Kristofer Layon
Designer, University of Minnesota

Introduction

• Here today to make a case for native apps.
• Designing apps with Web Standards
• An orientation to iTunes Connect
• Walk away with apps that work (not just a demo)

iOS Table view != HTML Tables
please calm down everyone :)

3Billion (with a B) downloaded to date.

NimbleKit has just released an android kit.

Common Elements

• Status bar
• Title bar (or Navigation controller) – back buttons
• Content Area – what we’re working with (Table view)
• Footer bar / Tab bar

Text color (black in white, white on blue) and screen effects are built into objective C.

With NimbleKit, you write HTML – which gets translated into objective c to build the app.

Headings (h1,h2…) are just as important as in he web.

Structure content. Then style later!

Alternative Kits

PhoneGap is an alternative to NimbleKit  – though less native. However, you can export/emulate for android and other handsets. jQTouch works well with PhoneGap.

Titanium – opensource another option. Though your apps might be marked/branded.

Sencha Touch – mobile app experiences that work on the server.

XCode

“Its like Photoshop. You can use it all day and never use all the features.” – nice!

New Project > Nimble Kit > Build and Run
Wow – look at that.

Nimble Kit is $99 (one time) license. Must be purchased before you submit to the app store.

Product > Add to app
This allows you to import elements (html) that has been built elsewhere.

Any webkit CSS3 styles should work. And, since this compiles to obj c and will only run on the iphone… goodbye compatibility concerns!

And now we add a nav controler:

<script type="text/javascript" src="NKit.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var navController = new NKNavigationController();
navController.setTitle("Bill of Rights");
navController.setTintColor(39, 54, 141);
</script>

And the back button:

<p align="center"><a href="#" onClick="navController.gotoPage('bill.html')">Read the Bill of Rights</a></p>

Pulling from the web:

function checkForInternet()
{
	var isInternetAvailable = false;

	if (NKIsInternetAvailableViaWifi()==1)
	{
		isInternetAvailable = true;
	}
	else
	{
		if (NKIsInternetAvailableViaCellularNetwork()==1)
		{
			NKAlert("Info", "Internet is available only via cellular network, carrier fees may apply.");
			isInternetAvailable = true;
		}
		else
		{
			NKAlert("Error", "An internet connection is required to access content for this function.");
			isInternetAvailable = false;
		}
	}	
	return isInternetAvailable;
}

if (checkForInternet())
{
	// load content from the web
}

To test on real phone or upload to the store you need to join the iOS program:

• standard: $100
• Enterprise: $299
• University: Free? But you can’t distribute???

And then manage about a billion different certs.
2 apps tested on 2 devices? That’ll be 4 certificates! Oh, and then 2 to submit for distribution.

My Thoughts?

A good overview that will help to get me started.

Kristofer was a bit too focused on keeping to the schedule, but overall had a calm and steady flow. Nice to see the in-and-outs of submitting an app to the app store. Good material. Good Job.