Show HN: Tag Along (my first iPhone app 37 days later) • Hacker News Board

Re: Show HN: Tag Along (my first iPhone app 37 days later)

#21

Post by benvolioT » Sat, Oct 15, 2011, 1:59 AM UTC

tansey wrote: post #4

tsalfie wrote: post #2

I built this in 37 days with no prior iOS experience (though I did have experience with ruby/rails). I think it could be useful but I'd love some feedback.

I would consider some sort of free version of this app, so people can join without risk. Maybe make a version that limits you to 3 friends for free, or unlimited friends for $1.99?

I agree. Sounds like a great app, but to be useful, I have to pay for it and so do each of my friends (unless you add the email / SMS feature suggested above).

I suggest a fremium pricing model. Perhaps all features are free exept one killer feature, which is an optional in-app purchase. For example - push notifications when one of your friends suggests an activity.

Re: Show HN: Tag Along (my first iPhone app 37 days later)

#22

Post by jamesgagan » Sat, Oct 15, 2011, 2:58 AM UTC

jashmenn wrote: post #13

jamesgagan wrote: post #5

I'm interested in knowing what you found to be the best resources for building your first iOS app. Did you use anything like PhoneGap or just Xcode? I have been looking at making an iOS app and while there are lots of examples of how do specific things, I haven't found any good overviews of how to properly architect an iOS app or what if any framework to use.

Hey jamesgagan, I feel your pain. I found the same thing when I started iOS development a few years ago: plenty of tutorials on how to restyle a specific widget, but not many resources on how a real-world application should be structured as a whole. I've got a few iOS apps under my belt and I feel like I could have something to offer in this area. Feel like Skyping for a half hour or so? I'd love to help talk through…

thanks for the offer - i may take you up on it at some point!

Re: Show HN: Tag Along (my first iPhone app 37 days later)

#23

Post by jamesgagan » Sat, Oct 15, 2011, 2:59 AM UTC

bjplink wrote: post #11

jamesgagan wrote: post #5

I'm interested in knowing what you found to be the best resources for building your first iOS app. Did you use anything like PhoneGap or just Xcode? I have been looking at making an iOS app and while there are lots of examples of how do specific things, I haven't found any good overviews of how to properly architect an iOS app or what if any framework to use.

I built my first app from scratch almost entirely using Learn iPhone Programming ( http://learningiphoneprogramming.com ) by Alasdair Allan. Highly recommended.

i'll check it out.

Re: Show HN: Tag Along (my first iPhone app 37 days later)

#24

Post by itsnotvalid » Sat, Oct 15, 2011, 6:07 AM UTC

ams6110 wrote: post #16

tsalfie wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a good point and I see the turn off of "pay for this and hope your friends will too." This is the sort of feedback I was looking for - would someone buy this then ask their friends to do the same or is that too much to ask?

I don't think so. If I tell my friends "hey this app is cool, we should all buy it" I think that could work. It's only $2, you spend way more than that doing most anything with friends anyway.

Without first trying an app I wouldn't recommend to my friends. However I couldn't properly evaluate this app without my friends also trying.

If all have to buy a copy, the decision to buy would become a collective one which the chance of buying this app would be even lower.

Further, as this is the first app by the author, there is no track record as a reference.

Hope you understand my reasoning for why social apps should be free at least at the beginning.