Why I think this is both good and bad? First, it’s a trend that once started, will continue. We can assume that soon, most of the popular file sharing websites will be gone, be it illegal or legal sharing. So I would like to speak about that – a world where the software is only available if you buy it, no matter who is in need of it.

This will be an amazing thing for companies who build digital products, such as ourselves, because people will need to get your products from your website, and there will be no chance to get them anywhere else. This is good. More money for agencies.

But there is a lot of bad as well. To start with, imagine young students / kinds, wanting to try out software, or to learn how to use it. Mosts of them would not have the necessary funds to purchase software priced in the order of thousands of dollars. So they would actually go through the troubles of finding and getting the files they need, in a way or another.

I can envision that getting web projects completed in the future will be very expensive, and the reason is that there won’t be many individuals and agencies able to purchase the needed software otherwise.

I am sure there are a lot of good developers/agencies in poor countries, that do not pay to get their CS suite, or whatever, because they cannot. At the same time, a lot of people from richer countries, let’s say US, hire those devs / studios / etc, for prices that will keep them unable to pay for such software, hence getting their projects completed cheap. There won’t be many of these studios in the future, so everybody will have to hire and pay for people at rates such as in the US. Those will be fun times, world changing I would add.

Finally, you won’t see so much innovation online as you do today, because people won’t have money to invest in getting their web projects/ideas built.

So let’s see what this turns out into. I’m not against it, but I don’t support it either. I think people will always find a way to get software, when there is no other easier, affordable way. Why can’t we work on that instead?

Usually, when you don’t write for a long time, it’s either because you didn’t have what to write about, or because you’ve been very busy. In my case it’s the latter.

I wanted to update you all about the exciting news we got a few days ago from Apple, and that is our first iOS app being accepted. You can read more about it at www.yocli.com.

This is a 30 seconds video we spent several hours to build.

Steve Jobs
1955 – 2011

My email is nothing but a list of flags and folders. My todos for the day are sketched on little yellow notes on my desk, or many-colors-notes on my dash, my ideas on plain A3 and A4 papers, my contacts in the Address Books. I don’t even know my new phone number. And I don’t plan to learn it either, I can access it in an instant. Is that lazy? I prefer to share my email address, so I can get to it in a list of emails, when it’s time comes. Crazy, no?

I realize everything I do is on a list, even my workout exercises, future events, you name it. This helps me make room for things that matter and keeps me from getting overwhelmed by information. So I wonder, how does your brain work? Do you like to remember things or you write them down as well?

There are three primary dualities that are encountered in this discussion. The balance must be found not between any two points in a plane, but between the two poles of every dimension, and each one of these dualities adds another to the argument.

The first is between elitism and populism. The “exquisite design” or “minimal interface”, appealing as they may be, are elitist attractions. Only individuals and those with artistic / design bents can appreciate the effort. Collectives and those in a hurry would much prefer functionality over design, and design does get in the way at times; if not in the way of interaction, than at least in the way of fast delivery.

The second is between collaboration and control. Here is where the user freedom and expression comes in. This is (arguably) the reason why MySpace died, because it toppled the balance by giving too much freedom to the users. But this is also why Windows Live Blogs were shut down and migrated to WordPress: they weren’t doing enough.

The last is between the artist and the viewer, the creator and the consumer. All software is functional: it has to be. It provides a framework in which people can do things easily and meaningfully. Successful software is not just a contract, but a brainchild which needs nurturing and support by both parties, be they system devs and app devs over a platform, or socialnet devs and users over a website. The creator needs to provide direction, and the consumer needs to provide energy. This is why, increasingly, we are using the terms “responsive” in design: because there needs to be greater harmony between the two.

Ultimately, the cost of detailed design is ignoring your users, while the cost of listening to users is ignoring yourself. As two paddles to a boat, these must work in harmony to move the boat forward. When listening to users becomes too loud and unproductive: trust your gut and pay attention to design. When design starts to slow the pace, pull back and listen to your users, have fresh eyes look at your work. True balance is in those products that can listen and trust this rhythm.

