In the next few days we are going to being beta testing AppClix standard, our single server, developer installed solution for iPhone app analytics.

Since Apple and Steve Jobs’ have made it “Crystal Clear” that they do NOT want analytics data stored on a third party service, we have decided to move away from the shared hosted model completely, except for demo, development and free trial purposes. It will not be used in production applications.

AppClix standard can be installed on either a Windows server, or under Linux running Mono. Using one of the Cloud providers such as Amazon EC2 or GoGrid, you can get a server for less than $100.00 per month. You can also get physical servers from The Planet and other providers for close to that.

Using AppClix on your own controlled infrastructure is no different that having your own application that keeps track of your users and how they use your app. Apple would have a hard time saying otherwise. We are simply a software vendor, and do not have access in any way to your data.

What is bothering Apple is the fact that free analytics providers are harvesting your users’ data and using it as a product to sell to others. They are creating reports and getting trends from your data that is shared with companies completely unaffiliated with you. Announcing that the iPad was showing up in their analytics was purely a way to bring more attention to Flurry and get free PR. Unfortunately it backfired. They got too much attention. http://blog.flurry.com/bid/30019/Apple-Tablet-The-Second-Stage-Media-Booster-Rocket

This is why those services are free. You can be sure that since Apple has specificall banned there developers from using a service that does this, that companies like Flurry will start to charge for their service. Well when you start paying for it, you realize it’s not really worth the price compared to other paid solutions such as AppClix.

And all this is assuming that Apple lets developers use the service that stores their data at all.

We are offering the AppClix license as a one time purchase, or as a monthly lease for those developers that want to start off with a smaller investment. We are also offering “pre-built” Amazon EC2 AMIs that can simple be “turned-on” and used. All you need to do is setup an Amazon EC2 account for free, and you pay them a monthly fee for the server and our license. All billing is done through them, and you can be running in minutes.

For more info on our offerings, visit our iPhone Analytics Pricing page, or contact us.

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I’ve been saying it all along. If Flurry would have just kept their mouths shut, all would be fine. I knew that opening their mouths about the iPad was what pissed off Apple. What kind of idiot grabs a baseball and starts swinging it at hornets nest??

“We’re seeing  about 50 iPads and they are all coming from Cupertino, CA… Blah.. Blah.. Blah…” –

Jeez, what were they thinking letting Apple and everyone know publicly that they are combing other app developers data and that Apple is testing iPhone apps on iPads.

Blame Flurry, Jobs said at D8 on Tuesday night. That’s the analytics company that sent Apple (AAPL) “through the roof” when its software helped it peer into Apple’s iPad testing operations in January. So now, Jobs says, he’s cutting out Flurry and everyone who wants to track his customers’ gadgets by transmitting device-specific information. (Jobs was responding, by the way, to a question from First Round Capital’s Chris Fralic, a Flurry investor. Ouch.)

Take a look at the speech: http://d8.allthingsd.com/20100601/d8-video-steve-jobs-explains-his-iads-restrictions-and-blames-flurry/

Well here we are, and now that Pinch and Flurry are one company, they are both screwed!

So here’s my question. Can developers built their own analytics? Can developers track how their apps are used?

Of course they can!

While Apple can easily block the ability to identify what kind of phone it is, they can’t, nor do they want to, block tracking how the apps are used.

While Apple can block third party analytics providers from sticking their nose in app developers data, they can’t, nor do they want, to block app developers from understanding who their users are.

Is it really that big of a deal if we don’t know what type of phone it is, or what version they are on? That’s what Apple is concerned about. That and developers / providers opening their BIG FAT MOUTHS and sharing information.

As we all know, Apple’s always had a non-disclosure with their beta software, etc… and it’s always been honored by developers.

So what’s the answer??

is the answer!

While I continue to be pissed at Flurry, I plan to write them a public thank you letter next. By pissing off Apple, they have opened the market and forced developers to install their own Analytics, Reporting and App Tracking!

And we have it!

We have created stand-alone versions of the AppClix software. It comes in 3 versions from single server personal to multi-server enterprise.

Simply install AppClix on your own server (or rent a turn-key one from us) and go! Connect your apps. You have control and only you have access, and your data is not being mined or looked at by third party reporting companies.

And here’s the kicker! We are developing interfaces so you don’t have to change ANY code in your applications. Simple replace the Flurry, PinchMedia, Localytics (and others coming soon) library with one single line of code and you are GOOD TO GO! You can be up and changed over in days.

