I’m working on a new Task List app for Android that evolves around a simple principle: its sole purpose is to encourage you to actually do the tasks.
To achieve this, there will be a limit to the number of tasks you can add and if you try to add more, you will be nicely told to do some before adding more… As well, when you click on “done” for a task, you will have a friendly surprise 
The app will also include a widget so you can always see the top task from your home screen.
I started coding it this morning and I’m hoping to release v1.0 next week (look for Cogitas Task List in the market).
Speaking of Android apps, I published an upgrade to Big Words and Big Words Plus yesterday.
Other Android apps coming up:
- The previously announced RSS Reader app will be published in August.
- VocabuLab French will see a complete overhaul. I’ve pulled out the current version from the market because it was my first published app and there are so many things I want to change about it, I don’t think it deserves to be in the market at the moment. The new version will feature complete sentences and audio recordings as well as carrying on being a French basic vocabulary learning tool. I hope to publish it in late August or early September.
- I’m also working on an app that will simplify certain basic functions some users may use while driving (skip to next audio track etc) to make the use of Android at the wheel safer. I’m hoping to release this in late September or October.
Tags:
Big Words,
google android,
RSS Reader,
Task List
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Ah, the joy of agile development and small iterations The joy to complete a step (iteration), thus providing the satisfaction of a job well done, thus motivating the developer(s) for the next step (iteration).
At the start of the week, I embarked on a new programming project, a desktop app that will help you plan projects to reach your goals, coupled with a calendar (the app is written in Java, and once finished, the code will be released as open source and the app will be available for free, using the donationware approach).
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Tags:
agile development,
organisation,
programming
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Following my decision to release my first desktop app as donationware, I did a little research into the experience of others with this model and found a great interview with Hillel Stoler, developer of donationware app GetSocial.
My own reasons for releasing my first app as donationware are quite similar to Hillel’s actually, and are as follows:
- I don’t like apps with limited functionality and I don’t like apps with ads embedded in them (yes, I have released a number of Google Android apps with ads in them but I am trying to get away from this model).
- I am curious about the donationware model as a long term opportunity for open source developers to be able to feed themselves (thus being able to devote even more time to developing open source apps).
For those of you who want to know the raw numbers, Hillel estimates that he gets a 0.55% conversion rate (ie the donation/downloads ratio) and that an average donation is $9.19. Therefore, 1000 downloads bring in $50.54. He qualifies this further by saying the stats only represent downloads from his own website as he cannot quantify downloads from third party websites and furthermore, as he regularly updates the app, the same person might download the app several times over the active lifespan of the app to get the updates.
Thanks to Andy Brice over at Successful Software for publishing the interview, it is very informative
Tags:
donationware,
interview
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I’m working on a planning desktop app loosely based on Steve Pavlina’s The Meaning Of Life: From Purpose To Action associated with a calendar.
The app is developed in Java so it will be cross-platform and I plan to release it as donationware (eg it will be free but I will ask you to consider making a donation).
I will be using an agile development process, with many small iterations (one month long). I started yesterday on development and the first iteration should be done in exactly one month.
Not only the app will be donationware – which means fully free to use even though users are asked to consider making a donation to ensure I can put resources into further enhancements to the app – but also open source. This is an experiment with the donationware model as a possible long term solution for open source developers (we need to eat too 
)
Tags:
desktop app,
donationware,
java,
planning
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I’ve just logged into Google Android developers console and I am pleased to see a new feature called “comments”. Until now, if somebody posted a comment, you had to find out by yourself, by using a site like androidzoom.com or similar.
As of today, your developer console enables you to see comment (see new “comment” feature next to red arrow on image below).
When you click on it, you can see a list of all comments, from most recent to oldest. Neat
Tags:
google android
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One day ahead of my self-imposed deadline, I have released Big Words Plus, an enhanced version of my English vocabulary training app for Google Android.
The difference between this app and most dictionaries/vocabulary apps out there is that each word comes with a sentence using the word – not only, it helps you understand the meaning of the word correctly but it will also help you remember the actual word.
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Tags:
Big Words,
google android
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After reading Stephen’s post Why I love programming!, I got inspired to write down my own reasons for loving programming.
Firstly, I will quote Stephen here, because he said it very well: “[...] a desire to create! To keep learning! It’s fun, To make the world a better place!”
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Tags:
amstrad,
basic,
css,
google android,
HTML,
inspiration,
java,
javascript,
Perl,
php
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One of my most popular app is Big Words, an app to help you increase your vocabulary. It not only features definitions of words (as you would expect) but also example sentences with the words.
The most requested feature is phonetics/pronunciation, and I am pleased to say that I have been working on this and I am only a few days away from releasing Big Words Plus. So if you’re one of the 10,000 active users of Big Words, check the Android Store for Big Words Plus on Wednesday 30th June!
As well as phonetics, Big Words Plus also now works in Landscape mode and has the ability to go back to the previous word(s) by hitting the back button (another frequently requested feature), along with a few other smaller improvements.
Tags:
Big Words,
cogitas apps
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AdMob has sent a newsletter to its publishers today, confirming Google buyout which took place on 27th May and asking publishers to sign a revised Terms of Service to enable transfer of the account to Google. The transfer to Google accounts is due to take place on 7th July.
AdMob is an ad service with a SDK for iPhone and Android developers, enabling them to show ads in their apps. In my experience, the payouts have fallen quite a lot over the last few months – I wonder if it is because there are too many publishers for not enough ads?
Anyway, as Google AdSense for mobile apps is only available within the USA and Canada at the moment, I am curious as to the effect of Google on AdMob ads inventory – hopefully, more advertisers will flock to the network and payouts will go up again
Tags:
admob,
ads,
Android,
google,
iPhone
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I’ve just checked out the HTML5 presentation at HTML5 Rocks, it’s pretty impressive.
Of course, it’s a catch 22 situation: the more HTML5 compliant your browser is, the more you’ll enjoy the presentation (which encompasses HTML5, CSS3 and the new JS APIs). They should do a video of it showing what it should look like so people with older browsers might find out about it and decide to upgrade their browsers
Tags:
browser,
CSS3,
HTML5,
JS APIs
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