[BuzzStarField]

Yup, it's true. I've doubled my app sales without having to adjust my marketing strategy. Six people found my app in App World today and paid the $0.99 purchase price. This is twice the number of people who bought it yesterday and the day isn't even half over yet!

Now, I'm not complaining mind you. I have had many days with respectable sales and I really appreciate your support. My app is doing wonderfully well and is currently sitting in first place in the Education category. Reviews have been fantastic and this fact helps to sustain my optimism that things will improve over time.

I just thought that I'd post this to let you know that small developers and consumers are in the same boat. Both groups are crossing their fingers that 2.0 brings the major software improvements that can kick-start PlayBook sales.

[peter9477]

I frequently double my sales from one day to the next. In fact, some days my sales go up three or even four times the previous day's sales.

The only problem is, the day after that, they go back down to half, a third, or a quarter again.

Statistics are fairly useless when you're talking 2-3 of something a day...

[BuzzStarField]

I frequently double my sales from one day to the next. In fact, some days my sales go up three or even four times the previous day's sales.

The only problem is, the day after that, they go back down to half, a third, or a quarter again.

Statistics are fairly useless when you're talking 2-3 of something a day...

True. The point that I am trying to make is that that PlayBook has not reached the critical mass of potential buyers that can attract purely profit-motivated developers. The current user base is extremely small and I see evidence that the market is already near the saturation point. Improvement is bound to be long drawn-drawn out process and we all have to be patient. I tend to be optimistic that RIM will come through for us in the end but 2.0 is going to be a crucial milestone. When we finally hit the tipping point in terms of critical mass, it will be a good day for consumers and developers alike.

[kbz1960]

I'd say that isn't too bad for an app that will only appeal to certain segment of owners.

[steve911]

Sad to say I wouldn't expect very good app sales until QNX hits the handsets. Until then focus on apps that would appeal to a larger audience.

Once QNX comes to the handsets hold on tight cause its gonna be a fun ride.

[BuzzStarField]

I'd say that isn't too bad for an app that will only appeal to certain segment of owners.

No doubt about that given the size of the PB market. But I am tempted to compare my app with Star Walk, an IOS augmented-reality astronomy app which is perennially in the top 25 overall (not just in its own category). This app is paraded around, not so much because all of its users are avid stargazers, but because it shows off the device's capabilities.

I can dream that one day RIM will finish the AIR SDK and also attract millions of users with killer consumer-oriented software. Then "niche" apps like mine would stand a chance of being financial successes.

[alegs]

Just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for a great App. It is one of my 5yo daughters fave Apps on my PlayBook. She really enjoys looking for the moon and sun. She was a bit disappointed first when she couldn't find the Earth. I had to explain

Keep up the good work.

[lnichols]

Thank you for developing for the platform. We all hope that RIM's relaunch strategy with OS 2.0 brings in users, increasing your sales potential, and entice more developers to support the platform.

And I just bought the app.

[TheScionicMan]

LOVE this app. When we were camping this summer, my daughter and I would sit at the edge of the meadow every night and figure out what we were looking at.

[BuzzStarField]

LOVE this app. When we were camping this summer, my daughter and I would sit at the edge of the meadow every night and figure out what we were looking at.

Thanks! It's always nice to know how it's being used.

[Chrysalis1156]

Just wanted to say thanks for a great app. Picked it up this afternoon and I love it. My granddaughter loves stargazing so you've given us something awesome to do together.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[BBOttawa]

Great app!

[BuzzStarField]

I want to say thanks for the CB bump. The nice members of this forum have downloaded sufficient units today to put me in the top row of the top 25 PB apps overall. More visibility on the Featured page in App World is never a bad thing. Thanks again for the early birthday present!

[lnichols]

Just downloaded today, and even though I haven't had time to use it outside yet, it was cool to fire it up, tell it to use the GPS to find location and watch the info it provided. Played around with it shortly and it looks top notch. Can't wait till they open up more of the functions to you via the API's.

[FF22]

I want to say thanks for the CB bump. The nice members of this forum have downloaded sufficient units today to put me in the top row of the top 25 PB apps overall. More visibility on the Featured page in App World is never a bad thing. Thanks again for the early birthday present!

Happy Birthday... early

[rafa247]

I want to say thanks for the CB bump. The nice members of this forum have downloaded sufficient units today to put me in the top row of the top 25 PB apps overall. More visibility on the Featured page in App World is never a bad thing. Thanks again for the early birthday present!

Hello,

I have been using your fantastic app since I saw in the appworld and I recomend to every one that owns a tablet and play with the stars.

A more brilliant color for the star names will be great and I'll love a lenguage packet for the star names, I'm from Spain.

Really good app, thanks. Waitting for new version.

[jetstreamblue]

Congrats on success with your app! As a fellow dev, success stories are encouraging. I have to say that the CB effect on sales are incredible. A few weeks ago, I was puzzled by a sudden spike in sales of one of my apps (the e-Mmanuel Plus bible app), and later realized it was because it was just mentioned in one of the threads on this board. I can only imagine what a CB front page feature would do for sales!

[chiefbroski]

Hey BuzzStarField, since you've developed it in Adobe Air, is your app available in the Apple App Store or the Android Martketplace? Just wondering....cause Adobe Air is cross-platform.

EDIT: Oh, and I'm going to buy the App as soon as I get wifi...

Because:
1) It has a great price
2) And Great functionality
3) You're in the forum so you're around for feedback
4) Gotta support the small developer

Thanks again.