It’s pretty interesting stuff. I probably missed some stuff, but while I transfer all my work from the Macbook Pro to the iMac this week, I’ll figure out what’s missing and keep updating the list.

Okay, so as soon as I opened the Mac and filled the user information, here’s what I did or installed, in this order precisely. :-)

1. Software Update
2. Moved Dock to left, removed icons I don’t need from dock, set it to autohide and made it smaller
3. Google Chrome – then synced it with my other mac (bookmarks, extensions, etc)
4. From the Mac App Store ->  Evernote, The Unarchiever, Wunderlist, Twitter, Cloud, Stuffit
5. Droplr - as Cloud, except there’s no limit to uploading images.
6. Teleport (and settings – as I use more than one mac)
7. Skype
8. Yahoo Messenger
9. Dropbox (the web app)
10. 1Password
11. App Zapper
12. Adobe Air
13. Balsamiq Mockups
14. iWork
15. Microsoft Office
16. Overflow
17. TextExpander
18. iOS SDK
19. Transmit
20. uTorrent (don’t ask)
21. xchm (to open this type of files)
22. Coda
23. Suitcase Fusion 3 – for fonts management
24. iShowU HD
25. Arthropod Air App (for Flash Tracing)
26. Adobe CS5 and CS4 (many apps)
27. FDT (for Flash development)
28. Netnewswire (RSS Feed)
29. Phone Viewer
30. Setup Mail
    + Mail Preferences – Accounts – Mailbox Behaviors – Store draft messages on the server. Unchecked! :D
31. Synced Address Book, iCal, Authorized iPhones.
32. Magic prefs – for Magic Mouse ( 3 Clicks for Dashboard, 2 Fingers Swipe for displaying all apps open, pinch in/out for hiding/showing all apps)
33. Setup the mac with these settings
    + Double click a window’s title bar to minimize

Then, I installed the Chrome Extensions that I use almost daily.

Chrome Extensions

1. Install Mouse Gestures for Chrome
2. Window Resizer (it’s needed when you’re using a big-ass monitor)
3. 1Password (works very well with the desktop app)
4. Screen Capture

And finally, the Dashboard.

Dashboard Apps

1. Currency Converter

That’s about it. I am sure I’ll keep tweaking the system while I use it in the following weeks, but I’ll make sure to write here everything that’s missing.

Updates

As I presumed, there was still stuff I needed. Hope I didn’t miss any:

1. Set the default width of Finder’s side bar here.
2. Installed LittleIpsum
3. VLC (so I can abuse the 400% volume feature)
4. Xmarks Chrome extension
5. Canon 7D software
6. MacHG - https://bitbucket.org/
7. Team Viewer
8. Prevent MAC from asking each time if you can open a file from the web by typing this in terminal defaults write com.apple.LaunchServices LSQuarantine -bool NO
9. Show status bar in Finder.
10. Toggle hidden files – Houdini app.
11. Tweetdeck – for checking searches, twitter activity and more.
12. Little Snapper Actions Chrome Extension and Application.
13. xScope – for screen measuring.
14. Actionscript 3 Search Chrome Extension.
15. Set Chrome to english as the default language here.
16. Moom – this little app is amazing! I’m using it daily. It resizes the windows of your apps with ease. Check the site and you will be sold.
17. Grooveshark – comes with the pro account, which you have to pay for. You should also get this to control the app with your keyboard.
18. Integrity – checks dead links on your website.
19. SequelPro – database management for MAC.
20. Gaget – Google Analytics widget for MAC OSX dashboard.
21. Istatnano – shows information about your MAC system.
22. SpamSieve – a perfect add-on to Mail. Keeps spam away. :-)
23. Audio Hijack Pro (to mute Chrome when browsing)

Aceasta lista nu este nici pe departe completa, in schimb sunt lucrurile care mi-au ramas in minte pentru ca s-au repetat de foarte multe ori.

