Category: I-phone

How often do you find yourself looking for the next best place to eat? There are so many options these days, and you never know where to go for the best reviews. Yelp has proven to be very trustworthy with a lot of nifty features, and it also holds a large share of users in their community — but what about something new?

Nosh is the perfect mobile network for all foodies and app enthusiasts. It’s a great way to share your experience with eating out at nearly any restaurant, and is practically the best mobile app for reviewing foods and the overall dining experience. For more info, hit the jump.

Getting Started

It may help to clarify a bit about what Nosh actually does. You can think of the app as a cross between Foursquare and Yelp. You’ll be able to check-in to each restaurant you visit and use this to post a new status update. Using Nosh you are answering the question, “what is a good meal choice here?”

Nosh Startup – Find Friends

If you check into a joint and there have already been a few reviews, you’ll be presented with these right away. This is the true beauty of Nosh — even if you aren’t following any of the original reviewers, you can choose to browse their thoughts on some of the dishes. What better way to decide which foods to try?

When you go to review a menu item, the proper verb is “noshing.” You can nosh just about anything you find on the menu, and this includes giving a star rating from 1-5 with an optional photo attached. If your profile is set to public, then your review will be tagged to the specific restaurant, and all your followers will see the review pop into their stream.

Account Creation and Networking

After first launch the app will display a very warm welcome screen. There is a button towards the bottom, just click this to proceed onto the signup page. Simply enter in some login details and you’ll be given a free Nosh account. Now you can start reviewing and rating anywhere!

Nosh Home Page Feed

Thing is, your homepage feed will be quite lonely, aside from the standard Nosh updates, but the app has a few direct connect features so that you can tie into Facebook/Twitter and pull out any Nosh users. Additionally, you can search through your iPhone contacts list for any matching profiles. But as one way out you may consider going to your profile (bottom right tab) and clicking on your followers.

Here you’ll find the Nosh profile, and they have a laundry list of users whom you may be interested in. Note that Nosh is still a very new application and growing wildly, therefore you may struggle to find any friends on the network at first, but you can still read others’ reviews of the many restaurants you visit. This is what really makes Nosh a powerful social networking application.

In-Depth User Features

While we’re still on your profile page you may wish to update a few things. You probably don’t have any reviews at this point, so your feed is likely to be very bare. Odds are good your account is also using the standard avatar image. This can be changed by simply tapping the image area and choosing one of the new upload options.

Back on your Feed tab you can see the latest Nosh updates in real time. Similar to many Twitter apps, you can pull down the whole feed box to refresh updates at any point. To get a taste of the details pane simply tap on any review box. This brings up a couple of new panes onto your screen.

Menu Items and Nosh Input

The very top box will lead to the users’ profile page. From here you can follow them or check out their other Nosh updates. Additionally, you’ll see details in the second box for the total number of stars and a quick review. Tap this for some more details, along with a larger photo display at the bottom. What’s interesting here is you can re-nosh a menu item at any point from your feed, even if you aren’t eating there currently!

New Nosh Review Screen

Giving this power to the userbase means reviews will grow a lot quicker. Users don’t need to be sitting down about to eat before they can rate a bit of menu food. If you don’t have a personal review but wish to leave a small comment instead, you can find the box at the very bottom of any review page (underneath the photo). I often check the comments in a menu item to see if others agree with the original reviewer.

Individual Restaurant Menus

Another area Nosh has hit upon is including an entire menu listing for each venue. If you look on the details pane of any item review you should notice a location bar (often coupled with a house icon). If you tap this it will bring up more information about the type of restaurant, location and even phone number. Users can take photos inside the building and upload these directly to the Nosh venue page.

From the Options menu, you’re also able to check out a map showing the location of the restaurant. This will open in a new view with the maps in fullscreen and a pin at the exact location. If you look in the top right corner, you’ll notice a small button labeled “Menu.” Tap this and a nifty flip effect will reveal all of the menu items.

Robert's Market Menu and Geo Location

From here you have a few more options. The top navigation tabs are used for sorting the menu items — by default you’re sorting by the highest rated. You can additionally choose between alphabetically or by your friends’ reviews. Tapping on any of the menu items will let you post your own review of that particular dish. And there are so many menus being added every day, Nosh is truly a vast community for foodies from all around the world!

Conclusion

If you are a big fan of mobile review apps, Nosh may very well be up your alley, especially if you enjoy going out to eat and love to try new places. Currently many of the restaurants in their directory are located in the San Francisco area and along the west coast of the United States. This is because the mobile company Firespotter Labs is based out of SF, so many of the first users have been from the same geographical area.

But there are a lot more people from all around the world joining into the activity, and for the iPhone you can’t find a whole lot of rich alternatives with as much interactivity. If you can get your friends using the app it’s a great way to stay in touch and share your dining experience with each other. I highly recommend trying this check-in-meets-review style app and toying around a bit. If you’ve been a user of Nosh feel free to offer your opinions in the comments area below.

It’s been almost five years since we launched Envato, the company behind this site and many others, and in that time we’ve built eight digital marketplaces for everything from WordPress Themes to Background Music. With our fifth birthday coming up this weekend, we’re excited to announce the beta launch of our ninth marketplace: PhotoDune for royalty free stock photos.

Connects to Other Envato Marketplaces

Like all our marketplaces, this one allows you to use your regular Envato Marketplace account and cash to make purchases. It also has the same familiar interface that you are used to with some new upgrades to search and browsing to cater to the photo market!

If you haven’t got an account yet, you can sign up here.

High Quality, Affordable Prices

Prices for a regular license on photos go from $1 to $9 depending on the size of photo you are buying. That’s incredibly affordable, and what’s more, the level of quality you’ll find on PhotoDune is extremely high. Check out our Top Sellers, or a few of my favourite images below:

Selling on PhotoDune

If you are a photographer interested in selling with PhotoDune, be sure to check out leading industry blog Microstock Diaries’ write up Envato Enters Microstock with PhotoDune and visit PhotoDune to Get Started Selling Your Work.

The Future of the Envato Marketplaces

With our ninth marketplace out, on the eve of our fifth birthday, and with our millionth member milestone in sight for later this year, you might be wondering what’s in store for the Envato Marketplaces?

Over the years we’ve had thousands of authors generate a whole lot of earnings through these sites, with the first one set to break into our million dollar Power Elite group fairly shortly. This community of authors has only gotten stronger and stronger and has become the bedrock of our marketplaces.

Ultimately our mission is always to serve our community, both of authors and buyers. We’re doing this by creating what we hope will be the largest set of creative marketplaces online. Despite having nine marketplaces out, there is a list just as long of new frontiers to explore! There are after all plenty of other things people want to sell!

With each passing year the momentum and community size swells, and this means the marketplaces become ever more effective ways to sell your content. We’ve upped our rates three times in the past so that we can offer our authors a good return on their work, and just as importantly, we offer a happy and vibrant community life to go with it.

So I hope that whether you are a buyer or an author you find PhotoDune useful, and that in years to come we’ll be rocking the photographer success stories from our newest marketplace!

In this Quick Look, we’re highlighting iThemes HD. The developer describes iThemes HD as a way to create new home screen and lock screen designs for your iPhone. Different backgrounds, icon styles and icon shelves can be selected as well. It also includes 25 backgrounds for the iPad, 25 icon styles, and additional icons shelves in the free version. Additional theme packs come with 10 new backgrounds, icon styles and shelves, and are available for $0.99.

Read on for more information and screenshots!

Screenshots

iThemes HD

About the App

Here are the top five features you can expect to see in the latest version:

• 25 background images
• 25 icon frames
• 25 shelf designs

Additional features for $ 0.99:

• 10 new themes in 3D
• 10 new themes including a “Flower Design”
• Ads get removed

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), and iPad. Requires iOS 4.0 or later.

