In addition to typical software testing methods, there are other important factors to keep in mind when testing your iPad app. First, test on a real iPad. Although the iPhone Simulator provided by Apple is free, an actual device can reveal glitches that could go unnoticed on the Simulator.

If you developed an app that ran perfectly on the iPhone, Apple says that you can run it on an iPad just out of the box. However, this isn’t always the outcome. Apps that worked well on the iPhone may become unstable when they migrate to the iPad. Only thorough testing can reveal bugs before you release your app.

You can use Xcode’s graphical debugger to help with finding what’s at fault in the code. Instruments, also included with the SDK, collects real-time performance data to help you identify and fix serious performance issues.

Another tip: try out your app on an iPad while using a Wi-Fi connection. You can quickly determine if there are any issues using a wireless connection. Remember, you are testing how a user may interact with the iPad in the real world. In addition, test the connection with a carrier network if you can.

The Apple Developer Program features technical support from Apple engineers and two technical support incidents where you can receive help at the code-level, guidance, and technical documentation. In order to be a member of the Developer Program you must pay $99 per year. This allows you to test on a real iPad and submit your app to the App Store. The yearly fee also includes assistance with the distribution of your app.

Finally, when software testing keep in mind that the iPad is a new device and no one knows all of the ways a user might approach it.

By: Debi Zylbermann

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app reviews

If you’re a developer, you’ve probably heard of the thousands of apps designed just for the iPad. Plus, you are probably aware that around 150,000 apps running on the iPhone and iPod touch also run on the iPad. You may be asking yourself if you should jump in the game and develop apps for this new device. In this article we are going to look at what it takes to develop software for the iPad.

But first, let’s recognize the iPad for what it is: a device for consuming information. It’s an excellent machine for viewing videos, photos, surfing the Web, or listening to music. The iBook app is outstanding for reading e-books. The iPad is also excellent for e-mail and gaming. Right out of the box you can use games from the iPhone and iPod touch. And sound quality is good, the battery lasts for 10 or more hours, and the touch screen is great for gaming. Printing from the iPad is problematic, however, making the device troublesome for business users.

The iPhone SDK 3.2, which can be used to develop for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, includes a complete set of tools to create iPad apps. In the SDK you’ll find the Xcode IDE, iPhone Simulator, Interface Builder, and Instruments, which allows you to see performance data graphically. Note that iPad development is possible only on Mac OS X version 10.6.2.

Other development resources include the Programming Guide, Sample Code, Human Interface Guidelines, and Creating Universal Applications, which helps you to create binaries that will run on the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.

You have a choice regarding coding of your apps. The native language for the device is Objective-C. This option is great for developing games because of the fast response, terrific graphics, and functionality with other iPad features.

Web design tools are the easiest way to create apps, however. This route involves using HTML5 and JavaScript.

You may find that it’s difficult to create a good UI for your app using a touch-driven device like iPad. Well, this is a new experience for users and developers alike. It’s very important that your app is both useful and usable, so you may want to create a prototype and then design, test, re-design, and test until you have a great UI.

Another point to remember is that the iPad interface is very familiar to the iPhone interface. It is just like the iPhone, only bigger. Note that you can use the new SDK to modify and optimize iPhone apps for the iPad.

As developers, you probably don’t do much software testing, but make sure you don’t forget this critical activity, as your app will hopefully end up on thousands of devices, and you don’t want there to be any bugs in it.

Finally, distributing your app is easy on the App Store. To submit an app to the App Store you must pay $99 to become a member of the Apple Developer Program. For users, the App Store is a trusted provider, and it also gives developers a chance to make money. So good luck!

By: Debi Zylbermann

About the Author:

app reviews

In 2002 productivity expert David Allen wrote the highly successful book “Getting Things Done.” His methodology for organizing every area of your life is a worldwide phenomenon and is now known simply as GTD. Some of the more notable companies that implement Allen’s principles are Google, Microsoft, Oracle and Sony. As more and more people (especially within the tech community) adopted GTD various software applications and websites began popping up all over the web. Omnifocus, Things (for iPad), Vitalist, Remember the milk and FreeGTD are just a few but Thinkingrock stands out from the pack as a robust, popular and free tool based around this model.

Thinkingrock allows users to harness the power of Allen’s 5 stages of workflow whether you are designing a website, building a car from scratch or need to get your bills in order. The user friendly interface includes a homepage that directs you to each of the relevant tasks.

Stage 1: Collect. Click this button to get everything no matter how big or small off your mind. You will see a list of your thoughts and a little plus sign icon; click this to open the editor. Type whatever has your attention and then click add (or press enter) and the new item will show on your list.

Stage 2: Process. Clicking this button will launch a wizard from which you can decide what each item in your “inbox” means and what to do about it. Is it actionable? What’s the topic? Are there next actions? There is also a place for notes, a scheduling option or you can add this item to a larger project.

Stage 3: Organize. In Thinkingrock you can access all of your actions, projects, and reference items in one convenient window. From here you can assign priorities, filter, and organize your tasks. This is the default start page when you launch the program, in other words you are taken directly to your actions list.

Stage 4: Review. Once a task has been created, then processed out of the inbox and into its appropriate category then you can review these results. You have the ability to reassign a task, delete it, complete it, schedule it, delegate it or add notes. This is the step where you make sure that you’re on the right track and that your actions list is streamlined.

Step 5: Do. This is the only step that Thinkingrock doesn’t accomplish for you. Regardless of how functional the software is you still have to actually do the actions.

Thinkingrock is designed as a personal database and has tons of features including the ability to create detailed PDF reports and a wide array of java plugins to take it even further. Thinkingrock is easy to use for anyone but if you already have GTD experience then you will find it to be a treat.

By: Kody Hackbusch

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