Asadar, cum sa nu aplici pentru un job:

1. Do your research inainte de a scrie email-ul.

Cu cine vei comunica? Ce produse are compania respectiva? Ce clienti? Ce proiecte? Cati membri sunt in echipa? Ce varsta au membrii respectivi? Cum sunt oamenii din compania respectiva? (foloseste Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Bloguri si orice alt canal de comunicare pentru a ii gasi)

2. Citeste anuntul de angajare si fii sigur ca indeplinesti toate conditiile.

Daca nu indeplinesti chiar si o singura cerinta, nu aplica, pentru ca exista un motiv pentru care a fost scrisa. Sau cel putin, informeaza-te ca este ceva ce poti sa asimilezi foarte rapid, si nu va constitui un impediment major. Daca esti Graphic Designer, nu aplica pentru o pozitie de Web Designer de exemplu.

3. Nu trimite un email gol, fara text!

Chiar daca incerci sa fii scurt, sa nu scrii nimic si sa atasezi doar fisiere, desi intentia poate fi buna, este interpretata gresit. Asa cum anuntul de angajare a fost gandit si conceput cat mai concis, in aceeasi masura raspunsul tau trebuie sa fie cat mai concis, fara a lasa potentialului angajator necesitatea de a iti cere mai multe informatii pentru ca nu le-ai dat.

4. Nu trimite un email lung.

Incearca sa fii concis si sa incluzi doar informatiile necesare. Nu repeta ce este in CV. Acest prim mesaj este sansa ta de a fi mai personal.

5. Ai grija la formulare.

O formulare de tipul “Stimate Domnule Director” adresata unei persoane nepotrivite (ca varsta de exemplu) denota lipsa unui studiu asupra companiei si a persoanelor cu care vei interactiona. In acelasi mod, o abordare peiorativa nu este de dorit.

6. Verifica ortografia.

Un mesaj incorect gramatical nu te va ajuta sa treci de primul email.

7. Verifica fiecare link.

Retrimite-ti tie email-ul inainte de a il trimite angajatorului. In felul asta vei putea verifica daca totul este corect.

8. Trimite linkuri la portofoliul tau online (nu atasa fisiere .rar).

Nu trimite fisiere .rar sau proiecte care nu pot fi rulate printr-un singur click.

Cel mai potrivit este sa trimiti un link la o pagina web, care sa contina aceste fisiere. Ideal este sa ai site de portofoliu, si lucrari in el.

9. Nu minti asupra experientei tale.

Daca mentionezi 10 tehnologii, atunci in portofoliu trebuie sa ai macar cate un proiect care foloseste fiecare dintre aceste tehnologii, sau pe toate combinate. Multi candidati au mentionat cunostinte impresionante, insa nu au fost capabili sa prezinte un portofoliu cand le-a fost solicitat.

10. Lasa loc de buna ziua.

Raspunde la orice email primesti, fie ca este vorba despre un task, un refuz sau mai ales chemarea la un interviu (confirma ca poti sau nu poti veni).

Indiferent daca primirea unui task pentru a iti testa cunostintele te-a facut sa realizezi ca nu poti sa te joci cu focul, ori ca ai fost respins, sau chiar acceptat, asigura-te ca raspunzi la orice email primesti de la potentialul angajator, intr-un timp scurt.

Este posibil ca in momentul de fata sa nu corespunzi cerintelor, ori sa ti se para ca este nedrept sa fii testat pentru a valida cunostintele pe care afirmi ca le ai. Cu toate astea, industria online este foarte dinamica, si sansele sunt foarte mari ca pe viitor sa interactionezi intr-un fel sau altul cu aceleasi persoane din compania respectiva, si sa fii respins tocmai pentru ca nu ai lasat loc de buna-ziua acum.

11. Nu te contrazi/certa/ironiza/lauda.

Pe bune ca s-a intamplat. :-)

Am doua exemple “eu nu am spus ca nu o sa ma ridic la rangul de profesionist”  si “daca X si Y au spus ca lucrarile mele sunt bune, pentru voi nu sunt suficient de bune?”.

Ambii candidati au fost respinsi in clipa 2, si marcati cu X  pe viitor, ca in renumitele poze. :-)

12. Nu trimite un portofoliu care sa nu fie al tau.

Daca vei fi chemat la interviu, va trebui probabil sa ai si codul respectiv la indemana, asadar mai devreme sau mai tarziu se va afla ca ai mintit, si nu vrei sa incepi cu o minciuna, pentru ca e si modul in care vei termina jobul.