Price: 0.00

Developer: mobivention

Vote for a Review

Would you like to see us write a full review of iThemes HD? Have your say in our poll:

Would you like to see iThemes HD reviewed in-depth on AppStorm?

Quick Look posts are paid submissions offering only a brief overview of an app. Vote in the poll if you think this app is worth an in-depth AppStorm review! If you’re a developer and would like to have your app profiled, you can submit it here.

Last week we asked you to show us your iPhone’s home screens, and the response was overwhelming. So much so that we decided to show off as many home screens as possible by packing it into one big roundup.

Now, of course, there are a few duplicates here and there, but we did our best to trim it down and make the list a bit more manageable. Thanks to all of you who submitted your home screens, and hit the jump the check them out!

Brynley M.

Seeing as I’m a student in High School, I just have to have my timetable and homework app front and centre wherever I am. I’m a Facebook-aholic, so that’s on the dock too. Other than that, the only other things on my home screen are my two frequently used folders and the Apple apps I use, plus a folder for the ones I don’t. You don’t want to see any of the other pages — lots and lots of assorted folders for different apps.

Tomasz B.

Polskie Radio is a great app that gives access to the national Polish Radio channels which I listen to.

My most used apps are:

• WeekCal
• Money
• Things
• Evernote

I’m a creative freelance professional and those apps give me the ability to plan and set up working, as well as my financial schedule.

Kerri

• AP Mobile to keep me up to date on breaking news.
• Folder for all sports: SportsTap, ESPN Radio, ESPN ScoreCenter, Yahoo Sportacular, ESPN Streak for the Cash and Women’s Soccer 2011.
• Shazam — For that song that you think you know but just can’t think of the name of it.
• Folder for all social media: Twitter, Facebook and Voicebrief.
• To Do’s: to keep up with tasks, which is no longer available.
• Maps: to help with the traffic

Zak K.

• ProCamera because I want more control over how I shoot.
• Notifyme to remember things I repeatedly have to do.
• Due because I can keep multiple timers.
• Notefile to keep all of my fast notes in sync everywhere; much better and faster than the default app.
• Omnifocus for the features and the excellent OTA sync.
• Tweet It for the bookmarklet which inserts the title and url from the current Safari page to my tweet.
• MegaWeather for the temperature icon and because it provides better info than Celsius.
• Tweetbot because it is the best looking Twitter app with tons of features.

Bryce

• Hipstamatic: I’m always snapping photos of random things and i love the effect it offers.
• Soundhound: I’m a bit of a music nut, so this is always good to have quick access to.
• Posterous: My favourite blogging platform with good connections to Twitter and Facebook.
• Consume: Has all my accounts in it that i constantly need to check. Plus, it has a clean and simple UI.
• IMDB: The best movie app (because it’s free) and it has trailers I can view without having to go into Safari.
• OzTV: Always handy.
• Meernotes: Personal daily diary with good UI.
• Miso: I’m addicted to checking in at movie theaters.
• Westpac: Banking. I need it.

Folders:

• Travel: Public transportation and overseas travel necessities such as timetables, currency and language guides (I like to travel).
• Day-to-Day: Apps I use a lot such as weather, calendar (Agenda), clock, notifications and settings, but I don’t want them cluttering the main screen.
• Sport: I’m a big sports fan, so these are all my essential sporting apps.
• Games: For those boring train rides. Includes must haves like WordsWithFriends and HangingWithFriends, Plants vs. Zombies and Tiny Tower.
• Messages, Phone, Safari & Facebook: My most used apps so I always keep them available.

Raul S.

I use a lot of apps, but I keep these ones on my home screen so I can access them quickly, like Weather, Mail and Twitter.

I also have apps I don’t have to access quickly, but I use them daily. These include iBooks, Bible, Byline and a folder of videos, photos, YouTube and quick games.

Down on the dock, there are things I always use. Dictionary is there because English is my second language, and I’m not aware of every single word in English. I like the default notes app for its simplicity. The Camera app is there for things I need to capture quickly.

Jelleke V.

• Instapaper/iBooks: When I have to wait for something, I like to pass the time by reading. With iBooks, I’ve got all of my books with me all the time. With Instapaper, I can read some of the articles I saved when the waiting shouldn’t be too long.
• Gowalla/Google+/Twitter: Together with Instagram, these are the four social network apps of my choice. I don’t have Instagram on the home screen because I like to take pictures with the native camera app first anyways.
• Skype: Having relatives on the other side of the planet and friends all over the world, it’s just easy and cheap to use Skype for phone calls and video chats.
• Notes/Pages: I take quick notes with the native app, but when I feel like writing down something more coherent, I use Pages. I’ve tried a million different note taking apps, but I just feel Pages does  everything that I want to do with it, so why spend money on or use anything else?
• Wunderlist: I’ve tried a lot of to-do apps, but I ended up using Wunderlist. It looks wonderful, it’s easy to use and having it on all of my Apple devices, the syncing is great.
• Dropbox: Quick access to all of my important files on all of my Apple devices. What more can I ask for?
• Consume: Dealing with a data limit and thus managing my usage is so easy with Consume. I wish they had a Mac app as well!
• Lastly, the native Messages, Settings, App Store, Weather, Camera, Phone, Mail, Safari and iPod, just because I use them all multiple times a day.

Timotej K.

Why these apps?: I like photography and Twitter. Im always online with the Twitter app and Instagram.

Malia K.

• Viber: So I can text friends who live in other countries. It also comes in handy when traveling.
• 2do: It syncs with my iPad and replaces the default Calendar app.
• The Weather Channel: Living in NYC, you never know what the weather is going to be like.
• Squee: These are all of the things I wish I had room for on my home screen, so it gets a folder.
• Bank of America: Your usual bank app, nothing special.
• Tipulator: I hate math so this is handy.
• Squarespace: So I can update my blog on the go! A beautiful app.
• Yelp: This app is a blessing and a curse. I’m almost always in charge of deciding where to eat, and then I’m faced with too many choices.
• Currency: I use this on my travels. I like that you can arrange the list so I always have USD and Euros at the top, then the current country I’m visiting.
• Twitterrific: I use this mostly for reading.
• Gif Shop: Makes animated gifs — kinda fun!
• Camera+: This is a great camera app with light editing tools.
• Super 8: I mainly got this for the video feature. It shoots vintage looking video with a variety of features.

Weid

All of these are universal except for that Piggie app. I only allow universal app on my home screen, and they all have to be either useful or with gorgeous UI.

Naceron

Why these apps? Because these are my favorites and can’t use my iPhone without ‘em.

Iynque

I use some apps on my second screen and the last screen (where my games are) a lot more often. But the home screen and dock are reserved for the apps that, when I need them, I need them NOW!

• Remodium: This links via WiFi to Adium on my Mac so all of my conversations are logged and searchable in one place. It sits on the home screen for fast response.
• 1Password: This gets space on my home screen because it also includes a wallet screen with my personal info. What was my account number? What’s the PIN for my new card? Got it, and it’s all encrypted and secure.
• Cloud2Go: Works with my Cloud app account. I can upload a new image, video, text, archive, etc., and as soon as the file is online I have the URL on my clipboard and it’s ready to paste to a tweet or email. I used it to get this screenshot over to my Mac!
• Note taking apps Evernote, ScatterBrain and Meernotes are all optimized for different sorts of note-taking tasks, so they all get to wait for inspiration on my home screen.
• My dock includes a folder for actually making the occasional phone call with my phone, as well as other apps that perform basic functions I want close-at-hand, regardless of which home screen I’m on. There is also Shuffle+ — an iPod controller, Google+— a pointless experiment in market takeover, and Camera+, a speedy little wonder-app.

Jamie Y.

I am obsessive compulsive about my apps. Using them, organizing them … petting them; I really just cannot help myself. After all, it is my job to be on the pulse of the app community (I write at AppAdvice).

