"7 days, 600 apps later…"

**r0v3rT3N** · 04-18-2012, 09:01 AM

Last week, Alec Saunders announced an offer where the developer of every 100th app submitted to BlackBerry App World™ would be eligible for a prize package that will bring them to the BlackBerry® 10 Jam in Orlando, Florida from May 1-3. (Click here for legal terms and conditions). Here we are a week and 600+ apps later and we already have six developers eligible.

Here are the six apps that qualified so far. Keep the apps coming!

Donna’s Premier Lodging by Kickinthe App (United States)

Joan Of Arc Comic by ZERO-SUM, LTD (Japan)

RadDeg by Bartho (Germany)

Free Molten Magic with OS7 Icons by InProgress™ (South Africa)

Hank Aaron Brave in Every Way by Scrollmotion, Inc (United States)

LiquidCosts by Bwize ZA (Ireland)

Source: Inside BlackBerry Developer Blog

**Chrisy** · 04-18-2012, 09:10 AM

Is someone from Japan going to come all that way!?

**Sith_Apprentice** · 04-18-2012, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by chrisy520

Is someone from Japan going to come all that way!?

I believe they get cash and a voucher. I would

haha

**howarmat** · 04-18-2012, 10:53 AM

one of those pathetic ebooks won. what a damn joke this is.

**Sith_Apprentice** · 04-18-2012, 11:05 AM

I agree with you howarmat. Does that mean if they submitted 600 e-books they win 6 vouchers? Kinda hard to take them as "app" developers.

**howarmat** · 04-18-2012, 11:08 AM

exactly. I am sure some of those ebook guys do submit 100 a day. RIM doesnt do anything to stop them either

**russworman** · 04-18-2012, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by howarmat

one of those pathetic ebooks won. what a damn joke this is.

Most apps added because of this contest are a joke... Checked out the new apps on PlayBook App World yesterday and not a single worthwhile one and games weren't any better.

**Sith_Apprentice** · 04-18-2012, 11:09 AM

I have no issues with them allowing submissions of stand alone e-books. But dont call it an App and throw it in its own category separate from Apps/Games.

**notfanboy** · 04-18-2012, 11:32 AM

Simple Rad to Deg calculator

LiquidCosts lets you easily see the true costs of the liquids you are buying. By providing some details about the size of each individual container in the pack, the number of containers in the pack and the total cost of the pack, you will instantly see how much the liquid costs per millilitre, litre and the cost of each individual container.

Really? There are homework programming assignments that are more useful than this. Or you could fire up a spreadsheet and do the same calculations.

**TheScionicMan** · 04-18-2012, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by notafanboy

Really? There are homework programming assignments that are more useful than this. Or you could fire up a spreadsheet and do the same calculations.

This is the problem with these calls for generic "apps, apps, apps" we'll now get a ton of duplicate, practically useless apps just like iOS and Android...

**r0v3rT3N** · 04-18-2012, 12:21 PM

I don't particularly like these app's. However, RIM needs quantity over quality right now. Once, they get a substantial amount they can start organizing them with better care.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using the CrackBerry Forums Application

**TheScionicMan** · 04-18-2012, 12:32 PM

I don't know if I agree with that. The only good that low quality quantity does is when saying "we have XXXXX number of apps." When people get into the apps and see lots of bad ones, most will assume that it is the case for every app - many bad ones to the point of frustration trying to find a decent one.

**dentynefire** · 04-18-2012, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by notafanboy

Really? There are homework programming assignments that are more useful than this. Or you could fire up a spreadsheet and do the same calculations.

True but that's like saying who needs a fart app when you could just...

**Laura Knotek** · 04-18-2012, 12:33 PM

The only way to get meaningful apps that people want is by developing partnerships with the big companies, such as EA Games or Zynga.

**Economist101** · 04-18-2012, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by TheScionicMan

This is the problem with these calls for generic "apps, apps, apps" we'll now get a ton of duplicate, practically useless apps just like iOS and Android...

Unfortunately, unlike iOS and Android (Android phones, at least), App World lacks the large number of "useful" apps alongside those useless ones. Fixing this problem is far more critical than fixing the problem you describe.

**undone** · 04-18-2012, 12:58 PM

Chicken and the egg syndrome....

If you convince the developers they can make money, they will develop.

