Mobile Roadie

The Future is Here with the Apple iPad

Apple’s big media event took place yesterday and put the rumors to rest once and for all … it is true, the Apple iPad tablet is here! This device is set to bridge the gap between a smart phone, like the iPhone, and laptop computers, like the MacBook. Steve Jobs made the presentation yesterday in his usual style and the crowd went wild.  Demonstrations of several of the iPad features are very exciting for users and developers alike.

The higher level computing that is available with the iPad using the A4 chip (vs. the iPhone) will definitely raise the bar when it comes to what new native apps will be able to do on the iPad.  And that is why Mobile Roadie is so excited about the iPad as well!  We see this as an opportunity to help our customers take their online presence to the next level.  Of course, all of the current apps available will be compatible with the iPad, but we will also be supporting native apps for the iPad as well.

Think of it this way: if you’ve been holding off on getting an app developed because you’ve been waiting for the next best thing … well, it’s here.  Now what are you waiting for? Contact Mobile Roadie today to find out what you need to do to get your music, book, or business aligned with Apple’s newest and most revolutionary product, the iPad.

• posted under: Apple, news
• 0 comments

The Next Twiistup is Coming Soon, Get the App Here

Twiistup has become not just another tech conference, but literally the hottest tech event in the Los Angeles area. It’s a great showcase for people with new ideas and entrepreneurial spirit as well as a great place to network with media and investors all under one roof.  The next event kicks off on January 28th and will feature 10 startups showing off their demos featuring some of the top up-and-coming technology out there. Speakers run the gamut from CEOs, startup founders, new media managers and the people who fund such ideas, seed investors and capital investment managers.

So how will you ever keep up with all the happenings before, during and after this Twiistup event? It’s easier than ever before with the new Twiistup iPhone app from Mobile Roadie. The app features official news, official tweets, and other buzz from the Twitterverse about Twiistup. There’s a fan wall where app users can get together to discuss news and events, as well as a full list of all the sessions available during the event. Join the mailing list or browse through photos and videos, both of past events and as they are published during the upcoming event.

If you’re going to the event, this app will help keep you on schedule and network with others who are there. If you can’t make it to the event, this will literally be the next best thing. Get yours in the Apple Store today and don’t miss out on all the buzz surrounding Twiistup!

• posted under: App Review
• 0 comments

Mobile Roadie Welcomes Dan Pink

Mobile Roadie recently completed an iPhone app for Dan Pink, a former vice-presidential speech writer, and author. As a free agent, Dan’s work has appeared in publications like The New York Times and Wired. He has also offered his expertise as a business trends analyst for major news networks such as CNBC, CNN, and NPR.  As a speaker his schedule always seems to be booked, with notable appearances including his talk on drive during the TED conference.

So, it was a privilege when Dan contacted Mobile Roadie to do an iPhone app for him. The official Dan Pink app is now live in the iTunes App store and available free of charge. With his iPhone app, Dan shares a lot of information with his fans and followers, including excerpts from his four published books as well as his audiobooks. If you want to find out when Dan will be speaking at a venue near you, it’s easy. Just pull up his speaking schedule under Tour and click on the venue you want more information on. You can confirm you are attending as well as interact with other app users in the comments section. Watch the full length TED talk, or clips from other interviews and speeches given by Dan. Using push technology, you can even sign up for notifications direct to your iPhone with the latest news and information from Dan.

All in all it’s a great app for anyone who reads Dan’s books and follows his revolutionary ideas about what motivates and drives us as humans. Not to mention he’s happy with it. In fact, we’re so happy that he’s happy, that we are offering a promo to those reading his blog who decide to get an app from Mobile Roadie. Simply use code DANPINK during checkout and get 15% off.

• posted under: App Review, news
• 0 comments

Check Out the User-Interface Updates on our CMS!

We’ve been talking about all the improvements we’ve been making behind the scenes and now we’re taking them live.  Over the next couple of days we are launching a major upgrade to the back-end CMS interface that our customers use to manage their Mobile Roadie apps. With this update, each section is laid out as simply as possible for ease of navigation. In addition, we’ve added new help message indicators and content status indicators for each section, making it easier for our customers to get an overview of each section at a glance.

This update also includes a cleaner look to the dashboards stats, displaying top level information and allowing the user to drill down into sub menus for more detailed stats – if they want to.  We’re also planning for expansion of new items in the navigation menu, so as you grow and want to add more sections, we’ll be there for you. Another important thing we did to ease the visual load on the eyes was to move the App Vitals as a subsection of Manage Content, instead of having it’s own section.  This frees up some visual space and better organizes the customer’s Apple account information.

