One Billion iPhone Apps Downloaded - by Christopher Stolee

There was a lot of specualtion at the beginning of 2009 as to what the billionth iPhone app download from the iTunes App Store would be. With the launch of the App Store in the summer of 2008, Apple and the rest of us really had no idea that we would be talking about a billion iPhone apps served even in the first half of 2009. Surprise, world! Apple has announce that the one billionth iPhone app download happened on Thursday, April 23rd.

The lucky app is called "Bump" and it is had only been listed in the iTunes App Store for about a month. Bump is a social networking application from Bump Technologies, and basically works by "Bumping" two iPhones together to exchange contact information. Bump is a free app download but the developers are planning a premium version soon that they will charge for.

The lucky customer who actually downloaded the one billionth iPhone app is a 13 year old kid who wins a pile of prizes from Apple including a $10,000 iTunes gift card, an iPod Touch, a MacBook Pro and a special Time Capsule.

The big buzz will be about the billionth iPhone app download, but the real news is that Apple was able to reach this benchmark so fast. This leads to some questions about coming so far so fast. One issue to consider is overpopulation of the App Store - how many apps can the App Store hold without getting clogged up? One rumored possibility has Apple dividing the App Store into more sections than just free and paid, adding a department for premium apps that cost over $10 or $20 for example.

Congratulations to both the developer and downloader of the App Store's one billionth application. How long do you think it will take to reach two billion? Maybe your own custom iPhone app will be the lucky number!

iPhone Apps for Radio Stations - by Christopher Stolee

The business of radio has been in some turmoil even before the economic downturn of 2008-2009. There's a lot of consolidation, competition, and less advertising to go around. Add in satellite radio and internet radio to the mix with earthbound stations and the pie seems to be getting cut up into more pieces. The Radio industry will have to look to new technologies and innovation to get healthy again. iPhone applications are one of these new innovations to watch for.

Radio is moving in a new direction with streaming audio on iPhone apps. The mother of all radio iPhone apps would be Clear Channel's "I Heart Radio" application, which feeds off of Clear Channel's "I Heart Radio online streaming website of 750+ radio stations. Last count showed 150+ stations streaming via I Heart Radio on the iPhone. But streaming individual stations on a giant aggregator app like this can sometimes be slow with lengthy buffering times.

Another option is for a radio station, either land based or online or satellite to have its own dedicated iphone app. Why be one of hundreds or thousands of radio stations on someone else's app when you can have your own custom Streaming Radio iPhone app with its own icon on your listener's iPhone screen? Your radio station gets one step closer to your audience, and your listeners have direct icon access to your streaming broadcast! Add advertising to your Radio Station iPhone app for increased revenue and social networking features to build your listener community.

A recent count in the iTunes App Store showed over 40 radio stations of all kinds with their own iPhone apps for streaming their broadcasts. From large organizations like Public Radio to smaller niche online stations like Classical Philippines Radio, streaming broadcasts via iPhone apps. The cost to develop a streaming radio app is very reasonable if the station already has an MP3 or other compatible stream. A basic streaming radio app can cost as low as $1200.00 with optional upgraded features possible, or the app can be upgraded at a later date. The initial development cost can be offset by adding advertising, sponsorships, selling playlist music through iTunes, and more.

Will iPhone applications turn the radio industry around? Not by themselves, but this new technology should be seriously considered by any radio station that's seeking to position themselves for the new era of broadcasting. Contact the Toy Lounge to get started on your radio station iPhone application.

iPhone Apps for Newspapers - by Christopher Stolee

Times have been tough recently for the Newspaper business. Remember when major cities had at least two competing newspapers, and each newspaper company usually had both morning and evening editions? If you're under age 40, you probably don't.

The newspaper business has been in decline for some decades, but internet technology has recently speeded it up.First you have countless free online news websites siphoning off newspapers' former paying subscribers, Craig's List has ruined classified advertising revenue for newspapers, and printing and other production costs continue to rise. Long time columnists are quitting to publish their own content on the internet. This gloom and doom can also be applied to the magazine business. Is there any good news out there for the publishing world?

iPhone apps may help newspapers to rise again or at least maintain themselves while they reinvent and regroup. Newspaper iPhone apps can bring a leading edge technology to an industry many consider tired and old fashioned, maybe even comatose. What an iPhone app can do is bring the newspaper and its content one step closer to the customers, who are able to personalize and share their favorite news content and read it anywhere they are, even offline.

iPhone apps can help newspapers add a social networking feature to their publications and give an advertising sales force something new to talk about with potential advertisers instead of dwelling on declining circulation numbers.The next iPhone operating system upgrade later in 2009 will add a subscription capability, allowing newspapers, magazines and other publishing formats to take paid subscriptions for their content directly through the iPhone app. It would be advantageous for newspapers and other publications to start planning their own custom iPhone apps now to take advantage of this exciting new technology. Six months from now you'll be glad you got started now.

Major newspapers with their own iPhone apps inclued The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, and The Telegraph (UK). The Associated Press just released its own iPhone app newsreader, but we don't consider them an actual newspaper. A group of three major newspapers in Japan has even combined forces to release a combined iPhone application that features all three papers in the same app! However, you don't need to be a major newspaper or a newspaper with deep pockets to have your own custom iPhone application. And not every newspaper needs the level of features and functions that the New York Times and USA Today apps incorporate.