Cel ce candida pentru job, a trimis portofoliul persoanei care l-a recomandat! :-)

Trimite doar lucrarile cele mai bune din portofoliul personal, iar daca nu ai, nu trimite nimic si fii sincer.

13. Nu trimite mass email la mai multi potentiali angajatori.

Intotdeauna dau reply all si il resping si pentru noi, si probabil si pentru ceilalti angajatori. Aplici pentru un job oriunde, sau aplici pentru un job aici?

14. Verifica CV-ul.

Nu trimite un CV incomplet. Nu folosi un model de CV European. Adauga strict informatiile care ne-ar interesa. Ataseaza o poza, uneori ajuta. Mentioneaza numele tau. Pune un link la site-ul personal daca ai, chiar si la contul de Twitter.

Asigura-te ca ai un cont de Twitter, Facebook sau site personal. (esti prezent online?)

15. Fii sigur ca iti doresti acel job.

Un job implica responsabilitati si integrarea intr-o echipa inchegata. Primele saptamani sunt cele mai importante pentru a face acest lucru, dar si cele mai grele.

16. Fii modest

Mereu va fi cineva mai bun ca tine. Este important sa fii constient de acest lucru, si sa ramai modest. Este un domeniu in care fiecare dintre noi invata ceva in fiecare zi, nu este posibil sa le stii pe toate, si asa este firesc sa fie.

Daca aveti si alte sfaturi, as fi foarte bucuros sa le citesc si eu!

Sper ca aceasta lista sa fie folositoare celor care vor aplica la un job pe viitor. Succes tuturor!

Schimbarile care se produc sunt majore, si suntem foarte incantati de sansa de a fi ajuns pana aici.

In prima parte a anului am punctat urmatoarele obiective:

1. Am lansat site-ul Vuzum.
2. Am deschis un birou in Spania.
3. Am avut onoarea de a fi recunoscuti international cu un prestigios premiu FWA pentru unul dintre proiectele noastre.
4. Aproape am dublat echipa (in urmatoarele zile va fi completa).
5. Am depasit 100.000 utilizatori pentru Flabell si Themesbell.
6. Am inceput (sau terminat) proiecte pentru clienti mari, cum ar fi Nicorette, TUMS, Zeabsorb, Max Clarity si multi altii.

In a doua parte a anului, avem urmatoarele obiective:

1. Vom lansa Vuzum mobile.
2. Vom scoate Vuzum din Beta.
3. Vom lansa Blogvio in Beta. (momentan in QA privat)
4. Vom lansa Eclipo.
5. Vom lansa Yocli, aplicatie iOS pentru iPhone.
6. Vom deschide un birou in Londra.
7. Vom lucra la V2 pentru Flabell si Themesbell.
8. Vom continua sa lucram cu aceeasi pasiune pentru proiecte de orice marime. ;)

Este un an important pentru noi, un an in care facem pasi marunti spre urmatorul nivel.

I have seen so many bad designers lately, that my eyes hurts.

On the other hand, I can easily imagine new concepts that are fresh, interactive and playful, and can sketch them on paper, but I’m missing the tools part. So I’m a bad tools person. :-)

I’ll get good at this, as soon as Mobile is checked on my list as well. I’m not very good with time, got too much on my hands, but that is always a good thing.

At Vuzum we’re trying to remix our skills this year, so Flash devs will play a bit with iOS, Web devs will do the same with Android, and myself will try a bit of each + some design.

BTW, that position for an excellent designer is still open. But if you apply, please be excellent, otherwise you will waste my time, your time, and everybody else’s time in between.

In other words Photoshop, Illustrator and front-end development are things of passion to you, while theory, sketching and creative thinking are things of hard work.

[Updated]: I think it makes a little bit of justice to post a sample. Although the design is not impossible to achieve, the way you can interact with it is fresh, and if you ask me, unique – how many times have you seen this concept before? This is where the actual work is, and then the execution.

Congrats to all the good guys at Vuzum and to our partners at Plat4M!

