Some of you might be wondering – what are you working on? Is there new releases of SG 4D, SG Toto, SG Wireless, or some other new app?
txeet, is what I am currently working on.
In Oct 2009, txeet was first released on Android. Thereafter, I have been working on an iPhone version. This screenshot is a preview:
In Feb 2010, the first version for iPhone should be released. I’ll pray hard, to Apple for its release..
This is a little secret. I have created a mobile website for 4D results at http://sg4d.just2us.com/
There is nothing special about it, other than that it was built with Google’s App Engine. Running on Google’s infrastructure and servers has its bonuses – Google ensures stability, performance and scalability.
Late last night, we found out that AppVault has added a all-too-familiar-looking Broken Apple to their website – because AppBox complained that AppVault was too similar and infringed on their copyright. Here is the original website from AppVault:
But if you go to the website now, you would see the below instead. Spot the differences?
Hmmm.. they took away MY BROKEN APPLE graphics! I am fine with you infringing my copyright, just give me due credits, can?
@AppVault, can you not silently drop my case? You don’t just remove an infringed material from your App Store blog just because you can :p
SG 4D was first released in Oct 2008. Since the first day it was released, it has been in the Top 100 free apps (in Singapore App Store).
But in Jan 2010, SG Live 4D was released. This 4D app is developed by another company (not by me). It is the fastest and coolest (reading the numbers in Hokkien?) 4D app in the app store. And therefore, it kicked out SG 4D from its throne 
The new 4D app by Live4D
Ah.. but that is how the consumer market works.
When there is a better product, users will eventually flock to it. Even better if it is free. Take the case of Google’s free vs Nokia’s paid on the mobile. Nokia is taking action only because of tough competition. If there isn’t any competition, Nokia would continue to charge $$ to users. There is no reason not to earn..
Back to SG 4D. I am sure end-users will get better app when there are more choices. No doubt.
This a good commercial ad to Nokia’s Ovi Store.
The ad is good, but Ovi store is still inferior to Apple’s App Store.
There are a lot of guides to general software testing methodologies, but there is a lack when it comes to testing for mobile apps.
Through the years I had with mobile application development, I have formed a habit of sort. It was always a undocumented habit, with improvements along the way.
When I read about QA without unit testing, it struck to me as a familiar process and methodology and I have used.
Therefore, here is my documented habit on how I do mobile application testing.
Unit testing is the most frequently mentioned type of testing in software testing. That is because it is automated, and it is a good modular test on the methods/APIs. But a lot of time and cost could be wrongly spent on unit testing.
Instead, I choose to only do extensive test cases for very isolated and error-prone methods. And for all others, I would have only a few simple test cases, which serve more for the purpose of demonstrating how to use the methods.
Unit testing should be minimal for mobile application development, as a lot of mobile code comes from view controllers, which are unsuitable for unit testing.
Sanity testing refers to testing the normal scenarios. It is use cases that normal users would encounter when using the mobile app. It includes the user interface that users would see and interact with.
Manually testing of each of the test cases is needed, and it is very important that these test cases and their steps are documented. A tester must follow the documented steps.
Monkey testing covers the abnormal scenarios, or extreme cases. It is cases where a user would try to do unusual things with the app.
It is also essential to document these unusual test cases, but the steps need not be rigidly documented.
Moreover, the tester should test like a monkey, trying to break or crash the app.
I always keep in mind:
Engineering is about doing the best you can with limited resources
And mobile phones have very limited resources. It is very common to see mobile application crash or slowed to a crawl due to unforeseen scenarios that depletes resources.
Performance testing is to test and ensure that the mobile app will stand the test of time..
It is just another Android phone.
Tomorrow, there is going to be another big phone release by HTC or Samsung or Motorola or Sony Ericsson or LG or ZTE or Acer or Lenovo or Google..
And it is going to be dubbed the iPhone killer, again.
From the view as a mobile fanboy or developer:
The more Android handsets there are, the more fragmented is the ecosystem, the better it is for iPhone.
Its a New Year!
WJS has an interesting look at the top 25 companies across a decade – 1999 compared to 2009.
One note is that there were 13 Technologies companies in 1999, while there are only 6 in 2009. Bad..
I am a Mac fanboy, and that is how I see you Linux and Windows users!
Neil Gaiman, one of the most creative writer who writes stuff out of nowhere, explains how he gets his ideas..
In the post, he said everyone has some good ideas. Some people will approach him with the idea and ask him to write for them, and split the money 50-50..
I’m reasonably gracious with these people. I tell them, truly, that I have far too many ideas for things as it is, and far too little time. And I wish them the best of luck.
Developers are akin to authors.
I too, keep a long list of ideas.
Aloha! I am the webservant and I welcome you to Just2us!