My home screen is, of course, mostly just filled with the apps I use daily. I am a gamer at heart, so Game Center is a must so that I can keep my gazillion folders of games on a different page, tucked away in folders. And I am a Scrabble nut, so Words With Friends also makes the cut.

OmniFocus is my everything. I use it for work projects and simple tasks (e.g. take out the trash) alike. Of course, you have the basics: Calvetica is my calendar of choice, Shine for weather, Reeder for news, Dragon Go for everything I need to find. And last, but certainly not least, my camera app. I use Camera+ and have been pretty happy with it in the long run. Putting it on my dock makes it available to me at all times; it’s a must.

Dialvetica is another one I use multiple times a day and can’t live without. It makes it so simple to call, text, or email people instantly and the interface is gorgeous. Gotta love pretty apps.

I listen to podcasts religiously and I am loving Instacast. And to keep me synced with my Mac, I use Cloud, so Stratus brings that to my iPhone. Another insta-need is Instapaper. I’ll typically read Instapaper and listen to Instacast simultaneously when avoiding sleep at night.

I would like to not have ANY folders on the home screen, but I have so many apps it just isn’t going to work out that way. The folders are filled with the most important things, as well. Namely, 1Password. 1Password is one app that is “hidden,” but that is the one of the apps I could never live without.

I have a check-in folder and a social folder with all of my social apps. My favorite? Tweetbot, of course.

I have a work folder so that I always am ready to get things done. My favorite thing in there is Photosync. It syncs photos quickly and wirelessly from my phone to my Mac.

And my phone wouldn’t be complete with out the very-adult wallpaper: Ms. Pacman. What can I say? I’m a sucker for games.

These are the main ones. I’ll spare you the other half of this fangirl novel, and quit while I’m ahead.

Intervention time? Possibly. But I still can’t get enough. I breathe apps, and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon.

Jay

I LOVE seeing other people’s home screens! Especially when they put some thought into it. A few things about my homescreen: I have three rows and the dock. I like the way it looks. Four rows is just too cluttered for me.

First row — Apple default apps that I actually use. Calendar, Maps, Weather and Settings.

Second row — Productivity apps. Dropbox — I use it ALL the time — perhaps my most used app. Evernote keeps track of everything — receipts, notes, web pages, events, trips, etc. I could live with this app alone. Wunderlist is my go to to-do app. It’s clean, simple and syncs beautifully. Reeder is the GREATEST RSS reader. Again, beautiful, functional and easy to share information.

Third row — Social, music and camera. Tweetbot is a great Twitter client. Love it. The Facebook app is still in the regular rotation because so many of my friends are still on it. Spotify — it was a close call between this and Rdio. I love the Rdio app and music discovery, but there were too many bands that I enjoy that aren’t available on Rdio, so Spotify won out. Camera+ is a great camera app, with effects, options and sharing capabilities. It will be whatever you want it to be.

Sean E.

• Camera+: Much better overall than the stock Camera app. Pretty much everything is built in.
• Instagram and Twitter: They’re both fun.
• Gowalla: It’s nice to keep track of everywhere I’ve been.
• Outside: No need to explain.
• Instapaper: I read a lot at home, but there’s still quite a bit I can’t get through. So I add them to Instapaper, and read the rest on the commute to work and/or school. It’s probably my favourite app ever.
• Reeder: I don’t like coming home and seeing 800+ unread items, so I open up Reeder from time to time to see what’s going on with everything.
• Simplenote: A lot happens during the day that I need to remember, so I jot them down in Simplenote. It’s quick and easy. I also often switch back and forth between this and Notesy since the latter has free Dropbox sync.

Sebastian

I try to put everything on there that I use really every day. And I hate folders, so there is only one, because the space would seem too small without it.

Can S.

They’re the ones that I use the most, so I want them to be on my initial screen.

Robin A.

The dock:

• Camera+: This is my go-to camera app that I always want quick and easy access to.
• Mobile Safari: This is probably my most launched app.
• Captio: This is a really quick n’ easy email-yourself app for when I want to remember something.
• Other essential standard Apple apps that always come up.

Home screen: I keep it simple to be able to enjoy whatever wallpaper I currently use.

• Daily Folder: Apps I use every day to check news and social networks. It includes MyPad (Facebook replacement), Google+, Mail, Tweetbot, Ego and vvall (my photo diary).

Andreas Z.

Why? These are the only apps that I need to access quickly.

Most people find it funny or interesting that there’s no iPod and Phone app on my home screen. The reason is that you don’t really need to have the iPod app anywhere, because you can access it with a double click on the home button. Even when another app is currently playing audio, I find that the iPod app is often still somewhere in the most recent apps.

• iCab: It’s a better browser with gestures and downloads. Also, it opens links in a background tab.
• NewsRack: Best Google Reader app that I’ve found.
• Tweetbot: One chic Twitter client.
• IM+: To keep in touch with partners and friends.
• WhatsApp: So I can send messages to my girlfriend. It will be replaced by iMessage.
• Stuttgart Trip Planner: Public transportation information for Stuttgart.
• Lexisgoo: English dictionary. It’s better for learning English since it forces me to look up more words than I anticipated.
• dict.cc: German/English dictionary.
• Hipstamatic/Instagram/8mm/Camera: I use them to make photos and videos.
• TimeLog: To log activities for clients and then export to iCal.
• Office apps: Apps for note taking, contacts, tasks, etc. (OmniFocus, CalenGoo, Doodle, MindNode, Trunk Notes, Soulver and iWork)

Mac

Yeah, I take my time to have them in color schemes, but not only that, they are also arranged with accessibility in mind. Holding the iPhone with one hand makes it difficult for the thumb and it blocks my logo, so I leave that place free (on every screen) which serves two purposes: showing my logo, and not leaving apps uncomfortable to reach for my right thumb. Dialvetica killed the need to have the two native apps around; I only have the Phone there for the contacts portion. Travveling is a must have for any designer whether you have a Dribbble account or not. I prefer the Cloud App over  Dropbox or anything else as I only need quick access to recent files, and not to back up my hard drive (I don’t know what will happen when iCloud arrives, but it seems it won’t kill Stratus). Hipstamatic is my default camera. Feedly is a hidden gem for getting up to date — it’s the closest thing to Flipboard on the iPhone right now.

One of my most used apps, You&Me, is a romantic way to stay in touch with my wife. The rest I believe are more obvious as why they are where they are.

Paul M.

Top priority to me is quick access to my video and still camera functions. After that, I like to check and add notes and ideas to Simplenote and Day One. Email, Twitter, text and phone are all used heavily. For reading, I always turn to Reeder and Instapaper.

Brad M.

These are all apps I use on a daily basis to manage my social media presence and keep my life organized. I have my Stitcher app open probably 8 hours a day, consuming podcasts like a BEAST.

Zach

I can never have too many apps on my iPhone, so all of them usually fit on one page.

All the apps I use the most are right there on my home screen, and everything else is organised into folders.

Konstantinos L.

MobileRSS is a great RSS reader. Springpad is a part of my GTD system alongside Simplenote for quick, plain notes. I prefer it to the built-in Notes because I can sync everything.

MyKeePass is where all of my passwords are kept (KeePass Password Safe is the desktop version).

PCalc is a more functional calculator than the built-in one, in my opinion.

Air Meter helps me keep track of my monthly 3G data plan, and finally, I use Camera+ with Instagram for my photography addiction!

Shaun K

I love photography, so i have a few folders dedicated to cameras and image editing. iScrob works just like the iPod but sends real-time data to my last.fm account. My calendar, Wunderlist and MobileRSS keep me up to date on all my freelance work. Seattle-based OneBusAway is a perfect complement to Maps, and gets me around the city on time.

Dries V.

I mostly have the default Apple apps on my homescreen. The ones that I use the most (Phone, Calendar, Photos, Camera, Safari, Contacts and Mail) aren’t in the default Apple layout on the home screen.

