even created an extensive report about AR and its market and development opportunities. We think that AR offers a new marketing and product paradigm for a high impact, high value customer experience. More than 1,000 AR campaigns were kicked-off last year and we expect to see many more this year. In our report, we profiled key AR development companies, their campaigns as well as development lessons learned.

In a recent post, Chris Cameron (the author of our AR report) noted that practical application is the golden ticket of Augmented Reality. As an example he pointed to the junaio iPhone application, which competes with Layar and Wikitude in the AR browser space. junaio recently announced that its formed a partnership with BART, San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit system, to bring live train data to the app. junaio takes advantage of the API provided by BART to not only place locations of nearby stations in a user's field of vision, but also estimate arrival time of trains at each station and display that live in real-time using AR.

Mobile Social Networking

A recent study from Ruder Finn revealed that more people are using the mobile web to socialize (91%) compared to the 79% of desktop users who do the same. ReadWriteWeb's Sarah Perez concluded that "the mobile phone is actually a better platform for social networking than the PC."

The study found that during the 2.7 hours per day that people in the U.S. spend on the mobile web, 45% are posting comments on social networking sites, 43% are connecting with friends on social networking sites, 40% are sharing content with others and 38% are sharing photos. Sarah commented that it's no surprise to find that the rise of the mobile phone corresponds with the rise in Facebook's popularity, because "it has become a do-anywhere activity that captures people's attention whenever they have free time, instead of an activity that requires people make time for it."

Sarah concluded that mobile social networking is an easier activity to participate in now that it's been unchained from the PC. This of course has big implications for entrepreneurs and application developers, which we will explore at the RWW Mobile Summit.

 

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/top_10_mobile_trends_of_2010_part_2_apps.php

Google Mobile Announces Search by Voice for Maps

If you want to map a locale or score some directions but want to avoid driving into a pole, you can now use your pipes. Google Maps now recognizes Search by Voice on Windows Mobile and Symbian S60 phones.

Google introduced Search by Voice in 2008 and has been rolling that functionality out into different parts of the Googlesphere since. Now Google Maps 4.1 comes with voice search.

The categories of search that Maps will now recognize vocally includes the full spectrum of search fields already enabled for mobile.

• business name
• business category
• city, state
• ZIP code
• postal address
• intersection, city, state
• airport code
• latitude longitude

Hands-free it is not, however. To start the search you still need to open Google Maps and hit "call" prior to making your search.

The install is available on qualifying phones at m.google.com/maps.

An interesting aspect of the language settings the ability to select not just your language but, if it's English, the accent you use. I wonder if this functionality will be available to Spanish-speakers or whether the different accents within Yue Chinese will eventually be recognized.

 

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/google_announces_search-by-voice_for_maps.php