Issue #3

Editor’s Note

I need to spend the next week or so figuring out multiple build targets and maybe schemes so I can push out a few different versions of my Minute Math app from a single code base. Or hire someone to do it. Or hire someone to show me how to do it. If you have any insights or availability, let me know.

I left the bit about a MasterMind at the bottom again this week. I’m guessing everyone was too intimidated to speak up at once, so nobody did. That or I’m like the last kid picked in gym class, but I’ll assume that’s not the case, for now.

Headlines

Apple Acquires Chomp to Recreate App Store Search and Discovery

I wonder how this will impact gaming app store results with your name/description.

Shawn Achor: The happy secret to better work

Be happy, perform better. 12 minute TED talk, worth the watch.

500 Words before 8am

“I make sure to start every day as a producer, not a consumer.” How you start your day frames the rest of your day.

We’re not paying enough for apps

“CNET’s Rafe Needleman tries to convince a developer he’s charging too much for his utility and ends up convincing himself that a lot of software is underpriced.”

Also, quick mention about the iA Writer developer saying they make the same revenue regardless of what they do to price. Oliver Reichenstein shared this on Google+ and there’s an interesting discussion in the comments.

20 things every mobile developer should know

Number 2: You’re not going to get rich. Some other interesting tidbits as well.

Wireframing Mobile Apps or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Index Cards

They’re cheap, almost the right size and easy to move around.

Your iPad 2 Trade-In Guide

Hot on the announcement of the iPad 3′s arrival we’re already seeing pricing to trade in that barely used iPad 2.

How to Successfully Pitch Your App And Make Sure It Gets Reviewed – Interview With Erica Sadun

An interview with Erica, author of iOS Developer’s Cookbook series, discussing how to pitch your app and shares a template as well.

Resources

CocoaPods

Even if you don’t want the dependency management still a decent app for discovery.

CocoaControls

Custom controls and views for iOS. Can be inspiration, can also answer the question “how did they do that?”

Premium Beat

Royalty Free Music. Also Neo Sounds and Audio Jungle to mix things up.

Start Developing iOS Apps Today

If you’re not an iOS dev already, this will give you a lay of the land.

ASO (App Store Optimization) Is The New SEO, And Here’s A Tool To Do It

Not sure where these things will shake out, especially with Apple buying Chomp, but discovery is the hardest problem facing most app developers, so any little bit helps.

Xcode just doesn’t work worth shit

From the funny if it wasn’t true department.

How to Disable iPad Home Button (Kiosk/Store Demo Mode)

I’m taking a few devices to a conference to demo some of my apps, so this would be pretty cool to get going.

Discussions

Hundreds of In-App purchases

It’s said, IAP is how you’re going to make money. Here’s a discussion that ends up with “virtual currency” as the thing to sell through IAP and use the “virtual currency” to buy from the 800 or so individual items.

Events

Upcoming: free app store marketing workshop

The folks from AppCod.es are putting on a marketing workshop 12th March 2012 from 11a PST – 12p PST. They were behind the app marketing slides I mentioned in a previous issue.

GDC

Is right around the corner. If you’re in San Francisco March 5-9 you might be able to crash the event and do a hallway conf and meet a bunch of cool folks.

MasterMind

I love MasterMinds. Some people call them accountability groups or partners, others an “Alternative Board”. I call them smart people that can help each other acheive their goals more quickly.
I have those folks in ruby. I have those folks in general business stuff. I’d really love to find a group of iOS folks to be a part of, kick around app marketing ideas, marketing strategies, tell me to wait when my app is waiting for review for 7 business days, etc.

If you’d like to be a part of that, shoot me an email and let’s see what we can come up with.

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