I also have the My Viking app (which gives me info on my provider), a festival app for an upcoming festival here in Belgium (Pukkelpop), a to-do app (Things), a budget management app (Back in Black) and the Flashlight app which I tend to use often when I’m looking for stuff I lost in the dark.

Besides that, I have the apps I tend to use a lot more than other apps stuffed into four folders on my home screen. The first one contains my social network apps, the second one has my game apps, the third one features every other Apple app I haven’t already set up on the home screen and the fourth one contains the rest of the frequently used apps (eBay, a soccer results app, Velo Mobile which gives me status updates on public bicycles in my city, and a remote app for my Mac devices).

Last but not least, I have my most used apps on my bar below. SMS, Tweetbot, iPod and Settings (which I constantly use to switch to Wi-Fi or 3G depending on where I am).

Holly G.

I’m in high school, something which usually requires piles of personal organisers, diaries and homework planners, so my iPhone has saved my bag untold amounts of strain.

Evernote: While it isn’t perfect, Evernote is brilliant for quick note taking with attachments, although the OCR/searchable images feature is what lifts it above the other note apps I’ve used.

Grades 2: I’m British, so the GPA functions are useless to me, but percentage-based grades are international and this is the best app I know of to keep track of your grades — and what you need to meet to get an A average.

Beejive FB: Facebook chat has established itself as my main form of communication — apart from texts — at my school, and I happen to strongly dislike the official app so this is indispensable.

NY Times: At one point, I stayed in America for three months. While I was there, a habit I picked up was reading the NY Times. Now, I read it to get both sides of world affairs. It’s far more leftist than my usual British paper, the Telegraph.

Piggie: At 14, my personal finances consist of pocket money, prize money, summer job salaries, clothes, gadgetry, phone bills, school meals, coffees and books. Ah, the blissful simplicity of youth. That doesn’t stop me from trying to monitor and control my trivial expenses, and Piggie is the second best app I’ve used for this. I find Toshl better, but I’ve been using Piggie for months, and there’s no way to import Piggie backups.

Stanza: High school demands a lot of wasted summers spent slogging through required reading lists. Because about 40% of them are typically classics, downloading from Project Gutenberg through Stanza makes required reading that little bit faster.

Abeworld

My iPhone is always with me, and so my most used apps are on the home screen. However, the beauty of the retina display cannot be denied. And so, my home screen contains only those apps which are supremely useful AND gorgeous. Of course, like any avid home screener, it keeps changing as newer and prettier apps are developed. Here are the apps I use multiple times a day and are some of the prettiest apps in the App Store. If you don’t know the app, check it out in the App Store. The wallpaper is minimal and from the website fiftyfootshadows.net.

Salfrico

I have this on my first page as I consider them my important, basic tools. Clock, for alarms for appointments; Weather, for expected conditions for the day; Contacts, for accessibility to make phone calls; Calculator, for charges and invoice sums; Calendar, iStudiez, aNote and Evernote, for school schedules and important things to do daily; Movie*Slate for my video productions; Find iPhone, iPod, iTunes and the App Store just because they are Apple; Remote, for my AppleTV; Off for powering off my MacPro if I am in bed and decide to shut down the Mac in my home office.

Nate L.

My dock primarily contains my most used apps: Phone, Messages, Mail and Instacast. My country is big on sms, so it’s one of our primary modes of communication.

Instacast: I don’t listen to my music on the road nowadays, once I discovered how easy it is to listen to podcasts with this app. I can check out the show notes, subscribe to my favorite podcasts and have it downloaded or streamed through 3G.

Localscope: This app always saves me from getting lost, and helps me find the place I’m looking for.

Saver: I’m not looking for any fancy financial app, I only need a way to track my spending most of the time, so Saver is the best app for me.

Reeder, ReaditLater: These are my primary apps for reading content. Any article that is too long for me to read on Reeder, I save them on RiL.

Wunderlist, NotifyMe: I use Wunderlist to list out my tasks and use NotifyMe to get reminded on urgent things, especially my bills. Anything that I need to do ASAP, I place them in NotifyMe.

SimpleNote: I’ve tried all of the notetaking apps for the iPhone, but I still go back to Simplenote. I use this little app to sync with nvALT on my Mac. This way I can take down notes or ideas while on the road and continue editing using nvALT on my Mac.

If you’re wondering about my wallpaper, I created it from an iPhone app called Visualator.

Garrett G.

• Pages: I use this for my daily journal. That way it is an easy transfer into my permanent journal which I keep on my desktop.
• Garrett Gee: This is just my customized bookmark icon which I created for my online portfolio.
• Gospel Library: This is an all-in-one library for my religion.
• Jessica: Using Pumba, I created this speed dial icon for my wife.
• Keynote: Giving my presentations from an iPhone has been an instant crowd-pleaser.
• Scan: This is my own app. It is a simple QR code scanner. I tried to make it simple yet powerful.

Sivil

• Balance: Great, simple and clean GUI checkbook app. I have never overdrafted since I started using it.
• Mobile RSS: This has a dark and clean GUI for staying up to date on all of my favorite sites, including this one.
• Rowmote Pro: I have a Mac Mini home theater system with Elgato EyeTV and PLEX. This is essential for controlling it all.
• iLove: For calling my wife.
• Camera+: Hands down the best camera app, and I have a newborn so I take a lot of photos.
• Folders: They contain lots of apps that I dig into on a daily basis, so I spiced them up with emoticons in the folders names.

Dave M.

• Agenda: A great Calendar replacement.
• 2Do: The best reminder app out there.
• Grocery IQ: Can’t do the grocery shopping without it.
• MLB.com At Bat 11: Need I say more?
• Gas Cubby: I keep track of gas and other maintenance on both of our cars in this one.
• Calcbot: A great simple calculator.

Notes contains:

• aNote: A powerful note taking app.
• NoteTakerLite: A great freehand note app.

IM contains:

• BeejiveIM: I keep both of these handy because I …
• IM+ Pro: can’t make up my mind which is best.
• WeightBot: To track my weight (I’m trying to lose some).
• Health Cubby: Also to keep track of weight (it has better graphing).
• Off: A great app to put computers to sleep or wake them up remotely.

Weather contains:

• WeatherBug Elite: Great weather maps.
• WeatherTap: Also great weather maps.
• Shine: Great speedy weather info.
• 1Password: Everyone should have this app!
• Fahrenheit: Great temperature info without having to open an app!
• iCabMobile: Best alternative browser.
• Camera: I want fast access.

Dock:

• Mail, Phone and Settings for quick access

Useful ? contains:

• App Store, Safari, Maps, iPod, iTunes, Compass, Messages, Game Center, Calvetica, Calendar, Elapsed and Clock.
• Elapsed is a great timer app. You can create a bunch of timers, like 9 minutes, 55 minutes, 1 hour 20 minutes, etc., then start one counting down and it will message you with one of about 25 sound effects.

Jonathan E.

• Hipstamatic: Finally, taking photos is fun again.
• Outside: One of the most beautiful weather apps ever.
• Calcbot: Really nice UI and really functional.
• Res i STHM (SL): An amazing app for me. With this app I can plan my travel around my city (Stockholm, Sweden), plus it keeps track of all trains and buses and warns me if there are delays. I don’t know how I could have lived without it.
• Reeder: The best way to handle my RSS feeds.
• Spotify: Almost every track I like to listen to in one little app.

S.V. Macias

Awhile ago I decided to use my iPhone sparingly, so I ditched a lot of apps that most use daily and frequently.

First Row: My day planner. Pretty self explanatory, but one thing to note is that I use Voice Memos throughout the day, then I process them in a semi-usual evening GTD typing session.

Second Row: The only time I text is usually about the surf conditions (Surf Report), weather (The Weather) or where to go.

Third Row: It’s all about the info. Reading (Instapaper and iBooks) and the San Francisco Giants (MLB.com at Bat 11).

The Dock: It gets the Phone, Settings, iPod and Camera.

