Tag: mobile

Twitter for iOS Adds Accessibility

The Twitter fo iOS app added a panel for accessibility. To access the panel tap on the gear in your profile and then tap on “Settings”. Next tap on “Display and sound” and then you will be presented with this panel:

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Thank you Twitter for adding these options.

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Jeff Haynie: Five things I will do different for my next startup

Jeff Haynie, CEO and Co-Founder of Appcelerator just published an article entitled “Five things I will do different for my next startup“, which is well worth a read.

Here are the five lessons Jeff learned:

  • Monetize earlier
  • Scale slower
  • Burn less
  • Automate and outsource everything
  • Measure everything

Read Jeff’s article >

Slack: What Great Execution Looks Like

For those of you who know me, I’m a huge fan and user of Slack; both the company and the product. Here are some things that Slack has done and continues to do right:

  1. Social Media: They know how to use social media to connect with their users. They respond to every tweet and do their best to help you. If they can’t help you they connect you with somebody within Slack that can help.
  2. Integrations: Out of the box they offer an extensive list of products and services that they integrate with. This is a HUGE one as I use many of these integrations when I setup my new Slack groups. Oh, and did I mention that they work and they work as you would expect to work.
  3. API: The Slack API is very well thought out and documented. I have developed several bots, some simple and some quite complex using their API. There isn’t much you can’t do.
  4. Just enough features: Slack doesn’t try to be all things to all users. I’m hoping that Slack continues to carefully craft the user experience in the same way that they already have.
  5. Mobile, Web and Desktop: Right out of the gate they offered first class desktop, the web and mobile clients. All that worked very well.
  6. App Store/App Directory: Need I say more.

It’s these six things that make Slack a company and product to admire. There are so many companies trying to take on Slack and there are some other products that do what Slack does. Bottom line is that they are not Slack the company and Slack the product.

I expect in the forthcoming weeks, to see other companies announcing products to challenge Slack’s dominance and I’m looking forward to seeing how those new products align with the six things I outlined above, if at all.

I’m quite surprised with these results

Yesterday I performed a completely unscientific poll asking “What’s your primary app development target platform?” and I am quite surprised with two things:

  1. 44% of the 75 participants are still primarily developing rich client apps
  2. Only 9% are developing primarily for mobile/tablet

Screen Shot 2013-07-17 at 7.22.34 AMWhat’s your take on these results?

Technology Complacency – I’m in a good place

This is the first time in many years that I am not feeling the need to upgrade my desktop computer, laptop, smart phone or  tablet. I’m not even feeling the slightest urge to to get new kit of any kind. My 27″ 2011 iMac is running great, my iPad mini is awesome, my 2012 Macbook Pro laptop is way more than I need on the road and for teaching and my iPhone 4s still works great.

In the past I would feel the effects of the Steve Jobs “reality distortion field” and feel compelled to upgrade. No more. Maybe it’s the “turning 50” thing?

Everything is working, and working dang well.

How about you?