We’ve been working for months on this project, and the FWA award is a recognition of our skills and effort! Now, let’s party! :)

Daniel
I’ll be sure to contact you if I get any flash work (which I haven’t in a long long time though)

Peder
(finding an available Flash Developer before the mobile boom) … but it was our final thing that made me decide never to take part in a flash project again.

Peter
They want to completely rewrite the website from Flash, in html5.

I can continue with many examples from our best customers, but I’d rather not. If the market does not require any Flash work, I guess that’s when things will get worse for Flash Development in general – even if it keeps being used for writing games for the web, that’s not good enough to support as many Flash Developers as there are now.

What to do in this case? Don’t put all your eggs in a single basket. Start playing with Objective-C and Java. Mobile is the new kid in town. And if Flash survives, than you got multiple skills, and that’s only a good thing.

Privit din punct de vedere al interactiunii cu utilizatorii, exista doua tipuri de design:

• static
• dinamic

Cel dinamic isi schimba forma si functionalitatea in raport cu modul in care utilizatorul interactioneaza cu el. In ultimul deceniu, din lipsa unor tehnologii suficient de puternice, acest tip de design a fost implementat de cele mai multe ori in Flash.

Design-ul static pe de alta parte este reprezentat de elemente care, indiferent de modul in care utilizatorul interactioneaza cu acesta, isi pastreaza aceeasi forma si functionalitate, singurul lucru care se schimba fiind continutul.

Fiind vorba de interactive designer, voi continua sa discut doar despre design-ul dinamic. Acesta cuprinde tot ceea ce tine de design-ul static (usability, teoria culorii, grid design, etc.. ar trebui sa stiti cu ce sa completati aici), dar adauga in plus o serie de elemente care trebuiesc luate in considerare ulterior. Cel mai important aspect de care trebuie tinut cont, stiu ca suna tamp si ma repet, este faptul ca este un design interactiv. Adica elementele isi schimba pozitia, iar tu designer-ul, decizi cum se intampla acest lucru. Practic aduci un element din punctul A la punctul B. Trebuie sa tii cont de modul in care se desfasoara tranzitia (timp, acceleratie, pozitie, rotatie, etc..) si de elementele peste care s-ar suprapune (daca nu ai avut grija sa le adaugi intr-o zona potrivita, trebuie ca si aceste elemente sa isi modifice pozitia la interactiunea utilizatorului).

Un exemplu: imagineaza-ti un meniu “MENU”, si sub el un logo. La roll-over decizi sa afisezi submeniul, nu in dreapta sa, ci sub el. In acel moment ai o problema: logo-ul, evident. Fie il muti definitiv din pozitia respectiva, fie il tii acolo dar la roll-over peste MENU ii schimbi si acestuia pozitia, forma, etc – tu decizi. Poti de exemplu sa il faci transparent, ca sa ii perimiti pastrarea pozitiei.

Un bun UX designer, sau interactive designer, va avea grija ca cele doua stari A si B ale elementelor sa arate bine, iar interactiunea, respectiv tranzitiile de la o stare la alta, sa dea proiectului unitate (adica nu este indicat sa folosesti foarte multe tipuri de tranzitii).

Exemple frumoase de interactive design se pot vedea in marea majoritate a aplicatiilor pentru iPhone si iPad.

In incheiere

Noi suntem in cautarea unui bun ux designer. Daca iti plac provocarile si intelegi ce responsabilitati ai avea, atunci asteptam sa ne contactezi.

1. Learn Spanish (bought myself a Babbel.com course).
2. Learn how to swim.
3. Learn how to use my Canon 7D.
4. Learn photography (or I will loose some really nice photo trips).
5. Continue learning iOS (mobile is the future, and Apple is leading at the moment).
6. Master Photoshop (I think I can express better what I want from our team if I’d be able to sketch my ideas to show them OR improve their sketches).
7. Master Illustrator (same purpose as above + I want to try some mobile app design).

I have a strong feeling I’ll keep adding to the list, such as – learn Spain’s history . :-)

We’ve expanded the marketplace to cover themes as well, since we’re very familiar with how WordPress has grown in the past years. Due to too much work on our hands, we’ve been focused on delivering top notch solutions to our clients, rather than focus on Themesbell. That is planned to change in 2011.