Sarah

• Flud: My only news app! It’s like Pulse, but better.
• HQ: One of the best simple checklist apps. It’s got a really great UI.
• i.TV: This is the app I use to know whether or not I should bother turning on the TV. You enter your cable (or Dish or whatever) provider, and which package you use, and it shows all your channels! Then, you choose your favorite, and you can see if any of them are on TV at any time. It’s better than it sounds.
• Shine: Best weather app by far.
• Soundhound: Because I hate when you can’t figure out what a song is called or who sings it.

Note that all of these apps have sweet UIs. I wouldn’t let them near my phone if they didn’t.

Stepa M.

The first row contains the four apps I use the most:

• Foursquare: Quite obvious. I use this a lot and every time I’m going out somewhere I need to launch it quickly.
• Tweetbot: I miss geolocated tweet from official the account, but anyway, Tweetbot is much more cooler and has some nifty features other apps don’t.
• Read It Later: Oh, my, I use this A LOT! And I find interface of RIL much better than Instapaper.
• ?????-????: The official app of my bank, where I can check my account and do any kind of money operation.

Second row:

• Calendar: I seldom use the calendar on my iPhone, but I still couldn’t move it away from my home screen just because I like to see the current date somewhere on my home screen. It’s the same reason why I couldn’t switch to Calcvetica or some other alternative.
• Shine: Weather forecasts by hours is so much fun.
• Few apps for quick notes: Simplenote, Birdhouse, ???? ????? and native Notes.
• Navigation app: Maps, subway map and so on.

Third row:

• Settings: it’s been three years since I started using an iPhone and Settings is the only app that has never changed it’s place. My finger is kinda getting used to this place already and it always hits that spot when I need to quickly change brightness or switch to Airplane mode.
• And then there are three photo apps: Camera, Camera+ and Instagram. I would love to fully switch to Camera+ and throw away the native Camera app, but Camera+ doesn’t record video.

Fourth row:

• I always keep the last row empty (on every screen).

Jay D.

I use a method where I have only three rows of apps per home screen and a maximum of three home screens. Warning though, once you try this there is no going back — it just looks too clean!

My home screen contains my essential apps: The App Store; Simplenote for quickly taking down notes & ideas; and Hipstamatic. Given that the iPod has a very lo-fi camera, pairing it with Hipstamatic actually lets me take some great shots almost as if I was using a toy film camera and settings.

This is followed by the communications apps: Textie — a well designed texting app for iOS devices (soon to be replaced by iMessage); Skype; Verbs — A really well designed gTalk client; and Tweetbot — what can I say about Tweetbot? Sometimes I wonder if I use Twitter just so I can stare at the delicious UI of Tweetbot.

Last are the content apps and probably the ones I use the most: Reeder — a super slick RSS client; Instapaper — a must, if u do any kind of reading online; iBooks and Instacast — A MUST HAVE if you listen to podcasts!

Sheri

These are my frequently used apps.

Steph

Apps News is a folder with Apps telling me what hot apps are out or what apps are free.

Mac4Ever is a french Apple News site, so this is their App.

Dvdfr.com is a web shortcut to my website.

Teamviewer and Splashtop are remote controlling apps to let me access my Mac Pro and its contents.

Jordan L.

• Dropbox: So I can access and share my files with my co-workers and my Power Mac G5 at home.
• Find My iPhone: Pretty self explanatory.
• Facebook and Twitterrific: So I can do my social thing.
• ESPN: I have to keep up on all my teams and scores.
• iStat: Probably one of my favorite apps ever to keep track of my G5 at home and my server at work. I’m still waiting for an update from Bjango to add more things.
• Screens: To remote into my G5 or whatever. It comes in very handy when I don’t have time to boot up my MacBook Pro.
• Reeder: I have to absolutely be keeping up on my tech news (mostly all Apple stuff) from AppStorm, Engaget, 9to5mac, OSX Daily and TUAW. I need them to keep me up to date on my Apple Fanboy stuff.

As for Music, Mail, Camera, Safari and the other default apps, those are just plain essentials for any person using a mobile device.

Sai Krishna K.

Messages: To keep in touch with friends (I’m looking forward to iMessage).
Due: For reminders.
Photos: I keep changing wallpapers daily, so need it handy.
Pages: To edit any word documents on the go (I always want my resume updated).
Momento: For quick journaling.
Things: My most used app (love it as a companion of the desktop app), but sadly, it does not support alarms.
Awesome Note: For quick note entries.
Springpad: For bookmarks and miscellaneous lists.
Kindle: My e-reader.
Reeder: The best RSS client (I wish it had the capability of adding and deleting feeds).
Instapaper: For offline reviewing.
App Store: ‘Cause I’m always downloading apps.
Meebo: The best free IM client.
Facebook: What else? for Facebook.
Moneybook: To track my expenditures (it replaced Ixpenseit which got too complicated for entries).

SoloSalsero

Hi from Colombia

My iPhone is an iPhone 4 and I have on my home screen all I need.

My favorite is Tweetbot, the best Twitter app for the iPhone. My next favorites are Camera+, a super app for the camera, and Feedly, which shows Google Reader in the best way.

Other fantastics apps are:

Sleipnir: An amazing web browser.
Tiny Tower: An addictive game.

Jessie S.

Most of the apps I have on my home screen are pretty basic; I arranged them so that the ones I need most readily are across the top, in the dock or at the edges. The apps that do not, perhaps, make it onto most home screens are Nike+ GPS, which I use every time I walk — about four times a week; Smurfs’ Village, which is my guilty pleasure; Path, which is my social tool of choice; and ToDo, which is how I keep track of my everyday life. I rarely, if ever, use the Calendar app unless I just need to check the date. I group all my weather apps together in a folder — each one gives me different information, and since my husband is a pilot, having specifics on the weather is a good thing in our household. The Utilities folder represents those handy apps that I’d like to keep in an easy-to-reach location but that don’t get used often enough to merit their own place on the home screen. Every other screen on my phone is completely organized by folders — this is the only screen with apps appearing directly on the screen.

Levi B.

They are all ones that I use more than once a day, usually.

Conclusion

What did you think of everyone’s home screens? Any other great suggestions? Let us know in the comments!

For those of you running email newsletters and marketing campaigns, you’ll understand the amount of work required to do it right. There are a few great apps which can help you take care of this, but MailChimp stands out for its advanced web interface. Plus signup is free, and you can choose to upgrade your account at any point.

Existing MailChimp users will already understand the huge benefits from their service, and now it’s possible to move your account information onto your iPhone. The iOS app for MailChimp is perfect for checking your account while on the go. I’ll be demonstrating some key functions you’ll want to know after the break.

Signing In

The first step will require logging into your account. After you launch the app you’ll have the choice to enter a username/password for an existing profile, or optionally you can choose to create a new one. If you tap the bottom button this brings you into their signup web interface to get your email, username and password.

MailChimp Splash and Login Screen

Afterwards, you should get a confirmation email. Note that you may wish to log into their web interface at some point just to update your account. You can do a lot of simple things (such as adding new subscribers/lists) from the app, but you cannot create an entire e-mail campaign and template design. Getting familiar with both their web and mobile app will give you a big advantage.

If everything is successful you’ll be redirected back to their main login page. The navigation menu is a bit unconventional compared to other iOS applications, but this is just half the fun! Each icon listed vertically leads to a bit of functionality, and you scroll through them by flicking up or down on the screen.

Functionality Overview

To begin,the first icon in our listing is labeled Add. This lets you add a new subscriber directly into any list from your account. Normally this process including just adding an email address, along with first and last name. Below it you’ll see the pie charts icon for Reports.

If you have sent out any email campaigns recently, you’ll be able to track all of the statistics. This includes the live numbers and percentages for opened/unopened emails, as well as the bounce rates and the number of people who have unsubscribed since your last newsletter. There is a lot of information to check out in the reports section, and it may very well be the most heavily trafficked section of the app.