Finally, last but certainly not least, is our new dynamic Customizer, called Appearance. This feature now allows our customers to change the colors, re-arrange tabs with a click-and-drop function and re-name sections. The best part? No more waiting to resubmit to Apple.  In fact, as this feature rolls out and becomes fully functional for all of our clients, changes made in the Appearance will appear in the apps instantly.

If you’re currently one of our customers, we hope you’re as stoked as we are about these changes.  If your not currently one of our customers … what are you waiting for?

• posted under: MoRo v2.0, news
• 1 comment

How to Choose a Mobile App Maker

It seems like every week there’s another company that will build you an “app.” Here are a few tips on how to make the choice.

First question you should be asking yourself is – do you need an app? Don’t build an app just to build one. Build an app if you have a need to communication with your users/customers/fans on their mobile device. Build an app if you have great content you want to distribute to mobile devices. Most importantly, build an app if you plan on maintaining it – or it’ll get stale quickly.

Once you’ve made the decision to make an app, then the question becomes – build or buy?

I don’t think ANYONE should go out and hire a developer/designer to build their own App unless they are extremely experienced and/or need to do something very custom. App builders today are simply too good and inexpensive to make building a good solution for most applications.

So, now you’ve decided that you need an app and are going to buy it.

Quality

I put quality first because too many people focus on the price first and forget that you need a quality/sticky product to get people to come back to your app over and over (isn’t that the point?). Look for things like:

User Experience: Download one of their apps and play with it – do you like the way it looks/feels? If you don’t, your users aren’t going to, either.
Speed: Are things “snappy” or are you waiting forever? Does it work over EDGE, 3G, and WiFi?

CMS: Do you have access to a content management system to update the content? If not – you’re going to spend a lot of time contacting them and waiting for updates.

Viral features: Does the app allow users to share via email, Facebook, and Twitter? Does it have features that make users want to participate and spread the word? You can’t do all of the promotion yourself – so this is key.

Web views: Be cautious of companies that will build you a native “app” that then pulls in web views for the sections – most of the time this results in a poor user experience. Also beware of overly simple apps that just pull in an RSS feed and a Twitter account – users won’t respond well.

Ease of use: There’s no point in buying an app if you need to hire a developer to implement it. Look for quality self service tools that allow you to make important decisions (such as the look/feel of the app, location and names of tabs, and content uploading) yourself without needing a PhD in PHP.

Reputation

You don’t want to build an app with a company that goes down a lot (taking your app’s content with it) or may not be here in a few months. Apps are so new that there are a lot of startups – but look for companies that have done a few high profile apps, have plenty of examples in the store, are responsive on emails/inquiries, and that have had good write ups in the press.

Price

Price is important – but it’s not everything. You don’t need to spend a lot to get a fantastic app. In general, I think the sweet spot is between $500 and $1500 for the year for a typical app, usually billed monthly or quarterly. If you want to do something custom – a game, for example – then be prepared to spend $5,000+. Just because the basic app is inexpensive doesn’t mean customizations are going to be; it really means that you’re getting a great deal on what used to be a $40,000 app.

Multiplatform & Multilanguage

Do you have customers or fans outside the US? Look for apps that have built in multi language support. Also – while the iPhone is the clear leader today in the mobile app space – try to find a company that allows you to create a native iPhone app in addition to other platforms.

Overall

Just like anything in life, you get what you pay for. Try and strike a good balance between price and quality. Be sure viral features are built in to the app and that you can easily update the app’s content yourself. Lastly, make sure the product and content both kick ass. That’s what is going to keep users coming back, and what is going to get you the most bang for your buck.

• posted under: op-ed
• 0 comments

The Golden Globe Awards All Access App

The Golden Globe Awards are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for achievements in the music industry. The show features many performances by prominent artists of the day and the award presentation of the main categories are televised nationwide.

So, are you ready for the 52nd Golden Globe Awards? Will you be able to keep up with the nominations, performances and winners?  Well you certainly can now with the official Golden Globe Awards app from Mobile Roadie!

Just in time for the awards show, this app will feature:

* Exclusive photos

* Videos

*Real time info from the Golden Globe Awards’ Beverly Hilton Insiders

*And much, much more!

Pick up your copy of the official Golden Globe Awards app here.

• posted under: news
• 0 comments

The Midem Conference Mobile Roadie App

You might be asking what the Midem Conference is, exactly.  Then again, if you’re into the music industry buzz, you probably already know.  This year’s Midem Conference is kicking off January 24-27, 2010, Cannes, France.  There will be representatives from 4,000 companies from over 80 countries around the world with an additional 450 journalists from around 300 different media outlets.  The conference gives music professionals a chance to network with potential business partners and dedicated events. Engage with key music industry players throughout the year using the MIDEMWorld online community.

