MarcForrest.com

Category: iPhone

  • SA Lotto iPhone app reaches number 2 in the SA iTunes Store

    After just 16 days of our SA Lotto iPhone app going live, we are pleased to announce that we hit number the number 2 position on the South African iTunes store.

    The response to the app has been phenomenal and really exceeded all our expectations. In fact, almost every single comment or feedback we received about the app, has been positive. To give you some idea of how many downloads we have had, we have had close on 1,000 downloads of the app already, with about 80% of these coming from the SA iTunes store. What it also means though, and proves my previous point, is that the iPhone market in South Africa is still pretty uneducated about downloading and using iPhone apps.

    Thanks to everyone who has downloaded the app and the positive feedback. We working busy working on ver 2.0, which will be filled with loads of new and exciting features. Also, once again, I just want to say a big big thanks to Juliaan who put so much time into this app, without him, none of this would have been possible :)

  • Win a prize valued at $10,000 with FNB & PayPal X

    The guys from FNB & PayPal X have put up a prize valued at about $10,000 for a South African developer who create innovative an application using PayPal’s payment platform. This is any type of app, not iPhone, but can also be web etc.

    The competition forms part of the PayPal X Innovate Conference which is in taking place in October in San Fransisco. The winner of the local leg of the competition will get to travel to the conference courtesy of FNB & PayPal X, and all expenses will be covered. The conference will feature presentations from industry experts, new product announcements and sessions that will give developers the tools and support they need to create the future of payments.

    PayPal X is the PayPal developer network which has loads and loads of resources and forums for creating your own PayPal application. I was looking around on the site earlier, and there are some really cool things to play around with. Being the non developer that I am, even I understood it :) I also came across a very very cool iPhone Library, which allows you integrate PayPal into your iPhone app, and allows you to accept mobile payments.

    How to enter
    To submit for the FNB and PayPal X Award, log on to x.com and click to register for the PayPal X Developer Challenge. Select the box for the FNB and PayPal X Award. Developers who register by 4 August, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. PDT will be entered to win one of 10 iPads. The use of some of PayPal’s products requires approval by 1 September, 2010; please check x.com for detailed contest timelines and deadlines. The winner of the FNB/PayPal X Award will be notified on 29 September, 2010.

    Good Luck :)

  • MiX Mobile iPad app

    Earlier today I wrote about the News24 iPad app being the first iPad app in South Africa, until I was alerted earlier today  to the fact that it indeed wasn’t the first. The free Mix Mobile for iPad app (iTunes Link) from the guys and girls at Mix Telematics, was actually the first SA iPad app, which was published on the 30th June.

    You may recall a couple of months ago, I received a XDrive unit from the chaps at Mix. The XDrive unit is a device you install in your car, which then allows you to track it on the either the web site, an iPhone app, and now, and iPad app. The app is very cool, and is perfect for the iPad. The large screen now lets you get a much “wider” view of what is happening with your vehicle. You can view movement history of the car, which will show you stats such as distance traveled, top speed and time etc.

    Here are some of the features of the Mix Mobile for iPad app:
    • Track your vehicles in real-time on a map
    • Quick view of all your vehicles and their status
    • Latest speed and event information
    • Choice of maps include street, satellite and hybrid
    • SMS tracking (including multiple positions)
    • System test from MiX Mobile
    • Lock onto a vehicle in Follow Mode
    • Trip reports
    • Plot a route on a map
    • See start and end points of trips
    • Your position relative to your vehicle
    • Longitude and Latitude positions as well as street locations

    I have had my XDrive unit for  almost 8 months now, and the credits I got from the team when they sent it to me, are STILL available (413 left). Granted, I don’t do thousands of KM a week, but it sure has lasted long. What I do like is the ability to pull reports from the website, and I really hope to be able to see this type of functionality in both the iPad & iPhone app. It would also be great if one could see your balance & purchase more credits directly through the app.

    The one thing thing I have to commend the guys (well actually mostly girls that I follow on Twitter) is the superb support & passion for their products. I had an issue a while back, and mailed @Cath_Lewis, who responded almost immediately and sorted my issue out. Even the CEO of the company is on Twitter and interacts with their users. Another #brandplus to them :)

    As my time draws to a close with the XDrive, I am most definitely going to be topping up the credit, now that the iPad version is out. I am looking forward to using it more and more in the coming months.

  • Vodacom Microsim

    With the advent of the iPad 3G and Apple iPhone 4, I have had a number of people contact me to ask me about the micro sim which is needed to work with these devices.
    The micro sim is about 52% smaller than your normal simcard, and is starting to be used as the industry standard worldwide for new devices.

    Image courtesy of Vtime.co.za

    Because neither of the above 2 devices are currently available in South Africa, there hasn’t been much of a demand for them yet, apart from the early adopters.Vodacom have however shipped in a couple thousand micro sims which are available from most Vodacom outlets. The cost of the micro sim is round about R100 bucks, and there may be a sim swap charge of R62 if you go with that option. You can also use the sim as a Twin Call sim, which means you can have 2 sims on 1 contract.

    Remember the Micro Sim will only work in deices that support it.Trying to use it in devices that don’t will damage the sim and the device. Also cutting a normal sim to the size of a micro sim, can be both costly and completely ruin your simcard

  • Introducting SA Lotto iPhone App

    Well, today is a pretty exciting day, because I can finally let the cat out of the bag, and reveal, a project I have been working on for the last couple of months. Introducing the SA Lotto App iPhone app (iTunes Link).

    Over the last couple of months I have been working with a chap down in Cape Town called Juliaan Evenwel on this app, and today it was (finally) approved by Apple. Juliaan did most of the iPhone groundwork, and designed the app, while I gave input on the functionality and design aspect of the app. Big Big thanks go to Juliaan on the work he has put into this app. He has spent hours and hours on this project. Respect :)

    The app will show all the latest results from the South African lottery, as well a couple of cool features such as a random Quick Pick generator. Another funky feature is the ability to choose your own numbers which the app will then match up to the drawn ones, and show you if you have won.

    This is the app store description we have set:

    SA Lotto App offers you the most comprehensive iPhone South African Lotto App

    Features of the app include:
    * Simple and intuitive user interface
    * Instant results from Lotto, Lotto Plus & Powerball draws as soon as they are made available.
    * Full prize division payouts for Lotto, Lotto Plus & Powerball.
    * Full draw information including machine used as well as draw number etc.
    * Quick pick numbers with hot & cold indicators as well as number appearances.
    * Pick your own numbers to match up to winning numbers to see if you have won.

    * This App Requires a working internet connection (WiFi or 3G) to download the latest results and statistics.

    To see more info about SA Lotto App, head on over http://www.salottoapp.com or download it from the app store at – http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sa-lotto/id378928613?mt=8

    I would love to hear feedback and comments on the app and if you have any suggestions on how we can change the app, we would really appreciate it. This is just the start of a couple of what is destined to become a really great South African iPhone app.