Website Home Screen

Third from the top and right in the middle of our navigation you’ll find Lists. These are your official email lists which you can browse and re-organize. The large number to the left is how many current subscribers you have. Simply tap a row to bring up more details, or even view the entire list of subscribers’ email addresses.

The last two icons are more towards MailChimp stats. Chatter is a way for MailChimp to push live updates to a feed-style page. You can see when you gain new subscribers, who checks out your campaigns and get up-to-the-minute notifications on your lists. Below this, the large star icon for Rewards simply tracks your account rewards. If you refer a partner or colleague your account can rack up Monkey Reward Credits. These don’t translate into actual cash value, but you can gain some additional account features by accumulating them.

Checking in on Reports

There’s no doubt the MailChimp reports page is one of the most important. If you are always looking to be on top of your business marketing strategy, MailChimp can keep you there. Additionally, there are tons of options to manipulate and change around your mailing lists right from inside the app, so you can check reports and even edit small changes, if the need arises.

For each campaign report you’ll find 3 unique tabs at the bottom that read Overview, Location and EepURL. In the overview you’ll find the most basic information. A small pie chart is crafted to display the percentages of clicks from your campaign, and even the number of people who just opened your email. Scroll down a bit for a neat table counting a few more statistics.

New User Signup/Main Dashboard

The Location tab also displays exactly what you might think. Here you can see the total number of people who have opened your emails, all based on a worldwide grid. In the table beneath each country is listed assuming at least one person received your newsletter from that given country. This is a really fun part of the application, since you get to learn a bit more about your visitor demographics.

The last section is a bit cryptic, but I’m hoping to break it down in simpler terms. The EepURL is simply your link URL with the appended newsletter settings. This is how MailChimp can track who is clicking through your campaign links. In this tab you’ll see where this link is popping up from all over the world. It’s mostly a social networking tracker, so it does include support for websites like Twitter and Facebook.

Campaign Reports and Locations

This final tab also introduces another map for geographic tracking. As bloggers share your link or retweet over Twitter, you’ll get live updates in this tab for each campaign — and all of this is provided free through any MailChimp account.

Conclusion

This simple marketing and stats-tracking app has provided an amazing outlet for my projects. I know many folks who use MailChimp and just adore their services. With so much functionality built right into the app, you can practically go weeks without checking your account in a browser, and I’m anticipating plenty of new mobile features to be rolled out as the company grows.

Ultimately I think the app is very solid, and has some amazing interface panels and functionality. Their company is growing very quickly, and even recently released a dynamic alternative for iPad. If you have questions or thoughts on MailChimp do share in the comments area below.

Now here’s an app that could save you the embarrassment and frustration that can sometimes result from whipping out the language phrasebook in a foreign country. Instead of stitching together a poorly constructed sentence, or misunderstanding someone else’s message entirely, you can use the Google Translate app to ensure you understand — and are understandable.

Able to translate between 57 different languages, Google Translate can decipher phrases by voice recognition as you speak, or by text as you type. The app can also vocalize your translations, providing you, or whoever you’re trying to communicate with, the opportunity to hear the language spoken. Plus, translations can be displayed in full screen mode, making it easier for others to read, and can even be starred for future reference — even if you’re offline. Let’s take a closer look.

Translating Text

On the Home tab, click each of the language buttons at the top of the screen to choose the languages you want to translate from and to.

Click the language buttons to choose the languages you want to translate from and to.

Now, click on the text field, which makes the keyboard appear, and type in or paste the language you’d like translated. Then click Go.

Clicking on the text field calls up the keyboard so you can type or paste in text.

The translated text appears in the bottom portion of the screen. Turn your phone horizontal or click on the “enlarge” icon (a square with four arrows) on the right side of the screen to enlarge the translated text. This function is handy if you’re trying to communicate with other people by showing them the screen in order to quickly get your message across.

Turn your phone horizontal or click on the “enlarge” icon to make the translated text bigger.

Translating Audio

In addition to text, the app can translate audio nearly just as accurately. To translate spoken words, you must first know which language you will be translating from, and which language you will be translating to. Make these selections using the language buttons on the Home tab. Languages with translate-by-voice support have a microphone icon in front of the language name in the Translate From selection screen.

When you stop speaking, the app transcribes the text and provides the translation.

Click on the microphone icon to the right of the text field. The app then calls up a black screen with a “Speak Now” directive. Then say, or have someone else say, the words that you wish to have translated. When you stop speaking, Google Translate transcribes the text, which then automatically appears in the text field for you, and the translation appears in the lower half of the screen, just as if you had completed the translation by inputting the text in the text field manually.

Other Features

When a translation is displayed, if there is a speaker icon displayed on the righthand side, it means this language is supported by the text-to-speech synthesizer. Click the speaker icon and the app will vocalize the translated phrase for you. You could use this feature to listen to and then repeat a phrase for someone you’re trying to communicate with, or you could just hold your iPhone up for the person to listen directly.

Clicking the star icon on the right side adds a translation to your starred list for easy reference at a later time. Starred translations can be accessed at any time from the Starred tab at the bottom of the screen, and can be deleted or re-ordered using the Edit button in the top righthand corner of the Starred screen.

Starred translations can be accessed from the Starred tab and can be deleted or re-ordered.

If you want to translate a single phrase into more than one language, you don’t have to type or paste the words more than once. Simply use the second language button at the top of the screen to select a new language. After you make your selection, the app will automatically re-translate the text.

Recent translations will appear on the Home tab below the text input field, and the most recent will always appear at the top of the list. Clicking on any one of them will take you back to the phrase’s translation screen, but will not change the order of the recent translations on the Home tab.

Settings

The first time you use Google Translate, the app will ask you to affirm your spoken language settings, but you can always change or correct these from the Settings tab, then Voice Settings. From the Settings tab, you’ll also be able to clear your translation history, as well as access the Help section.

In the Settings tab, you'll find the Voice Settings and the Help section.

Conclusion

Of course, as with any translation app or software, a user can’t expect 100 percent accuracy 100 percent of the time. I speak English and German, so these were the two languages I mainly used while reviewing Google Translate; I can’t comment on the accuracy of the translations involving languages other than those.

In my experiences, the app was very straightforward and easy to use, and when I spoke English or German slowly and clearly to the app, it was able to transcribe the text from my voice with about 99-percent accuracy. When I played German or English radio, with the speakers talking at a regular volume level and speed, the transcriptions were slightly less accurate.

When all is said and done, however, I would much rather take Google Translate into a foreign language situation in place of a language dictionary or phrasebook. And if an emergency predicament arose while you were traveling abroad (stolen money, lost ID, stranded in the middle of nowhere), I have no doubt that the app could be capable of getting a person out of some very sticky situations.

Today I’m going to show you how to make a simple “Hello World” project on the iPhone. There are quite a few ways that this can be accomplished, however I am going to show you the way that I feel will be the most beneficial.

While I know many of iCodeBlog’s readers are veteran developers, this tutorial (and many in this series) are going to be geared towards the more novice developer. This group is often overlooked when it comes to tutorials, and my hope is to help lay a solid foundation for them (in addition to honing the skills of the veteran developers). So, let’s dig in.

Introduction

Generally, when you make a “Hello World” project, the goal is to get the text “Hello World” to display on the screen or the console. On the iPhone/iPad, there are quite a few ways to display text on the screen (labels, text areas, text views, core text, etc…). Today we are just going to focus on drawing the text using a UILabel.

There are two ways to get a UILabel to display on the screen. The first is to use Apple’s Interface Builder tool. Interface Builder is an extremely handy tool for creating iOS interfaces visually. It supports drag and drop and allows you to configure all of the properties of each of the elements. While it is a great tool, I want to show you a bit what’s happening under the hood in code. It is important not to lean on Interface Builder as a crutch when creating interfaces as there are times when you will have to add UI elements manually. That being said, I will have an intro to Interface Builder tutorial up later in this series.