We’ve also been hard at work on our third and fourth products – Blogvio, which will bring interactivity to blogs (we’re not sure it’s going to be Flash at this moment, we look very closely to how the market is changing) and Eclipo, which will help you track your clients and your projects.

We love doing client work, we really do. It’s exciting projects that start with proper briefs that attracts us the most. But on the other side, we also try to grow by expanding our attention into products, to avoid a linear growth limited by the man power.

2011 is the year of iPad 2, as Apple calls it. We think it’s another great year for mobile, and sooner than later we’ll put our energy into Android and iOS as well. We’ve already started with that, but so far we’ve done baby steps. But mobile is in our minds for the short and long term as well.

We’re looking for an amazing designer to join us on our journey. You must be really good at what you do, as we are. If you’re that person, please write us an email and we’ll continue from there. Remember this is a challenging job, and we’re only looking for the best.

Speram ca pana atunci sa punem si Blogvio si Eclipo sus, precum si versiunea Vuzum pentru mobil (design-ul arata excelent!). Un pic de retusari la site si blogul sus, si il scoatem si din beta.

Lucram ca niste furnicute, dar rezultatele se vor vedea. Deocamdata e secret, dar suntem foarte tari, pe bune. :)

E ciudat, dar fiecare drum pe care il facem ne duce inspre iesirea din oras, direct pe autostrada. Indiferent ca vrem sa mergem la un supermarket, la prieteni sau la o intalnire. Ne trezim ca iesim din oras si trebuie sa intram iar pe celalalt sens. E placut, dar si frustrant uneori. :)

A doua mare problema este locul de parcare. Desi oamenii sunt cu mult mai civilizati, si au locurile de parcare impartite in culori – albastru si verde – (la prima platesti, la a doua nu ai voie pt ca sunt proprietari) cu greu gasesti chiar si locuri disponibile contra cost. Fiecare cladire are garaj, unele pe mai multe nivele. Mai mult de atat, fiecare strada contine tuneluri sau poduri peste alte strazi, ce usureaza traficul si scurteaza directia catre iesirea din oras pe care ne regasim mereu. Cu toate astea, in momentul in care ajungi intr-un final la destinatie, te ratacesti din nou in cautarea unui loc de parcare. :-) Solutia va fi un loc intr-o parcare privata, contra cost. Speram sa gasim ceva liber in apropiere daca se poate. :-) Conometrat am pierdut 45 de minute cel mai mult, pentru a gasi o parcare intr-o zi normala.

O alta problema, de comunicare de data asta, vine de la Apple. Cu abonamente oficiale la Orange Romania, cartelele Orange din Spania nu merg pe acelasi operator. A se citi corect – iPhone = caramida de 2 saptmani. Si nu reusim sa le dam unlock pentru ca nu exista momentan solutie pentru baseband-ul pe care il avem. Asadar costuri de roaming pentru prima saptamana de 45EUR. Nu-i rau.

Cu internetul am rezolvat temporar – un modem de la vodafone. Nu pot sa imi imaginez cum de nu am avut asa ceva din prima zi in care am pus mana pe un laptop. Mi se pare indispensabil, si nu e deloc scump. Cred ca pus in fata unei situatii de a sta fara net o saptamana, am facut un pas util pentru viitor. :)

Suntem in a doua saptamana aici, si usor, usor reusim sa punem lucrurile la punct. Pastrez legatura cu echipa pe laptop, so far so good. Partea dificila e cand trebuie sa folosesc monitorul de 15″ pentru a lucra la proiecte. Un cosmar pentru cei care lucram cu aplicatii vizuale. :) Astept cu nerabdare noul iMac, daca se poate de 30″? Thunderbolt si fara DVD, ca sa fie de 2 ori mai subtire. Poate programatorul din mine sa viseze?

