the joy of development

...and here we are, in the throes of attempting to produce the delights which the mobile application can supply. well, at least in theory. here are some of the tools currently under review and/or active investigation :

Adobe Dreamweaver: their own website gives an error message when trying to access a trial version of the software. no resolution for this found. gave the impression it might be a streamlined way to construct applications, otherwise wouldn't have touched it with even your barge pole.
Adobe Flash/Flex: this will simply not even install. can find no reference at all to the returned error message other than on Windows, which talks of being unable to create an ARP entry for the EN_US locale. Flash is apparently being phased out / not supported on mobile devices, so perhaps this is barking up the wrong cat.
XCode finally works, but the signing process is akin to chewing aluminium foil while shaving the head with a cheese-grater. essential to use if application is to be signed and put in app store.
Eclipse IDE: this has been possible to install and operate, however feels like trying to ride a dead Tyrannosaurus Rex. integration with Flex etc impossible as yet due to installation errors which are as yet unresolved. to be used, as it is the most common way to develop Android applications
Phonegap: promising. signing process still hinders progress.
Appcelerator: insane reinventing-the-wheel Eclipse clone IDE, and massive memory issues when moving beyond demo app construction - it seems that it simply does not wish to clean up after itself.
Rhodes: another language to learn. ah. well.
Mosync: not as yet investigated.
Whoop: ditto.
WidgetPad: next for the chopping block.

 a rough schema has now been completed as to the rough internal structure of three possible apps to begin with. we proceed, head held high, with a jaunty smile on the face and a half-spring in the step. anyone wishing to contribute, get involved, yadda, and indeed, yadda, please get in touch. you know it makes sense.


here is a (partial) list of publications being consulted at the present time:

iOS
Becoming Productive in Xcode
Beginning iPhone SDK Programming with Objective-C
Core Animation for Mac OS X and the iPhone
Designing for the iPad
Head First Iphone Development
Learn Objective-C on the Mac
More iPhone 3 Development - Tackling iPhone SDK 3
iPhone Application Development for iOS 4 Visual QuickStart Guide
The iPhone Developer's Cookbook~Building Applications with the iPhone 3.0 SDK, 2e
Writing Your First iPhone Application
Wrox - Professional iPhone and iPad Application Development
Building and Monetizing Game Apps for iOS
Developing Enterprise iOS Applications
iOS 4 in Action
Programming - iOS Course
The Web Designers Guide to iOS Apps



ANDROID
The Busy Coder's Guide to Advanced Android Development
Beginning Android Application Development
Android Programming Tutorials, 3rd Edition
Android in Practice
Developing Android Applications with Java

Amazing Android Apps For Dummies

Android Application Development For Dummies

Android Apps for Absolute Beginners

Android Recipes

Beginning Android 3

Beginning Android Games

Multimobile Development- Building Applications for the iPhone and Android Platforms

Pro Android 2

Pro Android Media Developing Graphics, Music, Video, and Rich Media Apps for Smartphones and Tablets

Practical Android Projects

Pro Android Web Apps

Android Essentials

Android - A Programmers Guide

OReilly - Learning Android

Professional Android 2 Application Development

Programming - Android Course

The Android Developer's Cookbook

The Complete Guide to Google Android

plus many other online resources. as you can see, quite a mixed bunch, and a real conflict of information in there, let it be recognised....

we are considering three first Simply Superior applications, further details of which, when the planets are in the correct alignment. these will be both for multiple versions of the Android OS, as well as iOS 4 and 5. we currently have no plans for anything Blackberry.