Apps

Do you have an idea for an app but lack the programming knowledge to begin building it? In this weekly blog series, I will take you, the non-programmer, step by step through the process of creating apps for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Join me each week on this adventure, and you will experience how much fun turning your ideas into reality can be! This is Part 24 of the series. If you are just getting started, check out the beginning of the series here.

In my previous column, I talked about some of the great new changes in Xcode 5, Apple's tool for creating iOS apps. In this post, I am going to move the iAppsReview project to Xcode 5 and iOS 7 and we'll talk about some of the challenges you will encounter as you move your apps forward. 

With a swipe of your finger you can open and close the door to your garage, turn lights on and off, and even receive text alerts when your garage door is opened while you're away. Unprecedented control over such a frequently used area of your home can be attained with a bit of simple installation and a nifty app on your iPhone.

Is the ability to control your garage with your phone necessary? Well, not necessary in the way oxygen or food and shelter are. But streamlining life's mundane tasks (like controlling your garage door) with your phone frees up time and brain space for you to focus on more important things like your family, your work, and your life.

These systems and apps make garages more manageable and accessible from nearly anywhere.

When I take my mountain bike out on the trails, besides getting a good workout, it relaxes me. For me it's a mindful experience being out in nature with only me, the bike, and the trail.

However, because I live in Colorado, when the snow starts falling my bike finds residence in my garage until the sun starts shining again, I can shed my North Face coat, and the trails start drying out.

During the winter, I usually find myself hanging out on the couch instead of getting the exercise I need. I absolutely hate going to the gym. 

So, that's why I was happy to hear about a fellow Colorado resident who developed an app designed to quiet the mind and make working out at the gym like being outdoors.

There are many compelling reasons to teach children sign language at a young age. For some, it is a valuable skill they will have for the rest of their lives. For others, it is a necessity due to a medical condition or developmental delay. No matter the reason, there are apps out there that help teach little ones sign language. The icing on the cake is that all of these apps are free, which makes them accessible to anyone with an iPhone. 

Marriage may be an ancient institution, but that doesn’t mean you have to take an old-school approach to planning your wedding. The devil is in the details, and when it comes to your big day, there are a lot of details. Ditch the notebooks and go digital with these apps that put your wedding plans in the palm of your hand.

After seeing A Knight's Tale the movie, I seriously wanted to get in a time machine and go back to the Middle Ages (though I'd likely end up a lowly field peasant instead of a knight)! It would be awesome to see knights with swords clashing, gleaming armor, damsels in distress and well... jousting! Jousting has to be the coolest sport ever, am I right? Think two medieval maniacs thundering toward each other set on knocking the other into oblivion! Want some of that action today in modern times? Get the most excellent Knight Storm (Free) now!

As a formerly certified weather geek, I like to check out new weather apps. I'm usually drawn to ones with more advanced features, but occasionally I find a simple and elegant weather program I have to mention. YoWindow ($0.99) is one such app. It is not a fancy weather app, which can become cluttered with maps and trend graphs. Instead, it gives you a view of upcoming weather in a serene 2D scene you can animate (e.g. forecast conditions) as you swipe. The app also serves to relax you with realistic outside sights and sounds that match the conditions, and even indicate the season.

CBS launched a new app Thursday, simply titled CBS (Free), which allows U.S. viewers to stream full HD episodes of many of its popular TV shows from daytime, primetime, and late night. The videos are free, but are offered on a delayed basis. Daytime and late-night shows will be available 24 hours after their original broadcast.

A visit to Manhattan isn’t something you should take lightly. Some people may want to just thrust themselves into the city lights and let the push and bustle of the crowd take them where it may. My adventure was a more planned affair, with lists of sights to see, places to eat, and department stores to shop.