Puppyo! of course is a native iPhone application; I taught myself how to program in Objective-C by creating this app. It cost me $100 to sign up as an Apple developer. I have put literally hundreds of hours into the whole process of learning all the pieces involved, but that didn't cost me anything but my time.
The back end is based on Google's App Engine, which provides free accounts in it's current state. So the ongoing costs of this app are nothing, and the sunk cost is $100. That's it.
As this was primarily developed for my own interest and as a learning experience, I am toying with the idea of posting details of how this app works from a code level, from the Objective-C source to the back end App Engine database. If you are interested just let me know in the comments.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Version 3.1
This has been out awhile, just forgot to post about it. Fixed the issue with translation so that any language supported by Google Translate should be able to translate back and forth, not just English.
Some early poor reviews on the USA App Store (from version 1.0!) have kept the US audience pretty low on this app, so that other countries have had the run of the place. (Italy I'm talking to you!)
Haven't really freaked out about this cause I want to see where this goes, it's sort of neat to see other countries have fun with it and not have the US market dominate it.
Some people may want new features so it will be like other social networking apps, but I like the simplicity, speed, and stability that I've currently attained with Puppyo!. This is not meant to be an end-all be-all app, just a quick, fun and simple way to connect with other iPhone & iPod Touch users across the world.
Enjoy!
Some early poor reviews on the USA App Store (from version 1.0!) have kept the US audience pretty low on this app, so that other countries have had the run of the place. (Italy I'm talking to you!)
Haven't really freaked out about this cause I want to see where this goes, it's sort of neat to see other countries have fun with it and not have the US market dominate it.
Some people may want new features so it will be like other social networking apps, but I like the simplicity, speed, and stability that I've currently attained with Puppyo!. This is not meant to be an end-all be-all app, just a quick, fun and simple way to connect with other iPhone & iPod Touch users across the world.
Enjoy!
Friday, October 10, 2008
Version 3.0
Well it took another week to approve but the 3rd version of Puppyo is now out. I added a 200km radius, and also a feature to translate posts into the current location's country's native language. Due to a current bug it only translates into English right now, but I am working on a small update so that many many more languages are covered and hope to have it out in the next few weeks.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Version 2.0 is out!
Hey everybody, version 2.0 has been approved by Apple last night, and I see that it is already being used! I think adding the worldwide scope will make it more chat-friendly, and also adding the 30km radius will help to find people/posts in your area.
It is always nerve-wracking submitting the app b/c regardless of testing you never know if it will work "in the wild", I am glad to see it is working as I expected so far.
Have fun!
Friday, August 29, 2008
The Island
Some people, when starting Puppyo!, are surprised to find themselves banished to an island in northern Lake Michigan, along with others who share a similar fate.
This is because the device cannot get any location information, so the default is to stick you on this island.
I am not sure why this is happening, other than possibly these are mostly iPod Touch users who are not in a WiFi location that is in the SkyHook wifi location database. Or perhaps there are some iPhone users there too.... but if you have a data connection you would think that the cell tower information is there to find the location.
In any case, let me know in the comments if you are on this island, and if so, if you are using a Touch or an iPhone. Thanks!
p.s. Even if you are properly located, there is a way to hack your way onto the island... can you discover it? :)
This is because the device cannot get any location information, so the default is to stick you on this island.
I am not sure why this is happening, other than possibly these are mostly iPod Touch users who are not in a WiFi location that is in the SkyHook wifi location database. Or perhaps there are some iPhone users there too.... but if you have a data connection you would think that the cell tower information is there to find the location.
In any case, let me know in the comments if you are on this island, and if so, if you are using a Touch or an iPhone. Thanks!
p.s. Even if you are properly located, there is a way to hack your way onto the island... can you discover it? :)
Bad Data = Bad Day
Discovered that a post yesterday containing bad data caused anyone who downloaded the app for the first time yesterday had it lock up upon first-time run. Finally fixed the issue last night around midnight CST, and put checks in place to ensure that this particular issue doesn't happen again.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
How Puppyo! Works
Puppyo! allows you to post messages to a shared community bulletin board, which contains a map link to the location you posted the message from.
Also, you can only view posts that are within a certain radius around where you currently are, so that the posts are relevant to your current location. The starting radius is approximately 5000 meters, or 3 miles. You can tighten up the radius to be around 1000 meters (1/2 mile) or 50 meters (160 feet). In this way you can filter out extraneous posts to see just what is in your immediate vicinity.
For example you can go to a neighborhood, park, restaurant or whatever, and call up Puppyo! to see what others have posted about this area in the past. Food recommendations, things to see and do, etc. Likewise you can post your own message for future Puppyo! people to see.
You can even use Puppyo! as a limited chat client, to chat with those people that are within your radius. So if you are at a conference for example, you can pull it up and chat with other Puppyo! people at that same conference, without having to log in or subscribe to any particular service.
Those were my ideas when creating the app, I thought it would be great to put them out there and see if they become useful or fun for others to play with.
I think alot of people are discouraged there is no information near where they are, but remember you are all the vanguards and you can claim this territory as your own! :)
Also, you can only view posts that are within a certain radius around where you currently are, so that the posts are relevant to your current location. The starting radius is approximately 5000 meters, or 3 miles. You can tighten up the radius to be around 1000 meters (1/2 mile) or 50 meters (160 feet). In this way you can filter out extraneous posts to see just what is in your immediate vicinity.
For example you can go to a neighborhood, park, restaurant or whatever, and call up Puppyo! to see what others have posted about this area in the past. Food recommendations, things to see and do, etc. Likewise you can post your own message for future Puppyo! people to see.
You can even use Puppyo! as a limited chat client, to chat with those people that are within your radius. So if you are at a conference for example, you can pull it up and chat with other Puppyo! people at that same conference, without having to log in or subscribe to any particular service.
Those were my ideas when creating the app, I thought it would be great to put them out there and see if they become useful or fun for others to play with.
I think alot of people are discouraged there is no information near where they are, but remember you are all the vanguards and you can claim this territory as your own! :)
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