Desi ploua marunt in fiecare zi, nu ducem lipsa de soare. Dimineata, ori noaptea tarziu facem plimbari pe marginea oceanului pentru a mai cunoaste un pic orasul. Acum ca ne-am stabilit definitiv intr-un apartament nou, trebuie sa imi refac traseele pentru a ajunge la vechile destinatii. Damn. :)

Va tin la curent cu aplicatia. Am inteles ca nu necesita internet pentru a se conecta la GPS, asadar nu voi mai cheltui un euro-cent pe data roaming. Toate hartile sunt descarcate (de 2 ore) pe telefon direct. Astept cu nerabdare sa ma pierd voit!

1. The biggest achievement must be that we’ve got our first big client, as a direct result of launching Vuzum’s website. We hope we get to be discovered by many more people once we’ll be out of beta. We’ve come a long way since 2008.
2. In less than a week I’ll be flying and moving to Spain, A Coruna. We’re opening our first international office, hoping to be closer to our customers from that part of Europe. It’s going to be a new experience for me, so wish me luck on that! It’s going to be a new experience for our team as well, as we’ve been used to work in the same office. :)
3. I spent the entire month of January learning Objective-C and I’ve got my BS in Computer science on my first iOS app. That’s two shots in one take. We slowly but surely focus our attention on iOS and Android. Mobile is one of the big plans we have in 2011.
4. We started work on our newest R&D project, Eclipo. It’s a small start-up that will help us track our clients, projects and payments. Once we consider it to be ready for public, we’ll make it available to everyone as well.
5. In less than a week Flabell will turn 2 years, and we’ve already passed the revenues generated in it’s first year of existence, in the last two months of 2011. :-) We’ve got big plans with both Flabell and Themesbell, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise. It’s good to see Flash has great momentum, despite Apple’s rant.
6. We’ve got an excellent team at Vuzum, as well as new faces. Great guys, well equiped. On that note, it’s a strange feeling to have no Windows base stations as working computers. We use MACs and Linux only. I’m wondering what’s your configuration. It seems Windows is not reliable anymore as an operating system that stays out of your way.
7. I’m planning to purchase the iPad 2, especially if it will have support for Flash!  What do you think? Wouldn’t that be a blast?! :)

STEP 1 – research

ManyFriends – read every word on this wiki. You will make an idea about the mobile business, from an iOS developer point of view, and get to some very useful links as well. I went through hundreds of blogs. Here you will get information you won’t find anywhere else. I highly recommend you start with it first (he even mentions what he charges and how he charges).

STEP 2 – get familiar with the syntax

The syntax is different, but in my opinion it’s better than AS3. You will understand what’s better after you read these articles entirely. The bad thing is that although Objective-C 2 has garbage collection, it’s not YET supported in the iPhone SDK. This means us, the developers, have to handle all the memory stuff.

1. Learn Objective-C

2. Naming (part 1) (check part 2 as well)

STEP 3 – start (blogs & forums)

Articles and tutorials: http://mobile.tutsplus.com/

Forums to subscribe to:

• http://www.iphonedevforums.com/forum/
• http://www.iphonedevsdk.com/forum/
• http://forums.macrumors.com/forumdisplay.php?f=135
• http://groups.google.com/group/iphonesb?pli=1

STEP 4 – a complete guide

This book gets you from A to Z with the technology and modules available on iOS today, you should buy it and read it! (I’m at page 296 at the moment of writing this article)

Beginning iPhone 3 Development Exploring the iPhone SDK (Jul.2009)

STEP 5 – practice

Download and watch the free Stanford classes for programming for iPhone on iTunes:
a) iPhone Application Programming (Spring 2009)

b) iPhone Application Development (Winter 2010)

c) Developing Apps for iOS (HD)

(the last link is to dig deeper)

STEP 6 - dig deeper

Apple’s website (everything but the iOS Reference Library, which is too much information to go over – only use it as you code)

Make sure you start with the HIG!

STEP 7

Write your first basic app.

I’ve basically set myself the goal to focus on nothing (almost nothing) else than learning iOS, building the first App (for iPhone) and presenting it to the CS University, as part of the final exam in a month. (you basically get to do a project you can pick, as long as it’s related to software)

Vuzum is amazing but it took almost all of my time, so for January I’m kind of part-time. I’ll answer my emails, but please be concise and expect a delay in my response time.

Other than that everything is great! We have a lot lined up for 2011! :-)