If your publication's online version already has RSS Feeds for different categories, you're halfway there - your custom iPhone app will use your existing RSS Feeds to power the stories in the app. And if your paper's website doesn't already have RSS Feeds they're pretty easy to set up. Now if you don't yet have a website for your paper, you're probably in big trouble!

If you need an iPhone app for your publication, try searching online for "custom iPhone apps for newspapers" and you'll find a developer that can get you started. Or you can contact the Toy Lounge at http://thetoylounge.com/newspapers.

iPhone Apps for Nonprofits and Fundraising - by Christopher Stolee

Non Profit organizations have some special challenges these days. The need for funds is increasing but costs are rising, while in many cases memberships are under pressure and fundraising is declining or becoming more expensive.

Here's a new and innovative approach for nonprofits and their fundraising effors. How about using your own iPhone app to stay in closer touch to your membership, contributors, donors, supporters, activists and everyone else you rely on for your stated mission? Here are several ways a custom iPhone application can help a nonprofit and/or fundraising efforts:

* Awareness
* Fundraising
* Special promotions
* Membership renewals
* Wish list donations
* Special projects
* Social networking features within the app for your organization

Take a look at some sample non-profit organizations' custom iPhone applications and think about how you might use a custom iPhone application to help meet your goals. The Monterey Bay Aquarium partnered with Seafood Watch to produce an iPhone app that both promotes awareness and serves a useful consumer tool. The Salvation Army has an iPhone app that streams Christmas music and funds raised from sales of this app benefit the Salvation Army mission.

Creating a custom iPhone application for your nonprofit organization does have a cost, but this cost can be more than offset by sales of the application and increased donations/contributions through the app itself. Using an iPhone app as a portable portal to your nonprofit's website so your members are always within a button touch.

If the cost of making the app is not in your budget, why not add it to your wishlist? It would be sure to catch the eye of donors or sponsors who love the iPhone or who have high tech interests. In addition, think of the publicity your organization will receive by having your own iPhone application - it will portray your organization as timely, forward thinking, tech enabled, hip, and more.

What a great way to breathe new life and energy into your nonprofit organization while benefiting from a new fundraising opportunity.

Christopher Stolee Rates the Vikings NFL Draft

Christopher Stolee gives the Minnesota Vikings a B+ for the 2009 NFL Draft. Nice first round pick in Percy Harvin out of Florida; forget about the supposed "off the field" issues - every college player has some issues, at least Percy Harvin has his out in the open and has addressed them. His issues seem to be some that maturity can fix.

Kudos to the Vikings for signing Ian Johnson of Boise State as a free agent running back. Christopher Stolee would have expected Ian Johnson to be drafted in the middle rounds at least; he was handicapped by his reduced role during his senior season at Boise State - he has the skills and attitude to be an excellent pro. Christopher Stolee wishes the NFL had more quality human beings like Ian Johnson.

Christopher Stolee at the NFL Draft

OK, so Christopher Stolee isn't actually at Radio City Music Hall in New York today, but so what. Christopher Stolee is watching the draft on ESPN which is even better because there's instant replay. Plus we get to see Mel Kiper's hair close up in HD!

Best deal so far - Mark Sanchez, QB USC to the Jets, who traded up with Cleveland.

iPhone apps for Newspapers

Christopher Stolee is working on new iPhone apps for newspapers. Newspapers like USA Today, Wall Street Journal and the New York Times all have their own apps in the iTunes App Store. But custom iPhone apps aren't just for the giant national scale newspapers, any newspaper of any size can get their own dedicated custom iPhone application. Check here at the Toy Lounge for more info. The Toy Lounge is a registered iPhone developer and makes custom iPhone apps for businesses of all sizes as well as for personal projects.

Christopher Stolee Still Can't Solve the Rubik's Cube

That's right - been trying off and on since the 1970s but still failing miserably. Not willing to use one of the many "shortcuts" available online or through an iPhone app. I can however solve my new Rubik's Cube USB memory stick - it has just three cubes and only one of them moves!

Christopher Stolee just ate Omaha Steaks

Christopher Stolee just ate a nice Omaha Steak that came in a Christmas package from brother in law Tim and his fiancee Beth. Thanks very much! Tasty Tasty. Still got some hamburgers, stuffed baked potatos, and more goodies in the freezer.

Custom iPhone Applications

Custom iPhone applications are the hottest thing going right now - how much should a custom iPhone application cost?

Christopher Stolee has seen freelancer websites with custom iPhone app jobs listed for as low as $500.00 - can't imagine you're going to get much quality work done for that. So you get a low budget app done by a part time student - when your company's app crashes 50% of the time, how are you going to explain to your boss that you know the app is crappy, but you saved a couple of thousand dollars? And the college kid is nowhere to be found. Check into getting your app done by a company with real world business experience and Fortune 500 clients.

