An iPad as a code editor? Try Textastic

Just found out this very powerful and nice iPad application: a code editor for developers like us. Textastic is a contextual text editor supporting more than 80 differente language. Want to learn more about HTML5? The code editor with constant syntax completion could help you out. Instant buy for me. Here is a demonstration.

Not sure if this application is for you? Download the manual right here.

Moving from Blogger to SquareSpace

My blog was hosted on Google's Blogger service since 2009. For three years, I saw big improvements to Blogger but for the last few months my feelings about Google's service were not very positive. First, my old blog looked pretty ugly. I tried to look at replacing the visual template but I could not settle on something. While doing my research for that, WordPress was constantly popping in my head. After all, www.ultpassmgr.com is a WordPress site hosted with Fatcow's hosting services. So I know a bit about WordPress but I feel it is too hacky for me.

I knew about another hosting platform possibility: SquareSpace. I've been checking their hosting services for about one year. I came across their iPad client last year and I was impressed by the possibilities of blogging on the go with a much better client than what was available for Blogger or WorPress. The downer was the pricing plans available. Blogger was free, SquareSpace wasn't. This week, things changed on the pricing front at SquareSpace. They simplified their offerings and made it a little bit cheaper. After spending a couple hours within the 14-days trial, I made the plunge and decided to buy a two years plan. 

The reasons behind my decision are many: 

1. The template editor is much more flexible on SquareSpace than on Blogger.
2. The look and functionalities of the post editor are more impressive on SquareSpace than Blogger or WordPress.
3. You can change 90% of the site visuals without doing CSS or HTML which is not the case with Blogger and WordPress. 
4. The media management is easier on SquareSpace than on WordPress. On Blogger, pictures are stored on Picasa.
5. After playing with SquareSpace Blog import feature, I was hapy to discover that my post tads, publishing date we're imported without any problem from Blogger.
6. Advertising with BuyAndSellAds was not as good as expected. I think that one of the reason for this (besides low visits count compared to other similar blogs) was the bad look of my site. I feel that if I can improve on the look, more advertisers will be willing to put ads for display.
7. I'm using Disqus as a discussion platform but it is rarely used and too much for my needs. Comment management on SquareSpace are integrated in the iPad client so it is a big plus for now (there is no comment moderation client on the iPad from Disqus - sad).

At the time of this writing, my new blog is still on Blogger. I'll do my DNS changes in a few days. But I wonder what will happen with my RSS feed: will it be transparent to the users? By how what margin my visit count was better by being hosted on Google's platform regarding indexation and discoverability? Will it deteriorate while being hosted on SquareSpace? We'll see.

I hope you enjoy the new look of Building iPhone Apps.  

My review of Paintcode

If you are an iOS developer who is trying to find a better way to write Objective-C drawing code for CoreGraphics or Quartz, there maybe a better way for you. If you are starting to learn CoreGraphics and Quartz, part of iOS APIs, there may be a tool for you. If you are looking for a way to design iOS applications which will automatically scale from non 1X to 2X resolutions in order to support Retina Displays, there may be a tool for you.

Look what we have here: Paintcode.

Paintcode is a drawing application that generates Objective-C in order to draw visual objects using Cocoa APIs: Quartz and Core Graphics. Like most of the drawing software, you'll will be able to:

- Create shapes
- Define colors
- Undo your mistakes
- and the like.

The basic workflow of Paintcode is very simple: before starting to draw shapes, you first define the colors that will be part of the color palette of your project, then you build gradients based on these basic colors and finally you create shadows. Created objects will then use these colors, gradients and shadows as you wish. Changing a single color will be reflected everywhere from the shapes to the gradients and shadows that are build on this basic color.

These relationship allows for easy incremental change to graphical elements by varying basic colors. So it is very easy to fine tune appearance or the graphical elements.

Objects attributes include identify names that are used for variables naming in the generated code. Very precise control for everything is available. Live preview of code generation is how Paintcode works so you always get an up to date Objective-C code. By the way, depending if you are developing an iOS application or a Mac OS X application, you can switch between the two for generated code flavour. For project examples, go to http://www.paintcodeapp.com/examples.html and see for yourself to get a better idea of what Paintcode can do.

Usage of Paintcode are many:
- Learn the basics of UIKit/AppKit graphical programming in Quartz and Core Graphics.
- Can save a bunch of time of trial and error for programmers who are not good at graphic designs programmatically.
- Can save time too for those wanting quick results in having up and running drawing code in their projects.

What is missing or could be improved? The application could include other basic graphical elements like glass overlays that we often see on iOS navigation bars for example. Full screen mode is not available for Lion users. But remember, this is version 1.0 of an application with a lot of potential. According to the developers, the next update will add PNG export, blending modes  and bug fixes. Another thing that could help the developer is to wrap the generated code in an object that could be easily be integrated in the developer's application code. Right now, the code needs tweaking in order to be used.

One observation on application pricing: some developers find the 79$ price tag a bit steep but I don't think it is: it may be too easy to compare to other lower priced applications on the Mac App Store. I think you have to look at the inherent value of the application: you'll save time by using it. Recently, PixelCut added a demo version that you can download and try for yourself which is a good thing for a 79$ application.

I look forward to see how Paintcode will evolve in the near future.

ITC Status Reports arrival times

Want to now about iTunes Connect (ITC) reports arrival time? Look no further than AppFigures reporting page which is awesome.

Cleanup Xcode project assets - here is a must have!

You are working on big Xcode projects with a large quantity of assets and would like to do a spring cleanup? Which files are no longer referenced by your code?  Is there any @1x graphic files missing for their @2x counterpart? enter Slender from Dragon Forged Software. Go check this out as the software is currently 50% off!

QuickLook plugin for provisioning profiles

This is soooo cool. Quick look into any provisioning profiles. Easy. Fast. Useful.

Another kind of application analytics

Saw that this morning, heat maps applied to user interaction with iOS application design. Learn how users are interacting with your application. Where do they touch most, or try pinching. You could get clues about badly designed application. Really cool.

https://heatma.ps/

Need a backend platform for your iOS app?

Just stumbled upon this today: www.parse.com. Parse offers a complete backend server platform for mobile apps. iOS and Android are supported. The feature set includes:

• Data Storage in a schemaless format in the cloud;
• Push Notifications Servers;
• User management inside your app for easy signup features;
• Social media integration for user sign in.

The service is currently in beta and free for that period. Seems very nice. The documentation is very well done!

App Cooker little brother: App Taster

After releasing a very capable and visually compelling prototyping tool earlier this year called App Cooker (see my review here), Hot App Factory released a companion application to App Cooker named App Taster. This application is essentially a player for mockups build with App Cooker. 

Mockups are imported from iTunes via document sharing. From the preview mode, the user is allowed to send feedback via email with a screen shot of the currently shown picture. Nice. App Taster is free on the App Store. Bon appétit. 

Who tried Linguan for iOS application localization?

Just found out about Linguan on the Cocoanetics web site. This Mac OS application allows a developer to simplify the localization of his application (Mac OS or IOS). Anyone tried it? Any comments? I may try it myself and post a review of it.