This year, they’ve taken the action to the next step with an iPhone app from Mobile Roadie.  That’s right, we’re proud to announce the launch of the official Midem Conference iPhone app.  Some of the features you will find on the app include:

* All the latest tweets from Midem, including the official hash tag #midem.  Catch the buzz from around the web.
* The complete conference program
* A complete list of the 8,000+ attending
* Fan wall to talk about the event
* Maps to help you find your way around the convention hall
* Artist photos and bios of those who are performing at Midem
* Speaker photos and bios of all speakers at the event
* Much, much more … including videos, photos and links

So whether you’re attending in person on just want to keep up with what’s happening during the conference, be sure and pick up your Midem Conference app today!

Here is our walkthrough of the app:

• posted under: news
• 1 comment

Robert Scoble Interviews CEO Michael Schneider

Robert Scoble sat down with our CEO Michael Schneider recently to learn more about the Mobile Roadie platform. Let’s see what they had to say:

• posted under: video
• 1 comment

EL Media Group To Give Away Mobile Roadie Apps

EL Media Group provides custom background music as well as audio and video design and installation to some of the world’s top retailers, restaurants and hotel chains. They are, by definition, a high-end company providing a top quality service to their customers. So what do they have to do with Mobile Roadie, you ask?

They are currently sponsoring a talent competition over on Sonicbids where three winners will receive their very own Mobile Roadie iPhone app and one talented winner will get 15 hours of recording time in the studio with Grammy nominated Ernie Lake in New York City.  The contest is open to musical artists in a variety of genres, with everything from Acoustic to Soul and R&B.

As if that wasn’t incentive enough, between now and February 28th, any Sonicbids artists can get $50 off the price of their own Mobile Roadie iPhone app simply by entering the promo code “sonicbids” during checkout. In addition, two runner-ups will be awarded a free iPhone app in the Pop/Rock and Hip Hop/R&B categories.

The submission deadline for the contest is February 25, 2010, so don’t delay in getting your entry submitted.  While it does cost $10 to join Sonicbids and submit your entry, you are guaranteed to get a response from EL Medial Group by March 25, 2010, or you get your money back. So why the fee in the first place? Sonicbids considers it something akin to quality control. By putting a few bucks where your mouth is (in this case, your music), they can filter out hundreds of entrants who are not serious about the contest.  This way provides money for the music community on Sonicbids and helps to connect promoters with artists who are serious about their work and genre.

• posted under: news
• 0 comments

Web Apps vs. Native Apps

A frequently asked question we get is why get a native app when web “apps” are becoming so good? Why invest in Apple’s approval process and store (and soon Google’s and others) when you can hire a web developer to build you an HTML5 mobile friendly experience?

As good as web apps may be, they are still a far cry from their native app cousins. Here are a few specific examples that matter to you:

Push Notifications.

One of the great things Mobile Roadie customers do with their apps is reach their users – at times geo targeting them up to just one mile around any location – with a “push notification.” This message looks like a text message and appears regardless of whether the app is open or not. It’s an incredibly powerful way to reach users. Web apps simply can’t do this.

U/I.

As good as web apps have become, the overall user interface is still dependent on Safari. Things like scrolling, animation, transitions, forms, “cover flow,” and other native app-specific nuances aren’t possible or aren’t as pretty and seamless for users. Loading time is also greater in web apps than native apps. What this really means, quite simply, is that your users will have a better and faster visual experience with a native app – and be more likely to come back and frequent it.

Home screen icon.

Yes, you can create a “bookmark” which creates an icon on the iPhone’s home screen to a web “app.” But not everyone knows this. An App comes with a built in presence on the iPhone’s screen – making it easy to find and placing a constant reminder about you/your company/your brand/your group. Additionally, native apps show up in iTunes under Applications; web apps don’t.

Enhanced access.

Web apps can’t access your address book, iPod, or camera; native apps can. Native apps can tap into your iPod (to suggest to users what tracks they’re missing from your collection) and address book (to enable easy access to share with friends). Native apps can also access the camera that – in Mobile Roadie’s case – allows users to post photos from a particular event/show.

Your own world.

Native apps are all about you – your content, your users, your brand. But with a web app, while users may start off in your world, with one errant click Safari can take them to a completely unrelated website with no clear way back. This can’t happen in a native app.

While we applaud the efforts of developers around the world to improve HTML, Javascript, Flash (not on the iPhone), and other languages to make the web a more mobile-friendly place, there is still a very relevant place for native apps – and it is only going to grow as Apple (and others) add on features to the hardware that only native apps can take advantage of. While it’s a good strategy to have both a mobile-friendly website and a native app – if you wanted to go for the one with the best chances of making a big impact on your customer/fan base – native apps simply blow web apps away.

• posted under: op-ed
• 1 comment