[joski]

I bought this without thinking, or even trying the free version.

I trusted testimonials AND read that you're very active in the forum, so I just bought it. It's great by the way!

[BuzzStarField]

Hey BuzzStarField, since you've developed it in Adobe Air, is your app available in the Apple App Store or the Android Martketplace? Just wondering....cause Adobe Air is cross-platform.

Android has Google's (free) Sky Map, IOS has several native astronomy apps. So competition is pretty fierce on the more established platforms.

In many ways my app shows off capabilities unique to PB. IOS apps tend to have extensive mage libraries stored in local database and they are self-contained. I really like the PB's superior multi-tasking and being able to smoothly integrate my app with the browser. I have leveraged the vast resources in Wikipedia which allows me to deliver more data/images without having to do the database work myself. Such integration would be difficult given IOS' awkward task switching.

One more thing that introduces a small problem re porting my app to IOS is that I deliberately used the "QNX" components available in the Tablet SDK to give the app a more standard BB look and feel. These would likely have to swapped out for an IOS or Android version.

I have decided, for better or worse, to concentrate on the neglected BB platforms.

I am definitely planning to port my app to the new QNX phones and I have just begun porting to BB Java-based phones. I have a simple prototype that already works passably well on my 9700 but it needs a lot of work. 0S7 has an API for the magnetometer so I think that OS7 phones are a good target for my app. On the other hand, if OS7 is just a short-lived stop-gap measure by RIM, maybe it's not such a good idea. So I'll have to weigh the amount of work required to do the port vs profitability calculus to determine my next move.

I hope that I have answered your question...

[BuzzStarField]

just bought it, awesome app. can t wait for the augmented reallity update once u get access to the compass and accelerometer

Already have access to the accelerometer so that I can determine the angle between a star and the horizon (altitude). Just need the compass to determine compass heading (azimuth). There is also a gyroscope on board which can be used to detect spin along an axis. I don't need this sensor for my app but it can be used to make other neat augmented reality apps applications.

[chiefbroski]

Android has Google's (free) Sky Map, IOS has several native astronomy apps. So competition is pretty fierce on the more established platforms.

In many ways my app shows off capabilities unique to PB. IOS apps tend to have extensive mage libraries stored in local database and there are self-contained. I really like the PB's superior multi-tasking and being able to smoothly integrate my app with the browser. I have leveraged the vast resources in Wikipedia which allows me to deliver more data/images without having to do the database work myself. Such integration would be difficult given IOS' awkward task switching.

One more thing that introduces a small problem re porting my app to IOS is that I deliberately used the "QNX" components available in the Tablet SDK to give the app a more standard BB look and feel. These would likely have to swapped out for an IOS or Android version.

I have decided, for better or worse, to concentrate on the neglected BB platforms.

I am definitely planning to port my app to the new QNX phones and I have just begun porting to BB Java-based phones. I have a simple prototype that already works passably well on my 9700 but it needs a lot of work. 0S7 has an API for the magnetometer so I think that OS7 phones are a good target for my app. On the other hand, if OS7 is just a short-lived stop-gap measure by RIM, maybe it's not such a good idea. So I'll have to weigh the amount of work required to do the port vs profitability calculus to determine my next move.

I hope that I have answered your question...

Thanks! This clears things up for me. I know what you mean with the qnx library in the lib folder of the Tablet SDK. I've installed all the developer tools and played around with them just to get a better perspective from the developer's point of view. It really is too bad that the flexible and relatively easy-to-use AIR platform cannot make use of the hardware.

I thought that the AIR platform won't be able to use any of the operating system API's like the compass or gps or anything.

Some more questions, if you have time...
Do you think app development will start to shift towards a more standardized cross-platform solution like AIR? If so, are specific API's for each operating system possible? Even with the QNX phones, will an AIR application even be able to use the compass or gps APIs? Thanks for your time.

[BuzzStarField]

I thought that the AIR platform won't be able to use any of the operating system API's like the compass or gps or anything.

Some more questions, if you have time...
Do you think app development will start to shift towards a more standardized cross-platform solution like AIR? If so, are specific API's for each operating system possible? Even with the QNX phones, will an AIR application even be able to use the compass or gps APIs? Thanks for your time.

AIR apps on other platforms have an interface so that AS3 code can access native shared libraries on the host. For example AIR apps on windows can access dynamic linked libraries (dlls libraries) that are written in c/c++. On unix-like syatems, AS3 code can call code in shared object libraries (so files). I would be a piece of cake for RIM to include transparent access to native code on QNX. They just have to find time to do the work. If RIM does not plan on writing extensions for AIR to access Bluetooth/ USB and the gyro, etc, I think they will be making a big mistake - so I think that it's just a matter of time before we have full access to PB-specific hardware.

Note that as primitive as J2ME is, it had the great benefit of having these capabilities built in to the Java libraries used on BB smartphones. Integration is really easy using standard interfaces that are the same across platforms. AIR has not such thing out of the box but, as I said, it shouldn't be a problem for the smart engineers at RIM to build specific interfaces for PB.

[newcollector]

Put me down as one who purchased your app when it first appeared on App World. I really enjoy it. With my telescope and your app, star and planet gazing is more fun and informative. Glad you are having some success with the app. Like you, I think the Playbook is going to have some major impact as it matures. Let's hope that RIM really trumpets the 2.0 update!

[pkcable]

perhaps this helped?


http://crackberry.com/whats-blackber...s-sky-and-more