iSitter - Dig out your old iPhone 3G/S

I've heard from many iSitter users that want to use their "spare" devices as a baby end of the monitor.

This seems like a great use of an old device, but it does present a couple of problems.

You need to use an old copy of iSitter, as I gradually move things forward which stops me being able to support old iOS versions on the app. These old iSitter versions might have bugs, connection issues or just plain bad UI.

Old versions also may not work with newer ones as I haven't tested them and Apple changes things out of my control, and to be honest I introduce bugs or drop features. (uncompressed audio anyone...).

So, here is the solution. A copy of iSitter which works with old iOS versions and devices, but runs the latest Baby code.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/isitter-baby-only/id1026965648?ls=1&mt=8

This 'Baby Only' version has some limitations to keep things simple.

• No in-app-purchases
• Connection only via Wifi / or iSitter Connect
• Baby only (obviously)
• No live video support (iPhones before the 4 can't do it anyway)

You can finish a Journey, but you never 'finish' an App

Sometimes it feels as if an app is 'finished', the crash reports stop coming, the bug reports tail off and it does everything i think it should.

Of course, looking back on these times afterwards always seems ridiculous.

RSSRadio has had this 'finished' feeling a few times, and I was starting to get it again recently.

The 'Whats New' list for the next version of RSSRadio is now one of the longest ever and i've still got around a month to add more.

Ridiculous indeed.

Patronage Supported Apps

There has been a lot of rather excited discussion recently about sustaining small app developers, making sure we support the apps we like to keep them around and getting better.

Its always been the case that the App Store has worked on a "pay once", "keep forever" basis. So you could have bought RSSRadio on your iPhone 3G in August 2010 for $1.99 and installed every update since then on all your new iPhones for free. Thats pretty good value.

I don't think we will ever see the App Store change, and there is no doubt that many many users 'expect' everything to be free or pay once. Frankly i think this is something Apple is very happy with (read about Commoditising your Complements)

Something else seems to be emerging to fill the gap. When asked, small groups of the most enthusiastic users seem prepared to support apps with small payments on an ongoing basis. This week Overcast was the top grossing app in its category on the App Store in most countries and its only form of payment is a "Monthly Patronage".

This is an encouraging sign. I love what I do and its a privilege to be able to do it, but the App Store is a harsh place and getting enough steady revenue in to feed my family is always a balance. I am putting iAds over the top of UI which i laboured to create, and am limiting functions in apps so users will pay to unlock it.

I'm not naive enough to believe that we have entered a utopia where all of the iAds and in app purchases are going to disappear but perhaps the time has come where one or two dollars a month seems a reasonable thing for an app you may use for many hours a week.

At this point I don't intend to build a patronage system separately into every one of my apps, but i have created a Patreon account. If you enjoy one of my apps, perhaps having bought it months or even years ago, please consider becoming one of the people willing to support something you enjoy.

https://www.patreon.com/dorada

Comparing Podcast Silence Removers

I've been meaning to do this for a while. The guys at @atpfm graciously allowed me to use their podcast to compare the Overcasts 'Smart Speed' with RSSRadio's 'Silence Skip'

@MarcoArment (the author of Overcast) points out that he has optimised Overcast for a 'Natural Sound'.

I have aimed RSSRadio's silence skip at about 5/10% time saving on the average indie podcast.

Auto-pausing RSSRadio during Apple Maps turn-by-turn navigation voice prompts

In iOS9, you can set the Maps app so it will interrupt RSSRadio (version 3.6.0 onwards) rather than speak over the instructions:

During navigation, press the "speaker" button on the bottom.

Switch the "Pause Spoken Audio" to ON.