Reply to: iPad App Distribution

[xchaotic]

Not sure why you didn't use search as there an exact same thread a few weeks ago.
Anyway the routes are:
1. Enterprise program (costs $$$)
2. Webapp
3. Normal app with a login

No one's described 3 - for an example download google app - it's free on the app store, available to anyone, but useless without a google account
If your app is decent it should pass the store guidelines without any problems.

[d000hg]

I don't see why using .net on iPad is somehow 'wrong'. Mono is fairly well-established.

Anyhow, if they insist on iPad that might make it easier although do you definitely believe them? But learning a new technology isn't good for the "do it fast" route so a web-based approach certainly sounds preferable, you can make iOS-specific HTML apps too as a bit of an in-between approach, IIRC.

[eek]

I know C pretty thoroughly and Objective C (as I understand it) is just C with Smalltalk messaging knobs on, so shouldn't be an insurmountable challenge. However, time is of the essence and I think we're going to have to go down the quick, cheap and chearful route for V0.1 and if it goes anywhere, do it over properly.

Latest word from my collaborators is that it must be an iPad app and will only ever be an iPad app, from the prospect client's point of view.

Use Titanium for prototyping then. One advantage is that a port to an android based pad would not be that painful. (You can always move over to objective C for the final version, if Titanium doesn't work out).

[bogeyman]

True, I found that even though its billled as .NET, I still needed to know how an iPhone app was put together and how to use Interface Builder etc so in the end just thought I may as well learn a little more and do it "properly".

I'm a .NET dev, mainly VB but didn't really find getting into Obj-C that difficult. Languages are all much of a muchness really so it was mainly learning the IDE that was the big step.

I know C pretty thoroughly and Objective C (as I understand it) is just C with Smalltalk messaging knobs on, so shouldn't be an insurmountable challenge. However, time is of the essence and I think we're going to have to go down the quick, cheap and chearful route for V0.1 and if it goes anywhere, do it over properly.

Latest word from my collaborators is that it must be an iPad app and will only ever be an iPad app, from the prospect client's point of view.

[Durbs]

I dunno though. .NET on an iPad seems like the wrong fit to me.

True, I found that even though its billled as .NET, I still needed to know how an iPhone app was put together and how to use Interface Builder etc so in the end just thought I may as well learn a little more and do it "properly".

I'm a .NET dev, mainly VB but didn't really find getting into Obj-C that difficult. Languages are all much of a muchness really so it was mainly learning the IDE that was the big step.

[bogeyman]

Main Page - MonoTouch from Novell is pretty good if you want to stick with C-sharp. I started off using that but then decided to swap over to doing the app native via XCode in the end and am glad i did as quite enjoy using it now.

$299/year isn't really much in the grand scheme of things if you are rolling out to 200 devices.

Interesting Durbs.

I dunno though. .NET on an iPad seems like the wrong fit to me.

Just because it's possible doesn't mean it's right.

I think if the proposed app goes beyond demo stage I might consider the XCode Objective C route.

Yes. The $299 is somewhat incidental. However, the client would have to purchase as I don't have a Dun & Bradstreet number! Can you beleive it. It is a requirement of this program to have a DUNS number. Apple just love putting this kind of crap in your way.

[Durbs]

Main Page - MonoTouch from Novell is pretty good if you want to stick with C-sharp. I started off using that but then decided to swap over to doing the app native via XCode in the end and am glad i did as quite enjoy using it now.

$299/year isn't really much in the grand scheme of things if you are rolling out to 200 devices.

[bogeyman]

Appcelerator works fairly well. There are similar C# based tools but I'm not sure about all the details relating to those.

Thank for the input eek.

I think I'll download and have a play with Titanium tomorrow. I'd prefer to code C# over Javascript but Titanium does seem to be very well regarded. Also, my partners in this venture don't really know C#, so I'd end up doing most of the boring bits.

[eek]

Android would be a better platform for my intentions if there was a tablet as good as the iPad (maybe there is but I'm not aware). Also happens the potential customer for this already has a lot of iPads so it's not really on.

Anyone done anything with Appcelerator Titanium? This allows you to use the same codebase for iPhone/iPad and Android and no need to get my head around Objective C.

It still doesn't solve the problem of signing the app etc. Just looked at a Video on the Appcelerator site for how to do this. Talk about convoluted!

Nick's (ISO Developer Enterprise Program) solution seems the only one that does what I need. Another $299 a year tho

Appcelerator works fairly well. There are similar C# based tools but I'm not sure about all the details relating to those.

[Scrag Meister]

IF you can avoid having to support older browsers then by the time you have something, browser-based will be pretty powerful in Chrome, IE9, FF and presumably Safari... however on mobile devices what's the story there?

Flash would be an option if it ran on iOS; decent Android tablets will definitely be around in a year or less and probably Windows ones too.

Advent Vega

[d000hg]

IF you can avoid having to support older browsers then by the time you have something, browser-based will be pretty powerful in Chrome, IE9, FF and presumably Safari... however on mobile devices what's the story there?

Flash would be an option if it ran on iOS; decent Android tablets will definitely be around in a year or less and probably Windows ones too.

[bogeyman]

Is there no way you can develop it using HTML 5, javascript etc? Look at google maps and gmail, you can create very rich apps and it would get round the app store headache.

That's pretty much what Titanium lets you do, but it packages it as a native app. It also allows you to access to native interface components which a web app doesn't. Also, performance is better using a native app.

I do plan to prototype it as a web app though. Just to get something to demo quickly. Maybe it will be good enough and so avoid the App Store guff.

[markmm]

Android would be a better platform for my intentions if there was a tablet as good as the iPad (maybe there is but I'm not aware). Also happens the potential customer for this already has a lot of iPads so it's not really on.

Anyone done anything with Appcelerator Titanium? This allows you to use the same codebase for iPhone/iPad and Android and no need to get my head around Objective C.

It still doesn't solve the problem of signing the app etc. Just looked at a Video on the Appcelerator site for how to do this. Talk about convoluted!

Nick's (ISO Developer Enterprise Program) solution seems the only one that does what I need. Another $299 a year tho

Is there no way you can develop it using HTML 5, javascript etc? Look at google maps and gmail, you can create very rich apps and it would get round the app store headache.

[bogeyman]

Android would be a better platform for my intentions if there was a tablet as good as the iPad (maybe there is but I'm not aware). Also happens the potential customer for this already has a lot of iPads so it's not really on.

Anyone done anything with Appcelerator Titanium? This allows you to use the same codebase for iPhone/iPad and Android and no need to get my head around Objective C.

It still doesn't solve the problem of signing the app etc. Just looked at a Video on the Appcelerator site for how to do this. Talk about convoluted!

Nick's (ISO Developer Enterprise Program) solution seems the only one that does what I need. Another $299 a year tho

[eek]

I understand that IOS 4.2 that was released yesterday allows deployment of Apps to devices wirelessly Apple - iPad in Business - iOS 4.2 Enterprise Features - This would be worth investigating.

That doesn't really solve the issue as you still need for the app to be signed and approved somehow.

I think one solution would be a public application with a very high price (to discourage downloads) which can then be installed separately.

If the program cannot be standardised the only solution is custom deployments via the Enterprise program.