May 14 2010

TechNote 3 – Core Data SQL

If you ever want to see the actual SQL that Core Data issues while running your app, then in Xcode:
open the info window (Cmd I) on your apps executable (Executables in the Groups & Files pane).
Add the following to the Arguments tab

-com.apple.CoreData.SQLDebug 1


Mar 24 2010

TechNote 2 – Sharing Libraries Across Projects

This tech note describes a way to share code and libraries across multiple iPhone app projects. It describes how to set up a project in Xcode to depend on static libraries compiled in a separate project (in this case Cocos2d). It is basically a bullet point summary of the excellent article by Clint Harris.

First, if you haven’t already done so, set up your Xcode global settings as described in TechNote 1.

Then

  1. Open the Source Tree tab of the Xcode preferences.
  2. Add a new setting with a Setting/Display name of COCOS2D_SRC and a path to that project e.g. /Users/rob/workspace/iphone/cocos2d-iphone-0.99.0

Then, set up project specific settings:

  1. Add the Cocos2d project (cocos2d-iphone.xcodeproj) to the current project (Option+Cmd+A). Do not copy.
  2. On the newly added project, edit the Info (Cmd+i). Change “Path Type” to be Relative to COCOS2D_SRC.
  3. Edit the Info (Cmd+i) of the main Target.
    • General Tab: Add (“+”) libs to “Direct Dependencies” (cocos2d, Chipmunk, CocosDenshion)
    • Build Tab: Add $(COCOS2D_SRC) (with Recursive) to “User header search paths”. Ensure “Library Search Paths” is empty.
      Note: Ensure you do this for Release and Debug (or both at the same time). I initially just did Debug by mistake and it took a while to work out why my Release wouldn’t compile!
  4. Drag libs (libcocos2d.a etc) from newly added cocos2d project to “Link Binary with Libraries” in your Target.
    (Note that this step is only required for the “final”app project. See TechNote 6 for more details on creating your own static libraries.)

That’s it. If it doesn’t work, go through the article mentioned above, step by step.
(Note, you may need to add the image fps_images.png to your Resources)


Mar 23 2010

TechNote 1 – Setting up Xcode to share Static Libraries

This tech note describes how to set up Xcode to enable sharing static libraries across multiple iPhone app projects. It involves setting up a shared build output directory that will be shared by all Xcode projects.

It is basically a bullet point summary of the excellent article by Clint Harris.

  1. Open the Building tab of the Xcode preferences.
  2. Set Place Build Projects in to Customized location and specify the path to the common build directory e.g. /Users/rob/workspace/iphone/xcode_build_output
  3. Set Place Intermediate Build Files in to With build products.

This is a precursor to other tech notes on Static Libraries.


Mar 23 2010

World Leaders Update (China, Taiwan, Brazil)

World Leaders

Update 1.5 of the World Leaders app has just been approved by Apple. This adds

Brazil : Presidents
China : Presidents
Taiwan : Presidents

to the ever expanding list of leaders.


Feb 23 2010

World Leaders Update 1.4 (Russia)

World Leaders

Update 1.4 of the World Leaders app has just been approved by Apple. This adds Presidents of Russia to the ever expanding list of leaders.

Approval in just 2 days again. Good to see Apple on the ball!


Feb 18 2010

First app to hit 10,000

qbf

Today, my Torch Lite app hit the 10,000 download mark!

Unfortunately, since this is a free app, this doesn’t translate into any money, however I think it’s still quite an achievement.

Looking at the download stats it seems that the French really love it!

  • 4697 France
  • 2755 Great Britain
  • 576 Australia
  • 456 Italy
  • 356 United States
  • 238 Switzerland
  • 166 Germany
  • 131 Japan
  • 116 Singapore
  • 93 New Zealand
  • 67 Netherlands
  • 64 Ireland
  • 60 Canada
  • 41 India
  • 31 Spain
  • 28 Austria
  • 23 Hong Kong
  • 22 Malaysia
  • 18 Denmark
  • 18 Luxembourg
  • 12 Mexico
  • 11 Belgium
  • 10 Greece
  • 10 Russian Fed.
  • 10 Turkey
  • 9 Israel
  • 7 China
  • 7 Norway
  • 5 Argentina
  • 5 Finland
  • 5 Poland
  • 5 Portugal
  • 5 South Africa
  • 4 Lebanon
  • 4 Malta
  • 4 Sweden
  • 3 Colombia
  • 3 Unit.Arab Emir.
  • 2 Czech. Republic
  • 2 Romania
  • 2 Saudi Arabia
  • 2 Slovakia
  • 2 South Korea
  • 2 Taiwan
  • 2 Thailand
  • 1 Egypt
  • 1 Indonesia
  • 1 Kuwait
  • 1 Latvia
  • 1 Macao
  • 1 Peru
  • 1 Qatar
  • 1 Sri Lanka

Thanks to all who have tried the app. I hope it lights your way!