A very basic app with limited function may cost about $5 thousand with a more complex iPhone application costing $10 - 20 thousand. The sky is the limit if you need a lot of animation, interaction with a website marketing program or a lot of user metrics. For apps like the New York Times and the Obama election app you may be talking $50 thousand to $100 thousand plus.

Get a free quote on your custom iPhone application.

iPhone Apps Near 1 Billion Downloads

Apple is expecting to pass the 1 Billion mark in iPhone app downloads in the next few days! What will be the one billionth app downloaded from the iTunes App Store? Something useful like a productivity tool, or maybe an iFart variant? Check out the latest list of Top 10 Apps.

What's Your Best Airline?

Here are Christopher Stolee's top airlines from personal experience which includes traveling to over 20 countries and owning a travel agency. This covers the last 40 years -

Singapore Airlines
British Airways
Southwest
Continental
Old School Pan Am

Worst airlines, only from my personal experience. Not in any particular order -

East African Air
Air Madagascar (in the 70s)
Air France
US Air (the old one, haven't flown new US Airways)
Alitalia
SAS

Where does Christopher Stolee want to go next?

Here are some suggestions for Christopher Stolee:

Austin Texas
San Diego California
Puerto Vallarta
Cancun
Playa del Carmen

What are the benefits of Playa del Carmen vis a vis Cancun?

First is probably that there will be fewer college kids/spring breakers in Playa del Carmen, since the youngsters are too lazy to travel the extra hour or so from Cancun airport down to the Playa del Carmen area. On the other hand there are a lot more drunk chicks in bikinis wandering the streets of Cancun.

This will take more thought.

Roger Goodell Suspends Marshawn Lynch

OK, so Marshawn Lynch got caught with a gun in his car and was sentenced to community service. First of all, why is it that Roger Goodell himself is issuing this suspension and not one of the NFL disciplinarians? Does Goodell need to see his name in the headlines? Why not just say that the NFL is suspending Marshwn Lynch? Does Roger Goodell actually do all of this suspension paperwork himself?

So far in his tenure, Roger Goodell is a poor substitute for Paul Tagliabue. It's like he got kicked upstairs one level too far. And one more thing on this rant - we hope the NFL is screwed on its witch-hunt over the players testing positive for diuretics. You already know the story of the Vikings D-line players getting suspensions by Goodell and then winning in court. Christopher Stolee says "Go Vikings!"

More on this issue to come -

Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears

Who thinks Cutler will lead the Bears to the NFC North (properly called the NFC Central) division? Will Jay Cutler solidify the Bears offense, or will he continue to be a whiney boy? Christopher Stolee says it's 60% positive, 40% possibility of a prima donna situation.

What would you rather have for your NFL team - upper level QB with crappy offensive line, poor running game, and 3rd rate receiver corps; or 2nd rate QB like the Vikings with great running game, OK receiver corps and OK offensive line (excellent on the left, questionable in the middle without Birk, and weak on the right)?

Spring workouts start now, so we'll keep you posted.

Comcast Commercial

Who else hates the Comcast turbo rabbit commercial? Hey Comcast - you have a monopoly in our area, so how about advertising less and spending more money keeping your internet service more reliable!

Keeping on the monopoly note, what's up with the electric company (ours is Xcel energy) running ads telling us to use LESS electricity? Who has a home wind generator for my townhouse roof?

Twins 6, Mariners 5 again

Another close game that came down to the last outs. I was right, Crede is a strikeout machine (3). Slowey was on the ropes but hung in there to get a win. Let's see if we can make it out to the afternoon game today and "enjoy" the Dome before they blow it up.

Up late working up a concept of a custom iPhone app for a newspaper. The newspaper industry is bleeding money right now; maybe streaming technology via the iPhone and other mobile devices will be the right medicine.

Saw Resident Evil Apocalypse just before going to sleep and enjoyed fighting it out with zombies all night in my dreams. Any rumors on a Resident Evil 4 movie coming up?

New MLB iPhone App - MLB at Bat

Here's a great iPhone app from Major League Baseball - MLB.com At Bat 2009

From the MLB website:

MLB.com At Bat 2009
Exclusive pitch type, location, and speed data make At Bat 2009 the fastest, most detailed way to follow baseball on your iPhone and iPod touch.
Listen LIVE to every regular season and Postseason game including all home and select visiting team feeds and no blackout restrictions.
Watch the best plays of the game moments after they happen. The app will detect your connection speed to deliver the optimal quality video.

MLB.com At Bat 2009 costs $9.99 for the season.
Check out the full app description here in the iTunes Store

Will the Twins be good in 2009?

Christopher Stolee is watching the Minnesota Twins vs. Seattle, upper deck homers by Morneau and Span so far against Carlos Silva. Looks like Silva has lost about 30 pounds off his front end since his days with the Twins. Let's see if the slimmed down Carlos can reverse his 15 or something game losing streak.

What's the number of games before Punto or Cuddyer slides head first into first base and cracks a finger? Joe Crede looks like a multiple strikeout kind of guy so far (only 3 games though).

Welcome!

First post - this blog will feature the comments and observations of Christopher Stolee. Learn what Christopher Stolee is doing and thinking about these days, from the overly-exciting to the underwhelming mundane minutiae. More to come soon!