Creating The Project

Before we begin make sure you have read and understand the following tutorial:

Back To Basics – Getting Set Up For iOS Development

This tutorial will ensure that you have the proper environment set up for iOS development.

When you first launch XCode, you are prompted with a screen similar to this one:

To create a new project, simply click on Create a new XCode project. This will bring up a wizard guiding you through the initial project set up.

Built into XCode are several different project templates to be used as a base for the most common projects that you might want to create. Each one comes with some specific “boiler plate” code to quickly get you up and running.

We are going to start by clicking on View-based Application. This will give us enough code to have a simple view on the screen. A UIView is the simplest of display objects. Every other UI element that you draw on the screen will inherit from UIView. In the case of a view-based application, we are given a full screen blank view to start with. We can then add display objects as subviews.

After selecting View-based Application, click next. This screen will show some simple project options such as name, company identifier, and Device family.

Here’s a bit about each:

• Name: This is simply the name of the application. Don’t worry you are not bound to this and you can easily change the display name.
• Company Identifier This is unique id used to identify your application. It will be prepended to your project name to form the unique id that the app store uses. Identifiers are usually of the form com.companyName.projectName.
• Device Family: This will be either iPhone or iPad. You can always upgrade to universal later (tutorial to come).

The Files

Once your project has been created, you will have 6 files of interest (for this tutorial’s sake):

HelloiPhoneAppDelegate.h/m

The app delegate is the point of entry for your application. It’s a singleton class (meaning there is only one), and it is responsible for displaying the main window/view of the application. You generally want to keep this class pretty lean and offload the work somewhere else. It’s often a n00b mistake to want to work on your UI/logic in the app delegate. For this project, we are not going to touch it at all. Just note that it is what’s launching your main view.

MainWindow.xib

Xib files are to be used with Interface Builders. They are basically xml files that Interface Builder uses to represent a user interface. In this case the MainWindow.xib (pronounced nib), is responsible for loading up our Window and Main ViewController (HelloiPhoneViewController). The View Controller could have been loaded programmatically in the App Delegate, however Apple has chosen to load in using a nib in Interface Builder for this template. I’m not going to go into detail about that in this tutorial, but you can see for yourself by opening up MainWindow.xib and look under objects.

HelloiPhoneViewController

iOS development tends to really enforce Model-View-Controller design patterns. This is basically the idea of separating the view code from the model code (using the controller code as the glue). Generally, in iOS when you have a view controller, it has a corresponding nib file(the view) to go along with it. HelloiPhoneViewcontroller.xib is where you would drag and drop UI elements to customize the view using the Interface Builder tool. As I mentioned in the beginning, we are going to ignore this file and add our text manually.

The Code

Well, this has been quite a bit of talk just to get us to the simple code below. Open up the file HelloiPhoneViewController.m and find the method called – (void) viewDidLoad . This method fires automatically when the view is first loaded. Make sure to uncomment it if it’s commented out. Inside of this method, add the following code:

- (void)viewDidLoad {
    [super viewDidLoad];
 
    CGRect frame = CGRectMake(10, 10, 300, 25);
    UILabel *helloLabel = [[UILabel alloc] initWithFrame:frame];
    helloLabel.text = @"Hello iPhone!";
    helloLabel.textColor = [UIColor blueColor];
    helloLabel.textAlignment = UITextAlignmentCenter;
    [self.view addSubview:helloLabel];
    [helloLabel release];
}

Let’s break down this code:

Line 4: This creates a frame. Think of a frame as a box. The first two parameters are the starting x and y locations of the box, and the second two are the width and height of the box. Every display object you will create has a frame. It tells the device how big and where to draw a view.

Line 5: On this line we create a new label object. The alloc says “give me the memory large enough for a UIlabel” and the init initializes all of the view properties. You will never really see these two methods called apart from each other. We call one of the copy constructors of UILabel called initWithFrame. This allows us to pass in the view’s frame on initialization.

Lines 6-8: In these 3 lines, we configure various properties of a UILabel. The first is the actual text to be displayed, the second is the color of the text, and the third tells the text to center inside of it’s frame. There are quite a few options you can set with regards to any UI element and they can be found in the documentation for that particular object.

Line 9: This is where we actually get the label to display. All views are subviews of some other view (even your main view is a subview of the window). We are basically attaching our label to the main view to be drawn. Without this line, your label would never be seen.

Line 10: I don’t want to go too much into this right now, but The iOS platform (as of iOS versions < 5) doesn’t have garbage collection. What this means is, we need to handle our memory management ourselves. That being said, as a general rule, whenever you do an “alloc init” on an object, you must have a corresponding release call to give that memory back to the system. Otherwise, you have a memory leak. More to come on this.

Running The Application

OK, now that we have the code in place it’s time to run it in the simulator. To do this, select iPhone X.X Simulator in the dropdown at the very top of XCode (currently mine says 4.3). Then click the Run button. Your code will be compiled and the simulator will start. You should now see your _beautiful Interface_.

Well, it’s not much to look at, but try reading the documentation and adding some other interface elements to the view. Or, read the documentation for UILabel and change some of the properties.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them in the comments section of this post or send them to me on Twitter.

You can download the source code for this tutorial here.

Happy iCoding!

This post is part of an iOS development series called Back To Basics.  You can keep up with this series through the table of contents, RSS feed, or Twitter.

We’ve already posted about Delta setting up iPads for customers to use, but the company may be making different use of Apple’s tablet in the future. It’s testing Apple’s iPads out as “Electronic Flight Bags,” or EFBs, which as far as I can tell are the documents and folders that pilots need whenever they jump in a plane to fly it somewhere. Delta’s loading up iPads with GoodReader, as well as PDFs of the airplane manual, the flight itinerary and pertinent information, and anything else the pilots might need (BattleHeart, maybe?). And with the addition of in-flight Wi-Fi, pilots can even communicate while in the air with the company or even ground control.

It sounds like a good plan — Delta is rolling out a trial system now, and testing the viability of using iPads on all of its flights. The one issue I see, however, is what pilots will do if they need this information during takeoff or landing. I know it’s a complete pain whenever I’m on a plane and get asked to shut down all of my electronics. Presumably, pilots would have to do the same, right?

[via MacRumors]

Delta testing iPad program for pilots originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple has been granted a patent that covers magnetic coupling connectors that could be used in future iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad. The patent, titled “Techniques for coupling interfaces parts using moveable magnetic elements,” describes a technology similar to the MagSafe connectors Apple introduced in 2006 to its MacBook lines that allows the power cord to separate from its host device if too much pressure is applied to it too quickly, as happens when one trips over a power cord attached to a laptop.

The patent application specifically shows a figure that looks like the first generation iPad with a MagSafe power connector. The patent does not, however, describe a MagSafe dock connector. Currently the 30-pin dock connector is how iOS devices receive power, but one can assume Apple could adapt the MagSafe technology to fit dock connectors, or of course, Apple could conceivably eventually eliminate the 30-pin connector and replace all iOS devices with a smaller MagSafe/Thunderbolt hybrid port that would allow for lighting-quick syncing complete with MagSafe’s “anti-trip” technology. Interestingly, this is the second patent granted to Apple that refers to a MagSafe-like connector on an iPad. The first was in October 2010.

[via Patently Apple]

Apple gets magnetic coupling patent for possible use in iOS devices originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Back in April, I told you about the upcoming iZettle. The iZettle is made by a Swedish company and allows European merchants to accept credit card payments on an iPhone just like Square does in the US. However, the iZettle accepts the chip-and-pin credit cards that are standard in Europe and other parts of the world. It also plugs into the iPhone’s dock connector instead of the iPhone’s headphone jack like the Square reader does.

