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37signals' Chalk: a fun little browser-based app for iPad

37signals.com

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Re: 37signals' Chalk: a fun little browser-based app for iPad

#11

Post by apgwoz »

TamDenholm wrote: post #3

Seems to me like a free version of 37signal's iPad app Draft. Much simplier idea but still awesome.

> Much simplier idea but still awesome.

Why is this "awesome"? I don't have an iPad, so I haven't tried it first hand, but it seems to be a simple drawing tool disguised as chalk instead of a solid line. They're a dime a dozen.

I went back and re-checked it out to ensure that I didn't miss anything. This would certainly have been more noteworthy if it was collaborative in real time amongst multiple iPads (e.g. etherpad).

Re: 37signals' Chalk: a fun little browser-based app for iPad

#12

Post by RyanMcGreal »

steveklabnik wrote: post #2

If you're wondering if this still works in a non-iPad browser... it doesn't. I was curious if I could still draw with the mouse.

I was hoping to swoop in with a "User Agent Switcher to the rescue!" message. However: switching user agents works in Firefox but the app layout looks broken [1] and it doesn't do anything; and switching user agents doesn't seem to work in Chrome.

[1] http://postimage.org/image/1z21v9nhg/

Re: 37signals' Chalk: a fun little browser-based app for iPad

#14

Post by derekdahmer »

jbail wrote: post #4

Seems like a remake of their Draft app with a chalky UI. To really make a mobile web app be cool, it's still gotta work on the web. Otherwise, it's not cool. I'm making that a rule right now. Visiting a URL that says I have to be on an iPad is not cool. It's like saying I need to install a plugin that costs $500.

Its still a work in progress, but check out my project http://blotjot.com Its a collaborative whiteboard that works in any browser that supports canvas, including mobile safari on the iPhone and iPad. Runs on node.js + socket.io

Example: http://blotjot.com/heyhn

Re: 37signals' Chalk: a fun little browser-based app for iPad

#15

Post by tptacek »

parfe wrote: post #8

Is 37signals treading water? The frequency of these worthless blog posts attempting to draw attention to themselves has been increasing. They say they have a lot of customers but something feels wrong.

You seem to be looking for drama where there's none to be found. Two guys wrote an web-backed iPad app and wanted to share it. If I dinked around and came up with something like Chalk, I'd want to blog it too.

Yes, 37signals is wildly more successful than most people on HN, and yes, it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between their "attempts to change the world" blog posts and their "look what I did with my 3-day-weekend" blog posts, but: it's a blog. They don't owe you anything more than blog posts. This is an above-average blog post; it came with a new app!

Re: 37signals' Chalk: a fun little browser-based app for iPad

#16

Post by tptacek »

apgwoz wrote: post #11
TamDenholm wrote: post #3

Seems to me like a free version of 37signal's iPad app Draft. Much simplier idea but still awesome.

> Much simplier idea but still awesome. Why is this "awesome"? I don't have an iPad, so I haven't tried it first hand, but it seems to be a simple drawing tool disguised as chalk instead of a solid line. They're a dime a dozen. I went back and re-checked it out to ensure that I didn't miss anything. This would certainly have been more noteworthy if it was collaborative in real time amongst multiple iPads (e.g. etherp…

I missed the part of the blog post where they said "this will revolutionize the way you do work!" It seems to me that they called it a "fun little app".

Re: 37signals' Chalk: a fun little browser-based app for iPad

#17

Post by rauljara »

jbail wrote: post #4

Seems like a remake of their Draft app with a chalky UI. To really make a mobile web app be cool, it's still gotta work on the web. Otherwise, it's not cool. I'm making that a rule right now. Visiting a URL that says I have to be on an iPad is not cool. It's like saying I need to install a plugin that costs $500.

I understand where you're coming from, but touch changes how you interact with a device. I personally wouldn't want people judging my work based on their experience dealing with an interface I never designed for. Everything about the project screams fast and easy, and I'm cool with people doing fast and easy things for fun that don't work on all platforms.

edited to add - and I don't own an iPad.

Re: 37signals' Chalk: a fun little browser-based app for iPad

#18

Post by jbail »

derekdahmer wrote: post #14
jbail wrote: post #4

Seems like a remake of their Draft app with a chalky UI. To really make a mobile web app be cool, it's still gotta work on the web. Otherwise, it's not cool. I'm making that a rule right now. Visiting a URL that says I have to be on an iPad is not cool. It's like saying I need to install a plugin that costs $500.

Its still a work in progress, but check out my project http://blotjot.com Its a collaborative whiteboard that works in any browser that supports canvas, including mobile safari on the iPhone and iPad. Runs on node.js + socket.io Example: http://blotjot.com/heyhn

I made a little canvas demo app myself about a month ago. Works on web or mobile (least on Dolphin Browser in Android). I haven't tested a ton though.

http://napnote.com

It's more of a concept app to draw on Chipotle or Starbucks napkins than a serious endeavor. Some fellow engineers and I were joking about it at lunch one day and I promised to make a kick ass web 2.0 app that did indeed enable you to draw on napkins. Then I added some other backgrounds because it seems that whatever medium you draw on affects your thinking in subtle ways.

So yeah, it's more or less pointless. Google wouldn't even give me AdSense for it. :)

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