Game Changer? Free iPhone Apps can now upsell content.

Apple made a huge policy change recently that will have a major impact on how iPhone apps and content will be distributed through the App Store.  Stories from Techcrunch, MacRumors and AppleInsider all discuss the announcement and the impact this new policy will have.

I am looking for feedback from the developer community.  I have the following questions for developers who would like to participate.  I will provide my findings in a future post.

1. Do you currently use notifications or store-kit in your application?
2. If so, did you develop and manage your own web-service or did you outsource it? If so. whom did you outsource it to?
3. If you don’t use notifications or store kit currently, do you plan to in the future?
4. If so, next 3 months, 6 months, year?
5. Will it be implemented in new or existing app?
6. Do you plan on developing your own web-service or look to outsource it?
7. Are you looking to add notifications, in-app purchases or both?
8. If you were looking to include in-app purchases, which of the following, new feature unlock, new content or subscriptions would be implemented?
9. If you plan on implementing down-loadable content or subscription data into your app, is this content developed in house or from a third party source?
10. Would your app be free or paid?
11. Does the new change in the rules to allow free apps to have in-app purchases affect your decision to include store-kit in your app?

If I use your response in my blog, I will link back to those who want to be mentioned by name and share their company info with me.

Please send your answers to olddognewtech@gmail.com

Mobile Exchange for $149 with No Monthly Fees

Microsoft Exchange on iPod touch

Do you use Microsoft Exchange in your business? Do you have an corporate intranet or custom business apps?  Do you have on-premise staff who don’t work at a desk, but need access to this technology?  The iPhone is getting all the press as an enterprise solution but the iPod touch has the same functionality as the iPhone except for two things, the phone and the monthly bill.

For as low as $149 (refurbished) or $199 (new), businesses can purchase a mobile computer for its on-premise workforce that provide access to Microsoft Exchange or other email systems, instant messages, internet access and productivity tools either purchased or downloaded for free from the Apple App Store.  WiFi access is built in to the iPod touch and it shares the same application development, enterprise deployment and mangement tools as the iPhone.

With 30 million iPhones and 20 million iPod touches already in circulation, companies are looking how this phenomenon will be impacting their workforce.  According to Apple’s CFO Peter Oppenheimer, 20 percent of the Fortune 100 have purchased more than 10,000 iPhones for their companies.  The Apple ecosystem for mobile applications and devices are years ahead of Microsoft and the RIM Blackberry.  Even though the Blackberry has a larger install base in the enterprise right now, the Apple development tools and app library are changing the game rapidly.

The Apple iPhone / iPod touch App Store have over 70,000 applications available, many of them are free.  Currently there are business apps available for viewing and annotating documents, time sheets, note taking, to list lists, voice over IP, instant messaging and remote access to desktop computers.  The iPod touch also has built in support for VPN, Microsoft Exchange and web browsing.  Enterprise tools include remote deployment and management of the device’s network settings, VPN, email and installed applications. The ability to turn on or off functions such as listening to music, web browsing or install applications are all supported.

For us Old Dogs, its not too late to get in the game.  The development tools have only been out for a year and the enterprise updates to the iPhone / iPod touch OS have been out for a few months.  For IT administrators, consultants and application developers, it’s now time to put your years of IT experience to work on the new paradigm of mobile computing.  I will be discussing the resources for teaching yourself the new tricks in future blog posts.

Hello Old Dogs to the New World!

Welcome to The Old Dog New Tech Blog.

I am starting this blog to chronicle and inform other “crusty old dog” IT professionals like myself on the process of updating their skill set to the latest technologies.  When I started in computer technology back in the late 70′s… I was programming in Fortran on a mainframe using punch cards.  They actually had a classes in college that taught “card punch operators” as a vocation.  I have been through the many waves or shifts in technology over the past 30 years.  Fortran using punch cards to green screen terminals to MS DOS on PC’s.  UNIX Workstations like SUN, DEC and Data General which introduced new concepts like networking and graphical user interfaces.  Then back to Microsoft Windows 3.1 to Windows for Workgroups to Windows NT, switching from 16 to 32 bit. Then changing languages from C to C++ to Visual Basic.  Using different tools an each platform to perform programming and administration tasks.

Then in the 80′s… the Internet was introduced and I remember trying to find a local provider that I could dial into. I installed a program called Chameleon.. a TCP/IP stack for Windows 3.1 along with the very first version of Mosaic and was opened up to a whole new world of  web development.  In the late 90′s… I became a MCSE, upgrading my skill set yet again to the latest Microsoft enterprise technologies such as SQL Server and Exchange.

You’ve all heard of the seven year itch and Moore’s Law…  Well for IT professionals, I think the shift occurs about every 5 years.  Maybe this should be called “Moore’s Twitch“.  The other day I was updating my resume and I noticed I had changed jobs about every 5 years. I would make these changes because I knew I had to change or be left behind.  I am now faced with the same problem many of you are. I missed the last shift.  Many of you may have skipped more than one shift and stayed where you were comfortable.  Now comes the hard part..  making a leap that is longer and harder than any you may have had in the past.

Also as an entrepreneur over the years, I have been involved with many startups either as an employee or founder.  I have learned to wear many hats and know what works and what doesn’t.  I have had to mange personnel, sales, marketing, customer support, the raising of capital and most importantly risk.  As I said earlier, the market is constantly changing and we need to balance staying current with the latest technology and being productive.

In the coming weeks and months…  I will be sharing my knowledge and experience as I jump head long into the latest technologies.  The game has changed drastically in the past 12 months.  Apple, Google, Microsoft and social media are the major players in the latest shift.

• Apple introduced iPhone and then the App Store and once again software developers can easily become entrepreneurial.
• Google introduced the App Engine and now “open source” web developers can become entrepreneurial with an easy entry into the market without having to invest in and build data centers.
• Microsoft is trying to play catch up on both the mobile and cloud technologies. Microsoft has the bulk of software devs and admins locked into their technology so you can’t count them out during this round.

I am one of those who fall into this last group. I have researched the latest offerings on Microsoft, Google and Apple and will be comparing them in the near future in this blog and discussing what impact that has on us “old dogs”.

The last major technology we all need to understand is “Social Media” and how it has changed the way we communicate and market ourselves.  If you are not taking advantage of blogs, twitter, facebook etc., you need to start!!  Customers or future employers all know how to use Google and having a blog is one the most important marketing tools available to you.

I will also be sharing my social media experiences through my blog and twitter as I embrace this technology.

Follow me at http://twitter.com/olddognewtech