If you can convince RIM to 'eat' some cost and 'help' some of the major apps make it into the App store, that can 'help' sell more devices.

The only doom here is anyone thinking the market will stand still. Tech is moving way faster then anyone ever imagined.

**lnichols** · 04-18-2012, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by r0v3rT3N

I don't particularly like these app's. However, RIM needs quantity over quality right now. Once, they get a substantial amount they can start organizing them with better care.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using the CrackBerry Forums Application

So you really think that tons of garbage is what they need over good and useful apps? If they just get the big ones that is all that they need IMHO. These apps that won are a joke. They need to put stricter requirements on the apps that get people a free playbook or trip.

**kbz1960** · 04-18-2012, 01:04 PM

A joke to you and I but one man's trash is another's treasure.

**ccbs** · 04-18-2012, 01:10 PM

I have owned both touchpad and PB, and have chances to play with friend's iPad.
I really would like to see PB apps that rival these few apps on quality and thoughtfulness.

- Paper by 53
- Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery
- Good reader
- iThoughts HD
- GarageBand for iPad
- the new iPhoto
- SketchBook Pro
- Draw something
- The Elements: A Visual Exploration
- NASA app
- Flipboard
etc

The look and feel of these apps are just not at the same level of any PB apps I have used.

**Sith_Apprentice** · 04-18-2012, 01:14 PM

While i agree there should be a minimum expectation for these apps, the fact that RIM is (apparently) just grabbing the app name submitted every 100th is at least encouraging. It means any dev submitting an app has a 1% chance. While this will undoubtedly (and it has shown already) attract terrible apps, hopefully some good ones will come from it as well.

**dentynefire** · 04-18-2012, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by kbz1960

A joke to you and I but one man's trash is another's treasure.

I was just going to say something like that. I mean someone put in actual time to build the app, so at least somebody wanted it. Don't we want to have choice/options?

**Laura Knotek** · 04-18-2012, 01:20 PM

How popular are the apps from small-time developers on iOS and Android? The impression I get is that the popular apps are the ones from big companies like EA Games, Zynga, and Rovio.

**kill_9** · 04-18-2012, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by r0v3rT3N

I don't particularly like these app's. However, RIM needs quantity over quality right now.

Au contraire mon ami. BlackBerry AppWorld for the BlackBerry PlayBook needs high-quality application even if that means a lower total application count. Remember the BlackBerry PlayBook was touted as the world's first professional-grade tablet. I doubt the straight-shooting, straight-talking, no-nonsense Chief Executive Officer approved of this quantity over quality strategy. Alec Saunders should be smitten by the Hammer of Thor(sten) as he is kicked out the door.

As I sit in my home office laying the foundation to develop an application for the BlackBerry PlayBook I am left shaking my head in disbelief.

**r0v3rT3N** · 04-18-2012, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by lnichols

So you really think that tons of garbage is what they need over good and useful apps? If they just get the big ones that is all that they need IMHO. These apps that won are a joke. They need to put stricter requirements on the apps that get people a free playbook or trip.

No, the criticism will stop if we have a good amount of applications. iOS and Android have more useless app's than useful. I don't like garbage app's either but if we have a good amount, they can't say we don't have any. Once we start getting more app's big name developers will start to think BlackBerry is platform is actually worth developing for. Do you see my point?

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using the CrackBerry Forums Application

**Sith_Apprentice** · 04-18-2012, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by BB9700CA

Au contraire mon ami. BlackBerry AppWorld for the BlackBerry PlayBook needs high-quality application even if that means a lower total application count. Remember the BlackBerry PlayBook was touted as the world's first professional-grade tablet. I doubt the straight-shooting, straight-talking, no-nonsense Chief Executive Officer approved of this quantity over quality strategy. Alec Saunders should be smitten by the Hammer of Thor(sten) as he is kicked out the door.

As I sit in my home office laying the foundation to develop an application for the BlackBerry PlayBook I am left shaking my head in disbelief.

I think this is a bit much. Alec is the VP of dev relations IIRC. His job is to bring developers to the platform and to get them to stay. These contests, free playbook give aways, etc are GOOD ideas and are working. They need to adjust them however, so that developers are not throwing useless crap just to win. There is a lot of potential in these ideas, they just need to be executed properly. (where have i heard that before?)