And you can even IMPORT your existing data using the PinchMedia API or Flurry & Localytics exports.

So bring it on! Our AppClix free trial will be ready next week and we plan to work over the weekend to get the finishing touched on the installed.

Come and Get It!!!

Visit our site for more info and pricing. We will be offering a migration special shortly.

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So I’m really digging this gadget. We’ve been really busy with AppClix, and haven’t been able to post the last week or so.

But I figured I have to at least post something from the iPad. So I downloaded a blogging app, connected it to Wordpress, and here I am!

Bye, bye Netbook. You’re going up on Ebay tomorrow.

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A few weeks ago I was contacted by Agam Shah who writes for PC World. He was putting together a post about the anticipation as Apple began taking orders. It’s a great article. Give it a read.

As a follow-up he sent me an email asking 3 questions. As I was answering, I thought it would make a great post so here goes.

The three questions are:

1. How do you see the iPad as a game changer in the computing space?
2. Will the device live up to its hype, or that remains to be seen.?
3. How do you see yourself using it.

iPad as a game changer

I do believe this device is going to change the face of mobile computing. Many of us who are Star Trek fans (which is most techies…), a reminded of the handheld tablet used for many years by the crew. I imagine that from that tablet, Captain Picard could run the whole ship if he needed to.

The iPad has that potential. Let’s look at this from the consumer and business perspectives.

Take my wife (please…)

She has an iBook. What does she use it for? Every night she sits in bed and does any one, or all of these 6 things:

• Read and respond to email
• Connect with friends on Facebook
• Play  Scramble (Boggle clone)
• Upload her photos from camera
• Listens to, and/or purchases music from iTunes
• General Web Surfing (looking to spend money somehow of course)

Does she need a laptop? Does she EVER use Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc? The answer is NO.

And the other thing she does is read books. ‘nough said?

So tell me that the iPad is not the absolute ultimate device for the every day mom. Tell me she can’t completely replace her laptop with this device.

In fact, she would be more inclined to use it if there were apps available at the press of an icon that could help her do the things she needs to do every day.

That goes for Grandma, Grandpa, and every other living human being on the planet. A huge percentage of laptop users won’t need one anymore.

How many of us carry around a Netbook and/or an eBook reader? You know what I use my netbook for? To remote desktop into my office computer in case of an emergency or if I need to get something done quickly. I use NONE of it’s computing power. Do I need another computer that I have to keep in sync? No, it’s just a window into my real computer.

As for my Kindle, say bye, bye! Do I need a black and white, hard to read, cumbersome book reader anymore? Don’t think so! I can now read books and PDFs in the correct format on the go. If I want to read something later, I print as PDF and email to myself.

And the apps that will appear for the iPad will be unbelievable. I am sure of it. They will be function specific and will serve a single purpose well.

So on to the enterprise.

Imagine this device being used by doctors in a hospital, or in their office. Imagine it being used by restaurants to take orders, or by retail associates to look up prices,etc.., by coaches on the field, by teachers in class.

The possibilities are endless. No one wants to boot a laptop to look up a price. Doctors aren’t carrying laptops into patient’s rooms.

The networking capability, size, touch screen and portability of this device place it way ahead of anything else available. And no one will catch it.

Will it live up to its Hype?

Oh yea.. Maybe not right away since the media and others want to bash it for no apparent reason. But as the apps appear and we see how it takes over portable computing, we will look back and mark April 3rd, 2010 as the beginning of something special. That I am sure of.

Bash away, but this is not just a big iPhone. And even if it was, the iPhone was, and still remains a game changer that has blown through the hype it generated.

So how will I use it?

Besides the standard email, web surf, eBook reader, video player, etc… I have a number of things I believe will dominate my use.

1. First of course is using it for developing iPad apps and AppClix our mobile analytics service.
2. As I mentioned above, I plan to use it as a remote terminal to my desktop computer and our servers. Quick, easy access when needed. In, out, done.
3. It will be a window into the health and status of my company’s infrastructure. A single glance will show me servers, status, what’s up, what’s down, what’s getting strained, etc… It will also be used to see where we stand as a business at any given moment. Revenue, Click-through rates, conversions, sales reports, contact manager, etc.. All this without booting a laptop. Just pick it up, click icon and there it is.
4. Things I haven’t though of  yet. – You can be sure that there will be a hundred uses I have not even thought of yet.