I’m happy to announce that iZettle is now shipping the device in Sweden in very limited numbers. As a matter of fact there’s only 2,000 of the devices to go around right now. If you want one, hurry up and download the free iZettle app (Swedish iTunes Store only) and register for an iZettle account through the app. The first 2,000 people to register will be sent a free iZettle credit card reader.

If you don’t get on in the first batch, you can still use the iZettle software to accept credit card payments, you’ll just have to wait for the chip-and-pin reader as production ramps up.

As for other countries in Europe, iZettle says that for now, it’s Sweden only, but they expect to expand to more of the EU “soon.”

iZettle credit card reader for iPhone now available in Sweden in limited numbers originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Did you weep into your cornflakes over Antennagate last year? Me either, but a new study suggests that some people might have. According to Ars Technica, researchers at the University of Illinois discovered that attacks upon people’s favorite brands can be perceived as attacks against their self image.

The study claims that people with high “self-brand connections” were more likely to perceive personal psychological injury when their brand was attacked, while those same people were likely to gloss over or ignore negative news concerning their brand.

We at TUAW get accused of this kind of behavior all the time, naturally. All of our writers own multiple Apple products. Our benevolent corporate overlords at AOL (not, as many have claimed, Apple itself) pay us a modest sum to write about them. Does this mean that I lunge for the Prozac every time some Android-plugging pundit insists that the iPhone is “dead in the water?” Nope. When various pundits go out of their way to slam Apple and prop up the competition by making outlandish, unsupportable, and linkbaity claims, what depresses me isn’t that it’s an assault on Apple, but an assault on logic.

Another common criticism that some of our more fervently anti-Apple commenters regularly like to toss at us is that we never report any negative news about Apple and spin everything to make the company look favorable and pristine. Just from my own back catalog of posts I can tell you that’s far from the case. Here’s some proof:

• Baffling inconsistencies in OS X Lion Multi-Touch
• OS X Lion Bug: Safari guzzling massive amounts of RAM
• Lion bug: Some iMacs locking up after playing video
• Apple issues recall for some iMac hard drives
• And my favorite: Why my next Mac won’t be a notebook

Of course, stepping up to defend myself and TUAW like this is just what you’d expect a “fanboy” to do, right? And the scientific minds behind Cracked would point out that poo-pooing study results like those from U of Illinois is extremely common, that we all delude ourselves we’re above that sort of thing. “Certainly,” we’ll say, “there is an Apple cult, but I’m too self-aware to be part of it. This is why I stay with Apple, not because I salivate every time I see a precision-crafted piece of unibody aluminum.”

I will say that my loyalty to any company goes only so far. My PlayStation 3 died yesterday as a result of a well-known manufacturing defect, and my PlayStation 2 died an untimely death only four years ago because of yet another manufacturing issue. Both happened well outside of Sony’s pitiful warranty period, so all repair/replacement costs came out of my own pocket. So guess what? I’m not buying a PlayStation 4. Sony, you and me, we’re done professionally.

As for Apple and its products, the second a single company comes out with a notebook better than a MacBook Pro or Air, and a phone better than an iPhone, and a tablet better than an iPad, and an operating system better than OS X, and customer service better than AppleCare, and integrates it all so tightly that from top to bottom there’s no mistaking the quality of the products or the experience of using them, I will kick Apple to the curb without regret.

I mean, wouldn’t you? …No? Pfft, fanboy.

Study confirms: Some people are way too invested in their favorite brand originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The developers behind the iOS game Hungry Shark recently released some statistics showing just how powerful the freemium model (in which customers download an app or game for free, and then support it with in-app purchases) can be. While the game floundered as a paid app, it’s gotten much more popular after going free, and actually increased its revenue by five times over. Currently, says Future Games, the average in-app purchase is as high as $3.26, and that’s in addition to having a daily active user base of 250,000 people. Clearly, the freemium model, when combined with the right game and the right audience, works very well.

But what’s the other side of the equation look like? Mobile advertising firm Flurry also released a report recently, and said that almost overwhelmingly, the main items sold in a freemium game are a “consumable” — a boost or temporary ability that a customer can use up. That’s opposed to a “durable” item, like a new weapon that stays around, or a “personalization” item, like a name change. Flurry says that since consumable items can often directly affect the game, consumers are much more interested in spending money on them, sometimes in surprising amounts.

Now, I’d argue that beyond all of this data, it still depends on just what game and which items you’re talking about. If a game is terrible, it’s far from guaranteed to make any money no matter what model you’re using. And I know for a fact that some consumers will backlash against a consumable item that affects gameplay too much, like a double-damage token in a multiplayer game, or anything else that could be seen as cheating.

But for the right games, and for items used and sold in the right way, freemium can support an app and even a whole developer with significant amounts of revenue. Angry Birds has been cited before as a great example of how to implement freemium content, with its Mighty Eagle consumable item. And there are a number of other games out there that have figured all of this out, and have the monetary rewards to prove it.

Freemium items may make money for devs, but aren’t kept by consumers originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mobile game developer Digital Chocolate, one of the biggest developers on the App Store, has acquired Sandlot Games, makers of Cake Mania and a few other popular App Store titles. Sandlot has offices in Seattle and Eastern Europe, and Digital Chocolate says it plans to use the developer to expand operations in both places.

Unfortunately, there’s no word on how much the deal is worth. Both companies have seen plenty of app downloads, and have big titles on multiple platforms, including Apple’s devices and the PC, so this is likely a substantial acquisition for both sides. As Digital Chocolate’s Trip Hawkins says, “We expect to be the leading game company in at least 5 of the 7 cities where we now have development studios.”

That said, I don’t think this is the last we’ll hear of either company. This space is extremely volatile at the moment, and it’s just as likely that we’ll see Digital Chocolate pick up more developers as it is that we’ll see a larger company buy out the whole company if so inclined.

[via Touch Arcade]

Digital Chocolate buys Sandlot Games originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There are dozens of weather apps for the iPhone, but most are based on traditional data from places like the National Weather Service in the US, or the Met Office in the UK.

For the last few days I’ve been using the US $0.99 WeatherTrends360 Pro which has a completely different approach to weather information and forecasting. Rather than a standard 5 or ten day forecast, this app lets you look months or a year ahead. The forecasts work pretty much anywhere worldwide, and are based on trends, historical data from 6.4 million locations in 195 countries. The company claims about 80% forecast accuracy which is certainly better than flipping a coin. Weather Trends International provides forecasting services for many Fortune 500 companies including Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart and Johnson and Johnson.

In addition to the really long-range forecasts, the app offers animated maps of recent lighting strikes, wind speeds, satellite images, even earthquake locations.

I can’t vouch for how good the forecasts are a year out, but the app has lots of information that is useful on a daily basis. There are 10 regional animated weather maps, and more traditional short-range forecasts that can give you hourly predictions. I found those forecasts solid at my location.

If found one glitch when I couldn’t get my chosen location to stick, but when I exited the app and launched it again, everything was fine.

If you want to play around with the data you can check the WeatherTrends360 website but at the low $0.99 price, this app will give you a lot of weather data for a very small investment. I’m already finding this app to be really useful, and expect that if you care about detailed weather information you’ll agree. The app is not universal, but runs on the iPhone and iPod touch, and the iPad. It requires iOS 3.1.2 or later.

WeatherTrends360 Pro lets you peer into your weather future originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apparently “net issues” weren’t the only reason the Apple Store was down this morning; MacRumors notes that social features have been added to the Mac Pro configuration page, allowing you to share any of the various Mac builds on Twitter or Facebook. I’m not especially convinced that this is absolutely new, but we don’t seem to have mentioned it before, so there you go. If you’ve been itching to tell your social network about the Mac you’re planning on buying, Apple’s made it easy to do so.

Apple seems to be pretty friendly with the social networks lately, seeing as it’s also set to include some major social integration in the upcoming iOS 5 release. And why not? This kind of stuff is easy to implement, and it lets users share and talk about the brand without much effort on Apple’s part.

Apple Store now features social sharing originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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