Mac programs galore
10 July 2008

"I hope to have that big What's On UK update finished later in the summer along with beta versions of some other new apps, but this may be sooner rather than later if it keeps raining"

I'm pleased to report that Gallery Card Insert Maker (my card insert application for Mac OS X) has come out of beta and is now available as a shiny version 1.0 release.

There weren't many problems forthcoming after 2 beta versions, but my wife (for whom I originally wrote the program) picked up on one or two minor workflow quibbles that I've fixed plus I included on-line help and generally tidied things up a bit.

I was also very pleased to include Sparkle in the program. This is a development framework by Andy Matuschak that enables programmers such as myself to automatically tell our users when a new version of our application is available. More than that, it also allows you to dynamically download and install it. If you use AdiumX for instant messaging then you've already seen Sparkle in action.

I'm sure it won't be very long before I'm using Sparkle to issue an update to Gallery Card Insert Maker as I have plans and ideas for improving the program. However, I want to finish a big update to the What's On UK TV listings widget that I'm working on and also another couple of programs that are in the early stages of development at the moment. Watch this space!

At the same time as the release of Gallery Card Insert Maker 1.0, I also launched a totally revamped software web site for my freeware and shareware label Blue Roan Software. The new look site can be viewed at www.blueroansoftware.co.uk where you can also download Gallery Card Insert Maker 1.0 and a recent minor update to What's On UK. GCIM is also available from the Home and Learning pages on the Apple web site.

iPhone 3G and App Store
The big tech news at the moment, of course, is the launch of the 3G iPhone tomorrow (Friday 11 July). But although this is what will be grabbing the headlines, the really big event IMHO is the new App Store included as part of iTunes 7.7. This feature enables developers such as myself to release applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch to the whole world cutting out the traditional (and often expensive) distribution channels. This is massive! Apple hoped for 200 applications to be available at launch but it's going to be closer to 500 with 125 of those free. For costed programs, Apple take a small cut for each sale made. For free apps, Apple host the programs for nothing. This is going to be huge!

I've already dappled in programming for the iPhone/iPod Touch and am pleased to say that it isn't very much different from standard application development for the Mac with the exception that you have to think of interface design in a new way. This isn't a bad thing, and there are some really innovative ways of controlling programs being created by developers at the moment.

If you've got an iPhone or an iPod Touch, visit the App Store via iTunes and have a look at what's on offer. iPod Touch users will need to buy the 2.0 firmware, but iPhone users will receive a free firmware upgrade when they sync their device.

Nothing else to report. I hope to have that big What's On UK update finished later in the summer along with beta versions of some other new apps, but this may be sooner rather than later if it keeps raining.