As a consumer, I will use it to play games, surf the web, communicate with friends, watch movies, read books, listen to music, etc.. I don’t see myself ever booting my netbook again.

And when the 3g wireless version comes out… The game becomes a blowout.

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Well it looks like the iPads left Hong Kong at 4:23 am on April 2nd, and arrived in Anchorage, Alaska 7 hours earlier at 9:13pm on April 1st.

I assume those are local times…

Maybe this thing really will show up on Saturday.

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Like many others who immediately pre-ordered the iPad, I got this email from Apple on Tuesday.

Before that email, I had seen some chatter on the Internet about the iPad being delayed until April 12th. I shrugged it off as expected, and moved on. I then got my shipping confirmation from Apple and was pleasantly confused.

Apparently I had not read the whole post about the delayed iPads and it only applies to pre-orders after a certain date. This delay being for over-demand, rather than it not being ready.

When new products and services are announced in this “new tech world” we live in, we almost expect that it will not be ready when promised. Well I am not surprised that Apple, as usual, has distanced themselves from the pack by actually shipping when they said they would. Or did they?

Of course, I checked the tracking number immediately and it hadn’t actually left Apple’s warehouse. Unfortunately a quick look at the UPS site this morning still shows it as “Billing Information Received” which essentially means that Apple created a label but has not actually shipped it.

Also, one thing I am definitely curious about is why they announced that they would be delivered on April 3rd, which is a Saturday. Saturday UPS delivery is not exactly reliable. Could they have done that on purpose? What’s behind this?

Well, let’s see if they keep to their promise and actually put it into our hands on a day when we can relax, play with it, and have an excuse to ignore the kids (who will be all over us to check this thing out anyway).

I’m looking forward to seeing the iPads show up in the AppClix analytics data. We’ve only been able to test with the simulator of course, and hopefully it will work as expected.

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Well it looks like Apple really will be releasing the iPad on April 3rd. As many of you already know, they announced through a mass email that they will be accepting iPad app submissions to be included in the “Grand Opening” of the iPad App Store.

In order to be eligible, the app must be built with the latest Beta version, SDK 3.2 beta 5. Apps must also be uploaded to iTunes Connect by March 27 @ 5pm PST.

Apple will then review the app on a real iPad we assume, and let you know if it is ready. I’m sure they will allow some back and forth over the following week to let developers fix issues that could not be seen in the simulator.

While it will be exciting to have the App Store live when the iPad ships, many of us wanted them to hold off for a short while so we could test on the real thing. Looks like that’s not happening.

At least 99% of us are in the same position. We all have to assume the simulator is fairly accurate and see what happens. The other 1% have access to real iPads under some crazy restrictions.

Would-be testers of the tablet-style computer, due to be released Apr. 3, must promise to keep it isolated in a room with blacked-out windows, according to four people familiar with the more than 10-page pact that bars partners from disclosing information about the iPad.

To ensure that it can’t be removed, the iPad must also remain tethered to a fixed object, said the people, who asked not to be named because their plans for the iPad have not been made public. Apple (AAPL) won’t send out an iPad until potential partners send photographic evidence that they’ve complied.

So we’re scrambling to finish the first app being developed by my other software company, Millennium Studios, to take advantage of the grand opening. Should be real interesting…

At the same time, we want to get an app in the store so we can quickly begin collecting data for AppClix. We added some iPad specific features, and hopefully they will work as well on the real thing as they do in the simulator.

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Well that was exciting…

We just placed our pre-order for the iPad. According to Apple it should show up on April 3rd. We ordered the lowest version since we will definitely be getting the 3G one when it is ready.

When the SDK was released we began development of an application through Millennium Studios, our mobile app company. Hopefully Apple will delay the release of iPad apps to the iTunes store until we can all test on the real thing. Everything works great in the simulator by who knows.

While developing the app, we added new features to AppClix to track iPad specific metrics such as what orientation the user is using your app in, as well as whether they are using an external keyboard or monitor.

We’ve also expanded the campaign tracking to accommodate traditional web campaigns. We anticipate a lot more advertising to be done on the Internet now that there is a full screen browser.

AppClix provides a custom URL for all apps and tracks referrers automatically when used on a web banner or site link. The custom URLs can also be coded with campaign codes and ad codes to further calculate ROI and conversions. The campaigns are then automatically created in AppClix. No need to set them up first.

We’re excited to get the iPad in our hands. Hopefully it will be on time as promised by Apple.

Stay Tuned!

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