So as the new iPhone 4s rolls out today, I want to let you know about a little app I am launching on iTunes. May it prove to be big in the BUCKET world. "Bucket", you say? Buckets are for beer, for playing in the sand, for figuratively kicking in a worst case scenario and in the best of all possible worlds, there are buckets of money. What else are buckets used for? Buckets are also for cloud computing, friends. Amazon Cloud Computing to be precise. So you get an Amazon S3 account and you've uploaded all your goodies, especially those ginormous files you don't want to keep on your hardrive, to the big cloud sever in the sky. Fine, those files live in luxury there like the gods on Olympus. But how do we mere mortal access our files now?  Why Bucket Link, of course! Especially files for clients who don't want to know from FTP sites and logging in, remembering passwords, finding the file, not be able to open the file, blaming you for not being able to open the file.... Why are you making the client do all this work?! Here you are, practically a tech god, and you are making clients angry. Their puny hardrives just may choke on that big shiny hi-res file you just sent.  Well, not for a savvy few - they bought a copy of Bucket Link on iTunes this month. On the go, on your iPhone and iPad you can use Bucket Link to build a web address link to your file. Email it, Bump it, Tweet it, even Facebook it. Afterall, where else is everybody at 3pm these days? 

The Bucket Link app makes one direct link on the web you can send anywhere, anytime. That's what Bucket Link is for.  It Launched this June on iTunes in the Business category.

Follow the link here to see what Bucket Link can do for you:

http://www.bucketlink.com

Starlight Media thanks you!

If you are like me, learning about the world of iPhone programming is an ongoing quest. I have been through numerous texts, and sadly, quite a few have fallen by the wayside.  The good news is I think I’ve found the best book on this subject so far: The Business of iPhone App Development: Making and Marketing Apps that Succeed by Dave Wooldridge published by Apress.

Don’t look for the usual line-by-line code how-to.  There are plenty of sources out there for this kind of thing. This book has some very useful bits of programming advice and sections of code, that I totally intend to use. Wooldridge knows his stuff, but the vast majority of his ideas cover marketing and how to position the Apps you make. You can man-up and make the juiciest app computing has ever known, but honestly – do you know how to get it out there? Beat the competition? Have foursquare rate you “King of the Lab?”  No? Yeah, my point exactly. The only other book out there on the market covering this territory is Starting an iPhone Application Business For Dummies Yeah, Dummies.  Mr. Wooldridge's book is vastly superior.

Wooldridge gave me the useful intel right from Chapter 1.  Here’s a little nugget we all cannot do without: The book recommends to set-up your iTunes Connect Contract with Apple, even before your App is completed.  If this isn't done Apple will not be able to pay you.  Even though my App is not completed yet, I went ahead and did this step.  I have high hopes for my little brainchild and so should you.

He gives absolutely priceless advice about naming your app. I won’t give it away, but let’s just say that any app named supercalifraglisticexpialidocious is doomed to the dustbin of app history

Free agents need to know their way around the business law pertaining to app development and the myriad ramifications involved the process including pricing. To charge or not to charge? That is the question.  Wooldridge out of the kindness of his heart takes you there, and in-depth too.  These chapters are survival manuals for working with freelance contractors and also companies outside your own.

Test accounts and the all important Submissions process are given a thorough run down before he introduces you to the world of marketing and buzz.  Twitter and Facebook are discussed as well as creating an appealing website that will be viewable on a iPhone.  Also, discussed are more traditional means such as email marketing using Constant Contact.

The Business of iPhone App Development: Making and Marketing Apps that Succeed Hey, I’ve got my copy. And I’m ahead of you on line.  Now go get yours!

Well here's my resolution to post more on my blog. My posts have not come that frequently. This year that is going to change. I have been working on an iPhone App and that has been taking a lot of time. Objective-C is not that easy. I will be sharing more about that on my blog dedicated to learning about iPhone App programming called whydoesntitwork I will be sharing tips and resources for people who would like to learn about iPhone programming and what's involved in creating an App.

Starlight Media, Inc. was featured on the American Express OPEN Website speaking about the growth of Macs and the iPhone for its clients.  Be sure to check out the video on the American Express OPEN Website!

You maybe surprised to know that it's a tiny Linux computer without a keyboard but a touchscreen called It can play music from Pandora and also let you keep up with David Letterman's top 10 lists. Chumby works by connecting to the Chumby Network via WiFi. It plays widgets, which you select via a webpage on your computer. Once everything is setup which only takes about 10 minutes at the most, you just sit back and watch all the cool items it can display. Mine displays Flickr photos, Facebook updates, webcams from two different aquariums, Gizmodo, Engadget, Slashdot, Make magazine, and bunch more.

If you have a friend who has a Chumby you can send each widgets via my Chums.  Feel free to add me, my Chumby is starlightmedia

It's a lot of fun be sure to go to the Chumby website to get yours!