Jan 25 2010

World Leaders Update 1.3

World Leaders

Update 1.3 of the World Leaders app has just been sent to Apple for approval. This adds Presidents of Mexico to the ever expanding list of leaders.

Lets hope approval is as quick as the last update earlier this month which got through in just 2 days!


Nov 29 2009

Acu Calm App

Acu Calm

I am pleased to announce the release of the Acu Calm iPhone application.

The Acu Calm application is a self-help tool to bring about wellbeing and calm.

See the Acu Calm page for more information.


Nov 23 2009

iPhone Socio-Economics

Attending two very different concerts in the past month, I was struck by the stark difference in iPhone ownership.

First concert was a tribute to Joni Mitchell, held at the Sydney Opera House, featuring seven beautiful female singers (SMH). These women were truly awesome, especially in the fantastic acoustics of the Concert Hall. The event was refined and civilized, with many dressing up for the occasion and champagne at the interval. As I scanned the assembled crowd, I couldn’t help but notice the number of people sporting iPhones. There were at least half a dozen within my immediate vicinity, close enough that I could see what apps were on display. Overall, of the phones I spotted, I’d say at least 80% were iPhones.

The second concert, last night at the Sydney Football Stadium, was Pearl Jam, with Ben Harper in support. Another awesome concert, but this time more for its energy and volume, rather than its beauty. It was also hot, very hot. It was 41 Celsius outside the stadium, after the concert at 10:30pm, and it was much hotter inside during the show. As I looked across to the stage, rather than a sea of fans holding up lighter (as was the way, not that long ago), there was instead a sea of mobile phone screens, attempting to capture the moment on video. What really struck me, however (and I looked pretty hard) was that I never saw a single iPhone.

I’m not quite sure what to make of this. The Pearl Jam concert was more expensive, even drinks were dearer ($9 for a can of vodka and tonic! – about the same as a glass of champagne at the Opera House). Most of the crowd at the Pearl jam concert were, at a guess, 20 – 35, whereas most at the Jodi Mitchell tribute were over 35. Maybe younger people have got better things to spend their money on than pretentious iPhones. Maybe older people don’t! Either way, it was interesting to observe, although what it says about my taste in music is another matter.


Nov 21 2009

The Top 10 Mobile Applications in 2012

A prediction of the types of apps we may be using in the future (from Gartner via Shiny Shiny)

No. 1: Money Transfer
This service allows people to send money to others using Short Message Service (SMS). Lower costs, faster speed and convenience compared with traditional transfer services, appeals to developing markets.

No. 2: Location-Based Services
Location-based services (LBS) form part of context-aware services, a service that Gartner expects will be one of the most disruptive in the next few years. Gartner predicts that the LBS user base will grow globally from 96 million in 2009 to more than 526 million in 2012.

No. 3: Mobile Search
The industry needs to improve the user experience of mobile search so that people will come back to the same engines. Consumers will stay loyal to some search services, but instead of sticking to one or two search providers on the internet, Gartner expects loyalty on the mobile phone to be shared between a few search providers that have unique technologies for mobile search.

No. 4: Mobile Browsing
Mobile browsing is a widely available technology present on more than 60 per cent of handsets shipped in 2009, a percentage Gartner expects to rise to approximately 80 per cent in 2013. Gartner has ranked mobile browsing No. 4 because of its broad appeal to all businesses.

No. 5: Mobile Health Monitoring
Mobile health monitoring is the use of IT and mobile telecommunications to monitor patients remotely, and could help governments, care delivery organisations (CDOs) and healthcare payers reduce costs related to chronic diseases and improve the quality of life of their patients. These are Doctor on your phone apps.

No. 6: Mobile Payment
Mobile payment made Gartner’s top ten list because of the number of parties it affects — including mobile carriers, banks, merchants, device vendors, regulators and consumers — and the rising interest from both developing and developed markets. Because of the many choices of technologies and business models, as well as regulatory requirements and local conditions, mobile payment will be a highly fragmented market.

No. 8: Mobile Advertising
Mobile advertising in all regions is continuing to grow through the economic downturn, driven by interest from advertisers in this new opportunity and by the increased use of smartphones and the wireless Internet. Total spending on mobile advertising in 2008 was $530.2 million, which Gartner expects to will grow to $7.5 billion in 2012.

No. 9: Mobile Instant Messaging
Cost and the inability to type fast enough have historically held back adoption of mobile instant messaging (IM), while uncertain business models have precluded widespread carrier deployment and promotion. Mobile IM is on Gartner’s top ten list because of latent user demand and market conditions that are conducive to its future adoption. It has a particular appeal to users in developing markets that may rely on mobile phones as their only connectivity device.

No.10: Mobile Music
Mobile music so far has been disappointing — except for ring tones and ring-back tones, which have turned into a multibillion-dollar service. On the other hand, it is unfair to dismiss the value of mobile music, as consumers want music on their phones and to carry it around. We see efforts by various players in coming up with innovative models, such as device or service bundles, to address pricing and usability issues. iTunes makes people pay for music, which shows that a superior user experience does make a difference.